There's are some incredible articles in The New York Times, Newsweek and other media outlets about Praying Mantises and how they hunt birds (yes, birds) and larger prey than their insect cousins. Praying mantises are carnivorous insects with powerful raptorial front legs that usually depend on arthropods such as insects or spiders as their primary
The Yamato cockroach (Periplaneta japonica), a species indigenous to Japan, China and southeast Russia, is an insect that lives outdoors and survives in cool-temperate regions. When this Japanese roach was revealed to be living and thriving in an outdoor public garden in New York City in the first documented report of this cockroach species establishing
Invasive species are insects are establishing new colonies in the US and other countries. Once present, the invasive insects establish themselves, and can displace other species of insects, affect the environment, harm human health, and cause unexpected troubles for residents. USA Today wrote about how crazy ants are displacing fire ants and affecting ecosystems in some
Well known children’s book author David Shannon just published a new book about lice called “Bugs In My Hair!” David Shannon’s Book “Bugs In My Hair!” His publisher described the book as a humorous take on battling head lice. This book is guaranteed to make you laugh, and itch! From the opening picture of a
We’re overdue for a little more pest control humor after a lot of more serious topics (and a few Friday Music Videos). Here goes: A woman was having a passionate affair with an inspector from a pest-control company. One afternoon they were carrying on in the bedroom together, when her husband arrived home unexpectedly. “Quick,”
We haven’t had any Monty Python in this blog, so here goes….. Enjoy the clever but somewhat bizarre song “Eric the Half-a-Bee” from 1972′s “Monty Python’s Previous Record” album. (Given the other posts this week referencing China did you think we would include the comedy team’s later song I Like Chinese?)
We’re following up on our last blog post on insect problems in China…. Here’s another pest problem in China that has been seen in other countries: bed bugs that love public transportation. Where else has this happened? New York’s commuter trains; NYC subways (and subway benches); Detroit city buses; and Amtrak passenger cars. Bed bugs have also been
This evening the Discovery channel will bring back its gruesome and addictive series “Monsters Inside Me.” We’re interested in the new ways that the show will make us squirm, and learn about nature’s kingdom. Bell Environmental and our canine detective Roscoe the Bed Bug Dog were pleased to be featured in the first season of
We heard this week’s Friday Insect Video at the end of an interesting news segment reported by the BBC. It’s the Bumble Boogie, a take on the classical music piece “Flight of the Bumble Bee” by B. Bumble and the Stingers. Now what is the news story that also caught our attention? Harvard scientists are
We’re very concerned about ticks and the diseases that they carry. We hope that you and your family take precautions against tick bites to avoid Lyme and other unwanted diseases. We know too many people who have been affected by Lyme. A new Op-Ed in the New York Times is worth a read and sparks