Why Is January 1st The “New Year”?
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Tuesday, December 31, 2024
Friday, December 27, 2024
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are large, destructive pests known for nesting in wood, often causing damage to homes and buildings. Unlike termites, they don't eat wood but excavate it to create their nests. These ants prefer damp, decaying wood but can also infest dry wood if it's softened by moisture. Signs of an infestation include sawdust piles, rustling sounds within walls, and visible trails of ants. Early detection is key to preventing extensive damage. Professional pest control is often required to eliminate carpenter ants and repair any structural damage. Regular maintenance and sealing cracks can help prevent future infestations.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Wednesday, December 25, 2024
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Saturday, December 21, 2024
How to raise a caterpillar into a butterfly 🦋 SAVE THE MONARCHS
How to raise butterflies at home. I have never raised caterpillars before but decided to get two native milkweed plants and to my surprise, a female monarch came and laid 7 eggs! Let me take you on a journey of all their life stages. Please consider planting native plants, this will help save the monarchs! (this species was the Monarch Butterfly aka danaus plexippus)
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
How to Handle a Bed Bug Infestation
Bed bugs are tiny, nocturnal pests that can cause big problems. They feed on human blood and are notorious for infesting beds, furniture, and cracks in walls. While bed bugs aren’t known to transmit diseases, their bites can cause itching, discomfort, and anxiety.
Detecting a bed bug infestation early is key to preventing a larger problem. Signs of bed bugs include red, itchy bites, small blood stains on sheets, and dark spots (excrement) on bedding or furniture. If you suspect an infestation, it’s important to act quickly.
Start by thoroughly cleaning and decluttering your home, paying special attention to cracks and crevices where bed bugs may hide. Wash and dry all bedding, linens, and clothing on high heat, as bed bugs can’t survive extreme temperatures. For more serious infestations, professional pest control is essential. Bed bugs can be difficult to eliminate without specialized treatments like heat therapy or pesticide application.
Preventing bed bugs involves regular inspection, especially when traveling. Avoid bringing used furniture or mattresses into your home without checking for signs of pests.
If you're dealing with a bed bug problem, don’t wait—contact a pest control professional for help. Early intervention can help you regain peace of mind and restore your home.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Sunday, December 15, 2024
Need Our Help?
Bugs are an essential part of our ecosystem, but when they invade our homes, they can become a nuisance. Common household pests like ants, cockroaches, and termites can cause damage and spread disease. Ants often invade kitchens, searching for food, while termites silently eat away at wood, compromising structural integrity. Roaches are notorious for their ability to hide and spread bacteria. Understanding bug behavior is key to preventing infestations. Regular cleaning, sealing entry points, and eliminating food sources can help keep your home pest-free. For more persistent problems, professional pest control can ensure long-term protection and peace of mind.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Thursday, December 12, 2024
Minuscule
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Monday, December 9, 2024
How American Pest Management, LLC Keeps Your Home Safe
At American Pest Management, LLC, keeping your home safe from pests is their top priority. Whether you're dealing with a sudden infestation or looking to prevent future problems, their expert services ensure your home remains pest-free year-round.
Comprehensive Inspections and Treatments
The first step in effective pest control is a thorough inspection, and American Pest Management excels in identifying problem areas. Their technicians carefully inspect your home, inside and out, to detect signs of pests and pinpoint entry points. Once the inspection is complete, they provide tailored treatment options that specifically address the pests in question, ensuring long-term results.
Ongoing Prevention Plans
Pest control isn't just about getting rid of pests; it's about keeping them from coming back. American Pest Management offers preventative maintenance plans that provide regular inspections and treatments to ensure your home remains protected. With their ongoing services, you can rest easy knowing that your property is safeguarded against future infestations.
Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed
American Pest Management’s commitment to customer satisfaction is reflected in their reputation for reliable service and effective results. They take the time to explain their processes, answer questions, and ensure that each client is completely satisfied with their work.
For expert pest control in Eugene, American Pest Management, LLC is the trusted choice to protect your home and family.
References
American Pest Management, LLC. (2024). Home and Business Pest Control Solutions.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Sunday, December 8, 2024
Why Choose American Pest Management, LLC
If you're dealing with pests in your home or business in Eugene, OR, American Pest Management, LLC offers reliable, effective, and eco-friendly pest control services. Known for their professional team and commitment to customer satisfaction, American Pest Management is the trusted choice for both residential and commercial pest solutions.
Expert Pest Control Services
American Pest Management offers a full range of services to tackle any pest problem. Whether you’re dealing with ants, spiders, rodents, termites, or bed bugs, their experienced technicians have the knowledge and tools to handle the job. They conduct thorough inspections, identify the source of the infestation, and implement a customized treatment plan that addresses your specific needs.
Eco-Friendly Solutions
What sets American Pest Management apart is their dedication to using environmentally friendly pest control methods. They prioritize non-toxic treatments that are safe for your family, pets, and the environment, giving you peace of mind while effectively eliminating pests.
Reliable and Affordable
With competitive pricing and flexible scheduling, American Pest Management makes pest control easy and affordable. Their team is responsive, punctual, and dedicated to solving your pest problems quickly and efficiently, without breaking the bank.
For trusted pest control in Eugene, American Pest Management, LLC is the solution. Keep your home or business pest-free with their expert services.
References
American Pest Management, LLC. (2024). Pest Control Services Overview.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Tuesday, December 3, 2024
The Stunning Life Cycle Of A Ladybug | The Dodo
This will change everything you thought you knew about ladybugs.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Saturday, November 30, 2024
Taxonomy : Modern
Traditional morphology-based systematics have usually given the Hexapoda the rank of superclass, and identified four groups within it: insects (Ectognatha), Collembola, Protura, and Diplura, the latter three being grouped together as the Entognatha on the basis of internalized mouth parts.
The use of phylogenetic data has brought about numerous changes in relationships above the level of orders. Insects can be divided into two groups historically treated as subclasses: wingless insects or Apterygota, and winged insects or Pterygota. The Apterygota traditionally consisted of the primitively wingless orders Archaeognatha (jumping bristletails) and Zygentoma (silverfish). However, Apterygota is not monophyletic, as Archaeognatha are sister to all other insects, based on the arrangement of their mandibles, while the Pterygota, the winged insects, emerged from within the Dicondylia, alongside the Zygentoma.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Thursday, November 28, 2024
Happy Thanksgiving
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Sunday, November 24, 2024
Life cycle of a Ladybug HD || Ladybug life cycle || From eggs to adults ...
This video presents to you the exciting lifecycle of a ladybug. Like any other beetles, they go through four life stages- egg, larva, pupa and adult.
These bugs are often considered a sign of good luck, bringing in the news of happy spring and acting as friends to farmers.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Thursday, November 21, 2024
Taxonomy : Early
Aristotle was the first to describe the insects as a distinct group. He placed them as the second-lowest level of animals on his scala naturae, above the spontaneously generating sponges and worms, but below the hard-shelled marine snails. His classification remained in use for many centuries.
In 1758, in his Systema Naturae, Carl Linnaeus divided the animal kingdom into six classes including Insecta. He created seven orders of insect according to the structure of their wings. These were the wingless Aptera, the 2-winged Diptera, and five 4-winged orders: the Coleoptera with fully-hardened forewings; the Hemiptera with partly-hardened forewings; the Lepidoptera with scaly wings; the Neuroptera with membranous wings but no sting; and the Hymenoptera, with membranous wings and a sting.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Monday, November 18, 2024
Phylogeny and Evolution
External Phylogeny
Insects form a clade, a natural group with a common ancestor, among the arthropods. A phylogenetic analysis by Kjer et al. (2016) places the insects among the Hexapoda, six-legged animals with segmented bodies; their closest relatives are the Diplura (bristletails).
Internal Phylogeny
The internal phylogeny is based on the works of Wipfler et al. 2019 for the Polyneoptera, Johnson et al. 2018 for the Paraneoptera, and Kjer et al. 2016 for the Holometabola. The numbers of described extant species (boldface for groups with over 100,000 species) are from Stork 2018.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Friday, November 15, 2024
Watch This Caterpillar Turn Into A Puss Moth | The Dodo
Watch how this tiny little caterpillar transforms into a giant Puss Moth.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Monday, November 11, 2024
Saturday, November 9, 2024
Distribution and Habitats
Insects are distributed over every continent and almost every terrestrial habitat. There are many more species in the tropics, especially in rainforests, than in temperate zones. The world's regions have received widely differing amounts of attention from entomologists. The British Isles have been thoroughly surveyed, so that Gullan and Cranston 2014 state that the total of around 22,500 species is probably within 5% of the actual number there; they comment that Canada's list of 30,000 described species is surely over half of the actual total. They add that the 3000 species of the American Arctic must be broadly accurate. In contrast, a large majority of the insect species of the tropics and the southern hemisphere are probably undescribed. Some 30–40,000 species inhabit freshwater; very few insects, perhaps a hundred species, are marine. Insects such as snow scorpionflies flourish in cold habitats including the Arctic and at high altitude. Insects such as desert locusts, ants, beetles, and termites are adapted to some of the hottest and driest environments on earth, such as the Sonoran Desert.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Wednesday, November 6, 2024
Whale
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Sunday, November 3, 2024
Diversity of Insects
Estimates of the total number of insect species vary considerably, suggesting that there are perhaps some 5.5 million insect species in existence, of which about one million have been described and named. These constitute around half of all eukaryote species, including animals, plants, and fungi. The most diverse insect orders are the Hemiptera (true bugs), Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), Diptera (true flies), Hymenoptera (wasps, ants, and bees), and Coleoptera (beetles), each with more than 100,000 described species.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Thursday, October 31, 2024
Happy Halloween
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Sunday, October 27, 2024
MINUSCULE Clip - "Racing Bugs" (2012)
PLOT: The TV series comes in the form of short segments – focusing mostly on a variety of insects – where their mundane, everyday lives take on a humorous turn.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Thursday, October 24, 2024
Cockroaches
Cockroaches (or roaches) are insects belonging to the order Blattodea (Blattaria). About 30 cockroach species out of 4,600 are associated with human habitats. Some species are well-known pests.
The cockroaches are an ancient group, with their ancestors, known as "roachoids", originating during the Carboniferous period, some 320 million years ago. Those early ancestors, however, lacked the internal ovipositors of modern roaches. Cockroaches are somewhat generalized insects lacking special adaptations (such as the sucking mouthparts of aphids and other true bugs); they have chewing mouthparts and are probably among the most primitive of living Neopteran insects. They are common and hardy insects capable of tolerating a wide range of climates, from Arctic cold to tropical heat. Tropical cockroaches are often much larger than temperate species.
Modern cockroaches are not considered to be a monophyletic group, as it has been found based on genetics that termites are deeply nested within the group, with some groups of cockroaches more closely related to termites than they are to other cockroaches, thus rendering Blattaria paraphyletic. Both cockroaches and termites are included into Blattodea.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Monday, October 21, 2024
Mechanism of a Mosquito Bite
This video describes the mechanisms a mosquito uses when biting their prey.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Friday, October 18, 2024
Insects and Other Bugs : Distinguishing Features
In common speech, insects and other terrestrial arthropods are often called bugs. Entomologists to some extent reserve the name "bugs" for a narrow category of "true bugs", insects of the order Hemiptera, such as cicadas and shield bugs. Other terrestrial arthropods, such as centipedes, millipedes, woodlice, spiders, mites and scorpions, are sometimes confused with insects, since they have a jointed exoskeleton. Adult insects are the only arthropods that ever have wings, with up to two pairs on the thorax. Whether winged or not, adult insects can be distinguished by their three-part body plan, with head, thorax, and abdomen; they have three pairs of legs on the thorax.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
Etymology of Insects
The word insect comes from the Latin word insectum from in, "cut up", as insects appear to be cut into three parts. The Latin word was introduced by Pliny the Elder who calqued the Ancient Greek word ἔντομον éntomon "insect" (as in entomology) from ἔντομος éntomos "cut in pieces"; this was Aristotle's term for this class of life in his biology, also in reference to their notched bodies. The English word insect first appears in 1601 in Philemon Holland's translation of Pliny.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Watch this Caterpillar Turn Into A Butterfly - Papilio Demoleus - Metamo...
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Wednesday, October 9, 2024
Insects
Insects (from Latin insectum) are hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and a pair of antennae. Insects are the most diverse group of animals, with more than a million described species; they represent more than half of all animal species.
The insect nervous system consists of a brain and a ventral nerve cord. Most insects reproduce by laying eggs. Insects breathe air through a system of paired openings along their sides, connected to small tubes that take air directly to the tissues. The blood therefore does not carry oxygen; it is only partly contained in vessels, and some circulates in an open hemocoel. Insect vision is mainly through their compound eyes, with additional small ocelli. Many insects can hear, using tympanal organs, which may be on the legs or other parts of the body. Their sense of smell is via receptors, usually on the antennae and the mouthparts.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Sunday, October 6, 2024
Arthropods
Arthropods are invertebrates in the phylum Arthropoda. They possess an exoskeleton with a cuticle made of chitin, often mineralised with calcium carbonate, a body with differentiated (metameric) segments, and paired jointed appendages. In order to keep growing, they must go through stages of moulting, a process by which they shed their exoskeleton to reveal a new one. They form an extremely diverse group of up to ten million species.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Thursday, October 3, 2024
Mosquito life cycle
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Monday, September 30, 2024
What Do We Do?
We provide pest control for your toughest pest problems, including but, not limited to, Carpenter Ants, Sugar Ants, Fleas, Spiders, Roaches, Wasps, Mice and Rats.
Effectively controlling pests requires knowledge and understanding of their habits, traits, environment, and weaknesses. It’s not just eliminating the pest problem that matters; it’s doing so in a safe and effective manner.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Sunday, September 29, 2024
Feeding, Digestion and Excretion of Spiders
Uniquely among chelicerates, the final sections of spiders' chelicerae are fangs, and the great majority of spiders can use them to inject venom into prey from venom glands in the roots of the chelicerae. The families Uloboridae and Holarchaeidae, and some Liphistiidae spiders, have lost their venom glands, and kill their prey with silk instead. Like most arachnids, including scorpions, spiders have a narrow gut that can only cope with liquid food and two sets of filters to keep solids out. They use one of two different systems of external digestion. Some pump digestive enzymes from the midgut into the prey and then suck the liquified tissues of the prey into the gut, eventually leaving behind the empty husk of the prey. Others grind the prey to pulp using the chelicerae and the bases of the pedipalps, while flooding it with enzymes; in these species, the chelicerae and the bases of the pedipalps form a preoral cavity that holds the food they are processing.
The stomach in the cephalothorax acts as a pump that sends the food deeper into the digestive system. The midgut bears many digestive ceca, compartments with no other exit, that extract nutrients from the food; most are in the abdomen, which is dominated by the digestive system, but a few are found in the cephalothorax.
Most spiders convert nitrogenous waste products into uric acid, which can be excreted as a dry material. Malphigian tubules ("little tubes") extract these wastes from the blood in the hemocoel and dump them into the cloacal chamber, from which they are expelled through the anus. Production of uric acid and its removal via Malphigian tubules are a water-conserving feature that has evolved independently in several arthropod lineages that can live far away from water, for example the tubules of insects and arachnids develop from completely different parts of the embryo. However, a few primitive spiders, the suborder Mesothelae and infraorder Mygalomorphae, retain the ancestral arthropod nephridia ("little kidneys"), which use large amounts of water to excrete nitrogenous waste products as ammonia.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
Why Is The Very Hungry Caterpillar So Dang Hungry? | Deep Look
Because it's hoarding protein. Not just for itself, but for the butterfly it will become and every egg that butterfly will lay. And it's about to lose its mouth... as it wriggles out of its skin during metamorphosis.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Saturday, September 21, 2024
Pest Control On Airfields
Birds are a significant hazard to aircraft, but it is difficult to keep them away from airfields. Several methods have been explored. Stunning birds by feeding them a bait containing stupefying substances has been tried, and it may be possible to reduce their numbers on airfields by reducing the number of earthworms and other invertebrates by soil treatment. Leaving the grass long on airfields rather than mowing it is also a deterrent to birds. Sonic nets are being trialled; these produce sounds that birds find distracting and seem effective at keeping birds away from affected areas.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are midge-like flies in the family Culicidae. Females of most species feed on blood and some act as vectors for malaria and other diseases. Historically they have been controlled by use of DDT and other chemical means, but since the adverse environmental effects of these insecticides have been realized, other means of control have been attempted. The insects rely on water in which to breed and the first line of control is to reduce possible breeding locations by draining marshes and reducing accumulations of standing water. Other approaches include biological control of larvae by the use of fish or other predators, genetic control, the introduction of pathogens, growth-regulating hormones, the release of pheromones and mosquito trapping.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Sunday, September 15, 2024
Monarch Butterfly Metamorphosis time-lapse FYV
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Thursday, September 12, 2024
Termites
Termites with colonies in close proximity to houses can extend their galleries underground and make mud tubes to enter homes. The insects keep out of sight and chew their way through structural and decorative timbers, leaving the surface layers intact, as well as through cardboard, plastic and insulation materials. Their presence may become apparent when winged insects appear and swarm in the home in spring. Regular inspection of structures by a trained professional may help detect termite activity before the damage becomes substantial. Inspection and monitoring of termites is important because termite alates (winged reproductives) may not always swarm inside a structure. Control and extermination is a professional job involving trying to exclude the insects from the building and trying to kill those already present. Soil-applied liquid termiticides provide a chemical barrier that prevents termites from entering buildings, and lethal baits can be used; these are eaten by foraging insects, and carried back to the nest and shared with other members of the colony, which goes into slow decline.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Monday, September 9, 2024
Beetles
Various beetles in the Bostrichoidea superfamily attack the dry, seasoned wood used as structural timber in houses and to make furniture. In most cases, it is the larvae that do the damage; these are invisible from the outside of the timber but are chewing away at the wood in the interior of the item. Examples of these are the powderpost beetles, which attack the sapwood of hardwoods, and the furniture beetles, which attacks softwoods, including plywood. The damage has already been done by the time the adult beetles bore their way out, leaving neat round holes behind them. The first that a householder knows about the beetle damage is often when a chair leg breaks off or a piece of structural timber caves in. Prevention is through chemical treatment of the timber prior to its use in construction or in furniture manufacture.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Friday, September 6, 2024
Formation of a Pearl | Secret Life of Pearls
Australia’s South Sea Pearl Oyster produces the most valuable pearls on Earth.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Monday, September 2, 2024
Saturday, August 31, 2024
A Tsetse Fly Births One Enormous Milk-Fed Baby | Deep Look
Mammalian moms, you're not alone! A female tsetse fly pushes out a single squiggly larva almost as big as herself, which she nourished with her own milk.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Wednesday, August 28, 2024
Bookworms
Books are sometimes attacked by cockroaches, silverfish, book mites, booklice, and various beetles which feed on the covers, paper, bindings and glue. They leave behind physical damage in the form of tiny holes as well as staining from their faeces. Book pests include the larder beetle, and the larvae of the black carpet beetle and the drugstore beetle which attack leather-bound books, while the common clothes moth and the brown house moth attack cloth bindings. These attacks are largely a problem with historic books, because modern bookbinding materials are less susceptible to this type of damage.
Evidence of attack may be found in the form of tiny piles of book-dust and specks of frass. Damage may be concentrated in the spine, the projecting edges of pages and the cover. Prevention of attack relies on keeping books in cool, clean, dry positions with low humidity, and occasional inspections should be made. Treatment can be by freezing for lengthy periods, but some insect eggs are very resistant and can survive for long periods at low temperatures.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Sunday, August 25, 2024
Carpet Beetles
Carpet beetles are members of the family Dermestidae, and while the adult beetles feed on nectar and pollen, the larvae are destructive pests in homes, warehouses, and museums. They feed on animal products including wool, silk, leather, fur, the bristles of hair brushes, pet hair, feathers, and museum specimens. They tend to infest hidden locations and may feed on larger areas of fabrics than do clothes moths, leaving behind specks of excrement and brown, hollow, bristly-looking cast skins. Management of infestations is difficult and is based on exclusion and sanitation where possible, resorting to pesticides when necessary. The beetles can fly in from outdoors and the larvae can survive on lint fragments, dust, and inside the bags of vacuum cleaners. In warehouses and museums, sticky traps baited with suitable pheromones can be used to identify problems, and heating, freezing, spraying the surface with insecticide, and fumigation will kill the insects when suitably applied. Susceptible items can be protected from attack by keeping them in clean airtight containers.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Thursday, August 22, 2024
These Solar-Powered Carnivorous Flatworms Divide and Conquer | Deep Look
Tiny marine flatworms called acoels hunt for prey in coral reefs. They're referred to as “plant-animals'' because they've got a partnership with photosynthetic algae that live inside of them. But this acoel's real superpower is its ability to regenerate any part of its body!
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Monday, August 19, 2024
Clothes Moths
The larvae of clothes moths (mainly Tineola bisselliella and Tinea pellionella) feed on fabrics and carpets, particularly those that are stored or soiled. The adult females lay batches of eggs on natural fibres, including wool, silk, and fur, as well as cotton and linen in blends. The developing larvae spin protective webbing and chew into the fabric, creating holes and specks of excrement. Damage is often concentrated in concealed locations, under collars and near seams of clothing, in folds and crevices in upholstery and round the edges of carpets as well as under furniture. Methods of control include using airtight containers for storage, periodic laundering of garments, trapping, freezing, heating and the use of chemicals; mothballs contain volatile insect repellents such as 1,4-Dichlorobenzene which deter adults, but to kill the larvae, permethrin, pyrethroids or other insecticides may need to be used.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Friday, August 16, 2024
Pantry Pests
Insect pests including the Mediterranean flour moth, the Indian mealmoth, the cigarette beetle, the drugstore beetle, the confused flour beetle, the red flour beetle, the merchant grain beetle, the sawtoothed grain beetle, the wheat weevil, the maize weevil and the rice weevil infest stored dry foods such as flour, cereals and pasta.
In the home, foodstuffs found to be infested are usually discarded, and storing such products in sealed containers should prevent the problem from reoccurring. The eggs of these insects are likely to go unnoticed, with the larvae being the destructive life stage, and the adult the most noticeable stage. Since pesticides are not safe to use near food, alternative treatments such as freezing for four days at 0 °F (−18 °C) or baking for half an hour at 130 °F (54 °C) should kill any insects present.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Tuesday, August 13, 2024
Meeting a Wormlion Is the Pits | Deep Look
Straight out of science fiction, the fearsome wormlion ambushes prey at the bottom of a tidy - and terrifying - sand pit, then flicks their carcasses out. These meals fuel its transformation into something unexpected.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Saturday, August 10, 2024
Urban & Natural Rodent Control
Urban rodent control
Rodent control is vital in cities. New York City and cities across the state dramatically reduced their rodent populations in the early 1970s. Rio de Janeiro claims a reduction of 80% over only 2 years shortly thereafter. To better target efforts, London began scientifically surveying populations in 1972 and this was so useful that all Local Authorities in England and Wales soon followed.
Natural rodent control
Several wildlife rehabilitation organizations encourage natural form of rodent control through exclusion and predator support and preventing secondary poisoning altogether. The United States Environmental Protection Agency notes in its Proposed Risk Mitigation Decision for Nine Rodenticides that "without habitat modification to make areas less attractive to commensal rodents, even eradication will not prevent new populations from recolonizing the habitat." The United States Environmental Protection Agency has prescribed guidelines for natural rodent control and for safe trapping in residential areas with subsequent release to the wild. People sometimes attempt to limit rodent damage using repellents. Balsam fir oil from the tree Abies balsamea is an EPA approved non-toxic rodent repellent. Acacia polyacantha subsp. campylacantha root emits chemical compounds that repel animals including rats.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Wednesday, August 7, 2024
Sterilization
Populations of pest insects can sometimes be dramatically reduced by the release of sterile individuals. This involves the mass rearing of a pest, sterilizing it by means of X-rays or some other means, and releasing it into a wild population. It is particularly useful where a female only mates once and where the insect does not disperse widely. This technique has been successfully used against the New World screw-worm fly, some species of tsetse fly, tropical fruit flies, the pink bollworm and the codling moth, among others.
Laboratory studies conducted with U-5897 (3-chloro-1,2-propanediol) were attempted in the early 1970s for rat control, although these proved unsuccessful. In 2013, New York City tested sterilization traps, demonstrating a 43% reduction in rat populations. The product ContraPest was approved for the sterilization of rodents by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in August 2016.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Sunday, August 4, 2024
Meet the Bug You Didn't Know You Were Eating | Deep Look
The cochineal, a tiny insect deeply rooted in the history of Oaxaca, Mexico, is known for the vibrant crimson color it produces. This color comes from carminic acid in its hemolymph, a fluid equivalent to blood in other organisms.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Thursday, August 1, 2024
Insulation
Boron, a known pesticide can be impregnated into the paper fibers of cellulose insulation at certain levels to achieve a mechanical kill factor for self-grooming insects such as ants, cockroaches, termites, and more. The addition of insulation into the attic and walls of a structure can provide control of common pests in addition to known insulation benefits such a robust thermal envelope and acoustic noise-canceling properties. The EPA regulates this type of general-use pesticide within the United States allowing it to only be sold and installed by licensed pest management professionals as part of an integrated pest management program. Simply adding Boron or an EPA-registered pesticide to an insulation does not qualify it as a pesticide. The dosage and method must be carefully controlled and monitored.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Monday, July 29, 2024
Fumigation
Fumigation is the treatment of a structure to kill pests such as wood-boring beetles by sealing it or surrounding it with an airtight cover such as a tent, and fogging with liquid insecticide for an extended period, typically of 24–72 hours. This is costly and inconvenient as the structure cannot be used during the treatment, but it targets all life stages of pests.
An alternative, space treatment, is fogging or misting to disperse a liquid insecticide in the atmosphere within a building without evacuation or airtight sealing, allowing most work within the building to continue, at the cost of reduced penetration. Contact insecticides are generally used to minimize long-lasting residual effects.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Friday, July 26, 2024
Being a Poison Dart Frog Parent is HARD | 4K UHD | Seven Worlds One Plan...
Being a parent brings all sorts of challenges, but for the poison dart frog, remembering which tiny water pool you've left your tadpole in is just the beginning of their problems. However, team work makes the dream work, and these parents rise to the six week challenge ahead of them.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
Poisoned Bait
Poisoned bait is a common method for controlling rats, mice, birds, slugs, snails, ants, cockroaches, and other pests. The basic granules, or other formulation, contains a food attractant for the target species and a suitable poison. For ants, a slow-acting toxin is needed so that the workers have time to carry the substance back to the colony, and for flies, a quick-acting substance to prevent further egg-laying and nuisance. Baits for slugs and snails often contain the molluscide metaldehyde, dangerous to children and household pets.
An article in Scientific American in 1885 described effective elimination of a cockroach infestation using fresh cucumber peels.
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Saturday, July 20, 2024
Pests
Pests are not just a nuisance; they can be carriers of disease and micro organisms. Pest control is a necessary defense against these unwelcome home invaders.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Why fish are better at breathing than you are - Dan Kwartler
Explore how fish use their gills to breathe, and how these processes make them some of the most efficient breathers on Earth.
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Recent studies found that elite runners can take in twice as much oxygen as non-runners. And it’s likely that this superhuman ability played a role in breaking the two-hour marathon barrier in 2019. But when it comes to breathing efficiently, not even the best runners can compete with the average fish. What makes fish some of the best breathers on Earth? Dan Kwartler explores the science of gills.
Lesson by Dan Kwartler, directed by Denys Spolitak.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
Sunday, July 14, 2024
Notable Species of Yellowjackets
- European yellowjackets, the German wasp (Vespula germanica), and the common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) were originally native to Europe, but are now established in southern Africa, New Zealand, and eastern Australia
- The North American yellowjacket (Vespula alascensis), eastern yellowjacket (Vespula maculifrons), western yellowjacket (Vespula pensylvanica), and prairie yellowjacket (Vespula atropilosa) are native to North America.
- Southern yellowjacket (Vespula squamosa)
- Bald-faced hornets (Dolichovespula maculata) belong among the yellowjackets rather than the true hornets. They are not usually called "yellowjackets" because of their ivory-on-black coloration.
- Aerial yellowjacket (Dolichovespula arenaria)
- Tree wasp (Dolichovespula sylvestris)
Read more, here.
Jeff Verges/Owner/Operator
742 Santa Anita Court
Eugene, OR 97401
541-688-0580 Eugene
503-371-8373 Salem
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