– Garth Ruff OSU Extension Henry County

Photo: UAEX.edu

As temperatures rise be on the lookout for pests emerging from hibernation. Most of the insects that will appear in the home are harmless and are likely trying to make their escape to the outdoors, such as lady beetles and stink bugs. However, this is also the time of the year to be on the lookout for more destructive insects such as termites. If you suspect you have a termite problem, take a few of the specimens into your Extension office and they can identify them for you. If confirmed that they are in fact termites, we recommend consulting a professional for treatment.

Other household pests that are becoming increasing active as we go through a spring fall are our rodent species. Mice that have been tucked away in walls and attics are beginning to stir. There are several options for population control including traps and rodenticide baits. If you are going to use rodenticide bait, be sure they are in a bait station where small children and pets will not have access to them. Typically, basements and attics are the best places to set bait stations for optimum control. Be sure to check the stations periodically to monitor bait disappearance.

– Christine Gelley, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Noble County OSU Extension

The Lone Star Tick, a tick species that entered Ohio over the last decade, has become known for causing an allergic syndrome in people called Mammalian Muscle Allergy.

Back in the early 2000s, there was a television show on NBC called Fear Factor that would subject people to situations where they confronted their fears through challenging dares. Claustrophobia (fear of confined/crowded spaces), hemophobia (fear of blood), arachnophobia (fear of spiders) and entomophobia (fear of insects) were commonly addressed on the show. The show grossed hundreds of millions of dollars in the process. As bizarre as the concept is, seeing that other people fear things can make our own fears seem minimal. On a platform like television, fears seem blown out of proportion, illogical, or ridiculous, but in truth, we all have fears.

Today, I will talk about the entomophobia and arachnophobia.

For many the fear of bugs can be inhibiting to daily life, whether justified or not. There are growing concerns about insect populations in the news frequently. The new invasive species- the spotted lantern fly is headed our way to feed on Continue reading Fear Factor; Entomophobia and Arachnophobia →