Ongoing research

What you found is aphidlion. It is probably looking for food on your birdcage. This is the larval stage of a lacewing. Both the adult lacewing and the larvae (aphidlion) feed on aphids, spider mites, mealybugs, and other small insects. Hence, they are considered beneficial.

Monomorium minimum Their runways are common outside around the house and yard, and they will nest under the sideway, in flower pots, under stones, and in houses.

The oak bark beetle is about 1/8 inch long, dark brown, and about 1 millimeter in diameter. The adult female lays her eggs on dead or dying oak. It was probably brought into the home with firewood. The larva burrow in and feed, usually in the cambium region of the wood.

As the days get warmer, patio plants that have spent the winter indoors can be moved outside again. If and when this is done, a few precautions should be observed. First, do not move your plants outside permanently all at once.

Two types of rats are common invaders of residences. The Norway rat and the roof rat. The Norway rat is a larger animal than the roof rat. Its eyes and ears are small, and the tail is shorter than the combined head and body length.

I suspect that your plant is not bleeding sap, rather it is being drained with help from an insect. Several insects suck sap from plants and excrete a sticky solution called honeydew. Honeydew is what is accumulating on your table.

Large white areas on the leaves may be caused by excess light (sunburn). The leaves may turn yellow or even white if a plant that has been growing in subdued light is suddenly exposed to high light intensities. Another cause of white spots could be mealybugs or cottony cushion scale.

Springtails have other names such as collembola or snowfleas. There are many species, and they are found in environments from Antarctica to the tropics. The one thing all their environments have in common is moisture. They must have moisture to live, grow, and reproduce.

Cancer of the skin is the 6 th most common form of cancer in the United States. Skin cancer will be diagnosed in 1.3 million Americans this year, and 9,600 of those persons will die as a result of this disease. Skin cancer incidence is increasing at the rate of 4% per year, and the southwestern U.S.

Termite swarms have been sighted. There are several species of termites on the Central Coast. However, only two are of major concern. The drywood termite can live in small colonies anywhere in a wooden structure. Drywood termites do not need to have contact with moisture in order to thrive.