Archive for October, 2012

Invasive insect changing the face of farming in Maine – WCSH-TV


WCSH-TV

Invasive insect changing the face of farming in Maine
WCSH-TV
LIMINGTON, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — All farmers could do was watch, because they didn't have to wait long before the spotted wing drosophila, a fruit fly native to northern Asia, made its way to Maine. "It has been creeping across the country for the …

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Pests in the NewsOctober 02, 2012

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Great Insect Fair unearths interest in creepy crawlers – Centre Daily Times


Centre Daily Times

Great Insect Fair unearths interest in creepy crawlers
Centre Daily Times
Holly Lubinsky hands off a Chilean rose hair tarantula to her daughter, Jordyn Lubinsky, 10, during the Penn State's Great Insect Fair at the Bryce Jordan Center on Saturday, September 29, 2012. Abby Drey. Centre Daily TimesBuy Photo. Story Photos: …

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Pests in the NewsOctober 02, 2012

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Sep 30, 2012 – Picking the Right Courses

QUESTION:

I am looking for CEU for Cat 7D Food Processing in NJ. I need 4 credits.

ANSWER:

I normally would not post my response to this more personal question, but it is an important one that we regularly have problems with. First of all, on our Master Technician online training on PestWeb we have quite a few courses that are approved for Category 7D in New Jersey, so you should have no problem fulfilling your CE needs in this area with our training resource. 

The important part of this that is appropriate for everyone is that you can find out exactly which courses are approved in YOUR state and see the license categories they are approved for, and you can find this before you take the course. We have too many people who select a course without confirming its approval status first, and then are disappointed or very upset with us when they find out after the fact that it did not meet their needs. 
So, we ask that you always select the course you wish to take in Master Technician by selecting the tab “State CEU Info” at the top, and then select your state. This brings up a list of “Steps” that are very important instructions from your state licensing agency, followed by the complete list of courses approved by that state. Next to each course number will be the column showing exactly which license categories that course is approved for in that state. When you find the one you wish to take just click on the course name and it opens up for you. 
Your completed courses are all logged in your personal database, found in the “My History” tab, so you can verify that you have not taken a course previously and you can print your own Certificate of Completion from here at any time. If you are licensed by more than one agency in or multiple states be sure you have entered that license information in the “My License Info” section and then print out a separate Certificate for each license. 
We love the response we have with our online training but always hope to minimize the problems that can occur when it is not taken correctly. 

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Pest QuestionsOctober 02, 2012

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Sep 29, 2012 – Unwanted Spiders

QUESTION:

I have in my own house problems with Daddy long legs. I find them often in all the rooms? How do I control these pesky pests?

ANSWER:

There are two kinds of spiders that we call daddy long legs (DLL). One is the “true” DLL and it is not a true spider, but instead is a related arachnid called a Harvestman. This one is not venomous and does not make webs, but only wanders around feeding on live or dead insects. It has a fatter body than the other kind, which is the daddy long legs “spider”, more properly referred to as a Cellar Spider. This one is the messier kind, with dense webs that gather a lot of dust and left over pieces of bugs, and probably is the one most responsible for the “cob webs” inside homes and under the eaves outside. I suspect this is the DLL you are referring to as it is the more common kind indoors. And, by the way, the MYTH that the DLL has the most toxic venom of all spiders is just that, a myth. Apparently the DLL spider’s venom is no more or less toxic than any other typical spider and it is not even capable of biting people. It’s fangs are just too small. 

It is amazing how rapidly the DLL occupies areas around a home, but they do so for one reason – they find food. These spiders feed on tiny flying insects like gnats and mosquitoes and other bugs that are active around a home, particularly around exterior lighting. So, here is one way to reduce the numbers of spiders around the outside of the home. Turn off the lights at night where they are not needed, and consider changing the bulbs to yellow bulbs for lights that are needed for safety or security. Yellow is much less attractive than white and FAR less attractive than mercury vapor lights, just in case those are in place. If so, those could be changed to sodium halide, a more orange color but just as bright as mercury vapor. Managing lighting means less spiders on the outside which means less spiders finding the opportunity to get inside. 
But, some will still make it, and I am a strong advocate of using a vacuum cleaner to remove the spiders and their webs on the inside of my own home. I only need to do this occasionally, and the careful use of the vacuum completely removes the unsightly, dirty web without smearing it all over the wall. I think it is appropriate always to look the non-toxic but still effective ways to control arthropod pests on the inside, and a vacuum is just as much a tool for professional pest technicians as are the chemicals. Even on the outside a vacuum may be the perfect tool for removing both spiders and webs, particularly on 1-story structures. Most companies now also use the “Webster” style brushes to remove the webs following each service, as this removes the visible evidence of a pest that would otherwise continue to annoy a homeowner. 
All spiders are extremely susceptible to Synthetic Pyrethroids, so these can be used both to kill and perhaps to repel the spiders from treated surfaces. They can be used around the exterior of the foundation, around windows and doors, and along other “pathways” where the spiders are likely to travel to get inside. Be very careful now in the U.S. to adhere to the new restrictions on the use of pyrethroids on exterior surfaces, but under the eaves they still can be used as a general application. Most of them also can be used indoors, but it just seems so much faster to remove the spiders and webs with a vacuum. And, spraying a web with a liquid spray is likely to paste that webbing onto the surface where it is far more difficult to remove later. We now have the new Suspend Polyzone that, according to the manufacturer, will provide up to 90 days of effective residual even on outside surfaces. 
Finally, take a strong look at exclusion, both for your own home and for customers. Spiders need openings to get inside, other than coming in through open doors and windows or being carried inside on materials brought in from outside. The use of weather stripping, caulking, and other exclusion materials is a permanent way to keep all kinds of bugs from moving into the home. 

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Pest QuestionsOctober 02, 2012

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Sep 28, 2012 – Crabgrass "Control"?

QUESTION:

I was wondering if there is anything new or different advice for problems with the dreaded
Crabgrass. I haven’t tried any Pre-M because of the timing factor for one (not down at the right time and you have wasted your money) and I have seen stunted roots on others that have had Pre-M used. The Crabgrass is in St. Augustine in central Florida.


ANSWER:

There probably is not anything strikingly new for crabgrass, and as one university fact sheet on this weed states it, “you cannot eradicate crabgrass and to expect a crabgrass-free lawn is unrealistic”. These weeds produce copious numbers of seeds that can lay dormant in the soil for years, finally germinating when the conditions are appropriate. Typically this is when the soil temperature in the top 1/4 inch reaches about 60 degrees and stays there for several days. The seeds also could blow in from neighboring infested sites, so it will be a continual battle. For a homeowner it also pays to spend some time on a nice afternoon hand pulling the weeds, as they generally will not grow back from roots. Also coach the homeowner on proper watering and mowing, which, if possible, would be a deep watering every few days rather than a light daily watering, which encourages crabgrass and weakens the turf. 

Pre-emergent herbicides still may be the best choice, as they can kill the plant as it emerges from the seed and before it becomes visible or certainly well before it can produce more seeds. Some pre-emergents are root-absorbed and some shoot-absorbed, so perhaps changing to a different pre-emergent from the pendimethalin would be appropriate. Making sure the turf is healthy prior to the use of the herbicide will also help to prevent damage to the turf. A turf with healthy, deep roots is going to be less affected by herbicides that remain near the soil surface, and watering prior to the herbicide application is recommended. 
One herbicide on the list of possibilities is Dimension. According to the manufacturer it can be applied as much as 8 weeks prior to germination of the crabgrass seeds, so your window of opportunity is much wider. The active ingredient, dithiopyr, is also either pre- or post-emergent in activity, and it can kill crabgrass weeds that have already sprouted and are visible, but have no more than 5 leaves on the new plant. The a.i. is absorbed both by roots and foliage but is most active in the meristem area of the plant. It is labeled for use on St. Augustine turf, so this may be an alternative you could try. 

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Pest QuestionsOctober 02, 2012

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Helping honey bees help themselves – Western Farm Press

Helping honey bees help themselves
Western Farm Press
Rather than relying on pesticides and antibiotics to control V. destructor and related diseases?a method that has become part of the problem ? University of Minnesota Entomologist Marla Spivak is advancing effective strategies that help bees help …

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Pests in the NewsOctober 01, 2012

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National Inspect and Protect Week Gives New Homeowners Easy Tips To … – The Herald | HeraldOnline.com

National Inspect and Protect Week Gives New Homeowners Easy Tips To …
The Herald | HeraldOnline.com
RISE is continuing this campaign to equip all homeowners, and especially first-time or new homeowners, with valuable tips to prepare their homes and yards for the coldest season of the year and to keep out pests looking for a winter home. According to …

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Pests in the NewsOctober 01, 2012

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Mile-a-minute vine: a growing problem – TheDay.com

Mile-a-minute vine: a growing problem
TheDay.com
"We may need to collect more information about the plant, confirm that it is mile-a-minute and not a similar species, and look for the beneficial insects at the site before the plants are removed." In 2009, scientists from UConn and the experiment …

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Pests in the NewsOctober 01, 2012

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Should we be making way for the stink bugs? – Warren Tribune Chronicle

Should we be making way for the stink bugs?
Warren Tribune Chronicle
Two years ago, I wrote about this upcoming nuisance, mainly to make homeowners aware because this insect does feed on a wide range of vegetables, fruits and even some ornamental plants and to make everyone aware that these bugs would be showing …

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Pests in the NewsOctober 01, 2012

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County low on fish that eats pests

County officials who rely on a minnow-sized fish to help them fight the spread of deadly West Nile virus are hampered these days because the fish are in short supply, one official said.

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Pests in the NewsOctober 01, 2012

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