Innovative Pest Solutions Blog

Did you know that you can have an allergic reaction to certain insects?  You may have heard that you can be allergic to bee stings, but did you know that many other insects can cause allergic reactions? Many of us have an allergy of some kind, whether it’s to cats, tree pollen, or a certain food. Allergic reactions to insects are more common than you may realize. What insects can cause a...

Think you can only get cigarette beetles in your home if you smoke? Think again! We frequently receive calls about tiny, brown beetles in the kitchen or garage. One of the most common culprits in the Raleigh area is the cigarette beetle.  What are cigarette beetles? Cigarette beetles, also called drugstore beetles, are stored product pests. These tiny beetles are only about 1/8” long as ...

Buying used furniture is a popular practice, but does it put you at risk? Stores and websites offering used furniture are increasing in prevalence as more people are trying to save money as well as reduce waste through recycling. Used furniture is a great option for your home or even your child’s college dorm, but sometimes these items come with a few surprises like bed bugs. Don’t worry—it’s...

You have probably heard that insects molt—but what does this mean? Molting, or ecdysis, is the shedding of exoskeleton. Exoskeleton is basically insect skin. Cellularly, insect exoskeleton is quite different from human skin. Functionally, however, they share some protective similarities. Unlike human skin, exoskeleton does not grow with the insect. If you read our last blog post, you learned t...

Who doesn’t love ladybugs . . .but do you know anything about them? Let’s learn more! As I was walking down the Valentine’s Day aisle at the store, I noticed just how many cards and gifts contained ladybug imagery. Sure, they’re red and pretty, which goes with the theme of Valentine’s Day, but I think this use of ladybugs reflects a lot more about how widely loved these insects are. Ladybugs a...

Did you know that not all insects undergo the same type of development? Read on to learn more about how insects grow! All insects undergo one of three types of development, or metamorphosis: ametabolous, hemimetabolous, or holometabolous.  Ametabolous development (no metamorphosis). This type of development is seen in primitive insects like silverfish. There are three life stages in...