Here are some pearls of wisdom from an old bulletin published by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1917. It’s titled “The House Fly” and is Farmers Bulletin #851. First, consider the year. It’s 1917, the automobile is becoming popular and is quickly replacing horses and bicycles for transportation among the wealthy but horses
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I told my friend I was really looking forward to the cold weather and winter because it will finally mean no more bugs inside the house. He says I’m nuts, that there are always indoor bugs no matter what’s happening outside. Is that true, don’t they die off or something? L. L., Framingham, MA It’s
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Many people, especially those of us who deal with pest mosquitoes, are wondering what happened to the Zika virus this year. Even experts aren’t sure just how the U.S. has managed to get off so easy…or have we? Zika virus is a serious disease spread by the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti, or yellowfever,
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Would you be surprised to hear that no matter how clean your home, you can expect an average of 100 insect or related species to live there? That’s not a total of 100 insects or spiders, that’s 100 different types of insects and other arthropods! That seems incredible but it’s what a research team from
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October 22-28 is Rodent Awareness Week. For the fourth straight year, the Professional Pest Management Alliance (PPMA) is urging pest control companies and others working in pest management to use this designation to help educate consumers about the diseases and dangers of rodents. So, I’m going to try to do my part with a little
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If Japanese barberry is one of your favorite landscaping plants, you should think about finding a new favorite, especially if you worry about Lyme disease. Does that seem like convoluted thinking? What does a garden shrub have to do with a serious disease spread by the bite of a tick? Tick researchers at the Connecticut
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If you’re worried about bringing bed bugs home from your vacation, pay attention to your dirty laundry. Dirty clothes attract bed bugs. Yes, this sounds like an old wives tale. Bed bugs feed on people’s blood, what do they care about those less-than-clean T-shirts and undies that you’ve been throwing into your luggage for the
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If you have to use a pesticide around your home or garden, it’s always better to choose an “organic pesticide,” right? Maybe yes, maybe no. Organic pesticides are those that are derived from plants or earth minerals. Because they are seen as “natural, “ rather than chemically synthesized in a lab, the assumption is that
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When pests invade your home, there are plenty of exterminators clamoring for your dollars and promising to get rid of your pests. We understand that you have lots of choices when it comes to contracting a pest control company. We want you to know why Colonial Pest is your best choice in Massachusetts and New
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