Still so much to learn

Heather Gooch

On a Friday in April, I was awarded a promotion from editor to editor-in-chief of Pest Management Professional (PMP) by its parent company, North Coast Media. And on the following Monday, I was stung by a wasp that landed on my head as I sat in my living room.

Don’t you know who I am? I asked her. She didn’t.

I have worked for PMP (and its previous name, Pest Control) for almost my entire career. The industry has taught me a lot about entomology, public health and business success. In return, the team and I have tried to enlighten our readers about new technologies and trends, all in an “infotaining” way, as our mission statement defines it. We also try to find new ways to explore old standbys, like mosquitoes. I’ll bet that at least one of the Tips and Tricks you find in this month’s issue will be new to you.

Back to that sting I got on my finger from patting my head last month: It was a blue-winged wasp (Scolia dubia). I learned it’s supposed to be a beneficial species, and non-aggressive. It was neither of these to me, but then again, I’m always learning something new.