Sweat Bees Sweat bees (Figure 1) are solitary insects that busily visit flowers to collect pollen and nectar that they carry back to their burrows. Many species in Kentucky have dark bodies while others are bright with a metallic sheen.…

Four recent samples of eastern conenose bug (a species of kissing bug) lets us know that the insect is active. All were adults, which are good fliers and attracted to lights. Encounters are most likely in homes near wooded areas.…

Tiny lone star tick larvae (“seed ticks”) will be active over the next few weeks (Figure 1). Reaction to their bites cause painful itching that can last for 7 to 20 days. Dressing appropriately, using repellents, and checking regularly for…

Chiggers are the parasitic immature stage of a mite that feeds on other arthropods as an adult. Chigger bites are lingering “souvenirs” of time spent in brushy areas or tall grass. Chiggers (Figure 1) are too small to see (1/150…

Non-biting gnats or midges (Figure 1) are common names for several species of small, non-biting flies that can breed in accumulations of standing water, ponds, or lakes; the same types of situations that can produce mosquitoes. They cannot bite or…

The Asian tiger mosquito (ATM) is a common pest around home landscapes. This small black mosquito with white markings (Figure 1) flies during the day and is a persistent biter. Its larvae can develop in almost any water-filled container. The…

Mosquito trapping and testing is underway in many states, including Kentucky, as part of overall public health programs. The relatively mild winter of 2016-2017 favored greater survival of species, such as the house mosquito complex, that overwinter as adults. In…