Head lice are always an annoying thing to get. Head lice is a condition, called Pediculosis capitis, caused by head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis). Head lice are small, wingless insects that spend their entire life feeding on the human scalp. Although head lice can be pests, they do not cause any disease, unlike the the body louse. Body lice can be vectors for many diseases such as epidemic typhus, trench fever, and relapsing fever. Head lice only cause discomfort. Head lice infestations are caused by dirct contact with an infected person or by using their articles of clothing or cosmetics.
Head lice can be diagnosed by using a louse comb to comb down a person's hair. If lice, nymphs or nits (eggs) are found, treatment is necessary. if a person has head lice, everyone in their family has to be checked for them.
There are many treatments for head lice. The most common, and effective, treatment for head lice is to use medicated shampoos. These shampoos aren't as hard on the hair as other treatments but, along with a comb, very effective. Other treatments include hot air, chemical treatments, silicon based creams, natural remedies, and shaving the patients hair of altogether. If I were to get head lice, I would prefer the shampoo because I would like to keep my hair (some are the exact opposite).
Head lice is such a problem in young children because they are always in close contact. Head lice are so contagious that if one kid gets them, their whole school can get them in a matter of weeks. Some epidemics have become so bad that many policies had to be formed to keep the lice in check.
In my opinion, I think that head lice are a nuisance to anyone that has them. I am sure that if I were going to get them, i would be annoyed. How would you feel if you got head lice?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_lice#cite_note-Bolognia-0
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_louse
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_louse
Friday, February 25, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
As Dead as a Dodo
Dodos an extinct species of bird that are closely related to modern day pigeons and doves. Its closest living relative is the Nicobar pigeon, a bird who lives on the Nicobar islands. Dodos stood an impressive meter and weighed over 23 kilograms. The dodo was a flightless bird. They were grayish white all over except for their wings which were black. They had a puff of feathers on their posterior, yellow legs, and a nine centimeter hooked bill. The dodos diet consisted of only fruit. During the wet season, they ate all of the fruit they could get because during the dry season, food was not readily available.
Dodos are one of the few species of animal that have become extinct due to human activity. The Dutch travelers arrived on the island of Mauritus, in the late 17th century. Considering they have evolved away from any apparent predators, which made them fearless against people and that they were flightless, they made easy prey for the travelers. In addition to over-hunting, they travelers brought other animals such as pigs and crab-eating macaques. These animals plumaged the dodos' nests, causing the population to drop. All of this, in combination with the travelers cutting down the forest that the dodos inhabited, lead to the demise of the dodo. The species was finally declared extinct in the early 18th century.
I find upsetting that an animal that was discovered in the late 17th century became extinct decades later due to human activity. To think that could have been prevented if the the dutch travelers had not exhausted their resources. Of course, this was the 17th century. they did not have the idea of conservation and preservation. Now it is the 21st century. Species are still threatened by human behavior, such as the orang-utan and the African elephant. We can all take a part in minimizing the decline of endangered species by protecting the environment and by using your resources wisely so that they don't go to was. "Going green" does not only helps us, but it helps very other living thing in the world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodo_bird
Dodos are one of the few species of animal that have become extinct due to human activity. The Dutch travelers arrived on the island of Mauritus, in the late 17th century. Considering they have evolved away from any apparent predators, which made them fearless against people and that they were flightless, they made easy prey for the travelers. In addition to over-hunting, they travelers brought other animals such as pigs and crab-eating macaques. These animals plumaged the dodos' nests, causing the population to drop. All of this, in combination with the travelers cutting down the forest that the dodos inhabited, lead to the demise of the dodo. The species was finally declared extinct in the early 18th century.
I find upsetting that an animal that was discovered in the late 17th century became extinct decades later due to human activity. To think that could have been prevented if the the dutch travelers had not exhausted their resources. Of course, this was the 17th century. they did not have the idea of conservation and preservation. Now it is the 21st century. Species are still threatened by human behavior, such as the orang-utan and the African elephant. We can all take a part in minimizing the decline of endangered species by protecting the environment and by using your resources wisely so that they don't go to was. "Going green" does not only helps us, but it helps very other living thing in the world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodo_bird
Friday, February 11, 2011
Holes
Asian long-horned beetles are a threat to maple trees everywhere in the northeastern United States. The mature beetles emerge from maple trees starting in May into late October. When they drill out of the trees, they leave holes that are about 2 centimeters thick. This causes the tree's structure to weaken and results in the demise of the tree. This has become a problem in this part of the United States because the Asian long-horned beetles do not have any natural enemies here.
These beetles originate from Asia, specifically from China, Korea, and Japan. The beetles may have come into the U.S. in a shipment of plumbing supplies from China. These supplies were shipped to a warehouse in new York City. From there, the beetle spread across New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.
The first time the beetle came to New Jersey was in 2002. The beetle was sighted in Jersey City. Maple trees make up over 30% of all trees in New Jersey. If the Asian long-horned beetle continues to repopulate, it can have catastrophic affect on the tree population.
These beetles only make up only a small portion of invasive species in the U.S. Invasive species are a threat because they can wipe out native species. Unfortunately, in is almost impossible for invasive species to be wiped out once it is an ecosystem. The only thing that can be done is to prevent a growth in population. Over time, the Asian long-horned beetle population will decrease and things will return back to normal.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Moths On The Move- With A Tail Of Destruction
Gypsy moths are an invasive species of moth, introduced to the United States in 1868 by a French scientist named Leopold Trouvelot. Trouvelot was trying to make a hybrid of a native silk-spinning caterpillar species and the gypsy moth. The reason he wanted to make a hybrid because the native species of silk-spinning caterpillars was susceptible to disease. The gypsy moth was immune to disease so Trouvelot he thought that it would be a good idea to create a hybrid.
While attempting to create the hybrid, a few of the gypsy moths escaped his laboratory. The moths found an acceptable habitat and started to reproduce. The moths, now, one of the most infamous pests of the Eastern United States. Once they deforest an area, they migrate towards a new feeding ground.
The gypsy moths have no natural enemys, so their population has been steadily increasing for as long as they have been in the U.S.
The gypsy moth caterpillar has an malignant affect on the hardwood trees of the northeastern region of the U.S. They eat the leaves of the trees, which prevent them from producing food. In New Jersery, these pest have deforested about 339,240 acres of forest.
The New Jersey department of Agriculture has orchestrated an arial spray program to help decrease the population of gypsy moth caterpillars. By doing this, less trees will suffer from the adverse affects of the gypsy moth caterpillars.
They had a similar problem in New Zealand. What they did to prevent what is now happening in the U.S., is that they eradicated the species before it started to thrive. If they did that here, there woulldn't be this problem.
This situation allows people to see what can happen if you don't take the necessary precautions to prevent something bad from happening. If we were able to fix this problem early on, there wouldn't be anything to worry about.
While attempting to create the hybrid, a few of the gypsy moths escaped his laboratory. The moths found an acceptable habitat and started to reproduce. The moths, now, one of the most infamous pests of the Eastern United States. Once they deforest an area, they migrate towards a new feeding ground.
The gypsy moths have no natural enemys, so their population has been steadily increasing for as long as they have been in the U.S.
The gypsy moth caterpillar has an malignant affect on the hardwood trees of the northeastern region of the U.S. They eat the leaves of the trees, which prevent them from producing food. In New Jersery, these pest have deforested about 339,240 acres of forest.
The New Jersey department of Agriculture has orchestrated an arial spray program to help decrease the population of gypsy moth caterpillars. By doing this, less trees will suffer from the adverse affects of the gypsy moth caterpillars.
They had a similar problem in New Zealand. What they did to prevent what is now happening in the U.S., is that they eradicated the species before it started to thrive. If they did that here, there woulldn't be this problem.
This situation allows people to see what can happen if you don't take the necessary precautions to prevent something bad from happening. If we were able to fix this problem early on, there wouldn't be anything to worry about.
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