Velvet ants are striking insects; they are memorable and interesting due to their fuzzy appearance and bright coloration. Their name is a bit of a misnomer though; they are not actually ants at all but are wasps. Their family name…

Fast Facts Yellowjackets are social wasps that often build their nests below ground in abandoned rodent burrows but can also use wall voids, stone walls, attics, gutters, and other spaces. Yellowjacket wasps do not have barbed stingers like honey bees…

The first confirmed detection of Asian longhorn tick in Kentucky occurred on July 15, 2018; the tick was collected from a research elk in Martin County. This was both a new state record and a new host record for this…

Adult blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) search for blood meals during the winter months (November through March). These cold-hardy ticks can be active whenever the temperature is above freezing. The female has long mouthparts and a distinctive orange-red body with a…

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as of August 7 2018, human cases of West Nile virus have been diagnosed in the neighboring states of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia,. In addition, non-human cases (birds or mosquitoes)…

Bumble bees are peaceful, industrious insects that provide valuable pollination services. However, the queen and workers will use their stingers to defend themselves or their nest if disturbed. While the barbed stinger of the honey bee allows only one thrust,…

Tiny lone star tick larvae (also called “seed ticks” or “turkey mites”) are active now. Hundreds recently emerged from egg masses deposited by females climbing vegetation to await passing hosts.  Reaction to multiple bites cause painful itching that can last…