Crazy Ants Swarm Gulf Coast

'I had never seen anything like it,' resident says

(NEWSER) - Miami authorities are struggling to wipe out an invasion of Giant African Snails that are munching on plants and proliferating wildly, the Miami Herald reports. Last week, a pair of sisters tipped off officials to the slimy creatures, which can grow up to 10 inches long by 4 inches wide, and lay roughly 1,200 eggs a year. “I had never seen anything like it,” says one, who tired of seeing the pests. “It was quite incredible.” More»

Asian invaders like metro areas and bite during the day

(NEWSER) - Apparently mosquitos have big-city dreams, too. American cities are under siege by so-called "urban mosquitos" that are attracted to metropolitan areas, are ferocious, and bite during daytime. One big offender is the Asian tiger mosquito, which first arrived in the US in 1985 via eggs hidden in a shipment of used tires—likely from Japan, reports the Wall Street Journal . The mosquitoes are low-flying (so cover your ankles) and attracted to dark clothing. More»

Red-leaning states to see congressional boost

(NEWSER) - The Census Bureau will announce its new population figures tomorrow, and Republicans will likely be fans of the numbers. Based on the figures, as many as 18 states could see their number of congressional districts and representatives change, a political consultant tells NPR . Texas is set to gain three Congressional seats, Florida could gain two, and other Southern and Western states could pick up one. New York and Ohio may each lose two seats. Overall, GOP-leaning states are getting a boost, while Democratic and swing states are losing out. More»

... helping people clean apartments before extermination

(NEWSER) - At least one group of New Yorkers has benefited from the city's bedbug problem: out-of-work actors, many of whom have taken jobs as extermination preparers, the Wall Street Journal reports. They "have great personalities and follow directions well," says the owner of one company who hires them to help clients with the labor-intensive pre-extermination process—apartments must be cleaned, clothes laundered, book and media collections vacuumed, and items sealed in plastic. More»

They have a smell...that comes from their feces

(NEWSER) - Bedbugs are back in a big way, with infestations closing at least two stores in New York City recently. AOL News lists five things you should know about these creepy crawlers:

1. They smell: If you can smell their sweet, musky scent, chances are you’ve already got an infestation on your hands. Even grosser: The scent comes from their feces.