https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Italy in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The violin spider, also known as the Mediterranean recluse spider – one of few ‘dangerous’ spiders found in Italy - has been in the news this month after reports of deaths caused by their bites. https://www.thelocal.it/20240820/how-dangerous-is-italys-violin-spider Tue, 20 Aug 2024 17:51:08 +0200 how-dangerous-is-italys-violin-spider Rome's majestic umbrella pines are as much part of the landscape as the ruins and cobbled streets, but they are under threat from a tiny insect invader -- the pine tortoise scale. https://www.thelocal.it/20201206/how-insect-invaders-are-threatening-romes-iconic-pines Sun, 06 Dec 2020 10:54:39 +0100 how-insect-invaders-are-threatening-romes-iconic-pines Millions of locusts have devastated at least 2,000 hectares of crops in Sardinia, Italian farmers union Coldiretti said on Monday, with experts calling the invasion the worst in six decades. https://www.thelocal.it/20190613/plague-of-locusts-invades-sardinia Thu, 13 Jun 2019 13:09:47 +0200 plague-of-locusts-invades-sardinia The country’s most famous art museum was forced to call in pest control on Thursday night - for the second time this week - after an employee was hospitalized due to a tick bite. https://www.thelocal.it/20160408/uffizi-gallery-second-tick-infestation-in-one-week Fri, 08 Apr 2016 12:30:20 +0200 uffizi-gallery-second-tick-infestation-in-one-week Italian health authorities have seized 50 kilos of insects - including wasps and worms - destined for dishes at a Milan restaurant. https://www.thelocal.it/20141104/wasps-and-worms-off-the-menu-in-milan Tue, 04 Nov 2014 12:30:00 +0100 wasps-and-worms-off-the-menu-in-milan