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Pest Control

All articles tagged with #pest control

Garlic halts insect reproduction by taste, study finds
plants11 days ago

Garlic halts insect reproduction by taste, study finds

A Yale-led study shows garlic does more than repel pests: when fruit flies and two mosquito species taste the garlic compound diallyl disulfide, it activates the TrpA1 receptor and triggers bitter/ fullness signals that stop feeding and, crucially, reproduction. The effect is taste-based (not smell) and wasps lacking TrpA1 are unaffected. This points to garlic-derived compounds as targeted, safer pest-control tools, and the researchers also introduce phytoscreen as a simple method to screen plant substances for behavioral effects on insects.

via Earth.com|
#diallyl-disulfide#garlic#insects
Bedbugs hitch rides to spring-break hotspots, health warns travelers
health2 months ago

Bedbugs hitch rides to spring-break hotspots, health warns travelers

Travel-associated bedbug infestations are rising in the Southern U.S., with Georgia ranking sixth for bedbug service requests and Florida, Texas, and Tennessee also seeing increases tied to lodging with high guest turnover. Experts say budget-friendly accommodations and youth-hostel-style settings attract bedbugs, which spread by hitchhiking on luggage and clothing. Travelers are advised to inspect bags upon return and run exposed clothing in a high-heat dryer for 30–45 minutes to kill any hitchhikers before they spread home.

via New York Post|
#bedbugs#health#hotels
Bed Bugs Retreat From Wet Surfaces, UC Riverside Study Finds
science2 months ago

Bed Bugs Retreat From Wet Surfaces, UC Riverside Study Finds

UC Riverside researchers report bed bugs actively avoid moisture and wet surfaces, likely because water can block their respiratory openings. Experiments using damp paper and water-covered areas showed bed bugs of all ages and both sexes retreat from moisture, with the youngest most sensitive. The finding could affect moisture-based pest-control strategies, and while a bath can remove bugs on a person, treating a room infestation still requires established methods.

via SciTechDaily|
#bed-bugs#entomology#moisture
Fungi weaponize plant defenses to combat bark beetles
science3 months ago

Fungi weaponize plant defenses to combat bark beetles

Researchers from the Max Planck Institute showed that certain Beauveria bassiana strains can infect and kill bark beetles by detoxifying spruce tree defense chemicals (stilbenes and flavonoids). The fungus converts these compounds into less protective forms through two phases, first removing sugar to form aglycones and then methylating them to methylglucosides, which avoids the plant defenses and enables infection. Gene knockouts of the detoxification pathways reduce virulence, indicating these defenses are bypassable. Other fungi, like Cordyceps militaris, may use similar tricks, suggesting a future in biocontrol where fungi replace some chemical insecticides.

via Ars Technica|
#bark-beetles#biology#fungi