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
A Volatilized Pyrethroid Insecticide from a Mosquito Repelling Device Does Not Impact Honey Bee Foraging and Recruitment
This study investigates the impact of pyrethroid-based Thermacell mosquito repellents on honey bee foraging behavior. The results indicate no significant difference in foraging metrics between treated and control feeders, suggesting these devices do not negatively affect honey bees.
Evaluation of the Stability of Physiological and Behavioral Resistance to Imidacloprid in the House Fly
This study investigates resistance to imidacloprid, revealing that behavioral resistance persists across generations despite physiological resistance declining. Behavioral avoidance doesn’t reduce overall fitness, complicating pest management strategies as resistant flies may not consume bait even when susceptible.
Diversity and Prevalence of Nuisance Arthropods Detected by Sticky Traps in Apartments in New Jersey
A study found that nuisance arthropods like flies, beetles, spiders, and ants thrive in homes, often going undetected. Researchers used sticky traps in 1,581 low-income apartments and discovered that 42% had pests. Only 13% of residents reported sightings, highlighting the effectiveness of sticky traps for early pest detection.
Periodical Cicadas Disrupt Trophic Dynamics Through Community-level Shifts in Avian Foraging
The mass emergence of Magicicadas alters ecosystems by providing a nutrient-rich biomass pulse, influencing bird foraging behaviors and increasing caterpillar populations. This shift results in higher tree damage due to reduced bird predation. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for pest management and highlights the cicadas' ecological significance beyond mere annoyance.
A Strange New Christmas Ornament?
During the Christmas season, bringing in a tree may introduce mantis egg cases, leading to unexpected guests when they hatch indoors. These mantises, harmless but requiring upkeep, can survive on limited food. To avoid this situation, inspect the tree for egg cases before bringing it inside, removing them if found.
The Thermal Breadth of Nylanderia fulva (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Is Narrower Than That of Solenopsis invicta at Three Thermal Ramping Rates: 1.0, 0.12, and 0.06°C min −1
This study focuses on the invasive tawny crazy ant (TCA), Nylanderia fulva, in the southeastern US, where it outcompetes the aggressive red imported fire ant (RIFA) despite having a narrower thermal tolerance. The study highlights TCA's advantages, including sheer numbers and reproduction, providing insights for improved management strategies.
