Pestology Blog
Pest Control Science, Explained
NPMA’s Pestology blog was created with the pest management professional in mind. The pest control industry is driven by science, but often the newest scientific discoveries are not easily digestible. With that in mind, NPMA's entomologists set off to read all of the latest pest management scientific articles and break them down for you!
Meet the Entomologists: Mike Bentley, Laura Rosenwald, and Ellie Sanders
These posts often accompany episodes of our podcast, NPMA BugBytes. If you would like to hear more live discussions about the articles with our hosts and guest stars, take a listen!
Read the Latest Blog Posts
Bed Bugs: The Resurgence of an Old Paris Sight?
Bed bugs have become a widespread nuisance, exacerbated by global events like Paris Fashion Week and the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics. Increased public awareness through viral stories has prompted individuals to learn how to check for and prevent infestations. Educating customers about bed bugs and their prevention is crucial amid rising concerns.
Artificial Sweeteners, Histamines, and Ticks
In the March 2024 episode, Mike covers research on the impact of artificial sweeteners on German cockroaches, Ellie covers a study on histamines produced by blood-feeding insects, and Laura talks ticks!. Read more about the research discussed on the episode here.
Why Insects Gather at Artificial Light
It's common knowledge that insects are attracted to lights, especially at night. As PMPs, you may be even more familiar with this phenomena, using it against pest insects with technology like insect light traps (ILTs). In a recent study, researchers took this behavior and went to figure out exactly what was going on and why this occurs.
Debunked: Spider Spa Day
Don't believe everything you see on social media. A viral Reddit post claimed that a Sephora moisturizer attracted wolf spiders. Users speculated on its ingredients, but entomology experts debunked the idea, stating that the lotion does not contain spider pheromones. The increase in spider sightings is likely due to cold weather driving spiders indoors, not the body butter itself.
Ant Detecting Robots, Malaria Transmission, and Mosquito Repellent Devices
In the February 2024 episode, Mike shares new breakthroughs in artificial intelligence technology used to locate invasive ants, Laura highlights research looking at how age impacts malaria transmission in mosquitoes, and Ellie reviews a recent study investigating if mosquito repellent devices impact pollinators.
Monitoring Devices, Resistance Development, and Cicadas
In the January 2025, episode of NPMA BugBytes, the team covered monitoring devices in residential areas, resistance development in house flies, and cicadas.
