Tag Archives: Mosquito control

SPN: Mosquitoes and West Nile Virus is on the rise.

According to the calendar we are entering the season of fall. For Texans, this means football (hopefully) and  battling mosquitoes on your campuses. This particular insects will make you itch, scratch, and sometimes even say bad words. With the help of Dr. Sonja Swiger,Associate Professor & Veterinary/Medical Extension Entomologist, AgriLife Extension this article will help explain the symptoms of West Nile Virus and encephalitis, what schools need to know about basic mosquito management and additional resources to help educate you and your staff.   Mosquitoes are of concern in… Read More →

SPN: While the humans are away the pests will play

Since March 23, 2020, most TX schools have been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, during this time the most common pests of TX have not taken a break from your campuses. Even though our AgriLife Extension offices are closed we are still working from home and insect questions are still coming in. Over the past month we have seen an increase in stinging caterpillars mostly in the San Antonio and Hill county region of the state. There will be a special story on that coming later… Read More →

SPN: Mosquitoes and Zika Virus

Mosquitoes  By: Wizzie Brown, Extension Program Specialist III – IPM Mosquitoes are a hot news item currently, especially those transmitting a new virus….Zika. (At the end of this article you will find a handout designed to help you educate others about Zika.) Mosquitoes can transmit various diseases to humans and animals such as heartworm in dogs and cats, as well as encephalitis (including West Nile Virus), Chikungunya, dengue, yellow fever, malaria and filariasis among humans. Aedes mosquitoes transmit diseases such as Zika virus, Chikungunya, yellow fever and dengue…. Read More →

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

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… Read More →

School Pest News, Volume 12, Issue 6, September 2013

Imported Fire Ants the Cause of Death in Texas  By Maggie Lawrence, Auburn University The biting, stinging fire ant is a nuisance most people are far too familiar with, but few recognize the life-threatening danger these small pests pack in their punch. Recently, a Texas teen died after numerous fire ant stings during a junior high football game in Corpus Christi. Allergic reactions to fire ant bites are rare, but require quick thinking and proactive first aid work. Texas  A&M AgriLife Extension Service Program Specialist, Janet Hurley, works… Read More →