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Animal Planet’s ‘Infested!’ TV Series Seeks Infestation Horror Stories
“Infested!” is a television series airing on Animal Planet that tells the real life horror stories of ordinary people who have experienced extraordinary infestations from animals and insects. The show also looks at the science behind infestations and how they are successfully treated. From snakes and spiders to roaches, rats and raccoons, the series features all types of creatures and critters in astonishing stories of infestation. The show’s producers would like to hear from anyone whose life has been seriously affected by an infestation. For more information, e-mail kelly.nobay@darlowsmithson.com or call +44 207/482-7027 .

Research entomologist Jeffrey White of BedBug Central, based in Lawrenceville, N.J., appeared on the Animal Planet miniseries “Infested!” to provide an expert perspective on bed bugs. White appeared in the, “Bedbugs, Rats, and Scorpions” episode of the popular program, which first aired in January. A capsule of the bed bug episode can be viewed at http://animal.discovery.com/videos/infested-extreme-bedbug-infestation.html.

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Pigeons: ‘James Bond’ of the animal kingdom?
The next time you see a squirrel hanging out on your deck and peering into your back window, or find a mosquito flying a little too close to your face, you might want to ask yourself whether or not you’re being watched.
Apparently countless animals, from insects to squirrels, have been used in various forms of espionage over the years. Even today, The Telegraph reports that scientists are attaching electrodes, batteries and video cameras to insects as counter intelligence techniques continue to evolve. 

According to Wired magazine, camera-carrying pigeons have been around since 1903, when German engineer Julius Neubronner experimented with the idea. In World War I, a carrier pigeon named Cher Ami (French for “dear friend”) gained worldwide fame for saving nearly 200 U.S. servicemen caught behind enemy lines, despite being shot through the breast and losing a leg.

More recently, in 2008, Iran claimed to have found “spy pigeons” near a nuclear facility. And high-tech pigeons aren’t the only pests Iranian police have their eyes on. In 2007, 14 squirrels were held on suspicion of spying after discovering they had been fitted with eaves-dropping equipment, although some question the veracity of the report, calling the claim “nuts.”

— Hallie Moreland

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Fast beetle stars in Super Bowl commercial
A beetle with racing stripes was the star of one of this year’s best Super Bowl commercials. The Volkswagen commercial was created by Deutsch L.A., which “went entomological, creating a photo-real lush kingdom where the black beetle rules, runs, navigates and out performs all the other creatures.” So how did the ad rate among advertising aficionados? Magazine Advertising Age (adage.com) comments, “The black beetle spot makes a visually appealing connection so obvious it‘s a wonder no one‘s thought of it before.” Also, according to the Kelley Blue Book (kbb.com), there was a significant increase in Web traffic for the Volkswagen New Beetle, up 293 percent, following the game.