Latest news with #infestation
The Independent
4 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Bedbugs have been bothering humans since caveman times, study finds
A new study suggests bedbugs may have been bothering humans for about 60,000 years, with their populations booming as people formed the first cities. The research, published in Biology Letters, examined bedbug genetics and found two lineages: one that stayed on bats and one that targeted humans. As humans built early cities like Mesopotamia around 12,000 years ago, bedbug populations thrived, making them one of the first human pests. Professor Warren Booth notes that humans likely carried bedbugs from caves when they moved out around 60,000 years ago, resulting in less genetic diversity in the human-associated lineage. Bedbug infestations saw a dramatic 35 per cent increase between 2022 and 2024, highlighting their resurgence after near-eradication due to the chemical DDT.
CBC
5 days ago
- General
- CBC
Tent caterpillars taking over Edmonton
The 80s were notorious for the infestation of the tent caterpillar. Today, we're seeing another rise in the number of insects popping up on trees. CBC's Tristan Mottershead went to find out how bad this situation really is.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Derry's riverside rats 'enjoying five star all-inclusive holiday'
Huge numbers of rats are enjoying a "five star all-inclusive holiday" on one of Londonderry's most popular riverfront walkways, a pest control expert has of rats have been spotted in the last week on Queen's Quay, an area frequently used by families, walkers and cyclists.A number of measures have now been put in place to interrupt the rats' "transit routes", Derry City and Strabane District Council (DCSDC) Page, owner of a pest and rodent control business in the north west, said it appeared a large colony had set up home on the quay, adding it is a real "cause for concern". Footage of the rats first emerged last week. There have been further daily sightings over recent said they had acted following an escalation in rodent activity in the has "implemented immediate measures to assist local landowners and businesses to address this issue". Ms Page told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme there would always be rats on the riverfront."If you have food and water and harbourage, you have a perfect storm there for rat activity," she said."They have all their needs, it's like a five star all-inclusive holiday for them, they have even got the sunshine."When you see rats out and about during the day and in those numbers, then I am afraid you have a significant rat infestation."She urged the Derry public and business to play their part in getting rid of the rats. "A lot of it is to do with us, people leaving food behind. Remove the food and the harbourage and they won't be secure, they will go," she said."It's vital people don't leave any rubbish behind, that businesses' bins are not overfilled." However the scale of the colony means a controlled riddance programme will most likely be required, she added."They have a right to live, but you do not want to send those rats everywhere. You do not want them to scatter," she said. The council said site assessments have been carried out by its environmental health investigation determined the rodents had been using the planters as routes to travel from their nesting area to access food sources."The council is taking proactive steps to ensure the swift resolution of this situation, including the removal of some of planters in order to disrupt these pathways," a council spokeswoman added. Foyle SDLP assembly Mark H Durkan filmed the rats he encountered while out running."I run the quay regularly and have done for years. I have seen the odd little four-legged friend – that is to be expected on the riverfront – but never anything like this," he said."You can't have a rat population like this in an area used so much by the public. I would ask everyone to be careful about what they do with their litter." 'Rat numbers are exploding' David Greer is a certified field biologist who runs his own pest control business in County told BBC News NI the situation on the riverfront in Derry was playing out in other areas."As a business we can't keep up with demand for our services," he said. "Rat numbers are exploding, their numbers are greater than we have seen for some time. Once it gets out of control, it is very hard to get it back."
RNZ News
21-05-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Advisory group exploring how to control Wellington's millipede infestation
Millipedes. Photo: RNZ/Mary Argue Work to explore how to control an infestation of millipedes in Wellington is set to begin, with an expert advisory group due to meet on Thursday. Residents in the capital's southern suburbs have said they're dealing with an explosion of Portuguese millipedes in their streets and houses in autumn. In recent years locals have described waking to find hundreds of scaly black millipedes around their homes, discovering them in shoes, bags and even their beds. At the entrance to Red Rocks on Wednesday there were dozens of dead millipedes on the ground around Te Kopahou information centre, with a few live ones crawling around. A nearby resident confirmed the creature's numbers had dwindled to only "a handful around the area that would normally have dozens". Advisory group member entomology professor Phil Lester said the millipedes are most apparent in autumn, when the adults emerge from the soil. They are not visible at other times of the year as they are typically in the soil eating decaying plant material. The outbreak prompted Wellington city councillor Nureddin Abdurahman to demand an urgent meeting to discuss how the district and regional councils could better monitor and contain the millipedes. The Ministry for Primary Industries said because control options were limited, a Technical Advisory Group - including representatives from the Department of Conservation and regional and city councils - had been set up to investigate possible solutions. If you've been affected by the millipedes contact Portuguese millipedes. Photo: Supplied According to the group's entomologist and an independent specialist in insect biological control, those solutions could include a tiny parasitic worm that kills the millipede from the inside out - like a "horror show". Managing director of Bioforce Christopher Thompson said his company specialised in controlling insect species using other insects, mites and microbes. He said the nematode Steinernema feltia, which is naturally present in New Zealand soil, could be an effective biocontrol agent against the Portuguese millipede when deployed in numbers. "Once they've wiggled their way in through some holes and gaps in [the insects'] body, they're able to start reproducing. "Eventually they'll get so numerous in there they'll explode out of the host - not something you want to watch just before having dinner." Thompson said a millipede host could hold tens, or even hundreds, of thousands of nematodes before it burst. "It is a bit of a horror show to be fair, but it's nature." He said insects were a particular target of the worm, so it was possible that if used against the millipede population in Wellington, it would jump to other species in the garden - although he believed the weta would be fairly safe. Larger life forms - such as humans, frogs, skinks, and birds - were unsuitable hosts, he said. Thompson said pitting the worm against the millipedes was as simple as ordering the parasite in the post, mixing it with water in a watering can, and pouring it around the property. He said any control efforts would be better sooner rather than later before the "you problem" became a nation-wide problem. Entomology professor Phil Lester. Photo: Advisory Group member entomology professor Phil Lester agreed, telling RNZ it would be great if the millipede population plaguing south coast residents could be nipped in the bud. He said the millipedes was already widespread in Australia and had been in New Zealand for about 20 years. "So, it seems like they would love the New Zealand climate quite a lot and would have the ability to spread widely if we didn't get on top of it now." Lester said the goal of the Technical Advisory Group was to investigate control tools for problematic pest species, including what could be done by the public. He suspected Thursday's meeting would be the first of many and would set the scene for current control options, as well as sparking further research into other methods. Lester said an Australian nematode species had proven to be an effective biological control against the millipedes and it would be great if something similar could be done for Wellingtonians. "If we can encourage that... that would be awesome [and] alleviate some stress for many of the residents." Biosecurity New Zealand manager of pest management Dr Cath Duthie said the Portuguese millipede was first detected at Seaview, Lower Hutt, in 2021 but it was apparent it had been in the region for at least two decades. She said it was primarily a "nuisance pest" where it had been introduced. "As management options are limited, a Technical Advisory Group has been formed... to explore potential control solutions for the species and recommend other control methods for existing identified populations." Duthie said in the meantime, the regional council had information about management options for the Portuguese millipede on its website. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Health Line
21-05-2025
- Health
- Health Line
Anyone Can Get Head Lice — It Doesn't Matter How Often You Wash Your Hair
The myth that head lice prefer unwashed hair has fueled plenty of stigma. In reality, there's no link between these tiny parasites and personal hygiene. Anyone can get them. Getting head lice doesn't mean your hair, or any other part of your body, is 'dirty.' Even though some insects are attracted to unclean places, that's not the case for head lice. These parasites feed on blood, and anyone can acquire them. According to experts, it doesn't make a difference if you recently washed your hair or not. Lice are incredibly common around the world. Estimates suggest that each year, between 6 and 12 million infestations affect kids ages 3 to 11 in the United States. Read on to learn more about head lice spread, how to treat infestations, and what you can do to avoid getting head lice. Who is more likely to get lice? While you can get head lice at any age, lice do tend to affect children more often than adults. This may be because children tend to play closely, with their heads touching, and lice move from one scalp to the next through close head-to-head contact. Lice also tend to be more common in girls. Experts say this may happen because girls are more likely to play with their heads close together. Hair length doesn't have any effect on your risk of getting head lice. That said, you may have a harder time finding lice and their eggs (nits) in thick, long, natural, or curly hair. This has fueled a myth that people with coiled, curly hair can't get lice. In reality, people with any hair type or texture can get lice. How can you prevent head lice? Head lice don't care how often you shower or wash your hair. There's no tried-and-true way to prevent head lice, but you can take steps to lower your risk. Here are some recommendations: Avoid close head-to-head contact: Lice often spreads due to close contact at slumber parties, contact sports, and children's games. Just keep in mind, you won't get lice simply by standing near someone who has lice. Avoid sharing clothing or accessories that touch your hair: It's possible to transmit lice by sharing hats, hair ties, barrettes, scarves, and coats — anything that has prolonged contact with your head and hair. Avoid sharing brushes, combs, or other hair styling accessories: These items may also transmit lice, but this is less common. If you do share these items, you can kill lice by soaking them in hot water (at least 130°F, or 54°C) for 5 to 10 minutes. Avoid lying on communal couches, beds, pillows, and stuffed animals: Lice can live in bedding and furniture for up to 2 days. Always wash and dry bedding, clothing, and other items: If someone in your home has head lice, you can kill any lice in these items by washing them in hot water and drying them on high heat. If you can't wash something, you can dry clean it, or seal it in a plastic bag for 14 days to make sure all the nits (lice eggs) die. Vacuum your furniture and floor: Pay careful attention to carpeted areas, rugs, and furniture like sofas and chairs. What's the best way to treat head lice? You can't kill head lice by washing your hair with shampoo. If you have live lice or lice eggs in your hair, you'll need to use a special lice treatment. Over-the-counter (OTC) options approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) include: Permethrin 1% (Nix): Permethrin 1% is safe for children of all ages, including babies more than 2 months old. If your child under 2 months has lice, consider consulting a pediatrician. Pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide (Pronto, Rid): You can use pyrethin treatments for children ages 2 and up, but avoid this option if you're allergic to chrysanthemums or ragweed. Both of these treatments kill live lice but not unhatched eggs. A second treatment, roughly a week after the first, can kill newly hatched lice. You can also ask a doctor about prescription treatments, such as: Benzoyl alcohol 5% (Ulesfia): This treatment kills lice but not unhatched eggs. You'll need to treat your hair again about a week later. Ivermectin 0.5% (Sklice): This treatment kills lice and seems to prevent newly hatched lice from living. Malathion 0.5%: This treatment kills live lice and some lice eggs. You may need a second treatment to kill any lice still living 7 to 9 days after treatment. It's only approved for use on those ages 6 and up. Spinosad 0.9%: This treatment kills live lice and unhatched eggs. Re-treatment isn't usually necessary. It's only approved for use on those ages 6 and up. If these methods don't get rid of head lice, your doctor may recommend trying lindane 1%. As this treatment is strong, experts only recommend it if other treatments are ineffective. If you use too much or swallow some by mistake, it may harm your brain or nervous system. Use this treatment once. This treatment isn't safe for: babies or children pregnant or nursing people older adults people who weigh under 110 pounds those living with HIV or seizures people who have sores or skin irritation on the application site Whichever treatment option you choose, consider checking your hair every 3 to 14 days after applying a treatment to ensure its effectiveness. Can you use home remedies instead of OTC treatments? As an alternative to OTC or prescription treatments, you can manually comb out the lice and nits with a fine-toothed comb or a specially designed lice comb. Applying olive oil to the hair can help capture the lice and nits. You'll need to repeat this at least every 2 to 3 days until all lice and eggs disappear — but keep in mind that experts say this may not work as a stand-alone treatment. Learn more about home remedies for head lice. Takeaway Anyone can get lice — no matter where you live, how old you are, or how often you wash your hair. Since lice feed on blood in your scalp, it doesn't matter whether your hair is freshly shampooed or not. If you or your child has lice, washing your hair or your child's hair with shampoo will not help. An effective OTC or prescription treatment can help you get rid of head lice, though certain treatments may require more than one application.
