Summer means outdoor entertaining and, while you might like large gatherings, you don’t want uninvited guests – like mosquitoes. From the itchy annoyance of bug bites to concerns about mosquito-borne diseases, pests are a big concern for any outdoor gathering. Luckily, there are ways to have a bug-free backyard picnic.
What You Need to Know About the Invasive Joro Spider
Over the past few months, it seems that every media outlet has run some version of the sensational headline, “Giant, Venomous, Flying Spiders to Invade New York This Summer!” The implication is that the joro spider is a terrifying threat and we should prepare for our lives to look like a 1950s sci-fi movie.
While these headlines about the joro spider may be mostly correct in a technical sense, there is no need for the hysteria being whipped up surrounding its impending arrival in the region. This colorful arachnid is indeed on our doorstep, spreading north due to its moderate cold tolerance coupled with a warming climate… but joro spiders are not nearly as frightening as overwrought news segments and clickbait articles portray them.
Tick-Borne Disease: Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS)
It sounds like the plot of a horror movie: an innocent hiker is bitten by a bug, and suddenly they become violently ill every time they eat meat. Their skin erupts in hives, their throat swells, and they’re short of breath. It’s the stuff of nightmares.
As unsettling as it is, this scenario is all too real and is affecting a growing number of people each year. It’s called alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), a tick-borne condition that causes an allergy to alpha-gal… a sugar found in the tissues of most mammalian species. Only primates – which aren’t typically a source of human food – lack alpha-gal. AGS is spread through tick saliva (particularly after the bite of a lone star tick) and results in an allergy to meat, dairy, and other products derived from mammals.
Are Odorous House Ants Hard To Get Rid Of?
When it comes to common pests found in East End homes at this time of year, seeing a few house ants may seem like no big deal. They don’t bite and they won’t chew through your walls. They’re easy to dismiss or ignore. But are they really as harmless as they might seem?
The problem with ants is that where there are one or two, there are almost certainly dozens more – possibly hundreds – hidden from view. Odorous house ants are one of the species that you may encounter in late spring and early summer. Less than an eighth of an inch long, odorous house ants are black or brown, and have an oddly shaped mid-section. Their most noticeable trait is that, when crushed, they emit a highly unpleasant scent (often likened to that of rotting coconut) hence their name.
Carpenter Bee or Bumblebee? How to Tell the Difference
Not all bees are created equal. Most happily pollinate plants, make honey, and play their crucial role in the food chain. Others, however, may wreak havoc by being aggressive or destructive. Two rather “friendly” species you may encounter are carpenter bees and bumblebees.
How Does Thermacell LIV Work?
Your summer could be blissfully free of flying, biting pests with the right solution. Thermacell LIV is a permanently installed insect deterrent that uses heat-activated cartridges to emit vaporized repellent. It is effective against disease carrying mosquitoes… as well as flies, midges, and flying ants.
The Thermacell LIV is clean, quiet, unobtrusive, and free of unpleasant, chemical scents. It is easily operated through an app or via your smart speaker.
- « Previous Page
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- …
- 15
- Next Page »
