Posts Tagged ‘insects’

Do you have an obsession?

Well by now most have seen the reality shows on TV “Strange Addication“or “Obsessed“and this story is no different. A guy in Rhode Island is addicted to eating bugs “Man addicated to the taste of bugs reveals he has eaten over 5000 insect species.”

I must admit that I probably would eat some bugs but just haven’t had the opportunity to try a lot of them yet.

So have you eaten any bugs yet, grasshoppers, crickets  tell me about your experience?

What are centipedes? Spiders or insects?

This Arizona Centipede is actually an arthropod (arthropods are organisms that have segmented bodies, a jointed skeleton and paired jointed limbs. They include such creatures as spiders, centipedes and insects) that has an elongated body with one pair of legs per segment. So really neither spider or insect but a creature all it’s own. They range in size from less than an inch to several inches. The smaller, brown and tan, common desert centipede does bite, it can be painful but not deadly to humans.

The centipede is one of the oldest animals on Earth having evolved into the form it is today, millions of years ago. The centipede has been found in fossils dating over 400 million years old.

Remember, venom = active, poison = passive. Call 1-800-222-1222 Poison Control for additional information.

What are Genetically engineered (GE) insects?

Genetically engineered (GE) insects are yet another class of biotech experiments moving rapidly toward release into our environment.

They are talking about controls and oversight, but none is currently being provided. These GE insects include a GE pink bollworm, a GE medfly, GE apple codling moth and GE mosquitos.

This is amazing stuff that they are working on, the USDA has allowed a field trial in Arizona of pink bollworms engineered with a fluorescent gene so that the British company that created them (Oxitec) can assess how far they travel.

What are some ways to discourage insects trying to enter your home?

One of the things that Pest Management Professionals try to utilize are IPM or Integrated Pest Management techniques. These basic ideas include using non-chemical methods to reduce the bug population around your home.

• This can be as simple as removing firewood from close to your home to maybe next to a block wall and making sure its not directly on the ground.
• Trimming trees to prevent ants and other crawling pests from just walking right on it.
• Using yellow lighting or sodium vapor lights on structures or businesses will help to reduce flying insects.
• Keeping stone or dirt away from the stucco of your home so you can clearly see the foundation.
• Sealing up any cracks and crevices where bugs love to hide, this may include those block wall bump-outs.
• Keep trash cans away from doors where people come and go often.
• Check your property often and stay ahead of the insects.

If you store lots of firewood a device like this can keep it off the ground and you can always cover it with a tarp.

What are some of my favorite bug artwork that I own?

The scorpion was a gift for speaking in Mexico (my largest group ever over 500) from my friends Tere de and Eduardo Dessens, Tere saved my life by translating my talk on termites into Spanish and Eduardo used to work for FMC Mexico. The grasshopper I found while on one of my antique trips in Arizona. I’m always on the hunt for unique bug stuff.