Few things can ruin a nice hike in the woods like finding a tick on yourself. Not only are they gross, but they also spread a variety of deadly diseases, like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The best way to protect yourself from ticks is to use a bug spray containing DEET and treat your clothes with permethrin. However, if you’re not crazy about commercial bug sprays, you

Constantly swatting away mosquitoes can be frustrating. Fortunately, whether you're camping or relaxing in your yard, there are some tricks you can use to keep pesky mosquitoes away.

Knowing how to avoid snakes when you're performing activities that might bring you into contact with them is a major part of managing your safety and fear. People tend to be afraid of snakes for various reasons but a key one is failure to learn how to live safely in environments that contain snakes. A failure to learn how to manage the situation can curtail your enjoyment of the great

Purse web spiders (Atypidae) are so named because the female weaves a silken tube where she lives to capture her prey. The unusually large and strong fangs of a purse web spider can easily spear the silk tube in order to kill insects that have strayed onto the silk casing.

Belonging to the genus Vespa, hornets are the largest and most aggressive members of the wasp family (Vespidae) with the largest species being as long as 2.2 inches (5.5 cm). However, the European hornet is not aggressive and is unlikely to sting unless you are attacking it or its nest.While there are many insects that are falsely labeled as hornets, there are actually only about 20

If your home has a fly infestation, your dog may be suffering more than you know. Not only can flies annoy dogs, but fly bites can also irritate the skin and cause infections. Getting flies off of your dog and preventing further bites can be as simple as changing your cleaning habits and using everyday cleaners. Grooming your dog often, cleaning your home regularly, and using fly

Congratulations! You’ve booked a trip to somewhere monkeys populate. You’ve got your passport, your camera, and have prepared a list of all the sights you want to see. But have you considered the fact that during your trip you might encounter a monkey? Read the following tips to avoid bodily injury when dealing with monkeys and protect yourself from a potentially frightening and

When encountering an unknown dog without an owner (a "stray"), many people's first instinct is fear. However, with a little knowledge, you can feel more secure and know what to do if this happens, to you.

Many people enjoy catching and studying wild lizards. One way to catch them is to use a trap. But what happens when you see a lizard and don’t have time to obtain or make a trap? There are several options available for catching lizards without a trap. Whatever method you choose, always be gently and take care when capturing lizards so as not to hurt them.

Like humans, insects are animals that sense harmful stimuli and seek to avoid them. Some scientists believe that insects are conscious and hence are aware that they're in pain when injured. Christof Koch, one of the world's leading neuroscientists, said: "We have literally no idea at what level of brain complexity consciousness stops." And as a result: "I don't kill bugs needlessly