Tips for managing spring Insect pests

Posted on April 13, 2018 by rhallberg

posted in the IPM Communicator by Ann Chambliss, Alabama Cooperative Extension Service

There are thousands of insects in residential ecosystems, most of which emerge in response to the weather, temperature in particular. Spring weather conditions can change considerably from year to year, so can the time to take action against a certain insect. For centuries, people have used plant phenology (blooms, leaf flush) as nature’s signs to set up wasp traps and mend window screens to fend off house flies. Phenology uses the correlation of recurring seasonal plant and insect life cycle stages, rather than calendar date, to predict the activity of pests.

Though the exact dates of emergence of the same species may vary from year to year, pest emergence around homes in Alabama occurs in a very similar order every year. The temperature-dependent biology of insects makes them better in tune with an ever changing climate, than the calendar. Continue reading →

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AgriLife Expert: Gopher control tricky, worth effort

Posted on April 5, 2018 by rhallberg

by Adam Russell, Texas A&M AgriLife

Gophers can be a nuisance to hay and livestock producers, and springtime is a good time to address them, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.

Gopher burrowing can cause damage to equipment and livestock injuries, said Dr. Vanessa Corriher-Olson, AgriLife Extension forage specialist, Overton. The rodents also can damage crops by covering available forage and by consuming plant roots and vegetation. Continue reading →

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Texas A&M scientist is among team to prove royalty among termites

Posted on March 27, 2018 by rhallberg

by Steve Byrnes, Texas A&M AgriLife

Termites! Just the insects’ common name can strike fear in the hearts of most any homeowner, but a recently published work could go a long way in quelling some of those fears, said one of the authors.

Dr. Ed Vargo, Endowed Chair in Urban and Structural Entomology at Texas A&M University, College Station, is among a team of scientists who recently published “Identification of a Queen and King Recognition Pheromone in the Subterranean Termite Reticulitermes,” in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2018/03/15/1721419115 Continue reading →

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2018 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series: Misidentified Pests in the Landscape

Posted on February 23, 2018 by rhallberg

The 2018 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar for March is next Friday, March 2 at 2 pm Eastern time.

 Pests in the landscape?? We deal with it everyday. Did you know that many pesticides are often misused simply because the pest was not identified correctly? Beneficial insects also feel the wrath of our misuse. Let’s learn about some of our Misidentified Pests in the Landscape in this webinar presented by Erfan Vafaie, Texas A& M Agrilife Extension.  The link to the event is:  https://auburn.zoom.us/webinar/209793415   Note: on March 2, the link to the live webinar opens about 15 minutes before the webinar. If you try to log in earlier, you will get an error message.  Continue reading →

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International IPM Symposium – Opening Keynote Speaker Announced

Posted on February 1, 2018 by rhallberg

Human health pests like ticks, cockroaches and bed bugs will prominently be featured during the 9th International Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Symposium, March 19-22, 2018 at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland USA. Those who register by February 19 will pay a reduced price.

Opening Keynote Speaker

Dr. Dini M. Miller, internationally recognized expert in the area of urban pest management, opens the symposium with a keynote address on Monday, March 19 at 5:00 PM. Miller specializes in bed bug and German cockroach biology, behavior, and control and is Professor, Virginia Tech University, and Urban Pest Management Specialist, State of Virginia. Continue reading →

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Webinar: It Takes an Integrated Pest Management Village

Posted on January 18, 2018 by rhallberg

Webinar: It Takes an Integrated Pest Management Village: IPM for a Healthier Home and Community

Tuesday, January 23, 2018 | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET, Followed by a live Q&A session 3:00 – 3:30 p.m. Continue reading →

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National pest control pros scurry to Texas Rodent Academy

Posted on December 12, 2017 by rhallberg

by Gabe Saldana, Texas A&M AgriLife

Pest control professionals from companies in Utah, Georgia, New York and across Texas converged in Dallas for three days to train alongside Texas A&M AgriLife Extension entomologists on controlling rodent infestations.

“We were especially pleased to get Dr. Bobby Corrigan, one of the top rodentologists in the country, to reinvent his New York City Rodent Academy training here in Texas,” said Janet Hurley, training organizer and AgriLife Extension integrated pest management program specialist in Dallas. Continue reading →

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