Explore the fascinating world of insects and their impact on human health, agriculture, ecosystems and everyday life. Our articles feature insights on topics ranging from mosquitoes and pollinators to pest management, beekeeping and emerging trends in entomology. Whether you’re considering a graduate degree, advancing your career or simply curious about insect science, you’ll find expert perspectives, practical knowledge and the latest discoveries shaping the field.
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How to Stay Safe From Tick Bites: A Prevention Guide
Ticks are tiny. The problems they cause? Not so much. These tiny arachnids — about the size of an apple seed — spread more vector-borne diseases than almost any other insect. Lyme disease alone is diagnosed and treated in roughly 476,000 Americans each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And recently, emergency room
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Can Humans Get Screwworm? What to Know About the Parasitic Fly
A squirming larva that screws itself deeper into living flesh as it feeds? Yeah, a screwworm sound like something a horror writer invented after a very bad camping trip. Unfortunately, they’re real. Even more unfortunately, they’re flies. The New World Screwworm (NWS) is a parasitic fly whose larvae (maggots) can infest wounds and feed on
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5 Common Household Pests and Their Life Cycles
They show up uninvited, multiply faster than you’d expect and are remarkably good at avoiding detection until there’s already a problem. (Honestly, how rude.) In some cases, homeowners may not even notice a household pest infestation until it is too late — and by then, the situation is rarely a quick fix. For us to
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7 Pollinator-Friendly Practices for Fall Gardens
Every neighborhood has that one yard: lush lawn, trimmed hedges, wraparound porch. It’s the envy of everyone who drives past, but you know something? Pollinators hate it. Bees, butterflies, birds and other pollinators are essential for biodiversity and pollinating the crops that feed us. But to do their job, they need shelter and reliable food sources. Your yard could
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How to Protect Yourself From Vector-Borne Diseases While Traveling
Traveling exposes you to a lot of new experiences, like stumbling upon the best street food you’ve ever had. That’s part of what makes it worthwhile. But some surprises are worth getting ahead of, and vector-borne diseases are at the top of that list. Sure, you can’t avoid bugs entirely, but you can make yourself a much harder target. That takes preparation and a
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Spotted Lanternfly Treatment and Control: What Works in 2026
Spotted lanternflies are destroying crops across the Eastern U.S. These invasive pests have slashed grape harvests by up to 90% and stunted maple tree growth by half. Since arriving in Pennsylvania in 2014, they’ve spread rapidly — and they’re getting harder to kill. The good news? Scientists are fighting back with promising new weapons: parasitic wasps, bug-killing fungi and strategic habitat removal. These biological control methods could
