How Education and Exposure Reduce Fear of Insects
Guest User Guest User

How Education and Exposure Reduce Fear of Insects

Everyone, no matter how ambivalent or straight-up enthusiastic toward arthropods, has a story about an encounter that made their skin crawl. For me, it was waking up with a brown marmorated stink bug on my neck when I was five.

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5 Things to Know About the Drugstore Beetle
Casey Vollmer Casey Vollmer

5 Things to Know About the Drugstore Beetle

This month, we're spotlighting the Drugstore Beetle (Stegobium paniceum) — a common but often overlooked pest in stored product environments. These small reddish-brown beetles are known for their broad diet and ability to infest everything from flour to pharmaceuticals. Understanding their habits, life cycle, and signs of activity can help prevent product loss and costly infestations.

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Hide and Seek with Bugs: Stories of unintuitive causes of pest problems
Guest User Guest User

Hide and Seek with Bugs: Stories of unintuitive causes of pest problems

On one hand, solving a pest problem is simple: find the source of the pest and remove it. I recall an experience with ants a while back. During a messy breakfast, syrup had gotten on a shirt that was subsequently moved to the laundry room where it didn’t quite make it into the washing machine — oops!

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My Amazing Trip to Ecuador – Work and Play
Tom Mueller Tom Mueller

My Amazing Trip to Ecuador – Work and Play

One of the best things about the pest control industry is the people you meet. I have had the privilege of being exposed to this industry my whole life and genuinely great people seem to be a constant.

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5 Things to Know About the Fruit Fly
Casey Vollmer Casey Vollmer

5 Things to Know About the Fruit Fly

This month, we are spotlighting the Fruit Fly (Drosophila melanogaster) – a small but serious pest in food storage, handling, and production environments. Known for rapid breeding and their attraction to fermenting matter, fruit flies are a key insect to monitor, especially in warm, humid months.

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5 Things to Know About the Hide Beetle
Casey Vollmer Casey Vollmer

5 Things to Know About the Hide Beetle

This month, we're spotlighting the Hide Beetle (Dermestes maculatus)—a dermestid species known both as a beneficial decomposer and a challenging pest. Commonly found in natural settings and museum collections, this beetle’s biology makes it important to understand and manage.

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How to Take Better Insect Photos for Accurate Identification
Casey Vollmer Casey Vollmer

How to Take Better Insect Photos for Accurate Identification

Want to identify an insect but not sure how to photograph it properly? Learn expert tips for taking clear, focused, and well-lit bug photos that entomologists can actually use for accurate identification. Discover what details matter—and what to avoid.

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When Packing Materials Become Pest Highways: Expanded Polystyrene
Guest User Guest User

When Packing Materials Become Pest Highways: Expanded Polystyrene

These materials were intended to replace the use of expanded polystyrene (often referred to by the trade name “Styrofoam”) packing materials, resulting in a reduced rate of plastic accumulation in our environment. After all, polystyrene is notorious for its persistence in the environment; it can take hundreds to thousands of years to degrade.

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5 Things to Know About the Webbing Clothes Moth
Casey Vollmer Casey Vollmer

5 Things to Know About the Webbing Clothes Moth

The webbing clothes moth (Tineloa bisselliella) is one of the most notorious textile pests, causing damage to wool, fur, and other natural fibers in homes, museums, and businesses. Despite their small size, these moths can create big problems when left unchecked. Here are five key things you need to know about them:

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First Quarter Recap: Exciting Developments at Insects Limited
Casey Vollmer Casey Vollmer

First Quarter Recap: Exciting Developments at Insects Limited

As we close out the first quarter of the year, we have plenty of exciting updates to share from both inside and outside of Insects Limited. Our commitment to innovation, efficiency, and quality continues to drive us forward, benefiting both our team and our valued customers.

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Spotlight on the Casemaking Clothes Moth
Casey Vollmer Casey Vollmer

Spotlight on the Casemaking Clothes Moth

When it comes to textile pests, few are as persistent and destructive as the Casemaking Clothes Moth (Tinea pellionella). This small yet damaging insect is notorious for feeding on wool, silk, fur, feathers, and upholstery, often going undetected until significant damage has been done. Unlike pantry pests, these moths do not infest food products - rather, they target keratin-rich materials found in clothing, carpets, taxidermy, and antique furnishings.

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When Packing Materials Become Pest Highways: Biodegradable Packing Peanuts
Guest User Guest User

When Packing Materials Become Pest Highways: Biodegradable Packing Peanuts

Styrofoam is highly resistant to biodegradation, resulting in its accumulation and persistence in ecosystems for hundreds of years. In response to these concerns, biodegradable packing peanuts have been introduced to the market. While better for the environment, these materials can become infested with a number of stored products insect species and be shipped worldwide.

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Spotlight on the Red Flour Beetle
Casey Vollmer Casey Vollmer

Spotlight on the Red Flour Beetle

The red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) may be small, but its impact on stored products can be significant. Found worldwide, this tiny pest is a common invader of grain storage facilities, processing plants, and even household pantries.

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