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Occasional Invaders During Heavy Rain- Millipedes and Pillbugs

Posted on May 18, 2015 by

By Wizzie Brown

I’m loving the rain we’ve been getting in Central Texas, but it has been leading to some pest problems that people haven’t really had to deal with for a while. I thought that I would touch on some of them.

The first and foremost for me are millipedes. Yesterday afternoon when it was raining, I took the opportunity to head outside to look for millipedes for photos. I could not find a single one. While disappointed, I knew that I had seen some at home so I figured I could get my photo there. When I got home I was starving so I started making dinner. In the middle of cooking bacon (it was a breakfast for dinner night), I was looking around the kitchen and spotted a millipede walking across the ceiling. Instead of climbing on the counter to take a picture, I went outside and found plenty to photograph. After that, I proceeded to pick up about 30 millipedes in various areas of the house.

Millipedes have long, worm-like bodies with a single pair of antenna. Their body is cylindrical and usually brown in color. Millipedes have two pairs of legs per body segment and often curl into a spiral for protection or when they die. They feed on decaying organic matter, though some are carnivorous.

Pillbugs are the other big one that can venture inside when we have heavy rains. Sowbugs and pillbugs are crustaceans (related to crabs, crayfish and lobsters). They require moist environments and usually die quickly when they move indoors due to lack of moisture. Sowbugs and pillbugs have oval shaped bodies, 7 pairs of legs and 2 pair of antennae (only one pair is easily visible). Sowbugs have two tail-like appendages that come off the tip of the abdomen. Pillbugs do not have a tail-like appendage and pillbugs can also roll up into a ball when disturbed (hence the name roly-poly).

Another nuisance pest I should mention is amphipods, also known as scuds. Calls that I get on these critters are when they have already died inside the home. Living amphipods are yellowish-brown in color and live in moist areas like under mulch or groundcover. When we get heavy rain, they can move indoors where they die from lack of moisture. When the amphipods die, their body turns a reddish-pink color (these are also a crustacean and closely related to shrimp). You can find more on amphipods here.

If you are having problems with these nuisance pests moving indoors, then you should focus on the outside of the structure to exclude them. Once things dry out then it should go back to normal.

turn mulch often; adjust watering schedules
remove any debris laying near structures or areas you do not want pests
allow air to flow through crawl spaces by using the proper amount of ventilation
fix any leaking faucets, AC lines, water pipes, etc.
make sure gutters and drains carry water away from the structure
make sure doors and windows have a proper seal; replace weather stripping, thresh holds, etc.
apply sealant to any cracks & crevices and to where pipes or wires penetrate the building

If you are having a mass invasion of pillbugs outside and they are eating your plants (it doesn’t happen too often, but conditions are ripe for this right now), then you can try making traps. I still need to test out what specifically works, but I’m sure you can search for ideas. If you feel you need to treat for the pillbugs, make sure that you check the product label so you choose a product with pillbugs and sowbugs on the label. There are snail & slug baits that also can work on pillbugs and sowbugs, but not ALL snail & slug baits control them. You could also treat with a contact pesticide. Unfortunately, while those products could work, they should not be applied when it is raining or there is a chance of rain, so pesticides are currently out as an option.

School Pest News, Volume 14 Issue 3, April 2015

Posted on April 13, 2015 by

Distribution of Certain Mouse and Rat Control Products Ends

On April 1, 2015, Reckitt Benckiser ceased all distribution of 12 d-CON products that do not meet EPA’s current safety standards. EPA reached an agreement with Reckitt, the manufacturer, to cancel these products because they are sold without a protective bait station and pose risks to children and pets. Additionally, eight of the 12 products pose unacceptable risks to certain wildlife. Retailers may sell and consumers may buy these products according to the label until stocks are exhausted. Users of these d-CON products must read and follow the product label instructions.

Household rodenticide products that comply with the Agency’s safety criteria are widely available and are required to be sold and used with a bait station in most use scenarios. EPA encourages consumers to use rodenticide products with bait stations, as proper use of a bait station reduces the risk of accidental exposure to children, pets, and non-target wildlife.

To continue reading click this link: http://www2.epa.gov/rodenticides/canceling-some-d-con-mouse-and-rat-control-products

From Cockroaches to Parasitic Wasps, Creepy Crawlers are for Kids

By Kathleen Phillips, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

A child calmly whispers all his life’s problems to the one who will listen. And in that moment, everything seems so much better.

Perhaps the listener understands. Some days it seems like a crushing blow is around every corner. After all, the one hearing this child’s woes is a bug.

“I’ve seen very disturbed children or autistic kids who could not sit still or focus, sit quietly telling an insect all their problems,” said Dr. Andrine Shufran, Insect Adventure coordinator at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. “The magic of cockroaches.”

Introducing what others would call “creepy crawlers” to kids is one way entomologists – people who study insects – have witnessed transforming growth both personally and academically for the children they teach.

Shufran is part of the Southwestern Branch-Entomological Society of America Youth Science Committee. Their goal is to help kids get interested in science through bugs.

Dr, Mo Way standing in a field with butterfly net

Dr. Mo Way, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service entomologist in Beaumont, chairs the Southwestern Branch-Entomological Society of America Youth Science Committee. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo)

“Insects provide a lot of hands-on activities to spur kids’ imaginations,” said Dr. Mo Way of Beaumont, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service entomologist and committee chair. “Last year, our members in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Mexico conducted more than 1,000 youth events that reached about 40,000 kids from kindergarten to 12th grade.”

Camps, fairs, competitions, exhibits, classroom talks and even insect birthday parties have enlightened children across the region about “the most widespread and diverse group of organisms on earth: insects,” according to the committee members.

“I find that you can’t go wrong with kids and bugs,” said Molly Keck, AgriLife Extension entomologist in San Antonio. “It’s an easy way to get youth interested in science, the environment and being outdoors.”

One of the main events of the Youth Science Committee is Insect Expo, an annual activity-oriented learning experience for fifth graders, Way noted. There, hundreds of children learn how insects have adapted successfully over time, that the vast majority of insects are beneficial and how each insect has its niche in the ecosystem.

But comments from the kids themselves speak volumes for the lowly insects.

For Seth Fothergill of Friona, it was a praying mantis that got his attention.

“I’ve been interested in insects since the fourth or fifth grade,” said high schooler Fothergill, after a recent FFA entomology contest at West Texas A&M University in Canyon. “It’s interesting how each one is different. But my favorite is the praying mantis. I’ve always thought it was amazing to see how their forelegs work.”

Fothergill said he plans to continue his study of insects through high school and ultimately work in forestry where his knowledge of insects – both harmful and beneficial – will help.

Boy is holding a golden desert millipede

Ian Kosch of San Antonio, holding a golden desert millipede, has parlayed his interest in bugs into having camps and presentations for other children. (Photo courtesy of Ian Kusch)

Kusch became intrigued with insects after attending a bug camp conducted by Keck. He began assisting her class and then decided to set up his own business, The Bug Adventure, to do presentations and host a camp of his own. He’s thinking about entomology for a career, “and basically just keep on doing what I’m doing now,” but also helping people learn how to live with them or get rid of the pests.

He also has some research in mind, based on having learned scientific tidbits such as how roaches can survive radiation, that the desert hairy scorpion can live for years with little water and that a tarantula’s lifespan may be decades.

Bugs were never considered as a way to encourage reluctant reader 8-year-old Crystal Ragains of Adair, Oklahoma, to pick up a book, but that is what happened on a field trip to the entomology lab at Oklahoma State.

Not only were the bugs fascinating, but in meeting the female scientist Shufran, Ragains realized that a world of opportunity awaited her as well. Shufran, not knowing of Ragains’ reluctance to read, told the young girl that reading was a must for having a career in science.

“I started reading about bugs, and now I read about everything,” said Ragains, now 16 and a fan of parasitic wasps and walking sticks.

Crystal Ragains of Adair, Oklahoma, got interested in reading through her fascination with insects and now enjoys encouraging other girls to “think outside the box” in exploring the world. (Photo courtesy of Dianna Ragains)

She said delving into insects has allowed her to encourage other girls to explore “outside the box,” in learning about the world.

“Girls and bugs? Girls don’t normally like bugs, but me doing insects may inspire them to do other things that are different,” said Ragains, who often does presentations for other youths.

Dr. Jane Pierce, New Mexico State University Extension entomologist in Artesia, New Mexico, admits to never having outgrown her childhood passion for insects.

“Who doesn’t love bugs when they are 7 years old? We often lose that in junior high, but I have never met a young child who didn’t think bugs were cool,” she said. “Even if they say ‘Ewwww gross!,’ they are smiling while they say it.”

Pierce believes bugs are a fun way to learn about the scientific method, which she said all people should know because it’s “a process that can be a bit messy, but over time the truth becomes clear.”

Dr. Bonnie Pendleton of Canyon, West Texas A&M University entomologist, agrees.

“I think the general public often forgets the tremendous impact, both good and bad, that insects have on humans,” she said. “Insect pests compete with people for food and other valuable resources and cause diseases to humans and livestock. But human society could not exist without the tremendous benefits provided by insects that pollinate plants, decompose wastes and fascinate young people and many of us older ones as well. These kinds of youth activities help students learn about insects and their tremendous impact on all of us.”

Though Way has spent his career battling insect pests, such as the ever-elusive rice water weevil, the use of insects to get children excited about science makes it all beneficial.

“It’s rewarding when you see their smiles and you know you’ve made an impression on that child going in the right direction,” he said.

Termite Season By Molly Keck

Termites are probably the most feared insect to humans … especially homeowners. They portray a vision of a house falling down, circus tent fumigations, a torn up yard, and major expense. Your home is usually your greatest investment; so naturally, a teeny insect that hides underground and eats wood inside your home is a scary thing!

Subterranean termite mud tube and activity.

February and March are considered termite swarming season in Texas. Although the weather has been up and down and it’s hard to predict when they may actually swarm, we have gone a few years without a good swarming season, and I imagine if not this year, at least next, will have some good swarms.

A termite swarm is when there is usually extreme humidity (often associated with rain) and the winged termites emerge from the nest to mate and start a new nest. The females will become queens and start a new colony.

Termites are still active at all times of the year, not just during swarming season. In fact, with the extra moisture and warmer weather, they are probably doing just great. Cellulose material from stumps, buried logs, lumber, landscaping timber and firewood are all examples of food sources for termites that most of us have somewhere in the landscape. The closer that is to your house, the more likely they are to start feeding on cellulose in the house.

The good news is that finding termites or termite damage should be mean that you need to take immediate action. Take some time to get some BIDs and figure out the best management options for your situation. You will know if the house is in danger of collapse!

For much more information about termites and management options, a fantastic webinar was provided by Dr. Robert Puckett, an urban entomologist with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension on April 3^rd, 2015. He has extensive experience in termite field and lab research.
Follow the link to watch the webinar: https://learn.extension.org/events/1853#.VRQza8Zx0ag

Termites

By Wizzie Brown

There are three main types of termites that can cause problems for homeowners in Central Texas- native subterranean termites, formosan subterranean termites and drywood termites. To identify termites you will need to obtain soldiers (ones with a hard head with large mandibles) or reproductives with wings.

Native subterranean termite soldier

Native subterranean termites have nests in the soil and must maintain contact with soil or an above-ground moisture source to survive. If native subterranean termites move to areas above ground they make shelter (mud) tubes of fecal material, saliva and soil to protect themselves.

Formosan termites are a more voracious type of subterranean termite. These termites have been spread throughout Texas through transport of infested material or soil. Formosan termites build carton nests that allow them to survive above ground without contact with the soil. Nests are often located in hollow spaces, such as wall voids.

Formosan subterranean termite soldiers

Formosan termites feed on a wider variety of cellulose than other subterranean termites, including live plants, consuming both spring and summer growth wood whereas native subterranean termites feed only on spring growth. Formosan termites have also been known to chew through non-cellulose materials such as soft metals, plaster or plastic.

Drywood termite pellets (fecal material).

Drywood termites do not need contact with soil and reside in sound, dry wood. These termites obtain moisture from the wood they digest. Drywood termites create a dry fecal pellet that can be used as an identifying characteristic. They have smaller colonies- around 1,000 termites- than subterranean termites; they also do not build shelter tubes.

If you are concerned that you may have termites, call a pest management professional to inspect your home or business for termites.

School Pest News, Volume 14, Issue 2, February 2015

Posted on February 27, 2015 by janet.hurley

All Bugs Good & Bad Webinar Series- Fire Ant Management Using Baits

Blog post by Mrs. Wizzie Brown

When: Friday, March 6, 2015 at 1PM CST
Link: http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/fireant
Cost: FREE

Fire ants are polymorphic and can be controlled using baits labeled for fire ants.

Learn how to make the biology of fire ants work for you not against you. This webinar presented by Dr. Lawrence “Fudd” Graham from Auburn University will discuss fire ant baits and other control methods. It will also provide the latest information on the Pseudacteon phorid flies, natural enemies of fire ants. Moderated by Dani Carroll and Bethany O’Rear, Regional Extension Agents, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, and Vicky Bertagnolli-Heller, Extension Agent and Master Gardener Coordinator, Clemson University. Click here to login as a guest and participate in the live event. Note: on March 6, the link to the live webinar opens about 15 minutes before the webinar. If you log in earlier, you will get an error message.

For more webinars in this series, see All Bugs Good and Bad 2015 Webinar Series. The webinars are brought to you by the following eXtension Communities of Practice: Imported Fire Ants, and Urban IPM; and by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and the University of Georgia Center for Urban Agriculture.

If you missed the previous webinar on Pesticide strategy- the good, the bad the ugly, you can still view it from the link below by clicking Watch recording in the top right corner.
https://learn.extension.org/events/1864#.VOdGJCzcBNg

Borer gets a little closer

Blog post by Dr. Mike Merchant

Emerald ash borer adult on a penny for scale. Image: Harold Russell, Michigan State University

What’s shiny and Godzilla green, easily fits on a penny, and has resulted in the death of tens of millions of trees over the past dozen years? If you’ve been paying attention to this blog, you might guess the emerald ash borer (EAB). Over the past few years my colleagues and I have been involved with a monitoring project designed to detect the first EAB entering north Texas. During this time I’ve watched the beetles inch closer to Texas–moving from its initial point of invasion in Michigan throughout the Ohio River valley and eventually into Missouri, Kansas and Colorado, and, last summer, in six counties in southern Arkansas.

Earlier this month, on a hunch, some zealous U.S. Forest Service employees examined a likely ash stand of 12-15 trees outside of Pineville, LA. On Feb 10, entomologist James Zablotny, emerald ash borer identification specialist for USDA, APHIS, PPQ in Romulus, Michigan, confirmed that three larvae collected from the trees were indeed EAB. The collection site was just inside the Louisiana border, about 9 miles east of Springhill, LA, in Webster Parish.

These latest finds put the EAB within 40 miles of Texas, and suggest that we in Texas may be next, if the beetle isn’t here already.

So how is this beetle with stubby wings getting so close so fast? With the help of man, no doubt. Experts believe that the most common way that this beetle finds its way across state lines is in firewood. Campers, sportsmen, or firewood vendors cut up borer-infested trees and put them on a vehicle and give the hitchhiking insects a lift.

What does this mean to owners of ash trees? Since the nearest infestations are approximately 40 miles away

Image of Emerald ash borer larva and damage under the bark of white fringetree

Emerald ash borer larva and damage under the bark of white fringetree, a new host of this pest. Image from D. Cipollini, J of Economic Entomology, Feb 2015

from our state, nothing yet. However, experience from other states suggests that owners of valuable ash trees within 15 miles of a known infestation should consider proactive treatment of their trees with a labeled insecticide.

In a few weeks our office, along with entomologists from the Texas Forest Service and Sam Houston State University, will start the 2015 Texas EAB survey. This is something we’ve been doing for over five years, but this year takes on extra meaning with the threat known so close to our border.

More bad news

As if we needed more bad news, in addition to ash (trees in the genus Fraxinus), the EAB has now been found to attack white fringe tree, Chionanthus virginicus, a native tree species that is also used sometimes as an ornamental plant. In an article published in the Journal of Economic Entomology this month, Dr. Don Cipollini of Wright State University in Ohio presented the first evidence that EAB might attack other plants in addition to ash. Although fringetree is a relative of ash, the possibility exists that a few other, native plant genera closely related to Chionanthus might be susceptible to this pest.

While maybe not as destructive as Godzilla, I have no doubt we will learn to respect this pest. More on symptoms and different management options in later posts.

AgriLife Extension modules help students learn about nature

By Paul Schattenberg

If your child’s response to the old joke, “Why did the chicken cross the road?” is “What’s a chicken?” then he or she would benefit from educational modules available from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, according to Nora Tapia, the agency’s youth outreach coordinator for Bexar County.

Person teaching learning module to urban kids in classroom setting

The City Critters learning module introduces urban
kids to some of the needs and habits of wildlife they may encounter. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo)

Tapia said the modules are available through the Wildlife Module Curriculum Enrichment Program of the agency’s 4-H Youth Development program.

“Data collected by AgriLife Extension from elementary school teachers throughout Texas show children in this grade have limited knowledge of wildlife and resource conservation,” Tapia said.

Currently about 80 percent of Texans live in urban areas such as San Antonio, she said, and while young people support protecting the environment, they have a poor understanding of environmental issues and how ecosystems work.

“To help urban youth better understand the natural environment, AgriLife Extension has developed museum-quality educational modules and made them available to elementary and middle schools,” Tapia said.

The modules, which target mainly third through seventh-grade students, are comprised of hands-on displays, interactive computer programs, videos, lesson plans and printed information on renewable natural resources, urban-dwelling wildlife, aquatic ecology and water issues.

The modules are:

City Critters — A multimedia module consisting of an 8-by-10-foot pop-up and static animal display. This module addresses the role of wildlife conservation and importance of natural resources management, along with increasing awareness of urban wildlife species.
Something’s Fishy — A multimedia module with information on aquatic science, aquaculture, sport fishing, water quality and water conservation. The module consists of a 3-by-8-foot 3D display with full-size fish replicas, interactive CD, lesson activities, videos and water test kits.
Wildlife Success Stories and Endangered Species — A multimedia module focusing on wildlife species recovered through proper environmental management and the status and recovery efforts toward currently endangered species. It consists of an 8-by-8-foot display, interactive CD, videos and lessons.
Predators in the Classroom – This module addresses the biological and social impact of animal predators, such as coyotes and mountain lions, found in Texas.

Modules can be requested by educators for two-week periods throughout the year. Host

Display illustrating The Wildlife Success Stories and Endangered Species educational module

The Wildlife Success Stories and Endangered Species educational module focuses on positive outcomes in wildlife preservation and the need for people to give some animal species a helping hand toward survival. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo)

teachers give instruction for the module curriculum and are provided with an instructional binder. A description of each module is given, along with a response form that may be printed and submitted to schedule the units.

For more information, go to http://wildlife.tamu.edu/publications/extension-education-programs/ and look under the “4-H School Enrichment Module” tab.

Tapia said Wildlife Success Stories and Endangered Species, City Critters and Something’s Fishy modules were sponsored jointly by AgriLife Extension and by the Texas Wildlife Association. City Critters received initial funding through the International Paper Foundation, the Renewable Resources Extension Act of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“We’ve used the endangered species and City Critters modules and currently have the City Critters module on display in the science lab,” said Lisa Rollins, science specialist for kindergarten through fifth grade at Ed Cody Elementary School in San Antonio. “The kids like to see the representative animals in the display and they like the flexibility of watching videos, reading the guide and having other ways to learn using the module components.”

She said teachers from several second-grade classes with a total of about 120 students allowed their students to interact with the Wildlife Success Stories and Endangered Species module as part of their science instruction. About 125 fifth-grade students have already interacted with the City Critters module so far.

Pre- and post-test methodology is used to measure the educational impact of these modules, which provide curriculum enrichment in the areas of math, science, language, reading and other subjects in keeping with state-mandated requirements, Tapia said.

“Currently, there are more than 2,000 students from Bexar County elementary and middle schools who benefit annually from using these educational modules,” she said. “We would like to get even more schools, teachers and students involved in this curriculum enrichment program, so we’re looking for additional funding to update the modules and expand our reach.”

For more information, contact Tapia at 210-467-6575 or Nora.tapia@ag.tamu.edu.

School Pest News, Volume 14, Issue 1, January 2015

Posted on January 26, 2015 by janet.hurley

School IPM, Staff Member Receive Excellence Awards for 2015 By Rob Williams

The Texas School Integrated Pest Management Program received the AgriLife Extension Service’s Superior Service Award in the Team category during the Texas A&M AgriLife Conference on January 6.

The team consists of Dr. Blake Bennett, AgriLife Extension economist-management, Dallas; Wizzie Brown, AgriLife Extension program specialist, Travis County; Janet Hurley, AgriLife Extension program specialist, entomology, Dallas; Molly Keck, AgriLife Extension program specialist, entomology, San Antonio; Dr. Mike Merchant, AgriLife Extension urban entomologist, Dallas; Dr. Paul Nester, AgriLife Extension program specialist, entomology, Houston; and Dr. Don Renchie, AgriLife Extension program leader, agricultural and environmental safety, College Station.

Other members joining the main team are Alva “AJ” Clinton, Springtown Independent School District maintenance director and school IPM coordinator; Paul Duerre, Killeen ISD environmental specialist and school IPM coordinator; and Tom Ohm, Frisco ISD IPM coordinator.

The AgriLife team members are responsible for conducting training for all IPM coordinators for each school district, which is required by the State of Texas. Whereas the school members recognized have been instrumental in establishing the professional association TIPMAPS for school IPM coordinators.

Members of the School IPM Team receiving their plaques during the 2015 Texas A&M AgriLife Conference on January 6. From left to right are: Wizzie Brown, Molly Keck, Janet Hurley, Paul Duerre, IPM Coordinator, Killeen ISD; Dr. Blake Bennett, Associate Professor & Extension Economist/Management; AJ Clinton, IPM Coordinator, Springtown ISD, Dr. Mike Merchant, Paul Nester, Dr. Don Renchie, and Dr. Douglas Steele – Director, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Photo by Rob Williams

Since 2001, according to the nomination, the team has provided training or direct assistance to more than 600 school districts and nearly 1,000 school employees. The team also hosts a website, publishes a monthly newsletter and creates other materials to educate schools about pest management.

“The IPM training’s are very informative. I attend almost every year because every time I come I learn something new,” said Harry Magness, a retired IPM Coordinator from Tyler ISD. “The school IPM team has always been there to help me with pest ID, control solutions and as a sounding board on how to maintain my IPM program. Without them we [the school districts] would be lost.”

According to the nomination, the team also created a database of more than 1,500 school IPM coordinators, pest management professionals, and key stakeholders to facilitate communications and created the IPM Calculator tool for pest management in school facilities.

“She has gone over and above the call of duty to help us in every way. She has come down to Houston on many occasions to meet with our leadership team to discuss the best plans moving forward, to show our team what IPM truly is, and has helped us implement our program in every way,” one nominator said in the nomination “Janet is the true picture of ‘Customer First Service’.”

According to the nomination packet, the website (schoolipm.tamu.edu) receives more than 13,000 unique visitors annually and the newsletter has more than 1,560 email subscribers monthly. The team also has received more than $1.3 million in competitive grants to fund its programs.

“The award signifies the commitment our group has to school IPM,” Hurley said. “Just like IPM is about teamwork, the school IPM team works together to assist schools with their IPM programs.”

Garden of Greatness 4-H club plants seeds for teens’ future By: Paul Schattenberg

Jeremy Mann, 16, said teamwork and coordinating with other teenagers in the Garden of Greatness 4-H special interest, or SPIN, club in San Antonio were among the things he enjoyed most about participating in the youth development program that uses gardening to teach practical skills and life lessons.

Mann, who attends Kipp University Prep charter high school, said he also enjoyed learning how to use the vegetables he and other participants grew to make healthful, nutritious dishes.

“It was nice to do something for the community too,” he said. “This was my first time to do any gardening, and it was fun to plant and grow these vegetables.”

Mann was one of about 30 youth who recently “graduated” from the four-month, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service-led program at the San Antonio Boys and Girls Club Teen Center on the city’s west side.

Club members, along with AgriLife Extension personnel, Bexar County Master Gardeners and others, planted 15 raised beds built by program partners and youth participants. In early September, they planted tomatoes, broccoli, red lettuce, cabbage, onions, carrots, peppers and other vegetables, as well as various herbs.

Teen participants and adult volunteers built the Garden of Greatness in back of the San Antonio Boys and Girls Club Teen Center. The raised garden beds were used to grow cold-weather vegetables during the recently completed fall program. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo)

Teen program participants weeded, fertilized, watered and otherwise took care of the garden in accordance with the curricula from the Texas Go! Eat! Grow! Program of AgriLife Extension.

“The kids harvested the garden, then at graduation received their certificate for completing the program and competed as teams in preparing healthful dishes made from the vegetables and herbs they grew and harvested,” said Rosemary Fuentes, AgriLife Extension health and wellness program specialist for Bexar County, who coordinates the program.

Fuentes said club efforts are part of a five-year U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded community-based project to address the issue of urban food deserts, while providing youth with new experiences and opportunities.

“An urban food desert is an area where affordable and nutritious food is difficult to obtain,” she said. “These are typically in low-income areas where there are few or no supermarkets and limited access to transportation.”

Fuentes said youth gain practical service-learning experiences and engage in developing useful life skills while learning about professional career opportunities in health, nutrition, horticulture, agriculture, science and more. They also learn about proper nutrition and food preparation by making healthy snacks in the club kitchen, using recipes provided by nutrition experts who help them prepare the snacks.

“The experience helped these young people become a little more college-ready and gave them some good insights into career opportunities in nutrition, horticulture, agriculture and associated fields,” she said.

The last program was a 16-week program, but starting in February we are going to make it a 10-week program,” she said. “This way, we hope we will be able to get even more youth to participate.”

Fuentes said one of the project’s main goals is to address the lack of experience which, along with a lack of education, exacerbates poverty among at-risk youth.

“We want to help encourage these teens to grow and to give back to their community,” she said. “We show them the value of gardening and horticulture and of eating nutritious, healthful food. They also learn important life skills like personal responsibility, teamwork and cooperation, which will serve them throughout their adult lives and in their careers.”

Dr. Manuel Piña Jr., an associate professor in the agricultural leadership, education and communication department of Texas A&M University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in College Station, spoke to program participant at the graduation. Piña related the importance of education and of the need for persistence and teamwork in reaching personal goals.

“We hope youth participation in this program will lead to the more long-term goal of inspiring them to go to college and become professionals in one of these agriculture-related career fields,” he said.

Dr. Melinda Garcia, an Our Lady of the Lake University graduate who has participated in the program

Image of Recent Garden of Greatness 4-H SPIN club program participants prepare recipes made with vegetables and herbs they grew and harvested. (Courtesy photo)

Recent Garden of Greatness 4-H SPIN club program participants prepare recipes made with vegetables and herbs they grew and harvested. (Courtesy photo)

since its inception, also attended.

“It was great to see these young people participate in the program and devote their time and attention to it,” Garcia said. “I’m part of it because I want to serve the community and can help by serving as a role model. I grew up in a low-income area and had a lot of the same challenges these young people do, but was able to apply myself and get my PhD.”

Fuentes said she likes to think of the program not only as a way to help teenagers plant seeds in a garden, but also to help them plant seeds for their future.

“This project provides an innovative and engaging approach to not only help improve access to healthful, nutritious foods, but also to provide youth in those communities with the knowledge, hands-on experiential learning and life skills they need.”

School Pest News, Volume 13, Issue 12 December 2014

Posted on December 23, 2014 by janet.hurley

Fall pest has many South Central Texans seeing spots before their eyes: Experts say insect ‘invasion’ will continue as temperatures drop

By: Paul Schattenberg

said South Central Texans can expect to see more outdoor insects, such as the psyllid shown here, trying to get indoors as exterior temperatures drop. (Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service photo by Mike Merchant)

If you think you’re seeing spots before your eyes around the holidays, it may just be a tiny gnat-like insect “getting up in your grill,” according to entomologists with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

“If you’ve seen some tiny insects flying around and possibly gathering on cars, windows or the sides of buildings around South and Central Texas, what you may be looking at is the hackberry psyllid,” said Wizzie Brown, AgriLife Extension entomologist for Travis County. “We typically get them each fall when the weather grows cooler and they try to move indoors where it is nice and cozy.”

The pest, more accurately called the hackberry nipple-gall maker insect, emerges from galls, nipple-like swellings the insects chemically induce into the leaves of hackberry trees. Like other gall makers, the adults lay their eggs on leaves, which then start to swell around the egg or developing larva, forming a gall. After feeding on the gall tissue throughout the summer, adults emerge in the fall seeking shelter.

“During the fall, it’s not unusual for someone to see dozens or hundreds of these tiny insects flying or poised for an opportunity to come into a home or office,” Brown said. “They are more of a nuisance than anything else.”

Molly Keck, AgriLife Extension entomologist for Bexar County, said psyllid activity in South Central Texas usually increases as temperatures drop significantly.

“I recently had a pest control professional bring insect samples into my office for identification,” she said. “He was pretty sure they were gnats because they were found near a window on an upper floor of a building, but hackberry psyllids are also found near windows, looking for an opportunity to get indoors where it’s warmer.”

Keck noted that another reason people often confuse these insects with gnats or fruit flies are that they are often found near kitchen sinks or counters.

“The psyllids aren’t actually coming from the sinks or from any fruit that might be on the counter,” she said. “They most likely are there because there’s a door or window near the kitchen and they’ve come in from that opening.”

“It’s not like you can really blame them; they are just temporarily homeless critters looking for a warm place to spend the winter,” said Dr. Mike Merchant, AgriLife Extension urban entomologist in Dallas.

Merchant said he recently stayed at a hotel in Austin and on his 23rd floor window, he saw dozens of hackberry psyllids outside.

“They are small enough to get around windows and doors, or to get through any of the myriad tiny exterior openings every house or building contains,” he said.

Keck added that typically insecticides have a limited impact on these insects and it’s not usually “economically feasible” to treat for them.

“They often come in swarms and can be a nuisance at first,” she said, “but they go almost as fast as they come and are there seeking shelter, not food, though they will eat something left out on a table or counter. You can spray around sills and that will have some impact, but it’s usually not worth the time and trouble it takes to try and control them.”

The entomologists said hackberry psyllids are not the only insects seeking shelter during colder weather.

“Paper wasps commonly seek shelter in homes following the first freeze,” Merchant said. “Other insects that enter homes in the fall include box elder and red shouldered bugs, and a host of little seed bugs.”

Keck added that scorpions and ants also frequently come indoors during colder months.

“When it got colder a few weeks ago, I started getting lots of calls about small dark ants that started to show up inside homes and businesses in the area,” she said.

Keck said these ants were identified as black crazy ants, similar to the tawny crazy ant, formerly known in Texas as the Rasberry crazy ant.

She said during colder weather businesses in particular are often invaded by these ants.

“In warmer weather, they find shelter around flagstone or concrete structures, such as those in walkways or parking lots, and then look for opportunities to come indoors when outside temperatures drop,” Keck explained.

Merchant said one of the best ways to prepare for this fall insect invasion is some general house repair and maintenance.

“These little bugs might even save you money if you use them as an excuse to get that energy audit you’ve been putting off. An energy audit will help you locate poorly sealed windows and doors, and can tell you where some of those outdoor, energy-wasting leaks are. Plugging those interior and exterior cracks and leaks makes it very difficult for pests to enter your home.”

School IPM Training for Coordinators and School Staff

In my experience, cost is one of the biggest constraints to IPM education in schools and municipalities. School districts and municipalities are reluctant to invest time and travel for employee training especially for unfunded mandates or non-essential programs. School IPM training often involves travel to out-of-district sites, and has limited reach for the majority of school district employees. Last month I wrote about the importance of educating your staff. This month I would like to introduce you to our online web portal for IPM courses. https://txn.esslearning.com/catalogs/agrilife/

Last year, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension was awarded a grant to develop some online courses, this request grew from animal control officers, and IPM coordinators who wanted to train themselves or their staff on a variety of pests and IPM topics. Earlier this year we launched our School IPM Training courses. If you are an animal control officer, licensed applicator with TDA and hold a 3A license, a school IPM coordinator who needs to train school staff, then you can use these courses to fulfill those needs. AgriLife Extension is working with TDA to determine a way to offer these courses for SPCS licensee holders, but for now, that is not an option. However, this does not mean these courses can’t help you out. Knowledge is power, and knowing what type of pests you have can help you more than just fulfill a CEU obligation, it can help you do your job better.

For School IPM Coordinators who need to develop an education program, use ours. Have a teacher (s) who want to have gardens; I suggest the IPM For School Gardens 101 course. It help explains the school IPM rules, but more importantly what teachers should consider for their gardens when it comes to pests. How about a course on pollinators, they are in the news, but do you know what pollinators are, and where they live? And my favorite course, Bats 101, learn the basics about bats, bat biology and some of the species that live in TX. Learn how IPM can help you keep bats from moving into your campus.

Your 2015 New Year’s resolution – learn more about IPM, become familiar with pollinators and know how IPM can help you with drought restrictions as well. We will have more to come on those topics in the new year.

School Pest News, Volume 13, Issue 11, November 2014

Posted on November 26, 2014 by janet.hurley

The Importance of Educating Staff about Your IPM Program

By: Janet A. Hurley, Extension Program Specialist II

Integrated pest management (IPM) is a process that requires cooperation among all school staff members, faculty and students and pest management professionals within a school district. IPM is a strategy of managing pests using multiple control tactics that provide the best control with the least cost and environmental impact. IPM is based on thorough knowledge of the pests and the technologies used to control them and can be performed by anyone with proper training. A good IPM program attempts to make schools less hospitable to pests by modifying the environment and by using the lowest impact pesticides necessary. Managing risks from pests and risks from the pesticides used to control them are top priorities under an IPM program.

Having a sustainable IPM program takes time, effort, and people. Simply adopting IPM tenets and practices is part of the solution, but having a well thought out program takes some effort. Each school or district should have a designated IPM coordinator (“The Bug Stops Here” person). All reports and complaints should be directed to the coordinator’s office. The IPM coordinator should be viewed as an important part of the overall environmental quality team for the school or district. When it comes to IPM, cooperation is the key to successful operation. The IPM Coordinator for the school system needs to be an individual who can work with upper administration, principals, teachers, custodians, food service, and maintenance. The IPM Coordinator needs to have the ability to request work orders and have some input regarding how repairs are made. This individual also needs to be able to request that custodial crews undertake special deep cleaning projects when necessary. The coordinator also needs to be able to work with food service staff on continual maintenance and implementation of IPM practices in order to make these areas less pest friendly. The coordinator must also have the ability to work with campus teachers and principals to change practices that cause conditions conducive for pests.

IPM is information intensive; the coordinator should have time to attend conferences and other educational programs so that he/she can keep up with all the trends on pests and pest treatments. The coordinator must also be able to communicate well with others; this includes composing emails and newsletters to district staff during certain periods of the school year when specific pest problems are common.

Training for staff: Everyone within the school district has a role in IPM. All custodialstaff, food service personnel, and maintenance personnel should be trained to look for hidden problems. Teachers, principals, and coaches should be educated on when a pest problem is significant enough to warrant a pesticide treatment versus when a pest problem needs exclusion or sanitation remediation. Within the IPM program it is

Educating teachers and staff about food sources, especially during the holiday will keep unwanted visitors at bay.

everyone’s responsibility to help maintain the “health and well-being” of the school building. An IPM program will be received favorably when everyone is trained (especially teachers) as to why pests favor school buildings and what steps can be taken to keep ants and roaches out of classrooms. Most people do not understand that everyone has a role in the IPM program: teachers and staff can properly store food in their classrooms; custodians can utilize effective cleaning practices; maintenance staff can seal up holes, which allow pests into the building; and anyone can report broken door sweeps. If everyone in the district understands the need to report properly, then pest complaints will decrease while the use of pesticides also decreases.

Roles of other staff in the IPM Program:

School Administrators: Administrators should be aware of state laws about IPM in schools, pesticide use in schools, and any other regulations addressing pest management. Administrators should be familiar with the district’s IPM policy. The IPM program needs administrative support for sustainability and effectiveness. The IPM Coordinator should communicate with school administrators on a regular basis. The most important responsibilities of administrators are to:

Adopt and maintain an IPM policy.
Include IPM as part of your health and/or safety committee(s).
- SHAC (School Health Advisory Councils)
Designate and train a competent IPM Coordinator.
Support priorities for maintenance and sanitation, as identified by the IPM Coordinator.
Encourage faculty and staff understanding and full participation in the IPM program.

School Nurses: School nurses should be aware of the IPM Policy, IPM Plan, and pesticides on school property. Be familiar with the signs and symptoms of pesticide poisoning. Be aware of signs of pest exposure including head lice, fire ants, bed bugs, asthma, rabies and mosquito and tick-borne diseases present in the region. The nurse should be able to communicate with the IPM Coordinator about such concerns. A nurse should:

Be aware of any children or staff with asthma, chemical sensitivities, or allergies to stinging insects.
Have information on IPM strategies for pests that can affect student health.
Keep a list of students who have serious reactions to stinging insects and communicate this information to the IPM Coordinator

Students and Teachers: Students and teachers need to be trained on how to report pest sightings. Using pest sighting logs and/or a work order system allows teachers report their concerns to the IPM coordinator. The teacher can act as the liaison from the student to the IPM coordinator. Students and teachers must also understand the necessity of keeping facilities clean:

Leaving NO food in lockers, classrooms, and common areas
NO eating or drinking in areas not designated for food consumption.
NO clutter, which can provide shelter and makes inspection and cleaning difficult

The National Pesticide Information Center’s mobile web app “MAPL” = Mobile Access to Pesticides and Labels

By: Kaci Buhl, Project Coordinator, National Pesticide Information Center, Oregon State University

Did you know that there is a Pesticide Product Search from NPIC – Available now!

How many permethrin products are used on dogs?
Are there any products available for grub control in mint?
I just need to peek at the label for Clorox Bleach.

The National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) at Oregon State University created a tool that can help. It’s available online and has been used by hundreds of professionals already. It’s optimized for tablets and smart phones, so you can use it on the go. http://npic.orst.edu/mapl

This is a mobile web app, rather than a native app. It operates within a browser, does not have to be downloaded, and is updated automatically without bothering the user. Mobile web apps are ideal for tools that require frequent updates and are used weekly, rather than daily. You can create an icon for the desktop of your device by bookmarking the app.

It’s called “Mobile Access to Pesticides and Labels” or MAPL. It was designed for professionals with basic training in pesticide registration. You can search for pesticide products by name, registrant, or EPA Registration number. You can also search by any combination of active ingredients, pests, and (use) sites. Site-pest combinations are popular with NPIC staff. For example, what can be used for (this) pest in (that) place?

When results are returned, and the user selects a product, that screen provides quick details about the product. It also includes a link to the most recent version of the EPA Stamped-Accepted-Label (SAL) in pdf. Links are provided leading to state-level searches and other tools. A product detail screen can also be bookmarked.

Here’s a quick video tutorial: http://bit.ly/npic-mapl

For more information about NPIC apps visit their website at http://npic.orst.edu/webapps.html To learn more about NPIC http://npic.orst.edu/ NPIC is operated through a cooperative agreement between Oregon State University and the Office of Pesticide Programs (#X8-83560101). You can call them with questions Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm Pacific Time.

School Pest News, Volume 13, Issue 10, October 2014

Posted on October 17, 2014 by janet.hurley

Attention Administrators, Faculty, and Nurses!
Bonny Mayes, MA, Epidemiologist, Zoonosis Control Branch, Texas Department of State Health Services

The Texas Department of State Health Services would like to invite the kids at your school to participate in a Rabies Awareness & Prevention Poster Contest. Rabies is a viral disease that kills over 50,000 people every year around the world. Human deaths from rabies in the United States are very rare (approximately one death per year, almost exclusively due to rabies associated with bats). This is due to strict animal control laws, widespread pet vaccinations, and public health intervention in identified rabies-exposure cases. Rabies post-exposure prophylaxis is 100% effective when administered properly. However, the treatment is very expensive and requires multiple shots over a period of time.

Skunks and bats are the most commonly affected species in Texas. Private residences and school grounds are

Image from DSHS 2013 First place winner from Grade 3-5

the most common locations in Texas for exposure to rabid bats. Bat bites are not always noticeable and many people are unaware that exposure to bats poses a risk. Most of these rabies exposures are preventable through education. This is why we are encouraging school kids throughout Texas to become more aware about rabies and respecting bats and other wildlife from a distance. Children at your school can participate by entering a contest to design a poster promoting rabies awareness & prevention. There are prizes for students in Kindergarten through 8th grade, and artwork from top-ranking posters may be used for future state sponsored public health educational projects. Prizes are provided by the Zach Jones Memorial Fund www.zachjonesmemorial.org .

Please forward this information to the teachers in your school and encourage them to involve their students. This would be a perfect activity for schools participating in C-Scope as an informational text or procedural text assignment or as an excellent extra-credit project for an art or science class. Provided online is an information sheet for students and a teacher instruction sheet with details and an entry form www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/disease/rabies/information/contest . The deadline for poster submission is April 6, 2015. To see all the winners check out this link http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/disease/rabies/information/contest/winners/

Global Handwashing Day — practice safe handwashing practices this fall

Image if chil's hands with lather from hand washing

Clean hands saves lives and prevents the transmission of many common diseases.

The 7th annual Global Handwashing Day will be observed October 15, 2014. This observance increases awareness and understanding of handwashing with soap as an effective and affordable way to prevent disease around the world.

Handwashing with soap has an important role to play in child survival and health. Approximately 2.2 million children aged <5 years die each year from diarrheal diseases and pneumonia, the top two causes of death among young children globally (1). Handwashing with soap can reduce the incidence of diarrhea among children aged <5 years by 30% (2) and the incidence of respiratory infections by 21% (3).

Although persons around the world clean their hands with water, few use soap to wash their hands. Washing hands with soap removes bacteria much more effectively (4).

Additional information on Global Handwashing Day is available from CDC at http://www.cdc.gov/features/globalhandwashing . General handwashing information is available from at http://www.cdc.gov/handwashing . Information on water-related hygiene is available at http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/hygiene/index.htm l.

References

Liu L, Johnson HL, et al.; Child Health Epidemiology Reference Group of WHO and UNICEF. Global, regional, and national causes of child mortality: an updated systematic analysis for 2010 with time trends since 2000. Lancet 2012;379:2151–61.
Ejemot RI, Ehiri JE, Meremikwu MM, Critchley JA. Hand washing for preventing diarrhoea. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2008;(1):CD004265.
Aiello AE, Coulborn RM, Perez V, Larson EL. Effect of hand hygiene on infectious disease risk in the community setting: a meta-analysis. Am J Public Health 2008;98:1372–81.
Burton M, Cobb E, Donachie P, Judah G, Curtis V, Schmidt WP. The effect of handwashing with water or soap on bacterial contamination of hands. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2011;8:97–104.

Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

References to non-CDC sites on the Internet are provided as a service to MMWR readers and do not constitute or imply endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. CDC is not responsible for the content of pages found at these sites. URL addresses listed in MMWR were current as of the date of publication.

Fall Weed Control for Schools
Matt Elmore, Ph.D. – Assistant Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist

Control of grassy weeds, particularly perennial weeds like dallisgrass, has changed for landscape and athletic field managers in the wake of the MSMA ban. There is no longer one product that will control crabgrass, goosegrass, and dallisgrass, so we are forced to buy several different products and make separate applications to control these weeds. On top of that, these products are more expensive. Will there be a new product introduced that will ever truly replace MSMA? What options are available right now?

Image of Dallisgrass from the top

While there will be new turf herbicides introduced in the next 5-10 years, I don’t expect any game-changers. The drought in new herbicides is caused by the success of technology that engineered glyphosate tolerance in corn, soybean, and several other crops. Weed control with glyphosate was so cheap and easy that most other herbicides were rendered irrelevant. Declining sales meant declining revenues for agrochemical companies, and most major chemical companies drastically reduced their efforts to discover new herbicides. Fast-forward to the present, and glyphosate-resistant weeds are making old herbicides new again. Farmers now have to rely on several different herbicides and other weed control strategies (sound familiar?). Interest in herbicides besides glyphosate has reinvigorated the efforts of many agrochemical companies to discover new herbicides. However, if scientists are so lucky to discover a new herbicide molecule worthy of commercialization (only about 1 in 100,000 molecules screened are), the approval process is longer and more arduous than ever before. Much like the herbicides that have replaced MSMA, current experimental herbicides control a narrow spectrum of weeds. In short, do not expect a single new herbicide to replace MSMA and solve our weed control problems.

Effective weed control for the present and future should rely on combinations of herbicides, cultural practices,

Crabgrass from top

and Mother Nature. To control perennial warm-season weeds like dallisgrass, fall herbicide applications are more effective than spring or summer applications. But fall is a long season; so when is the best time to make herbicide applications? In my previous job at the University of Tennessee, we found applications of Tribute Total (labeled in zoysiagrass and bermudagrass) or Celsius (labeled in St. Augustinegrass) provided good dallisgrass control when the first application was made when the average of the high and low daily air temperatures dropped below 70 °F for several days (probably mid to late September in North Texas) and another application was made 4-6 weeks later. We also observed control was improved further when a third application was made after spring greenup. So even though it is October and you have missed the window to make your first application for dallisgrass control, you can still a single application now before we hit winter and another in the spring.

Exactly why these fall herbicide applications work best is debatable. It could be that more herbicide is translocated to the roots during a fall application. But a common theme I have observed in successful fall application programs is that the dallisgrass or bermudagrass enters the winter before it recovers from herbicide applications. The timing of the last herbicide application is important. The last herbicide application should be made early enough in the fall that target weed is still growing, but late enough that it doesn’t recover before winter. These herbicide applications might leave dallisgrass in a weakened state, making it more likely to succumb to wintertime stresses. This might be analogous to a squirrel that cannot find enough acorns before the winter. Especially in a tough winter, will they survive?

2014 Annual Statewide School IPM Coordinator Conference and Meeting of TIPMAPS members

Posted on October 9, 2014 by janet.hurley

Image of attendees at a School IPM training

Come learn from the best, spend time, and get to know your fellow IPM coordinators.

November 13-14, 2014

Omni Corpus Christi Hotel

Corpus Christi, Texas

Since 2009, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension with the support of others has hosted an annual conference for school IPM coordinators, pest management professionals and other interested parties looking to learn more about integrated pest management (IPM). This year we are teaming up with the Coastal Bend Pest Control Association to host the annual day and half conference at the Omni Corpus Christi Hotel, in downtown Corpus Christi on the waterfront. This conference is open to anyone needing continuing education credits for structural pest or TDA Ag credits. For school IPM coordinators you can obtain the 6 hours continuing education credits to comply with the state requirements for six credits every three years. This course is also open to public health workers as well, credit can be obtained for TCLOSE or Sanitarians – just be sure to select your type at registration.

This year’s full day speakers all hale from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, except our commodity fumigation speaker who is coming to us from one of our sponsors, Ensystex. Our new urban entomologist from College Station will cover both wood preservation and termite, Dr. Robert Puckett is not new to A&M, just new to Extension. Dr. Mike Merchant will cover mosquitoes and flies. Dr. Casey Reynolds, one of our new turfgrass specialists will cover calibration for your equipment. Dr. Paul Nester, Program Specialist from the Houston area, will share his expertise in fire ants and tawny crazy ants, a pest everyone needs to know how to manage. Dr. Don Renchie will be pulling dual duty on Friday. Dr. Renchie will teach an 8-hour technician new licensee course; and, during lunch will be the guest speaker on the latest laws and rules for TDA and SPCS. Ms. Janet Hurley will cover IPM what every IPM coordinator and pest management professional needs to know to stay in compliance with the school IPM rules in TX, will round out the day.

The Thursday afternoon sessions will have feature concurrent breakout sessions, with speakers from Texas Association of School Boards, Texas Department of Agriculture, U.S. EPA Region 6, Sherman, Killeen, and Springtown ISDs. In addition, a round table discussion will be facilitated by Dr. Mike Merchant, Janet Hurley and others on the topic of bidding for school IPM contracts. New for this year will be an evening session for the TIPMAPS General meeting, followed by an evening with the vendors.

When you register for this event, you will now be able to also join up to be a

Image of the registration table with 3 registrars

Registration is easy

TIPMAPS member. The online registration will ask you to complete a form and at the end, you will be asked if you want to join, if you select that box, you will be asked to fill out a separate page that you will need to print and mail to Mary Mays at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office in Dallas. This separate form is to help the TIPMAPS Executive Board collect good information so that they can present you with your membership information at the conference Thursday evening. All payments go through Texas AgriLife Extension Service, if you need a W-9 form they can be found on the registration website or call 979-845-2604.

At registration it is very important that if you are requesting continuing education credit that you make sure you tell us your license affiliation (TDA 3a, SPCS #, IPM Coordinator, animal control, etc.) if you leave blank you will receive a certificate of completion, but it may not be the one you need to receive credit.

Registration: $100
Dues: $25
Register online at https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/IPM OR Register by phone: 979-845-2604

Hotel rooms book early so remember to reserve your room now
Reservations via Telephone:
1-800-843-6664 (Omni Reservation Line)
Texas AgriLife Extension Service – IPM Annual Conference (Group Name)
14500813134 (Group Block Number)
Wednesday, October 22, 2014 (Cut off Date)
900 North Shoreline., Corpus Christi, TX 78401 (Hotel Address)

Online Reservations:
Your guest can also can book on line by using your group code: 14500813134 just have them click on this link http://www.omnihotels.com/ :choose hotel, dates and enter group code to book rooms at your contacted group rate.

Who is TIPMAPS

Texas Integrated Pest Management Association for Public Schools is the first statewide professional association for IPM coordinators in the country.

In addition to providing a venue for communication, education and information sharing TIPMAPS is dedicated to you the IPM professional.

There are 1028 school districts within the state of Texas, each with at least one IPM coordinator. Currently IPM coordinators have little or no means of communicating with one another, nor do they share information efficiently. As a result, they have little political power and receive little professional recognition or status within their districts or agencies serving school districts.

TIPMAPS was formed to give you these and more opportunities. Please add your name to our growing membership and your voice to our already recognized force in Texas.

For more information please contact:

TIPMAPS President Paul Duerre, CIE

Environmental Specialist/IPM Coordinator

Killeen ISD

Office: 254-336-0071

Email: Paul.Duerre@killeenisd.org

School Pest News, Volume 13, Issue 9, September 2014

Posted on September 15, 2014 by janet.hurley

Managing Food in the classroom and the pests that come with the food in these areas.

By Jennifer Snyder, Oregon State University, School IPM Program

Food in the classroom… It can bring joy to children’s faces, or elicit groans from teachers and custodians alike.

Image of children eating food in a classroom

Food in the classroom can become if not managed properly

The United States is currently undergoing a food revolution in its schools. New federal laws seek to limit sugar, salt, and fat content in school meals and snacks, while increasing the amount of whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. Current and pending laws govern federally-funded breakfast, lunch, and snack programs, but do not apply to classroom treats brought in by students, parents, or teachers. As we all know, treats and snacks are common in many classrooms and are likely here to stay.

CLASSROOM FOOD AND PESTS…

While regulations and concerns over childhood nutrition are an evolving topic, there is one aspect about classroom food that has not changed: if you provide it, the pests will come. Classrooms with microwaves and refrigerators are especially prone to food debris and pest occurrence. In addition to a food source, these appliances provide a heat source and shelter for pests.

Primary pests like ants, flies, cockroaches, and mice are not picky; they’ll be drawn to half-chewed Halloween candy covered in dust, the long-forgotten crumbs under the microwave, a few bits of birthday cake ground into the rug, or juice residue left on desks and furniture by sticky-sweet faces and fingers. It takes very little food for pests to thrive and reproduce in the hidden spaces of a classroom. Some common pests, such as certain flies, can carry disease organisms and spread food-borne illnesses, including salmonella¹. Urine and dander from the common house mouse are known allergens and triggers of asthma². Secondary pests—such as spiders, and other predatory or scavenging organisms—may also invade a classroom

UNWANTED HOLIDAY GUESTS…

In addition to regular classroom meals, snacks, and birthday parties, classroom food during the fall and winter holidays can pose challenges to pest prevention. From October through December, it can be especially difficult for teachers to limit food in the classroom, or for custodial staff to keep up with classroom sanitation needs resulting from increased food during this time. Integrated pest management requires that all staff have a role in pest prevention and work together to achieve results. When it comes to managing classroom food, teachers and students may play the most important role of all.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Graczyk, T. K., R. Knight, R. H. Gilman, M. R. Cranfield. 2001. The role of non-biting flies in the epidemiology of human infectious diseases. Microbes and Infection 3(3): 231-235.
Phipatanakul, W. 2002. Rodent Allergens. Current Allergy and Asthma Reports 2: 412-416.
The National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) provides objective, science-based information about pesticides and related topics to enable people to make informed decisions. To contact NPIC, call 1-800-858-7378 or visit http://npic.orst.edu

HELPFUL TIPS FOR MANAGING FOOD IN THE CLASSROOM

Careful food management in the classroom will help keep pest issues to a minimum.

TEACHERS & STUDENTS

Manage free-range eating in the classroom by designating an easy-to-clean “snack area”. If the area is small, consider having students rotate playtime and snack time. The more consolidated food crumbs and residues are, the more thoroughly custodial staff can clean on a tight schedule.
Students tacking their trash to the proper container
Encourage students to help clean up and tell you about spills immediately.
Avoid foods that are difficult to clean up after (treats with frosting, muffins, etc.). Request that parents bring in snacks like granola bars, carrot sticks, grapes, or individually-packaged treats that generate fewer crumbs. Send leftovers home with students.
Store your desk and cupboard foods in hard containers with snap-tight or screw-top lids. Boxes and plastic or foil bags are no barrier to a hungry mouse or insect.
Consider removing the refrigerator or microwave from your classroom. Annual energy savings will benefit your district, and you’ll be eliminating one more home to a pest.
Move stored materials off the floor (e.g., onto shelves, or tables along the wall, etc.). This opens up access to the wall base (where food debris and pests accumulate) so that custodial staff can clean more thoroughly.
Clean up spills or notify custodians promptly. Make sure that any trash or recycling containing food debris is removed from the classroom every night.

CUSTODIANS

Share this newsletter with teachers and administrators at your school. Remind staff that pests are after three things: food, water, shelter. Everyone has a role in managing these to prevent pests.
At least once per month, vacuum along the wall base and behind freestanding furniture. Most pests follow walls, and eat debris that accumulates there.
Empty classroom garbage as often as district policy allows. During the fall and winter holidays, this may require daily garbage service due to the surplus in classroom food.
For pest issues that cannot be immediately addressed with sanitation, report them to your district IPM Coordinator or pest manager.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension would also like to recognize, Dr. Tim Stock, Oregon State University Extension Service, School IPM Program and Ms. Carrie Foss, Washington State University Extension, Urban IPM Program, who helped to craft this article as a fact sheet for schools in WA and OR.

From Dusk to Dawn, Mosquitoes suck!

By: L.C Fudd Graham, Auburn University, Coordinator – Alabama Fire Ant Management Program/School IPM Program

Mosquitoes can be a nuisance, protect yourself against them

Mosquitoes in urban settings can cause numerous health problems due to their ability to transfer, or vector, viruses and other disease-causing pathogens. With human cases expected to soar this summer, our best defense is knowledge of the virus and mosquito management.

West Nile Virus is a mosquito-borne virus contracted through mosquito bites. Only about 60% of people who have tested positive for the virus ever knew they were being bitten by mosquitoes, so it’s advisable to just assume they are out and about between dusk and dawn.

People of all ages (including children) can contract the virus. About 20% of those who contract WNV will come down with what is called “West Nile fever”; the other 80% of those infected show no or only mild symptoms of the virus.

The Cycle of the Mosquito

After a mosquito feeds on the blood of a bird infected with West Nile Virus, the virus goes through a short growth period before it is capable of being retransmitted – as few as four days for some mosquito species in the south. The infected mosquito, full of virus and ready to feed again, will look for a bird, human, or other animal for its next blood meal.

This is the basic transmission cycle of the virus as it moves easily from bird (reservoir host) to mosquito (vector) and then – incidentally – on to humans or other animals.

Humans and other animals are incidental hosts for West Nile virus. A mosquito cannot become infected by biting a human or pet infected with West Nile Virus.

Therefore, humans, horses, etc. cannot transmit the virus further and are referred to as “dead end” hosts for the virus.

Mosquito Prevention Tactics

The best way to prevent West Nile Virus is to minimize the number of mosquitoes since that is how the

Mosquito repellents come in all shapes and sizes.

virus moves from bird host to human. As a rule, the easiest way to deal with mosquito pests is to prevent them from breeding around us in the first place, and this is quite easy

Mosquitoes need wet conditions to lay their eggs and grow from an aquatic larva into a flying adult. HUMANS create the vast majority of the wet conditions used by mosquitoes in our state, and it is likely that many of us have mosquitoes developing in our neighborhoods and own backyards. We cannot eradicate every individual, but there are some very simple steps each of us can take to keep numbers low.

IPM Mosquito Management – Fight the Bite!

The most effective strategy for the community in general is prevention; consider the following:

Check flowerpots and other containers for excess water.
Flush out the water in birdbaths and fountains every few days.
Store boats, canoes and other objects upside down, so that they do not collect rainwater.
Remove water that collects in depressions in tarpaulins covering boats and other equipment or objects. Rinse off water collecting on backyard trampolines and other items.
Keep rain gutters free of leaves and other debris that prevent water from raining.
Correct drainage problems in yards and playing fields to prevent rain and irrigation water from pooling for prolonged periods; report drain problems in ditches or along roadways.
Fill holes or depressions in trees with sand.
Repair leaky pipes and outside faucets, and connect open wastewater drains to a sewage system or construct separate sump or leach lines.
Empty water containers for pets and check livestock watering troughs and tanks, or add Gambusia (mosquito eating fish).
Larvacides: mosquito “dunks” use bacteria (Bti) that is harmless to humans, pets and the environment. Dunks will effectively kill mosquito larva in any breeding (nonconsumptive) water source.

Avoiding Mosquito Bites

WEAR loose fitting long-sleeves, long pants, and socks when outdoors. Mosquitoes may bite through thin clothing, so spraying clothes with repellent adds an additional protection layer.
APPLY Insect Repellent Even if you are outside for just a short period of time. Approximately 40% of people confirmed to have WNV have no recollection of being bitten by mosquitoes.
Use a DEET product or a good non-DEET alternative (Bite Blocker or Off Botanicals), and if you are outside for more than a few hours reapply repellent. The higher the temperature the more frequently you must reapply repellent for it to be effective.

Tips for Applying Repellents

Apply repellents only to exposed skin and/or clothing (as directed on the product label). Do not use under clothing.
Never use repellents over cuts, wounds, or irritated skin.
Do not apply to eyes and mouth, and apply sparingly around ears. When using sprays do not spray directly onto face; spray on hands first and then apply to face.
Do not allow children to handle the products, and do not apply to children’s hands. When using on children, apply to your own hands and then put it on the child.
Do not spray in enclosed areas. Avoid breathing a repellent spray, and do not use it near food.
After returning indoors, wash treated skin with soap and water or bathe. If you suspect that, you or your child is reacting to an insect repellent, discontinue use, and wash treated skin.

Mosquito-Proof Your Home and Yard

Drain Standing Water: Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by getting rid of items that hold water.
Install or Repair Screens: Some mosquitoes like to come indoors. Keep them outside by having well-fitting screens on both windows and doors. Offer to help neighbors whose screens might be in bad shape.
Check for Indoor Breeding Sites: If a female mosquito wonders inside your home she will utilize any water reservoir she can find. Check for wriggling larvae in the toilet cisterns that are not flushed daily. Maintain water in drain traps. Use sticky tape over floor drains, sink over flows, etc. to see if you can catch mosquitoes emerging from areas you cannot see.

After Bite Care: Several strategies exist for relieving the itch of mosquito bites.

The first step is the clean the bite area with soap and water. Topical corticosteroids can reduce the rash, itching, and discomfort. Topical diphenhydramine and caine-containing derivatives should be avoided because of concerns about inducing allergic contact sensitivity.
Oral antihistamines can be effective in reducing the symptoms of mosquito bites.
Use of a cold compress can be helpful, but do not apply ice directly to the skin (use a towel or cloth between ice and skin to prevent

Walmart Community Grant Program

Walmart believes in operating globally and giving back locally – creating impact in the neighborhoods where it lives and work. Through the Community Grant Program, the associates are proud to support the needs of their communities by providing grants to local organizations. Funds must benefit the facility’s service area: potential grantees should be nonprofit organizations with programs that benefit communities within the service area of the Walmart store, Sam’s Club or Logistics facility from which they are requesting funds.

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have identified four core areas of giving: Hunger Relief and Healthy Eating, Sustainability, Women’s Economic Empowerment or Career Opportunity. To ensure that the application has the best chance of being funded, the proposed use of the grant should fit within one of these areas of giving. Primary consideration for the Community Grant program is to support local organizations with programs that align with the Foundation’s areas of giving. However, programs that do not align with these areas may also be given consideration.

http://foundation.walmart.com/

School Pest News, Volume 13, Issue 8, August 2014

Posted on August 13, 2014 by janet.hurley

Applicator Licensing Requirements in TX

Janis Reed, Ph.D., BCE, Extension Program Specialist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

Licensing questions are extremely common with applicators in Texas. Often applicators are unsure which type of license they need from of the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), an agriculture license or a structural license. Additionally, as outsourcing of services becomes more and more common, transitioning between utilizing using staff to manage pests, to hiring outside pest management companies can be confusing for both the pesticide applicators as well as administration. To make matters worse, changes in the licensing requirements that occur during outsourcing can confuse interested parties as well.

A common conundrum faced by both applicators and administration is which type of license an applicator should obtain to apply pesticides around schools. In general, the answer is simple. If an applicator is going to make applications outdoors ONLY, to control turf pests and weeds, licensing through the TDA on the agriculture side is appropriate. In this case, the applicator should hold a license in the 3A category (Lawn and Ornamental). However, if pesticide applications are going to be made indoors or around buildings, with the intention to control structural pests, it becomes appropriate to be licensed through the Structural Pest Control Service and hold a license in the pest category.

Texas Department of Agriculture regulations allow non-commercial entities, such as school districts, food-processing establishments, and other institutions employees to hold a non-commercial applicators license. This license allows these employees to apply pesticides indoors in these facilities without direct supervision. A non-commercial applicator license is simpler to obtain than a commercial applicator license, especially if the applicator has no previous pest management experience or training. When an ISD outsources their pest management, the licensing and training requirements change significantly for the pesticide applicator. This is because, once this change happens, the applicator is no longer an employee of the ISD; they are an employee of the contractor. The contractor is then providing pest management services “for-hire” and for compensation. This requires the applicator to be licensed as a commercial technician or commercial certified applicator, and therefore meet the commercial applicator classroom and on-the-job training requirements.

In general, if the applicator has already been licensed by TDA as a non-commercial applicator, the license can be changed to a commercial designation, but only if the applicant has 12 months of experience. However, if an applicator does not meet these experience requirements or a new applicator is hired by the contractor, the commercial training requirements must be completed before a commercial technician license can be obtained.

A further burden placed on commercial applicators is supervision of any applicator that does not hold a certified applicator license. TDA regulations Rule 7.143 requires that until an applicator reaches the licensing level of certified applicator, he or she be required to contact a certified applicator a minimum of three days per week to fulfill the supervision requirements. This can be a challenge in rural districts or districts with only one or two pesticide applicators. This rule does not apply to non-commercial applicators.

Overall, pesticide applicator licensing can be confusing but there are many resources IPM coordinators, administrators, and applicators can utilize for answering questions. TDA staffs a helpline that is available 8-5 Monday through Friday for questions. The people staffing this helpline are well informed and extremely helpful. Our staff at the Pesticide Safety and Education Program with Texas AgriLife is a possible resource for help as well, and of course, the School IPM specialists with Texas AgriLife are particularly knowledgeable about licensing and pesticide applications around schools.

Have further questions?

Texas Department of Agriculture: 800-835-5832

Texas A&M AgriLife Pesticide Safety and Education Program: 979-845-1099

For more information about training requirements for commercial applicators: https://www.texasagriculture.gov/Portals/0/forms/PEST/Structural/Verifiable%20Training%20Record.pdf

AgriLife Extension entomologists: Avoidance, exclusion, repellents best practical defense against mosquitoes

Paul Schattenberg, Communication Specialist

Chikungunya, a viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes, has been identified in five Texas counties — four of them in South Central Texas — and may become endemic to the state, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service entomologists.

As far as the Texas cases are concerned, at this time it appears in each instance the disease was contracted in one of the countries where it is more common, said Sonja Swiger, AgriLife Extension entomologist at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Stephenville.

The Aedes albopictus or Asian tiger mosquito (shown here) is one of the two mosquito species known to commonly transmit chikungunya. The other is Aedes aegypti. Both species are found in Texas. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Mike Merchant

“The first confirmed case of the disease in Texas was in Williamson County, and the most recent confirmed case was in Bexar County,” said Molly Keck, AgriLife Extension entomologist and integrated pest management specialist, Bexar County.

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, cases have also been confirmed in Gonzales, Travis, and Harris counties.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website notes chikungunya is not considered fatal, but can have serious symptoms, including severe joint pain and swelling, fever, muscle pain, headache and rash. Those most at risk are the very young; people over 65 and individuals with chronic medical conditions. The virus is not spread from person to person, and there is no treatment other than managing the symptoms.

Keck said the disease is fairly well known in Africa, Asia and Europe, but has more recently found its way into the Caribbean and the Americas.

“The bad news is that the insect species that commonly transmit chikungunya, the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, are found in Texas,” she said. “So we have the mosquito that vectors the disease and we have the host, humans. And since the disease pathogen is also present, we have all three components to potentially make the disease endemic.”

Endemic means being characteristic of or prevalent in a particular population, area or region.

“Since the virus is known to be in the area, people who have symptoms should go to a physician to determine what is causing their illness,” said Wizzie Brown, AgrLife Extension entomologist, Travis County. “A blood test is required to test for chikungunya.”

Brown said if people treat their symptoms at home without seeing a doctor, it can cause instances of the disease to be under-reported.

Keck noted it is “very likely” that chikungunya can become endemic to Texas, possibly on a greater scale than the West Nile virus.

“With West Nile, birds are the primary host and humans are the final or end host,” she explained. “The virus never reaches a high enough level in our bodies for a mosquito to pick it up from us. Therefore, there is a third player, birds, necessary for transmission of West Nile. But they are not necessary as a vector for chikungunya.”

Swiger said health officials now know of two cases in Florida where people were exposed to chikungunya locally, most likely through a mosquito vector.

“These individuals had not traveled to any of the areas where the disease is prevalent,” Swiger said. “At this point, it seems like just a matter of time before the virus spreads more widely in the U.S.”

She said both Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes can carry the disease, but A. aegypti is primarily found in the southern U.S. while A. albopictushas has a much greater geographic range.

Mapping of the two species by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows A. aegypti is found in scattered areas of the southern U.S., whereas A. albopictus, or the “Asian tiger mosquito,” is found widely dispersed throughout the south central, southeastern and mid-Atlantic regions of the country.

For more information about chikungunya, go to http://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/.

“While there’s not much you can do about chikungunya if you get it, there’s still much you can do to prevent mosquito bites in the first place,” Keck said. “For example, if you’re planning to travel to the Caribbean or one of the countries where chikungunya is more common, be sure to pack some insect repellent to reduce your risk of contracting the disease.

“And now that we have confirmed cases in Texas, it would also be wise to apply insect repellent anytime you spend time outdoors, not just during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are typically the most active. The mosquito species that transmit chikungunya are extremely active during the day.”

Keck said the most effective repellents are those containing DEET.

“Repellents with up to 30 percent DEET are usually safe for young children, but should

Mosquito repellents come in all shapes and sizes.

not be used on babies or infants,” she said. “Extension recommends repellents approved by the EPA and recommended by the CDC for their ability to effectively repel mosquitoes for extended periods of time. These include DEET, picaridin, IR3535 and oil of lemon eucalyptus.”

If you need to be outside, try to wear light-colored, loose-fitting shirts or tops with long sleeves and pants, she said.“It helps to spray repellent on your clothes too,” Keck added.

Swiger said aedes mosquitoes lay their eggs on moist ground around the edges of water or the inside walls of artificial containers. After water accumulates, the eggs become submerged and hatch.

“If conditions are too dry when the eggs are first laid, they will die,” she explained. “But if the embryo can develop before it gets too dry, the eggs can withstand adverse conditions for long periods.”

Keck said to help prevent mosquito proliferation, homeowners should empty any containers, tires, buckets, bags, birdbaths or other items that may capture rainwater and become a mosquito breeding ground.

“During the hot months, mosquitoes can go from egg to adult within a week; be sure to dump standing water at least every three days,” she said. “You can also exclude mosquitoes by keeping doors and windows fully closed and making sure screen doors close tightly and don’t have any holes or tears in them.”

Janet Hurley, an AgriLife Extension school integrated pest management specialist in Dallas, suggested emptying plastic wading pools weekly and storing them indoors when not in use.

“You should also remember to repair leaky pipes and outside faucets and fill any holes or depressions in trees with sand or mortar,” she said.

Hurley said another way to help reduce adult mosquito populations is to mow tall grass areas and reduce the amount of brush or other foliage to eliminate some adult mosquito resting sites.

“You can also consider fog treatment or surface treatments for temporary relief in yards or high-traffic areas,” she said. “But only use insecticides that are labeled for that purpose and apply them according to product label directions.”

The entomologists said that while taking these measures may not keep someone from being bitten by mosquitoes, they could significantly reduce the number of bites, which will reduce the chance of becoming infected by a mosquito-borne disease.

For More Information check out our eXtension website here

Just in time for school: New pest control calculator now available for maintenance professionals

Steve Byrns, Communication Specialist

Maintenance professionals gearing up for the start of school now have a new tool to help defend students from the inevitable summer influx of undesirables roaming the halls.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s new integrated pest management website, http://ipmcalculator.com, offers school staff members in charge of pest control a wealth of practical information on managing rodents, birds, cockroaches, ants and a plethora of other unwelcome denizens, said Janet Hurley, AgriLife Extension integrated pest management program specialist at Dallas.

“The cost calculator, available free on the website, allows the user to assess various pest risks on their school and district levels,” Hurley said. “The resulting information will be a big help for those responsible for developing a budget for a school integrated pest management program.”

Hurley said using the calculator is as simple as entering the school’s location, presence of pests and the facility’s condition. The calculator then gives an overall pest risk estimate for the school.

“The calculator also has features that allow you to create your own budget to see how improving certain features will affect the overall pest risk,” she said.

The cost calculator doubles as an excellent teaching tool because many aspects of general building maintenance also relate to pest issues, Hurley said.

“The bottom line with this calculator is that it allows the user to see the impact different building budgeting plans, past, present or future, have had or will have on the facility’s pest risk profile,” she said. “Just as investors use spreadsheets to study the impact of various investment strategies, the pest calculator helps pest management coordinators maximize the most ‘bang for their buck’ of currently budgeted dollars, or in some cases, helps them to justify requests for adding to those budgets.”

Hurley said the IPM Cost Calculator is part of a website developed by the Southwest Technical Resource Center for School Integrated Pest Management, and cooperating states with financial support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Southern Region Integrated Pest Management program, http://www.sripmc.org/ . She suggested visiting the integrated pest management site at http://ipm.tamu.edu/ to learn more about integrated pest management.

School Integrated Pest Management

Teaching, Research, Extension and Service

2014 Annual Statewide School IPM Coordinator Conference and Meeting of TIPMAPS members

November 13-14, 2014

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Corpus Christi, Texas

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AgriLife Extension modules help students learn about nature

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Attention Administrators, Faculty, and Nurses! Bonny Mayes, MA, Epidemiologist, Zoonosis Control Branch, Texas Department of State Health Services

Global Handwashing Day — practice safe handwashing practices this fall

Fall Weed Control for Schools Matt Elmore, Ph.D. – Assistant Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist

November 13-14, 2014

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Managing Food in the classroom and the pests that come with the food in these areas.

From Dusk to Dawn, Mosquitoes suck!

Walmart Community Grant Program

Applicator Licensing Requirements in TX

AgriLife Extension entomologists: Avoidance, exclusion, repellents best practical defense against mosquitoes

Just in time for school: New pest control calculator now available for maintenance professionals

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Attention Administrators, Faculty, and Nurses!
Bonny Mayes, MA, Epidemiologist, Zoonosis Control Branch, Texas Department of State Health Services

Fall Weed Control for Schools
Matt Elmore, Ph.D. – Assistant Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist