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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

We are three board-certified entomologists who work at the National Pest Management Association with a passion for urban entomology and a healthy dose of humor. Mike holds a PhD from the University of Florida, studying ants. Ellie has a master's from Virginia Tech with a background in ornamental pest management, and Laura has a master's from the University of Kentucky specializing in spiders.

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!

Listen to the BugBytes Podcast

Read the Latest Blog Posts

Feb 1, 2024 Ants, Mosquitoes, Public Health

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.

Dec 1, 2023 Spiders, Ants, Lawn Care

New Co-Hosts, New Science, Same Shenanigans

In the December 2023 return of NPMA BugBytes, the NPMA team discusses their own graduate research on tawny crazy ants, spider bacteria, and red headed flea beetles.

Sep 5, 2025 Seasonal Pests, Cockroaches, Public Health

Kissing Bug Control, Spotted Lantern Fly Surveillance, and German Cockroach Bait Contamination

In the September 2025 episode, the team covers new tools for controlling kissing bugs, using ants to detect Spotted Lantern Flies, and new insights into cockroach gel bait contamination (or lack there of).

Oct 1, 2025 Cockroaches, Ants, Ants, Mosquitoes

Mosquito Repellents and All Things Pharoah Ants

In the October 2025 episode, the team covers potential juices for mosquito baits and all things Pharoah ants. Learn more about the research discussed in this episode here.

Nov 1, 2025 Cockroaches, Ants, Ants, Mosquitoes, Stored Product Pests, Termites

BugBytes LIVE Episode at Pestworld 2025 Orlando!

In this episode live from Pestworld 2025, the team talks about mosquito host-seeking behavior, advances in termite baiting, and stored product pest management techniques. Learn more about the research discussed in this episode here.

Dec 1, 2025 Cockroaches, Ants, Ants, Mosquitoes, Stored Product Pests, Termites

2025: A Pestology Year In Review

In the final episode of 2025, the team reviews the impressive number of publications, journal articles, and science news headlines we've covered over the past year. See the stats here!