Bug Zappers Don’t Actually Kill the Bugs That Are Bugging You
Photo: TunedIn by Westend61 (Shutterstock) Bug zappers seem logical: bugs fly toward light, so why not hang up a light that kills the bugs and enjoy a bug-free evening? Unfortunately,…
How to Kill Fruit Flies and Their Lookalikes
Warmer weather means prime fruit season is just around the corner, which unfortunately also means fruit flies won’t be far off either. But before you bust out the cider vinegar…
How to Get Rid of Cicadas When the Brood Arrives
Photo: DimaSid (Shutterstock) Remember when 2021 was the year things were supposed to get better? Well, sorry, people who live in a handful of eastern states—the cicadas are coming. If…
How to Keep Fire Ants Away From You and Your Home
Photo: AOKSANG STUDIO (Shutterstock) We did it: we made it through the long COVID winter. And now that COVID spring is here, we’re starting to see some changes. It’s getting…
How to Track the 17-Year Cicadas Emerging This Year
Photo: Chris Alcock (Shutterstock) If you live in Indiana, western Ohio, eastern Pennsylvania, or roughly anywhere around the D.C. area, get ready for a rare and bizarre phenomenon this spring:…
The Murder Hornets Nature Doc Disguised as a True-Crime Show
To be perfectly clear: Insects aren’t evil. They don’t have morals or ethical guidelines. They cannot act with malice. They certainly cannot commit murder. That said, there’s a reason why…
How to Get Rid of Cockroaches Without Hiring a Professional
Photo: Protasov AN (Shutterstock) There are few creatures more loathsome than the cockroach. The mere presence of one in your home is enough to cause palpitations, while the presence of…
A chemical that encourages locusts to swarm could also help stop them
By Michael Marshall Swarm of migratory locusts (Locusta migratoria) near Isalo National Park, Madagascar, in August 2013Nature Picture Library / Alamy A chemical released by locusts turns out to encourage…
Spiderwebs gather DNA that can help us monitor insects in forests
By Adam Vaughan Spider webs collect DNA in forests that can alert us to invasive speciesAlamy Stock Photo Spiders may build their webs to catch prey, but trials in Slovenian…
Butterflies are showing us how wildlife will cope with climate change
As warm-weather species flutter further toward the poles, we will end up with far fewer kinds of butterfly. Here’s what that means for biodiversity across the animal kingdom Life 8…