Archive for February, 2012

attack drought-stressed trees

The devastating drought across southeast Texas killed thousands of trees. Now, such as the Southern Pine Beetle are invading the already stressed and weakened trees. “It’s so sad,” said Mary Ann Limmer, a park patron. “It hurts your heart.

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Pests in the NewsFebruary 14, 2012

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Plants use circadian rhythms to prepare for battle with

In a study of the molecular underpinnings of plants’ pest resistance, Rice University biologists have shown that plants both anticipate daytime raids by hungry and make sophisticated preparations to fend them off. “When you walk past …

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Pests in the NewsFebruary 14, 2012

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Riley hospital jumps to attack bedbugs in room – Journal and Courier


WLFI.com

Riley hospital jumps to attack bedbugs in room
Journal and Courier
After a patient's parent reported finding one of the pests in his child's room, the hospital took steps to remove the bedbugs, said IU Health spokeswoman Abby Gras. The bugs were confined to one room. The incident was not the first time that a bedbug …
13 WTHR IndianapolisBed bugs discovered at Riley Hospital for ChildrenWTHR

all 37 news articles »

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Pests in the NewsFebruary 14, 2012

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Feral cats find new lives and homes as pest control experts – Lodi News-Sentinel

Feral cats find new lives and homes as pest control experts
Lodi News-Sentinel
The shelter has a program for local wineries, farms and homes with acreage to adopt feral cats like this to hunt for mice, gophers or other pests. (Maggie Creamer/News-Sentinel) Have a gopher, mouse or rat problem in your barn, at your winery or on …

and more »

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Pests in the NewsFebruary 14, 2012

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Search Finds 54 UNL Dorm Rooms Infested by Bedbugs

Bedbugs have been found in 54 dorm rooms as the University of Nebraska-Lincoln continues its search for the pests.

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Pests in the NewsFebruary 14, 2012

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Feb 14, 2012 – Pyrethroids – The Beat Goes On

QUESTION:

As we look at the new labeling for the pyrethroids the discussion led to landscape gravel. Would this be considered impervious?

ANSWER:

I am having a grand time ducking some of these questions just a little bit, but I’ll still offer my opinion. However, because the wording on the new Synthetic Pyrethroids labels (for ALL non-agricultural pyrethroid products) is somewhat vague it is important for you to contact your own local regulatory agency and ask them this question as well. Vague wording is subject to interpretation, and it is necessary to know how your own regulatory inspectors will view this so you can remain in compliance with what they want. 

The wording in question is as following under the Directions for Use for Liquid Pyrethroids: “Other than applications to building foundations, all outdoor applications to impervious surfaces such as sidewalks, driveways, patios, porches and structural surfaces (windows, doors, eaves) are limited to spot and crack and crevice applications only”. A specific exception to this is “treatment to soil or vegetation around structures”. So, this raises the question – is gravel closer to “soil” or to “sidewalk”, and my opinion (and only my opinion) is that gravel would not be considered an “impervious” surface. If you treat gravel or crushed rock with a spray application it would be unlikely for rain or irrigation to flow off of that gravel and carry the pyrethroid with it, as it would if the spray had been applied to wood decks or concrete surfaces. You spray should soak down through the gravel and into the soil below. 
But, please do make that phone call to your local regulators and get their opinion on this too. The whole intent of these new restrictions on the use of pyrethroids outdoors in non-agricultural settings is to reduce runoff that would carry the active ingredients into local waterways. It has been determined that even tiny levels of these active ingredients could affect aquatic organisms, and since we really don’t need to have the active ingredients in what we spray flowing off the property the new wording is intended to add assurances that what we apply stays where we apply it. There is no reason to spray the top of a concrete driveway, nor to apply granules that end up on the sidewalk. This is a waste of good insecticide and leads to the greatest chance of having that material move off site. Treatments to soil and lawns are likely to stay put as long as the soil is not already saturated to the point it cannot absorb any more liquid, nor to frozen soils that also will not allow the spray to soak in. 

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Pest QuestionsFebruary 14, 2012

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Feb 11, 2012 – Asian Longhorned Problems

QUESTION:

Any new product development for control of Asian Longhorned Beetles?

ANSWER:

Unfortunately no, if you mean is there some fantastic new product that just wipes them out. They can be killed with many of our current insecticides, but the problems are the cost of treating wide scale hardwood areas and the logistics of doing so. If you have customers with valuable hardwood trees – maple, birch, willow, elm, ash, and others – you can do a preventive treatment that can be very helpful. This is done with imidacloprid (Merit) applied to the soil around the base of the tree early in the year, and for the upper Northeast this may be early in March. The active ingredient is taken up by the roots of the tree and it flows up with water to end up in terminal twigs and foliage, lasting there for the season. As adult beetles feed on these twigs and foliage it is hoped that they are killed, thus at least reducing the beetles in an area and providing some protection for that tree and nearby trees. 

Bayer also offers a product called CoreTect Tree and Shrub Tablets, also containing imidacloprid but along with fertilizer and micronutrients to help the treated trees stay healthier. These are easily applied into the soil around the base of the tree where they dissolve and the a.i. once again taken up by the roots. Neither of these products is likely to kill beetle larvae already feeding under the bark of an infested tree, as the active ingredient does not tend to settle in the cambium layer where the larvae feed. They should be considered preventive only. 
In an article on the Asian Longhorn some years ago the authors mentioned that they sprayed the foliage of trees where it was suspected that the adult beetles might be feeding, using Demand microencapsulated product. What they observed was that within minutes the adult beetles were falling out of the tree to die on the ground, and they considered this to be a good way to sample for the presence of this destructive beetle. The adults are huge – over an inch long – and shiny blue with white spots, so they are pretty distinctive and noticeable when they drop. Demand CS is labeled for ornamental trees, although not specifically for longhorn beetles, so you should check with your local regulatory agency to see if your state is one that permits the use of a product if the site is on the label but the specific pest is not. 
And, with the recent new restrictive labeling on pyrethroids for outdoor use hopefully the uses on turf and ornamentals will not be affected. At this time the new wording specifically exempts use on turf and other vegetation from the new “spot or crack and crevice” requirements. 

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Pest QuestionsFebruary 13, 2012

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Feb 12, 2012 – More Than Spring Is Bustin’ Out

QUESTION:

We have had a very mild and wet winter. What are your thoughts regarding how this will affect the crawling, flying bug and mosquito populations this spring? Thanks.

ANSWER:

This is always a good question where we can only guess at the answer. It probably depends on the specific kind of insect as to whether the result will be more of them or less of them. When we have had extensive spring rains it tends to keep the ground soggy much later into the spring and early summer, and this may encourage molds and fungi that feed on buried insect stages, such as moth pupae or cricket and grasshopper egg masses. So, it’s no guarantee, but it is possible that a lot of rain would be harmful to these kinds of insects and reduce their populations later. Late snow cover and cool soil temperatures may also keep buried insects in the ground later, thus giving them a late start at producing more generations. 

Usually we think that moderate winter temperatures will help a lot of overwintering bugs survive, as freezing temps often kill eggs or pupae that are exposed. The moth pupae buried in the soil may freeze solid and be destroyed. Overwintering female paper wasps and yellowjackets will probably survive in greater numbers if the winter is mild, and particularly if they get an early start in the spring they will be able to get the new colony going earlier and larger colonies of worker wasps would result. 
Moderate winters and abundant moisture also usually equate to LOTS of plant life – weeds, early crops, early sprouting of leaves on dormant trees and shrubs, and all of this foliage means a lot of food for insects that feed on plants. This in turn (lots of bugs) means that much more food for the predatory insects, so the food chain benefits when it starts well early in the spring. If shrubs sprout early then you may get early populations of aphids and other plant parasites, and these bugs produce honeydew that may encourage ants to get going earlier and stronger. It can just snowball into the summer. 
Mosquitoes, of course, should absolutely thrive on this kind of weather. Plenty of rain means plenty of aquatic habitats for the larvae, and this could be low areas and seasonal pools as well as tree holes full of water. Everyone’s backyard with old tires, buckets, planters, and anything else that can retain water become potential breeding sites for larvae. Rain gutters get clogged with dirt and leaves and retain all that water, and if the temps are mild the larvae can run through their life cycle in just a week or two and adult mosquitoes will be early and abundant. 
All in all it sounds like a good year approaching for pest management. California, on the other hand, is currently in the grips of a really severe lack of rain. 

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Pest QuestionsFebruary 12, 2012

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University Steps Up Bedbug Assault

It’s bringing in two more bug-detecting dogs and heating equipment to kill the that have already been found in 35 dorm rooms. The university said a bedbug-sniffing dog named Spots is helping check all 3,200 housing units on campus.

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Pests in the NewsFebruary 11, 2012

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Feb 9, 2012 – Steel Wool – Not For Eating

QUESTION:

Do rats avoid steel wool and are their feet too sensitive to remain on steel wool?

ANSWER:

Steel wool is commonly used as a quick way to close openings that rats or mice may use for entry. However, it is not the best metal mesh to use, and copper (Stuf-fit) or stainless steel mesh (XCluder) may cost more but they are going to hold up a lot better over time. Stainless steel is subject to rusting and disintegrating, and rust stains could even dribble down along surfaces below that now are defaced. Copper and stainless steel are much less likely to do this. 

Dr. Corrigan, in his Rodent Control book, describes the use of stainless steel shoved into gaps as a very effective but only temporary protection. He does not elaborate on why it is temporary, but perhaps this is because of the eventual deterioration of the material or perhaps the rodents do have the ability to pull it out to reopen the hole. A very coarse steel wool might be more durable against the rat activity than a fine mesh, but copper and stainless steel are much coarser and might be jammed into the hole more tightly. Rats and mice also would have difficulties trying to pull the material out with their teeth. I don’t know that it has as much to do with being painful on their feet as it does just a barrier that they cannot chew away. 
Regardless though, a more permanent and aesthetic exclusion would be, at some point in time, to replace the wool or mesh with caulking or concrete or wood or whatever material is appropriate for that point on the structure. This could then be painted over to blend in and with a little luck the gap will be gone and invisible. 

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Pest QuestionsFebruary 11, 2012

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