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Bed Bugs Take Center Stage at 'Scarecrow Village' Exhibit

Evans Termite and Pest Control, Locust Grove, Ga., created a bed bug-themed display for the town's annual Scarecrow Village. The purpose of the display was to raise awareness about this scary pest.

Local businesses are asked every year to make a display for families to enjoy for the festive Halloween season. Prizes are awarded for the winners. The Evans bed bug display won top honors in the category "Most Creative."

Evans' Nicole Gorman said, "We wanted our hometown to know that we can help, but most importantly we wanted the kids to have fun and enjoy it."

In addition to creating the display for the Scarecrow Village, Evans is helping to promote bed bug awareness by fielding questions on the company's "ask an Evans expert" feature on its website, www.evanspestcontrol.com.
 

A Bear in the Terminix Truck!

Recently, a bear in Spruce Pine, N.C., tried to take a joy ride in a Terminix Service truck. Fortunately, the driver was not on board and the keys were in his pocket. Unfortunately, the bear did manage to get inside the truck and had a great time chewing, scratching and tearing up the interior. He helped himself to a sausage biscuit left in the truck, as well. Terminix reports that Mr. Bear was photographed leaving the scene with a smile on his face!

Cockroaches Prefer Right Turns

A new study from Texas A&M University reveals that most humans share a basic trait with cockroaches: right-handedness. Texas A&M researchers released roaches into a Y-shaped tube, where scents of vanilla or ethanol enticed the insects to venture past the tube's splitting point. The researchers then recorded which direction the bugs turned. Cockroaches with intact antennae preferred the tube's right fork 57% of the time. This right-side bias persisted even after the scientists chopped off one of the bugs' sensitive antennae, used to sense touch and smells. This research finding, which will be published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Insect Behavior, adds to a growing body of evidence that even the tiniest brains show side-preference. The insight could aid bioengineers who hope to control cockroaches for search and rescue missions or pest control.

Truly Nolen Mousecars and Mouselimo Participate in Annual Mascot Games

Truly Nolen's VW Mouselimo and Mousecars joined in the 19th Annual Celebrity Mascot Games in Orlando in July, featuring mascots from Major League Baseball, the NFL, NBA, NCAA and the NHL.

The mascots, many of which have gigantic heads, were set up on teams and competed against each other in a variety of wild and wacky games. A highlight of the games on Friday and Saturday included a contest where the mascots thought they had to stuff themselves into the Truly Nolen stretch Mouselimo in the middle of the Amway Center. The catch: The contest was not to have them pack into the stretch limousine, but to stuff themselves into four little yellow Mousecars that rolled onto the field.

Mascots included: The Baltimore Orioles' Oriole Bird; the University of Oregon's Duck; Buffalo Sabres' Sabretooth; Dallas Cowboys' Rowdy; Orlando Magic's Stuff; the University of Florida's Albert and Alberta; and Bucky Badger of the University of Wisconsin. All tried to quickly squeeze into the Mousecars.

Proceeds from the games benefited the New Hope for Kids, a Central Florida organization that grants wishes and offers specialized grief support for children and families.