As the season continues to cool, life outside is preparing for the cold. This includes the insects and spiders who must be able to survive exposure to freezing and sub-freezing temperatures. Insect development and survivorship is at the whim of…

Many pests seek refuge in homes and buildings in response to changes in weather, such as extended periods of rain or drought, or the onset of cool autumn temperatures. In response to these pest invasions, homeowners often apply liberal amounts…

Based on what I saw trying to enter my home this weekend, brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) has begun the search for overwintering sites. Either I’m searching harder or this is earlier than what I’ve seen before. So, if you…

Often when we consider accidental insect invaders in the home, we are thinking about those insects that are going into survival mode to pass the winter. This is the case in the fall with cluster flies, stink bugs, lady beetles,…

Termite season has begun in Kentucky!  To assist homeowners in addressing this growing problem, this article provides basic information on termite biology and control. That said, this article is intended to be a quick reference guide to answer the most…

Your home should be a place where you feel safe and secure. But finding insects and other pests in your home can feel like an unwelcome intrusion or an uncontrolled invasion. There are several different types of pest groups that…

  Physical or financial constraints can make it challenging to manage bed bug infestations. The Environmenal Protection Agency (EPA) Center for Pest Management is offering a free webinar that will provide integrated pest management tactics readily available and at low-cost. Bed…

Household pests Recently, UK Extension Entomology personnel have received inquiries about small insects that seem to have invaded homes through window screens and other narrow entrances. When samples of these trespassers were obtained, they turned out to be hackberry psyllids,…

If your household celebrates Christmas, and if you prefer to use a natural tree to do so, you may end up bringing in more than just a beautiful evergreen. Firs, pines, and spruces can all harbor a multitude of arthropods…

Situation I observed several clusters of more than 50 multicolored Asian lady beetles (Harmonia axyridis) per cluster in my garage (Figure 1). I left the garage door open for an entire day during the second week of November, and the…

Firewood can be a great fuel to warm your home now that the weather has turned more seasonal. Besides the warmth put off by the wood fire, there is also the enjoyment of a wood fire during winter months.  But…

As we have had our first frosts in Kentucky, a lot of folks have been bringing their plants inside. While this is advisable to protect those tender leaves from freezing, it’s good to be aware that you could also unintentionally…

While people hate to find insects in their pantry, managing them should begin long before the pest is found. Pests in the pantry often mean that there are one or more stored food items that have become infested and, left…

Brown marmorated stink bugs have begun their annual trek to get inside of your home. This yearly annoyance is something that parts of the state have been experiencing for a while, but other counties may have just started to deal…

Fall and holiday decorations are used to “liven up” the atmosphere at home while we move into the fall months. But this needs to be done thoughtfully so you don’t initiate pest problems in the home. Although live insects may…