GGA Blog

Invisible Insects We already know that stick insects are great at camouflage. They are able to trick prey and predators into believing they are simply twigs. Well, it turns out their unborn babies may be just as clever

Moth Ruins Christmas One of the iconic images of Christmas is the Christmas tree decked in ornaments and lights softly glowing in the middle of a room with piles of presents stacked underneath. One tradition many American families partake of is the event of going out with one's family and cutting down their own Christmas tree. This festive tradition may be impossible for many families this year due to an outbreak of the deadly (to pine trees, that is) tussock moth

Walking On Walls | Waco Exterminator Some insects have the amazing power to defy gravity and actually walk up walls

Less Than Cuddly Caterpillars As a little kid many of us are fascinated by insects. Think of when you were young and wanted to pick up a bright red ladybug or catch fireflies in glass jars. Not all insects immediately make us want to run away or start screaming. Some look downright cute. This is the case with the tussock moth caterpillar

Bed Bugs Bent On World Domination In her new novel, Infested: How the Bed Bug Infiltrated Our Bedrooms and Took Over the World

What's popular this fall? Just like fashion, everyone is asking the question, which bug will be popular this fall? Of course with its beautiful black and red markings, I'm sure the box elder bug will top the list of most popular bugs of fall. These black pests have three red markings down their backs and are oblong in shape. The adults are usually the ones that will make it into your home, and the nymphs will be found in trees surrounding the home. They are attracted to ash and maple trees as well as fruit and nut trees. They will also congregate on the sunny side of your home as they enjoy the warmth of the fall season. Fall is the time of year for mating and they will congregate in large groups looking for shelter to begin the mating process. The best way to ensure they don't work their way right into your home is to carefully inspect your home for any cracks in the walls or seals that may not be tight. Make sure that you have screens on your windows, and that door jams are secure with no leaks as well   For more information on box elder bugs, please click here

Ants - a superorganism? Typically when we think of ants the last thing we want to think about is an entire colony coming in any given area at one time. But did you know that research has shown that ants when working together as an entire colony actually functions as one giant superorganism? It makes sense doesn't it? Ants are very social creatures who stick together. When they feel attacked they will work together using pheromones to coordinate an attack against whatever is threating their home. When this theory is applied to using ants as a pesticide, miracles happen. Ants will hang out on trees like mango trees and by association, the fruit becomes protected by the colony as well. When other insects try to invade the territory the ants work together as an army to ward off the intruder. The research shows that the fruit produces a better quality crop too. The research also shows that ants can perform just as effectively as pesticides around these crops. Attracting the ants is the easy part. Farmers can hang nests coated in sugar water in their tree branches until the ants build nests of their own throughout the orchard. Ants would be harmful to would be intruder insects but relatively harmless to humans. For more information on ants, please click here

Lightning bugs If you have ever spent a fall evening outside in the Midwest, you surely know what a firefly is. According to a recent report, the one insect every child loves to catch and play with is on the decline in numbers. Most kids will remember running around the yard and collecting the fireflies, also known as lightning bugs, in a mason jar and watching them light up the night. The light omitted from their bodies is actually an attractant for the opposite sex. They light up in different patters as a way of calling out to each other. What most people don't know is that a lightning bug is actually in the same species of insects as a beetle. They are one of the good bugs on the list of helpful insects to keep around. You used to be able to find large swarms of the flying, glowing beetles, however now they it is a very rare occasion to see a full swarm. Some researchers blame habitat loss and light pollution on the decline of fireflies. Fireflies hide during the winter and need natural undisturbed areas to survive. It is thought that human light pollution interrupts their matting patterns by interrupting the mating flashes of the glow. For more information on lightning bugs, please click here

Keep your kisses! As if the kiss of a kissing bug isn't bad enough, now they are carrying infectious diseases as well. Kissing bugs got their name because they like to bite right on your face. They will in fact target your face as a place to bite. Now they are especially dangerous as many reports of Chagas disease come to light. Chagas disease is carried by kissing bugs however you don't always have to receive a bite to transmit the disease. The other transmissions of the parasite are less common such as organ transplants, blood transfusions and even pregnancy. Chagas disease could cause you to experience heart issues, difficulties eating and digesting foods, they can also cause you to have an enlarged esophagus. Clearly all of these symptoms could be life threatening. The only real way to avoid these kissers is to be aware of what is happening in your home and yard. If you notice an increase in kissing bugs there are some tricks to try to keep them away like your citronella candles and torches. You can also try some pesticides but if the problem persists, the best option is to call your local pest control company for a strategy to eliminate the problem. For more information on kissing bugs, please click here