A very wet 2018, followed by an already wet and dreary 2019, could lead to a big tick season, experts say. Source: r20.rs6.net
Little Short for a Storm trooper? Newfound Spiders Named for Star Wars Villains (via Live Science)
Like the white-armored and -helmeted Stormtroopers from “Star Wars,” these spiders are tough to tell apart. Source: Live Science
Scranton School District Tackling Mice Issue at Several Schools (via WNEP.com)
SCRANTON, Pa. — The latest problem to plague the troubled Scranton School District: mice. Officials confirm there are rodent issues at several district schools, including Scranton High School. At schools across the city of Scranton, students and teachers should be focused on reading, writing, and arithmetic, but definitely not rodents. Source: WNEP.com
East Texas Ag News: What causes bee swarms in the early spring? (via http://www.kltv.com)
Right now is the time of year we typically See an uptick in bee swarms. Source: http://www.kltv.com
Red Meat Allergies Caused By Tick Bites Might Be More Common Than Previously Thought, A New Study Says (via Bustle/)
Itâs no secret that there are many reasons to avoid tick bites to protect your health. Tick bites can lead to a wide array of complex health problems, including Lyme disease, Heartland virus, and even food allergies. Recently, a spate of red meat⦠Source: Bustle/
A New Way to Keep Mosquitoes From Biting (via The Atlantic)
An appetite-suppressing drug makes them act as if theyâve already feasted on blood. Source: The Atlantic
Asian leaf beetle reduces Arizona habitat of endangered songbird (via azcentral)
A federal decision to use Asian beetles to slow the spread of an invasive shrub is reducing habitat for the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher. Source: azcentral
Ticks that transmit Lyme disease don't take the winter off (via KYW)
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — If you think ticks aren’t active in the winter, think again. “As long as it’s above freezing, you can get a tick bite,” said Penn State Insect Identification Lab Director Michael Skvarla. Source: KYW
Think you have bed bugs? There’s now an app for that (via Quartz)
Created by an Ohio state entomologist, Bed Bug Field Guide features 15 chapters on everything from identifying a bed bug to getting rid of them. Source: Quartz
Recruiting ants to fight weeds on the farm (via ScienceDaily)
Harvester ants that eat weed Seeds on the soil’s surface can help farmers manage weeds on their farms, according to an international team of researchers, who found that tilling less to preserve the ants could save farmers fuel and labor costs, as well as preserve water and improve soil quality. Source: ScienceDaily
