Wednesday, June 5, 2002

Invasion of the garden snatchers

Scientists estimate there may be 10 million different kinds of insects in the world. Along with the thousands of weeds, rodents, plant diseases and other living things that we may classify as "pests," how is the average person supposed to understand it all?

One option may be a new Internet site, www.buginfo.com. Vopak USA, the creator and caretaker of this informative site is a decades-old provider of products and education to the pest control and landscape maintenance industries. BugInfo provides a place where anyone can find information to unravel the mysteries of the world of pests.

Got a termite inspection coming up? Find out more about the inspection process, the termites' society, and the methods used to control them.

Been reading about the new mosquito-borne disease called West Nile Virus? Read a short article to learn more about it, as well as how to avoid raising your own crop of mosquitoes.

Afraid of violin spiders in your home? Read the facts about this misunderstood animal. Short, illustrated articles discuss topics such as Lyme Disease, killer bees and hantavirus with factual, non-sensationalized information, so you can be aware of these concerns and separate fact from fiction.

But BugInfo isn't just about pests. Your children will enjoy reading fun articles written by Vopak's entomologists. Did you know that some ants use their own babies as a needle and thread to create nests? Did you know that bombardier beetles can shoot out jets of boiling acid, that lynx spiders can spit venom, or that maggots are used in medicine? Ever wonder about the words "lousy" or "nit-picking"? Hundreds of interesting, and sometimes morbid, facts are available on a range of insect and animal topics.

BugInfo gives a nice balance to the wide range of information on pesty bugs, and features articles about beneficial insects and the role that all animals play in our environment, complete with color photos.

"Our goal is to provide a convenient place where people can go to unravel the mysteries of the insect world, and the world of pests in particular," says Jeff Smith, an entomologist and author of most of the articles on BugInfo. "There is a tremendous amount of bad information circulating out there about important topics, and we hope our site gives people the facts as well as a better understanding of these issues. BugInfo is meant to be educational, but in a fun way."

In addition, you can find balanced and unbiased information on methods of pest control, from termite baiting to spraying, as well as information on non-chemical approaches to pest management

Joyce, a homeowner in San Jose, Calif., says, "When I discovered termites in my home I was horrified, but didn't know what my options were for controlling them. BugInfo helped explain termites to me so I could ask the right questions of the termite company."

Think something is biting you? Got bugs in your pool? Did you find some holes in your favorite sweater when you pulled it out of storage this fall? Holes in the rhododendrons? Moles in the lawn? All this and more can be explained for you at www.buginfo.com in easy-to-read, fun articles. Rather than cruising the Internet looking for places that discuss only one kind of bug or weed, why not come to a place that has gathered them all together?

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