Archive for June, 2019
The Insect Responsible For The Greatest Number Of Medically Threatening Bites Or Stings To Humans In Georgia Is The Red-Imported Fire Ant
Many people will tell you that sustaining a medically threatening insect bite or sting is extremely rare, but the statistics tell a different story. Every year, at least 500,000 people visit the emergency room due to sustaining a bite or sting from a venomous insect species, and this figure is not taking spider bites and…
Read MoreWidow Spider Species Are Abundant Around Homes In Georgia, And One Specimen Was Recently Found Feeding On A Snake Beneath A Home’s Porch
The state of Georgia is home to a number of venomous arthropods including caterpillars, scorpions, bees, wasps, yellowjackets, hornets, centipedes, and of course, spiders. Unlike airborne stinging insects, like bees and wasp species, which technically include both yellowjackets and hornets, spiders are not generally considered a medical threat to humans. Public health officials, doctors, entomologists…
Read MoreAn Artist Illustrates How Termites Can Be Useful For Mining Operations
As far as most people are concerned, there is nothing beneficial about termites. Very few people will claim to have an appreciation for termites. Of course, termites do perform essential ecological duties that help to maintain the proper balance of the ecosystem. As important as termites are for sustaining life on this planet, many people…
Read More
THREE WAYS HOMEOWNERS ARE INVITING TERMITES INTO THEIR HOME
What attracts termites and prevention tips provided by Bug Busters USA This year, Bug Busters USA and the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) are working to spread public awareness about termites during Termite Awareness Week, March 10-16, 2019. With spring just around the corner, termites will begin swarming and could seek out your home for their new nesting space.…
Read MoreA Historical Structure Was Saved From A Powderpost Beetles Despite Half The House Being Infested, But Are The Wood-Boring Beetles A Threat To Your Home?
Not long ago the Jekyll Island Authority relocated the historic Skeet House to Pier Road in the Jekyll Island Historic District. The structure was formerly located near a wooded area near the Jekyll Island Airport where it had become infested with wood-boring powderpost beetles. The structure, which was originally built in 1930, was once a…
Read MoreLocal School Board Makes Money On Termite Infested House
Termite infestations are never good, except for the Polk School District. Not long ago, officials with the school board did something most people would never dream of, they purchased a termite-infested house. The termite-riddled house was located next to Rockmart High School, and the school board purchased the house in order to sell salvaged materials…
Read MoreHow Georgia Residents Can Differentiate Between Formosan Subterranean Termites And Native Subterranean Termites
Formosan subterranean termites have been inhabiting Georgia since at least the 1990s. These invasive termites are known for being tremendously destructive, as their colonies contain millions of individual termites, far more than the usual 50,000 or so contained within eastern subterranean termite colonies. However, some Formosan colonies can grow to contain as many as 50…
Read MoreKnowledge of Mosquito-borne Diseases Should be Top of Mind in Summer
Knowledge of Mosquito-borne Diseases Should be Top of Mind in Summer Many people may connect the height of mosquito season, occurring in the summer through early fall, to the irksomely itchy welts that accompany mosquito bites. But, there are far worse associations to make with these blood-sucking pests, such as the health threats they pose…
Read MoreHow Did The Non-Native West Indian Drywood Termite Species Spread Into Georgia?
The eastern subterranean termite is responsible for most of the structural damages inflicted by termites in the state of Georgia. Two other subterranean termite species, R. virginicus and R. hageni, follow the eastern subterranean termite in terms of total annual property damage resulting from termite attacks in the state. Both of these species are also…
Read MoreThe Florida Woods Cockroach Species Secretes A Foul-Smelling Fluid That Can Burn Human Skin
Due to Georgia’s humid subtropical climate, virtually all of the 70 cockroach species in the United States can be found in the state. Georgia is home to “domestic” cockroach species, like German cockroaches, that can live out their entire lives within homes and buildings. Several “peridomestic” species are also considered pests in the state, but…
Read More