Although termites are active throughout the year, it is only during the warmer months that they start swarming. Termite swarms are made up of termite swarmers or alates, which go out to reproduce and start a new colony. These are…
There are tens of thousands of spider species across North America, but only a handful of them are dangerous to human beings. This danger is due to the spiders’ venom, which has evolved over millions of years to help them…
We are all aware of the damage that termites can cause inside of a building, but what about outside it? Termites eat cellulose, and this substance is found in wood and plant roots, so the insects do not mind infesting…
Termites are ancient creatures, as old as the dinosaurs. However, only one of the two species made it to today. That should tell us something about what we’re dealing with. On top of that, termites cause up to $5 billion…
Since mosquitoes nest in standing water, you would think that droughts would slow down their spread. However, there are mosquito species such as the Culex tarsalis, which are able to thrive in dry conditions. In fact, the drier and hotter…
Termites can be ravenous, but sometimes it’s hard to estimate how much damage they can actually do. After all, they are reclusive insects that rarely, if ever, see daylight. This makes it hard to believe that they are as destructive…
If you see one ant, odds are that there are a thousand more nearby. This may not be a big issue when you’re having a great picnic outside, but in the home, you will want to remove them fast. There…
Over periods of hundreds of millions of years, living organisms have continuously adapted to the demands of their environments in order to increase their odds of survival and reproduction. From appearance, to capabilities and their sensory systems, staying at the…
We’ve all seen a spider web, and we all know that spider silk is incredibly strong. But is there more to spider webs than that? As it turns out, spider webs are designed to store mechanical energy, just like springs.…
If you’re seeing flying insects swarming in your home, are they termites or ants? Neither is preferable, both are destructive. But how can you tell? There are many differences between them – and as a homeowner, you should know there’s…
Termite colonies are very complex structures, and they can serve as an object of study for many industries and professions, including architects. Architects are particularly interested in termite mounds – those large mud towers that can be seen across the…
