Do you ever need statistics about your county or region to make good decisions? The Georgia County Guideis a book filled with detailed county-level and state data related to agriculture, crime, economics, education, government, health, housing, labor, natural resources, occupations, population, public assistance, transportation, and vital statistics.
It puts the answers you need right at your fingertips in a comprehensive, easy-to-use format that covers all 159 counties in Georgia with more variables than any other county data source.
You’ll find the very latest statistics for every county as well as population data for each municipality in the state. This is data you can count on to make decisions, compiled from approximately 90 federal, state, and private agencies. The cost of the County Guide is $35 (includes shipping, handling and tax).
Metropolitan, Micropolitan, and Combined Metropolitan Statistical Area Maps.
Population Estimates for all Municipalities with County Locator.
The Georgia Statistics System web site will customize the statistics, maps and graphs that you want from the Georgia County Guide and the Farmgate Value Report. The site’s purpose is to facilitate economic development by improving the information base available to decision makers in local government, schools and businesses. This is a service of the UGA Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, the Cooperative Extension Service, and the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia.
Sharon Dowdy is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
The tawny crazy ant has made its way into Georgia for the first time. University of Georgia Extension agent James Morgan of Dougherty County discovered the ant—which originates from South America—on Aug. 15 and submitted a sample to the University of Georgia for identification.
Tawny crazy ants, Danny McDonald, Texas A&M
Prior to his discovery, the ant was found only in a few counties in Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. Where it occurs in those states, it is a major nuisance. Morgan stumbled upon the ants at an assisted living facility, after the director called the UGA Extension office for help controlling the insect.
Thousands travelling together
“What I found was thousands of dead ants in a pile in the corner of the bathroom floor,” Morgan said. “The duplex was vacant, and the ants had come in looking for a food source. When they came in, they died and we found hundreds of them piled up around baseboards and in corners.”
After further investigation outside the facility, Morgan found droves of the ants in an outbuilding. “We found them in the lawn on debris and dead wood, and we traced them back to a storage area that was full of appliances,” he said.
Accustomed to identifying Argentine ants, fire ants and other ants common to Georgia, Morgan knew these ants were different. “They’re reddish in color, very tiny, and they run around and scurry really fast. And they don’t march in a straight row like Argentine ants,” Morgan said.
Confirmed as tawny crazy ants
He sent a sample to UGA entomologist Dan Suiter, an Extension specialist in urban entomology housed on the UGA campus in Griffin. The samples were confirmed as tawny crazy ants (Nylanderia fulva) by taxonomist Joe MacGown at the Mississippi Entomological Museum.
The ant is classified as a nuisance because of its attraction to electricity and because it travels in masses. It likes to get into electrical boxes, Suiter said. Large accumulations of the ant can cause short circuits and clog switching mechanisms, which can result in electrical shortages in phone lines, air conditioning units, chemical-pipe valves, computers, security systems and other electrical locations.
“Most people will be overwhelmed by the number of tawny crazy ants they’ll find. It’ll be through the roof,” he said. “They’ll come in your house, and it becomes a kind of ‘ant from hell’ scenario.”
Suiter said once an ant species gets established, it’s “really hard to dislodge them.”
Not Argentine ants
He expects Georgians to confuse the tawny crazy ant with Argentine ants. Like Argentine ants, the tawny crazy ant travels indoors in search of food and water. It doesn’t sting like a fire ant, but it probably has a mild bite, he said. The ant also is capable of spraying small quantities of formic acid, which may irritate some individuals.
About one-eighth-of-an-inch long, tawny crazy ants are slightly larger in size than Argentine ants and have erratic foraging patterns. Argentine ants are dark brown in color, slightly smaller and do not move as fast or as erratically.
“We will probably get a lot of reports that people have it when they really have Argentine ants. Those are sugar ants—the ones you see in trails,” he said.
Suiter describes dead tawny crazy ants as looking like snowdrifts. “They can be inches deep in a pile,” he said. “When they get up and going, the numbers that die will be in the tens of thousands in and around a structure.”
Likely came to U.S. through a port
Like many non-native, invasive species, no one knows exactly how the ant came to the U.S. or how it made its most recent trip to the Peach State. “It probably came into the U.S., initially, from several Florida ports and one in Mississippi and one in Galveston,” Suiter said. He thinks the ant may have hitched a ride on a plant brought into the state from a region where the tawny crazy ant is already established.
Back in Albany, Morgan says the director of the assisted living facility had no knowledge of anyone traveling to any of those regions.
To discourage the new ant species and other pests from entering a home, Morgan recommends searching for and sealing any cracks around doors and windows. Due to large populations, the tawny crazy ant typically requires a pest management professional.
To verify the presence of tawny crazy ants, take a sample to the nearest UGA Extension office. For office locations, call 1-800-ASKUGA1 or see extension.uga.edu.
For some 50 years, scientists have tried — but failed — to find a way to use microbes as a means of biological control for destructive subterranean termites.
University of Florida researchers have now discovered why termites have proven to be so disease resistant. Termites use their own feces as nest-building material. The fecal nest promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria, which in turn suppress pathogens — or in plainer words: termite poop works as a natural antibiotic.
Besides improving termite control, the findings could help pave the way for new human antibiotics.
The study, published Wednesday in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, began about nine years ago, when postdoctoral associate Thomas Chouvenc, at the time a student, approached his faculty adviser, Nan-Yao Su, with his wish to study termite-pathogens interactions.
Su said he knew from the reams of scientific literature that biological control attempts in termites hadn’t been successful.
“Instead of saying ‘let’s use fungi to control termites,’ I said, ‘Maybe we could turn the tables around and ask ‘Why has it never worked?’” Su recalled.
Su, the inventor of well-known termite baiting system Sentricon, and Chouvenc are part of UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Both are based at the UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center.
Termites are a $40 billion problem worldwide, and the Formosan subterranean termite accounts for a large portion of the problem.
The research team began to identify and isolate more than 500 strains of bacteria from five termite colonies collected from outdoor sites around Broward County. About 70 percent of the bacteria were shown to be active against a range of bacteria, yeast and fungi.
Researchers then honed in on a specific strain of bacteria called Streptomyces found in the nest material of all five termite colonies.
When they introduced a disease-causing fungus into sterile nest-like environments, they found that the fungus survived and killed the termites. When the Streptomyces bacterium was added to the nest, it protected the termites. When they tested a different bacteria strain against the fungus, it had little effect, leading them to conclude that the Streptomyces bacteria found in the nests may aid the termites by producing beneficial antimicrobial compounds, while feeding on the termite fecal nest.
Chouvenc said it was a time-consuming process but well worth the effort.
“We had to put all of the pieces of the puzzle together and show it was not just an artificial environment that produced this, that it does this in the individual termite nest, as well,” he said.
It is possible the team’s findings may help lead to new microbes that can be used to create new antibiotics for human use, Chouvenc said. Beyond that, he said, they want to tackle questions about how termites evolved to maintain their nests’ health, and whether it’s a stable system or one that’s constantly in flux.
If the termites are able to continually recruit the microbial strains they need to stay disease free, Su said, “then we have to find out how the termites do that.”
The research was funded by royalties Su receives, as well as seed money from UF/IFAS research. The other authors were Caroline Efstathion, a graduate student and employee in Su’s laboratory; and Monica Elliott, a UF/IFAS plant pathology professor also based at the Fort Lauderdale REC.
County and city officials in the Southeast spend millions of dollars each year to combat mosquitoes. But those costs are only a fraction of what Southeastern families spend to keep their furry family members safe from mosquito-borne parasites.
Each year Georgians spend between $9 million and $14 million treating heartworms in their dogs, said Elmer Gray, an Extension entomologist with University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Dog owners across the country spend about $1.2 billion on heartworm prevention, and Gray estimates that about $40 million of that amount is spent in Georgia.
Those price tags dwarf the $7 million cities and counties in Georgia spend to keep mosquito populations under control and make heartworms the largest mosquito-related expense in the state.
“It really is the most expensive cost associated with mosquitoes,” Gray said.
Heartworm-related expenses are sometimes left out of studies calculating the economic impact of mosquitoes, but Gray believes these costs should be included.
“If it wasn’t for mosquitoes, there would be no dog heartworm problems,” Gray said. ”So consequently, the cost associated with heartworms – in my mind – is directly attributed to mosquitoes, thereby adding to the cost of dealing with this insect.”
He estimated the cost of prevention and treatment of heartworms with data provided by the UGA College of Veterinary Sciences and from Merial, a company that makes heartworm preventatives and other pharmaceuticals for animals.
The cost of preventative heartworm medicine is about $15 a month, and the cost of treating a heartworm infection can vary from between $600 and $1,000.
There are at least six species of mosquitoes that can transmit the heartworm parasite in Georgia. The flying insects pick up young heartworms, called microfilariae, when they feed on the blood of an infected animal. The microfilariae spend about two weeks maturing into larvae inside the mosquito, according to the American Heartworm Society.
When the mosquito takes its next meal, the larvae are deposited into the new host animal where they will mature into adult heartworms over the next six months.
Without treatment, the worms congregate around the right side of the heart and the arteries of the lungs where they can eventually cause heart or liver failure.
Dogs, cats and even humans can all be infected by heartworms, but the infections are most serious and most prevalent among dogs.
Southeastern states have the greatest prevalence of heartworm infections, and there’s an almost 100 percent chance that a dog living in Georgia will have the disease by age 5 if its owners don’t give it monthly preventive treatment, Gray said.
While cities and counties will continue to battle mosquito populations in Georgia, there is no way to reduce populations enough to prevent dogs and other animals from being infected with heartworms without medication.
“It would be impossible to prevent heartworm infections by controlling mosquito populations,” Gray said. “However, treating dogs with the proper preventative medicine is 100 percent effective at preventing the disease.”
Rosmarie Kelly, Public Health Entomologist, Georgia Department of Public Health
The first step in controlling the mosquito species which are causing your client problems is to identify the local species. Quite often, not all methods of control will work well for all species. Knowing which species are the issue can help you determine future control methods.
So, how do you determine which species are active at any given time in your area? The best method is to set out light traps in the area, collect the mosquitoes, and identify them. If this is done in a systematic way, it is possible to develop a database of local mosquito species that will aid you in determining the best method of control at any given time.
Is this always feasible? Unfortunately, no. However, depending on where your client lives, some of this information may be available from other sources. Municipal mosquito control programs in Georgia rarely have sufficient funding to do mosquito surveillance. However, there are a few programs that do collect surveillance data and may be willing to share information.
The very least that should be done is to determine if the mosquito causing the problem is Aedes albopictus, the Asian tiger mosquito. Asian tiger mosquitoes are small, aggressive, day-biting mosquitoes with black and white striped legs.
Since they do not fly far from their breeding ground, Asian tiger mosquitoes can be controlled through a combination of source reduction (eliminating breeding sites) and barrier spray (application of pesticide to vegetation where mosquitoes rest). Not all mosquitoes will rest locally after biting, so barrier spray may not be as effective for all species but it works well for Asian tiger mosquitoes.
The most important reason to understand which mosquito species are causing problems at any given time is to assist with educating the client. People tend to believe that all mosquitoes are the same, and often have unrealistic ideas about their control. If you are well informed, it can help you when discussing control issues with the client and assist in keeping the client happy with your control program.
There are control situations that are better handled by commercial mosquito control companies. Having a list of local commercial applicators can be useful to a municipal program.
Resources are available to assist with mosquito surveillance and identification. Check out these sites:
The Georgia Department of Public Health has offered at least one mosquito ID course every year since 2002, and hopes to continue this tradition. The various mosquito control products vendors not only offer equipment calibration, they also offer training opportunities.
The Office of the Southern Regional Extension Forester, the USDA FS Region 8–Urban and Community Forestry Program along with the Southern Group of State Foresters have partnered to design, develop and implement a state-of-the-art online, distance-learning program geared specifically toward beginning urban foresters and those allied professionals working in and around urban and urbanizing landscapes
To access the modules for International Society of Arboriculture and Society of American Foresters credit, please visit www.cfegroup.org
To access the modules for volunteer credit or a certificate of completion, visit www.campus.extension.org and look for the eLearn Urban Forestry–Citizen Forester course.
For more specific information, please contact Sarah Ashton, Educational Program Coordinator, Southern Regional Extension Forestry at sashton@sref.info.
In an ongoing effort to protect bees and other pollinators, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed new pesticide labels that prohibit use of some neonicotinoid pesticide products where bees are present. (This announcement affects products containing the neonicotinoids imidacloprid, dinotefuran, clothianidin and thiamethoxam. – Editor’s note)
“Multiple factors play a role in bee colony declines, including pesticides. The Environmental Protection Agency is taking action to protect bees from pesticide exposure and these label changes will further our efforts,” said Jim Jones, assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.
The new labels will have a bee advisory box and icon with information on routes of exposure and spray drift precautions. Today’s announcement affects products containing the neonicotinoids imidacloprid, dinotefuran, clothianidin and thiamethoxam. The EPA will work with pesticide manufacturers to change labels so that they will meet the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) safety standard.
In May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and EPA released a comprehensive scientific report on honey bee health, showing scientific consensus that there are a complex set of stressors associated with honey bee declines, including loss of habitat, parasites and disease, genetics, poor nutrition and pesticide exposure.
The agency continues to work with beekeepers, growers, pesticide applicators, pesticide and seed companies, and federal and state agencies to reduce pesticide drift dust and advance best management practices. The EPA recently released new enforcement guidance to federal, state and tribal enforcement officials to enhance investigations of beekill incidents.
As we move into the last weeks of summer, be aware of the excellent conditions for mosquito development that this summer’s heavy rains have created. This year has been very different from recent years when we consider our local rainfall totals. To date, much of the state is 15 inches or more ahead of normal rainfall for this time of the year. As a result there is more standing water in our counties and communities than in recent memory. This standing water will provide excellent larval habitat for mosquitoes as we move into the last few weeks of summer.
Mosquitoes are semi-aquatic insects that require standing water for the larval and pupal stages. There are 63 species of mosquitoes
Mosquito life cycle, Art Cushman, USDA Systematics Entomology Laboratory, Bugwood.org
known in Georgia and as result they exhibit a range of life histories.
Typically, the female mosquito will lay eggs on the surface of the water, attached to the sides of a container just above the water’s surface or on moist soil that will become covered with water at a later date. After being covered with water and in due time, the eggs hatch and the larvae (or “wigglers” as they are commonly called) develop in the standing water. The larvae are filter feeders, feeding on small particles of plant and animal matter.
After developing through 4 instars the larvae progress to the pupal stage which is commonly called a “tumbler” due to their movement through the water. Both the larvae and pupae come to the water’s surface for air and move down into the water when disturbed. After 2-3 days in the pupal stage the adult mosquito that we are all familiar with will emerge onto the water’s surface.
In the late summer, this cycle can be completed in as little as 7 days. This summer, with the numerous cloudy days and relatively cool temperatures, this cycle has surely been extended. The cool night temperatures have probably been the only thing preventing even worse mosquito populations than we have already experienced.
Homeowners can often reduce mosquito populations around their homes and neighborhoods by being diligent. All standing water should be eliminated or treated with an EPA approved larvicide if mosquito larvae are present. Emptying buckets, plant saucers, boats, tarps and anything else that can hold water is extremely helpful. Keeping gutter’s clear of leaves and debris will help to eliminate the often neglected larval habitat of backed up gutters. Homeowners should also check those rain barrels that were so helpful in past year’s droughts. It is vital that screens are intact around all openings or these barrels will become highly productive mosquito habitats. In addition, screens on the windows and doors should be checked to make sure there are no holes. Many mosquitoes are attracted to light and will be drawn to open windows after dark when we’re trying to get some fresh air in our homes.
As of August 22, the Georgia Department of Public Health has only reported 2 human cases of West Nile virus (WNV) in Georgia. This low number of cases is in contrast to last year when Georgia experienced a record 117 cases of WNV with 6 deaths. The WNV is now known to occur across the state and has been isolated from mosquitoes in the four counties (Chatham, DeKalb, Glynn and Lowndes) where adult mosquito surveillance and testing are being conducted this year.
The low number of human WNV cases is likely related to the fact that the mosquito (the Southern House Mosquito) that transmits the disease often develops in the storm drain system, particularly during dry periods. With this year’s heavy and regular rainfall, the storm drain systems across the state are regularly flushed and populations of this mosquito have been somewhat suppressed. However, we don’t want people to let down their guard as football season arrives. The peak period for WNV transmission in Georgia has historically been August 15-September 15. The proper use of EPA approved repellents is highly recommended if people are expecting to encounter mosquito populations in the next few weeks.
Products containing DEET are recommended for use on children as young as two months by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Parents should apply the repellent to their hands and then apply it to the children. It is important to get good coverage and then wash the treated skin upon returning indoors.
In conclusion, mosquito control districts across the state are reporting high numbers of complaints due to a variety of species of mosquitoes that have benefited from the abundant rainfall. Health districts across south Georgia are also seeing an increase in Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in horses. This disease is caused by a virus that is transmitted by mosquitoes that typically develop in the swamps and woodlands below the fall line in Georgia. While cases are rare in humans, EEE symptoms range from mild flu-like illness to encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), coma and possibly death. Symptomatic cases have a fatality rate of 30-50% and it is classified as the most severe mosquito-borne disease of humans in the United States.
Preventing mosquito bites is crucial to avoiding any of the mosquito-borne diseases. Loose fitting, light colored clothing, coupled with the proper use of EPA labeled repellents, will go a long ways towards this goal by making us less attractive to mosquitoes.
Patrick McCullough, Extension Weed Specialist, University of Georgia
Preemergence herbicides may prevent annual bluegrass infestation via seed and limit current infestations from further spreading. However, preemergence herbicides will not eradicate established plants and will not effectively control perennial biotypes of annual bluegrass from spreading vegetatively.
Annual Bluegrass, Joseph M. DiTomaso, University of California – Davis, Bugwood.org
Application timing of preemergence herbicides for annual bluegrass control is very important. Herbicides must be applied in late summer/early fall before annual bluegrass germination. This info on timing herbicide application is taken from an article online by Tim Murphy, UGA Weed Scientist. “Annual bluegrass germinates in the late summer and early fall when daytime temperatures consistently drop into the mid-70os and nighttime temperatures are in the mid-50os for several days. In the Piedmont of Georgia for winter annual weed control, apply the preemergence herbicide sometime during the first two to three weeks of September (by September 20). In north Georgia, the last week of August up to about September 15 would be the preferred time. In South Georgia, the application should be made during the mid-September to mid-October time frame.”
A second herbicide application can be applied in spring to control germinating plants. Fall applied preemergence herbicides cannot be used if reseeding or re-sodding is needed to repair areas of damaged turf within several months after herbicide applications.
Several preemergence herbicides effectively control annual bluegrass in fall and winter which are similar to products used for summer annual weed control (Table 2). These herbicides include dithiopyr (Dimension), oxadiazon (Ronstar, Starfighter), pendimethalin (Pendulum, others), and prodiamine (Barricade, others).
Combination herbicide products are also available which may improve efficacy of applications. These products include oxadiazon plus bensulide (Anderson’s Crab and Goose) and benefin plus oryzalin (Team 2G or Team Pro). Many preemergence herbicides are available under a wide variety of trade names and formulations. Carefully read and follow label instructions before applying products.
Most preemergence herbicides will provide similar initial efficacy if applied before annual bluegrass germination and if sufficient rain or irrigation is received. Preemergence herbicides require incorporation from irrigation or rainfall so that weeds may absorb the applied material. In order to effectively control annual bluegrass, preemergence herbicides must be concentrated in the upper 1/3 inch of the soil profile. Avoid herbicide retention on leaves and incorporate the herbicide into the soil by irrigating turf immediately after application.
Table 1. Efficacy of postemergence herbicides for crabgrass control in turfgrasses. See labels for turf tolerance and areas for use.
Postemergence Herbicides for Crabgrass Control
Common Name
Trade Name (Examples)
Control
Clethodim
Envoy
E
Fenoxaprop
Acclaim Extra
E
Mesotrione
Tenacity
F-G
Quinclorac
Drive, Drive XLR8
E
Sethoxydim
Segment, others
E
E = Excellent (90 to 100%), G = Good (80 to 89%), F = Fair (70 to 79%), P = Poor (<70%).
Table 2. Efficacy of preemergence herbicides for annual bluegrass control in commercial turfgrasses.
Preemergence Herbicides for Annual Bluegrass Control
Common Name
Trade Name (Examples)
Control
Atrazine
Aatrex, others
E
Benefin
Balan
E
Bensulide
Betasan, others
F
Dithiopyr
Dimension
G
Ethofumesate
Prograss
G-E
Mesotrione
Tenacity
F
Oryzalin
Harrier, Surflan
G
Oxadiazon
Ronstar, Starfighter
G
Pendimethalin
Pendulum, others
G
Prodiamine
Barricade, Cavalcade, others
E
Pronamide
Kerb
E
Simazine
Princep, WynStar, others
E
E = Excellent (90 to 100%), G = Good (80 to 89%), F = Fair (70 to 79%), P = Poor (<70%).
Helpful publications from UGA Extension on controlling annual bluegrass
The Safety Makes Sense: Landscape Worker Safety Certificate Course is available at no charge on Vimeo (vimeo.com/46623806). With this tool, you can train on your time schedule, rainy day or any day. The training video (a compilation of the Safety Makes Sense series) can be viewed online. It can also be downloaded and saved for use when Internet is not available. The course study guide and supervisor’s key provide talking points and a quick review. Upon successful completion of the evaluation (70% or better), workers are emailed Certificates of Completion.
The publication Safety Checklists for New Landscape Employeesis designed to assure and document safety training for new employees, these well-illustrated checklists are suitable for use with both English and Spanish speakers. They cover general safety precautions, equipment safety, mower safety and basic pesticide safety.
The bilingual safety manual, Safety for Hispanic Landscape Workers, is available Online or For purchase
All center safety training resources and Hispanic worker resources are available on the UGA Center for Urban Agriculture web site at Safety Makes Sense.
eXtension is a web-based collaboration of land-grant universities across the US to make university educational resources more accessible. You can learn more about the initiative here – http://about.extension.org/
eXtension Learn offers online classes covering numerous topics including pest control, landscaping, info technology and other topics. You can register to be reminded of upcoming trainings, access trainings online and view archived trainings at https://learn.extension.org/
eLearn Urban Forestry Online Training – The Office of the Southern Regional Extension Forester, the USDA FS Region 8–Urban and Community Forestry Program along with the Southern Group of State Foresters have partnered to design, develop and implement a state-of-the-art online, distance-learning program geared specifically toward beginning urban foresters and those allied professionals working in and around urban and urbanizing landscapes
To access the modules for International Society of Arboriculture and Society of American Foresters credit, please visit www.cfegroup.org
To access the modules for volunteer credit or a certificate of completion, visit www.campus.extension.org and look for the eLearn Urban Forestry–Citizen Forester course.
For more specific information, please contact Sarah Ashton, Educational Program Coordinator, Southern Regional Extension Forestry at sashton@sref.info .
Pesticide Applicator Training
A Commercial Pesticide Applicator’s License is required for a person who applies pesticides to the land of another person for hire, or who manages these type pesticide applications. A firm applying pesticides for hire must also have a Pesticide Contractor’s License. Both of these licenses can be obtained through the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
The Georgia Competent Applicator of Pesticides Program (GCAAP) is a comprehensive training tool for pesticide technician and handlers. GCAPP offers training for pesticide applicators that do not have a commercial license.
The Super Crew Employee Training for Landscape Professionals has several videos that can be purchased for training landscape workers. See the list of titles.
The Super Crew training series is also available in an online option.
Certification
The Georgia Certified Landscape Professional (GCLP) program is a voluntary testing program that certifies those in the landscape profession who have mastered a thorough knowledge and understanding of job skills required to be successful in the industry. The Georgia Certified Plant Professional program (GCPP) certifies plant professionals for the retail and wholesale ornamental plant industries.
The UGA Center for Continuing Education offers several online certifications:
It puts the answers you need right at your fingertips in a comprehensive, easy-to-use format that covers all 159 counties in Georgia with more variables than any other county data source.
