Agents:
The dry weather has given in to the rains, but the effects of the dry weather remain as some insect populations persist.
1. Velvet ants – With the dry weather and the heat, many plants are withering and fading. This has made for a very early contrast between the environment and the brightly colored red and black velvet ants. These predators feed primarily on ground nesting bees. They however carry a very wicked and painful sting. They are particularly harmful to small children who are attracted to the bright scurrying ants. The ants are very hard and durable. Simply stepping on them and mashing will not kill them. They will simply be mashed into the soil and run off when you remove your foot. When you do step on one unless you hear a popping sound the ant is unharmed. The abdomen and thorax of the ant can be cut in two, and the front half will run about for a day or so before dying.
2. Hibiscus midge – These small flies that are very similar to the ones emerging for the cypress galls are a pest of the hibiscus flower. The adult lays the eggs in the flower bud, and the hatching larvae infest the flowers, causing premature drop of the flowers. The larvae then move into the soil at maturity and pupate there. The adults emerge and reinfest the flower buds. The flowers can be treated with Orthene for the larvae, and the soil around the plant should be treated with Talstar to manage the pupae and emerging adults. Before treating it is best to remove all flower buds and destroy them, then spray.
3. Leaf-footed plant bugs – These pests in their early stages of development are often confused with the beneficial predator known as the assassin bug. The assassin bug will bite you and inflict a painful bite. At the second or third instar of the leaf-footed plant bug, the hind femur begins to flatten out and expand. This is an easy characteristic to see. Before that, the only way to separate the two bugs is by counting the number of segments in the beak. The leaf-footed plant bug has 4 segments in its beak while the assassin bug has only 3 segments. The leaf-footed plant bugs damage fruit by piercing the fruit with its beak, sucking out the sugars while injecting bacteria and yeast that dry up and damage the fruit. They are bad on many garden vegetables and fruits, particularly citrus. Recently we have received a label for Baythroid to manage this pest on citrus. The damage is done to citrus just as the fruit begins to ripen. When the first leaf-footed plant bugs are observed, it's time to spray to protect the crop.
4. Box elder bugs – These little pests are more of a nuisance than a problem. The adults are dark gray in color, and the margins of the wings and the thorax are outlined in orange. They are plant feeders, feeding on box elder and occasionally other trees. They become a nuisance when they enter homes in the late summer and fall of the year -- in some cases in large numbers. When problems exist, sprays around doors and windows with a pyrethroid can be effective in make them seek shelter elsewhere.
5. Psocids – These little insects have the unusual habit of spinning a web that encloses the bark on the trunk and branches of trees making it look mummified. This process does not harm the trees, as the leaves are not covered so they do not interfere with photosynthesis. The webbing is actually a protection for the small, soft-bodied insects. It creates a microclimate for the insects and protects them from environmental factors and pesticides. These little insects are actually cleaning the algae and fungi and other organic matter from the trunk and branches. In the spring the trees will appear to have a new shiny clean bark. This is occurring about 2 months earlier than normal. This usually happens in late September as these little insects begin to decorate your yard for Halloween and wait for you to do the rest. No treatment is necessary, and the webbing will break apart and fall from the trees with the first cool spell.
6. Field Crickets/Grasshoppers – These are one of the problems we are seeing as a result of the hot, dry weather earlier. Populations of both the black field crickets and grasshoppers are collecting around lights at night and finding their way into homes and stores. These can cause a problem, as when many of them are mashed the area can become very slippery, possibly causing people to slip or fall. The high populations were caused because the natural fungi and organisms that attack the young hatching crickets and grasshoppers were inactive due to the hot, dry weather. They require some water to function effectively, thus most of the eggs in the soil hatched out without interruption. Where populations are high, sprays with pyrethroids are very effective not only in killing the crickets and grasshoppers but also in repelling them for a few days.
7. Large Ips – This population of bark beetles is the result of the stressed and damaged trees left by storms. These populations have not been treated except to remove the heavily damaged and infested trees. Be sure to debark or burn the trees once they're cut down. The dead trees are not a source of infestation but a safety hazard. The adult large Ips can be identified by the scooped out apical end of the hind wings which has five little toothed projections on each wing.
8. Black turpentine beetles – These bark beetles are the only ones that a recommendation is made for. All others are not economical. These beetles infest the lower 6 feet of injured pines and cause the pitch tubes also seen with southern pine beetle infestations, but these are only on the lower six feet of the tree. These infestations can be treated with the pyrethroid Onyx Pro or other pyrethroids or Thiodan. When treating, one should use either diesel fuel or an oil with the insecticide to help it penetrate the bark to provide better management.
9. Fall webworms – The webs are everywhere, and the populations are heavy. These pests are often confused with the web worms we see in the spring. These produce a web but are much more vigorous in webbing up the trees. They also feed in a wider variety of trees, including pecan, hickory, willow, cypress, river birch and others. The webs can be massive and cover entire trees. There are two color forms of the web worm, a light and a dark color phase, and they seem to alternate months with the forms. All the adults are white. They will collect around lights at night and mate -- the female laying eggs the next day. On hatching and beginning to feed, the worms build the webbings as protection from predators and parasites and from sprays. The webs do not hold water or pesticide, and the material quickly runs off the nest. The caterpillars have a dense hair on the body, and unless a spreader sticker of soap is added to the spray, the material may not even touch the caterpillar’s body. It can sit on top of the hairs and evaporate, reducing the possibility of contact with the larvae and any management. Sprays with parathyroids, Orthene, Spinosad,or Bt’s will work effectively, but contact is the key.
10. Mole Crickets – This time of year the last nymphal instars of the overwintering adults can become a problem. This is particularly true on athletic fields. Many football coaches and player begin to see damage to the turf and the development of tunnels as the nymphs and young adults begin to feed heavily to build up body fat to overwinter. Heavy infestations can cause injury to players trying to cut on the damaged turf, since without roots the turf will give and the players can injure ankles and legs. The best management is Chipco Choice at 12.5 to 25 pounds to the acre. Material should be applied late in the afternoon for best management.
11. Armyworms – It’s that time of year again. We had some heavy infestation of the true armyworm in the spring, but now the fall armyworm is making its presence known. Athletic fields which are in good condition for the upcoming season are prime targets for the adult moth to lay her eggs. Pastures and home lawns are not exempt. The moths are attracted to lights and will come in at night and mate and lay eggs. These masses may appear on light colored painted homes, particularly on the eaves and fascia boards. They look like small masses of a fungal growth but are actually the hairs of the moth covering the eggs. On athletic fields the moths are attracted to the end zone flags and will deposit their eggs there. Plot flags can be put out to attract the moths and provide an indication of when eggs are laid and when they hatch. Catching them small will help make management of the population easy. Like the true armyworm, the fall armyworm can have a new generation every 30 days. So watch the indicators until the weather turns cool before football is over. The pyrethroids usually do a good job, but growth regulators like conserve for athletic fields and yards and confirm for pastures are equally effective.
Until next month,
Dale
[Image: velvet ant]
[Image: Midge and larva]
[Image: Leaffooted plant bug]
[Image: Boxelder bug]
[Image: psocids] | [Image: Beetles]
[Image: Fall webworm]
[Image: Mole cricket]
[Image: Fall armyworm]
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