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News you can use
- Last Chance Virtual School IPM Coordinator training
- Statewide pest management trainings for school coordinators start in March
- From pests to pollutants, keeping schools healthy and clean is no simple task
- SPN: Warm-Season Turfgrass Fall/Winter Preparation
- Uninvited vultures draw community ire: AgriLife provides solutions to human-vulture conflict
Category Archives: Newsletter
School Pest News Volume 13, Issue 6, June 2014
Enhancing School Pest Control Safety By: Maron Finley, IPM Specialist, Texas Department of Agriculture As the 2013 – 2014 school year wraps up, it makes sense to begin planning for next school year. The control of unwanted pests in and around school facilities is an ongoing process for many school districts and adopting an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program and incorporating procedures for preventing and managing pest problems using an IPM strategy is a priority. It’s now time to get the school IPM Coordinator(s) trained and ready. The… Read More →
School Pest News, Volume 13, Issue 5, May 2014
SUMMERTIME MEANS DEEP CLEANING; WHY GO GREEN? Deborah J. Young, Ph.D., Colorado Center for Integrated Pest Management The Healthy Schools Campaign, a project that started in Illinois has done extensive research on the benefits of green cleaning for schools. Why go green? 1. Green Cleaning Helps Students Stay Healthy and Learn: EPA estimates that children miss more than 14 million school days each year due to asthma exacerbated by poor indoor air quality. Green cleaning can help reduce the environmental hazards produced from certain chemical combinations. 2. Green… Read More →
School Pest News, Volume 13, Issue 4, April 2014
Moby Rat – How one image spurred a blog post by Dr. Mike Merchant and email chatter with Dr. Bobby Corrigan I can tell you that fishermen aren’t the only ones to exaggerate when it comes to biggest-catch stories. I’ve heard lots of tales. “I swear that cockroach that flew at me was 6 inches long!” “That rattlesnake was as big as my leg!” And, maybe most impressive, “The rats in our neighborhood are as big as cats!” Nearly everyone and their brother’s got a story about the… Read More →
School Pest News, Volume 13, Issue 3, March 2014
Fire Ant Control: The Two-Step Method and Other Approaches When it comes to insect pests, fire ants would probably top everyone’s list! Red and black imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta and Solenopsis richteri) are invasive species and their painful bites can injure or kill livestock, wildlife, domestic animals, and humans. Their large mounds (as many as 300 per acre) are unsightly and often damage mowers and other equipment. Fire ants also infest buildings and can damage electrical equipment by chewing on wire insulation. Fire ants cost Americans $6… Read More →
School Pest News, Volume 13, Issue 2, February 2014
Drain flies By Wizzie Brown Drain flies are small, have two wings, and are a brownish or grayish color. Drain flies have a fuzzy appearance and when at rest, the wings are held roof-like over the body making them look like tiny moths, which is why they are also sometimes called moth flies. Drain flies are often seen in kitchens and bathrooms usually near sinks and tubs. They tend to be more active in the evening. Female flies lay eggs in the thin film of organic matter that builds… Read More →
School Pest News Volume 13, Issue 1, January 2014
All Bugs Good & Bad Webinar Series- begins February 7, 2014! The eXtension All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar series is set to begin February 7, 2014. Dr. Kathy Flanders, an entomologist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, says the series is a continuation of the Don’t Bug Me Webinar series with an emphasis on good and bad insects that affect people every day. “This webinar series will feature insects that affect homeowners and gardeners,” says Flanders. “These insects fall into two categories and we hope to provide… Read More →
School Pest News, Volume 12, Issue 9 December 2013
Using the holiday break As the year comes to an end and students are out of school for two weeks. For most of us it’s a time to be with family and friends; however, before you go on break there are few items you should look into. 1) Winter is the time for colds and flu. Use the break for extra cleaning and disinfecting. According to the CDC, there is a big difference between cleaning and disinfecting. Cleaning with soap and water is adequate to remove dirt and… Read More →
School Pest News Volume 12, Issue 8, November 2013
Global Harmonization What? If you haven’t heard by now, new rules have gone into effect on how you train employees or yourself on the new safety data sheets. Just in case you have not heard this, I thought I would share with you some information from TASB and NPMA on the changing of MSDS to SDS and who needs to be trained. Today we had our Fall IPM Seminar at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Dallas. One of our speakers was Dr. Don Renchie,… Read More →
School Pest News, Volume 12, Issue 7, October 2013
Don’t use wasp spray as a substitute for pepper spray in a defensive situation By: Lynette Spicer, News Coordinator, Iowa State University & eXtension Gun violence this fall at schools and colleges across the nation helps keep a contemporary legend alive. One version of the legend tells of a church receptionist working in a high risk area who kept a can of wasp spray on her desk for self defense. The legend, usually spread by email, suggests wasp spray draws less attention than a can of pepper spray and… Read More →
Fire Ant Basics
When it comes to fire ants, pay attention to detail By: Dr. Mike Merchant In case you missed it, last month a 13-year old middle school student died as a result of fire ant stings he suffered during half-time on a Corpus Christi, Texas football field. The student, Cameron Espinosa, was on the sidelines when he complained of difficulty breathing after receiving fire ant stings on the field. He collapsed and died several days later from complications due to an apparent anaphylactic reaction to fire ant venom. The… Read More →
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