Time for each meeting: 6-7:30pm

October 6 – Entomology 101 & How to ID Common Insect Orders
October 7 – Native Pollinators & Pollinator Gardening
October 13 – Veggie Pest Management
October 14 – Landscape and Ornamental Pest Management

Presenters include: Molly Keck, Erfan Vafaie, Wizzie Brown

Register here:
https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/organizationListings/11

Cost is $25 for all four sessions.  Presentations will be live and interactive with the presenters, as well as recorded for later viewing.  Registrants will receive a book and materials relating to sessions.

The post Entomology Advanced Training for Master Gardeners & Master Naturalists appeared first on Urban IPM.

Cicada killer wasps are solitary, but multiple wasps may be seen in the same area at times.  Males are known for aggressively defending their territory and patrolling burrows created underground. While males dive bomb someone who walks into their territory, they are incapable of stinging.  Female cicada killers are capable of stinging, but generally reserve their stinger for paralyzing prey and tend to only sting in defense.

Adult wasps feed on nectar and tree sap while immatures feed on cicadas.  Adult female wasps locate a cicada, sting it causing the cicada to become paralyzed and then carry it back to the tunnel created in the ground.  She drags the cicada into the tunnel and to a nesting chamber.  Each chamber is provisioned with 1-2 cicadas before the female lays an egg on the leg of the cicada and seals up the chamber.  Once the egg hatches, the wasp larva eats the provided cicadas, overwintering in the ground as a mature larva, and pupating the following year to emerge again when cicadas are available.

Tunnels are about a foot deep and about 2 feet long with 3-4 chambers off to the sides for provision cicadas for larvae.

These wasps are considered to be beneficial, so no control is recommended.  If you feel that you need to manage them, you can:

1. Use clear plastic tarp over the tunnel area to solarize

2. Sprinkle and insecticidal dust around the tunnel opening and tamp it down with your foot

The post Cicada killer wasps emerging in Central Texas appeared first on Urban IPM.

Let’s begin with the terminology “murder” hornet. The definition of murder is “the unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another”. If we take the human part out of the definition, since I think we all can agree that while hornets are animals, they are NOT human, we still need to deal with the premeditated part. Are the hornets plotting the death of others; nefariously sitting in their lairs thinking about how to best take out a population of insects? Ummmm…most likely not. Yes, the hornets are capable of killing other insects, including pollinators, but they are not doing this to be vicious or killing for sport. The hornets use insects they kill as food for their larvae….just like other wasps that we have here in Texas. Moving on to the next thing……

We do not have Asian giant hornets in Texas! Let me repeat that. WE DO NOT HAVE ASIAN GIANT HORNETS IN TEXAS! Since this article was released, I have been contacted numerous times with people who think that they have seen or have the wasps living in their backyard. No. Please, by all means, if you think that you have these wasps, then take photos, collect samples and get in touch with me as I am happy to identify the samples for you, but as of right now, no one has sent me anything that actually is an Asian giant hornet. I’ve been getting paper wasps, mud daubers, and cicada killers. Cicada killers are the most likely wasps we have in Texas that could (in my opinion) be confused with the Asian hornet because cicada killers are very large…about 1.5 inches. Cicada killer wasps are not new to Texas and are pretty common. You can find more information on them in this previous blog post:

http://urban-ipm.blogspot.com/2015/07/cicada-killers.html

Here is a link to a pest tracker site from Purdue University that confirms these are NOT established in the US.

https://pest.ceris.purdue.edu/pest.php?code=ISBIBWA

FACTS about Asian giant hornets
1. Asian giant hornets are <i>Vespa mandarinia</i> NOT “murder” hornets. “Murder” hornets is not even an accepted common name for this species but something that someone made up as a catchy headline….and it apparently worked really well.
2. These wasps are around 2 inches in length and are capable of stinging which can inflict a painful sting. Please note that while the sting can lead to death in some cases, this is not what typically happens. I want to remind everyone that people can also die from being stung by honey bees, paper wasps, yellowjackets, or even fire ants….it just depends on the number of stings and how your body chemistry reacts.
3. Asian giant hornets have an orangish head, brown antennae with a the base of the antennae being yellow-orange, brown to black eyes and ocelli (simple eyes). The thorax is dark brown with greyish wings and the abdomen has alternating bands of brownish-black and yellow-orange.

FACTS about Asian giant hornets in North America
1. A colony was found late last year (September 2019) in Nanaimo, British Columbia on Vancouver Island. The colony was located and destroyed.
2. A sighting and dead specimen was found in Washington state in December 2019 in Blaine, WA. This was the first reported sighting of the Asian giant hornet in the U.S.
3. It is currently unknown how the hornets entered the U.S. and genetic testing leads to the conclusion that the hornets found in BC & WA are two separate introductions.
4. Agencies are currently monitoring & trapping with lures to discover any queens or workers. They are talking about attaching radio tracking collars to captured wasps to track them back to the nest.

The post “Murder” ?! Hornet Sensationalism appeared first on Urban IPM.

When: Friday, March 1 1:00 pm Central time

To Join: https://auburn.zoom.us/j/615766171.

The Emerald Ash Borer  is responsible for millions of dead ash trees in North America causing homeowners, cities, and nurseries many millions of dollars and heartache. Come learn where this exotic pest came from, its life cycle, and management plans being implemented.   This webinar is presented by Lynne Womack, Georgia Forestry Commission.

Note: on March 1,  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.

For more webinars in this series, see 2019 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series:  https://articles.extension.org/pages/74786/2019-all-bugs-good-and-bad-webinar-series.  The webinars are brought to you by the following: eXtension Communities of Practice: Ant Pests, and Urban IPM; and by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Clemson Cooperative Extension and University of Georgia Extension.

The post Emerald Ash Borer- FREE webinar!! appeared first on Urban IPM.

The post Amazing beetle tattoo appeared first on Urban IPM.

There is more than one story out there, so you can choose your favorite.

Version One:

A poor but hardworking widow once lived in a small hut with her children. One summer day, a pine cone fell on the earthen floor of the hut and took root. The widow’s children cared for the tree, excited at the prospect of having a Christmas tree by winter. The tree grew, but when Christmas Eve arrived, they could not afford to decorate it. The children sadly went to bed and fell asleep. Early the next morning, they woke up and saw the tree covered with cobwebs. When they opened the windows, the first rays of sunlight touched the webs and turned them into gold and silver. The widow and her children were overjoyed. From then on, they never lived in poverty again.

Version Two:

A long time ago a mother was cleaning for Christmas. Spiders fled up to the attic to escape the broom. On quiet Christmas Eve, the spiders slowly came down for a peek.  “Oh, what a beautiful tree!” In excitement, they scurried up and out along each branch. They were filled with happiness as they climbed amongst the glittering beauty. But alas! By the time they were done, the tree was shrouded in their dusty, grey web. When Santa came with gifts for the children and saw the tree covered with spider webs, he smiled because he saw how happy the spiders were, but knew how heartbroken the mother would be if she saw it covered in dusty webs.  So he turned the webs into strands of silver and the tree was even more beautiful than before. That’s the story of tinsel on trees and why every tree should have a Christmas spider in its branches.

Version Three:

The story is about two mothers—one a peasant woman, the other a mama spider—both struggling to provide for their young children. On Christmas Eve, the woman went into the forest and came back with a small fir to serve as a Christmas tree. She discovered that a spider had made a home for her babies among the fir’s branches, but the woman didn’t have the heart to sweep them away. The spider discovered that the woman was too poor to decorate the tree, let alone place presents beneath it, and hatched a plan out of gratitude and kindness. Later that night, when the woman and her children went to bed, the spider spun sparkling webs all throughout the fir tree’s branches. In the morning, the children woke up to the thrilling sight of a Christmas tree draped in the most exquisite, shimmering gossamer!

Do you have a spider ornament on your tree?  Of course, I have TWO on mine….one on a web and the other by itself.

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season!!

The post The Legend of the Christmas Spider appeared first on Urban IPM.

Metal “beetle” art piece by Paul Sumner.

First up is an art piece that I find utterly charming.  The artist is Paul Sumner and you can find his work here. I think that he calls his pieces beetles, but I think they look more like cockroaches (big shock why I love them….).  I found this one particularly unique because it is made from a can of Black Flag insecticide.  What can be more ironic?

Cicada brooch by Molly Burgess Designs.

The next one is fiber art cicada brooch by Molly Burgess Designs.  You can find her items on both Instagram and Etsy.  She has both larger plush items that you can hang on the wall, or smaller plush items that can be worn as a brooch.  She also takes custom orders if you are interested in that.  I am awaiting the piece that I ordered from her and very much looking forward to it!

Bee spoon ring by Spoonier.

Item number three is a piece of jewelry- a bee spoon ring- from an artist that I purchased from earlier in the year (my items had a dragon and griffin on them instead of insects).  Spoonier takes antique spoons and turns them into spoon rings and bracelets.  You can find their items for sale on Etsy, but you can also follow them on Instagram.

Plush spider by Alvamade Toys.

Alvamade Toys makes plush toys and sells on Etsy.  I love her plush spiders!  You can also follow her on Instagram here.  She not only makes plush spider toys, but also other items such as Pokemon, mushrooms, owls, raccoons, pigs, cows, and various other creatures.

Butterfly wing pendant by Elemental Urchin.

If you are looking for a necklace charm, Elemental Urchin has created beautiful pendants that encase butterfly wings.  She also has some really cute whales, octopodes, and other creatures.  You can buy her items on Etsy and follow here on Instagram here.

Pillbugs by Art by Ariel.

The next item is another clever piece of art that my husband came across. It’s from Art by Ariel and she sells on Society 6 here and you can follow her on Instagram here.  I love the print because it’s such a good pun…..get it? …..Pillbugs…..

Yellies! by Hasbro.

The last item is mass-produced, but still interesting.  One of the “hot toys” of the season is called a Yellies!  It’s a mechanical plush spider, but that’s not all.  Apparently, the more you yell at it, the faster it moves.  That’s some serious therapy for arachnophobes out there!

Here’s hoping that you have a wonderful holiday season!

The post 2018 Holiday Gift Wish List appeared first on Urban IPM.

I’ve been getting a fair number of inquiries about imported fire ants as of late.  There are usually two categories of questions that I’ve been fielding:

1. What happens to fire ants when it floods?

2. How do I control all the fire ants that are popping up?

I have covered both of these topics before and they are also covered on other sites with great information, so I will link you to sources for more information.

Question 1

Flooding and fire ants from a previous blog post

Scientific American article on how fire ants form rafts to survive floods

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Disaster Education Network article on fire ants after flooding

Question 2

Do you have fire ants? from a previous blog post- covers different basic types of treatments

Baiting for fire ants in the fall also from a previous blog post

Treating fire ants in certain backyard situations also from a previous blog post- this one covers “odd” areas like veggie gardens, compost bins, etc.

IPM action plan for fire ants from eXtension.org

REMEMBER!! DO NOT TREAT FOR FIRE ANTS WHEN IT IS RAINING!!

The post Rain and imported fire ants appeared first on Urban IPM.

I do want to let people know of floodwater mosquitoes which are different from our normal culprits.  I usually get the statement of the “huge mosquito” or a “mosquito that REALLY hurts when it bites” or a “mosquito that tried to carry them away”.  These are the floodwater mosquitoes that come out after we have heavy rains.  These mosquitoes lay their eggs in areas that water will reach during flooding conditions (or heavy rainfall).  Fortunately, they can also be repelled with mosquito repellent.  The EPA has a site that can help you choose a mosquito repellent here.

As for other mosquito information, remember the following:

1. Stay indoors during peak mosquito hours*- dawn & dusk
   1. *please note that some Aedes mosquitoes are day time feeders while some Culex are night time feeders in addition to being active at dusk and dawn, so precaution should be taken whenever outside
2. Eliminate standing water
   1. Dispose of old tires or cover them with a tarp to keep off rain
   2. Clean out gutters and downspouts
   3. Bird baths, pet water dishes, etc. should be emptied and refilled twice a week
   4. Store containers so they do not hold water
3. Keep grass mowed to a proper length & vegetation trimmed (mosquitoes like to rest in thick vegetation)
4. Repair leaky faucets or A/C lines that produce condensate
5. In permanent standing water areas, use things like mosquito fish or Bt israelensis (dunks)
6. Keep window screens in good repair
7. Use repellents when going outside (follow label instructions).

For mosquito & mosquito disease information see this page for more information:

http://urban-ipm.blogspot.com/2016/07/mosquito-and-mosquito-disease.html

For information about heartworms (transmitted to pets by mosquitoes) see this page:

http://urban-ipm.blogspot.com/2017/08/heartworms.html

The post Rain and mosquitoes appeared first on Urban IPM.

Also, if you want to learn how to prepare your home to keep unwanted guest- in this case insects, not relatives- from entering your house, check out this month’s All Bugs Good and Bad webinar provided by Janet Hurley.

The post Fall Armyworms appeared first on Urban IPM.