Pesticides present in pet flea and tick treatments pose a risk to human health and the environment - but monthly application as a preventative measure isn’t essential.
In the wake of Melbourne’s spectacular cricket swarm, we asked the author of Australia’s Guide to Crickets why insects gather in such large numbers and how to keep them out of our homes.
It’s a horror story unfolding in the west that could sweep across the country. Beware the shot-hole borer, an exotic pest that threatens our tree crops, plantations, urban forests and wild places.
Published in 1962, ‘Silent Spring’ called attention to collateral damage from widespread use of synthetic pesticides. Many problems the book anticipated persist today in new forms.
Studies suggest that seeds coated with neonicotinoid insecticides may harm nontarget insects, mammals and birds. In response, states are starting to restrict use of these products.
The insecticide Bti kills target organisms like mosquitoes and blackflies, but new research shows it may also have negative effects on non-target species like frogs.
Summer is no fun when mosquitoes are biting. Insect repellent creams, sprays, and lotions are safe and effective but there are alternatives. Here’s what works and what doesn’t!
Eggs can remain in the soil for several years with the embryos waiting to receive sufficient moisture to complete development. This results in synchronised hatching when there’s sufficient rain.
Peter McGrath, The InterAcademy Partnership; Michael Norton, European Academies’ Science Advisory Council , dan Nina Hobbhahn, European Academies’ Science Advisory Council
The sustainability of African agriculture is critical to the continent’s food security and for maintaining agriculture’s contribution to Africa’s rural communities and national economies