Empowering Georgia through UGA Extension
Mark Czarnota, Ph.D., UGA Ornamental Weed Control Specialist
This publication covers:
Information from Jean Williams-Woodward, UGA Extension Plant Pathologist
I’ve been asked on numerous occasions for an efficacy table for fungicides labeled for ornamental plants. Well, myself, Alan Windham (University of Tennessee), Kelly Ivors (Cal Poly) and Nicole Ward Gauthier (University of Kentucky) put one together that lists products and their relative effectiveness for managing 14 diseases as part of a Southern Region IPM project. Diseases include:
The table is not all inclusive, but it’s a start that we hope to expand upon and update. You can find the table here
Editor’s note – You can save the file as a pdf file to your computer. If you print it, do so in landscape format. I find the file to be more easily read as a pdf file on the computer since you can enlarge the size of the page. This is a great resource!
Information on using bait formulations for insect control. Taken from the publication Insecticide Basics for the Pest Management Professional
Daniel R. Suiter, UGA Department of Entomology & Michael E. Scharf, UFL Department of Entomology and Nematology
See the rest of the publication at Insecticide Basics for the Pest Management Professional
Bait Formulations. Baits must be eaten by the target pest — typically rodents, termites, ants, cockroaches, and other miscellaneous pests (Figure 2). Baits are comprised of an active
ingredient incorporated into a palatable, if not preferred, food source. Bait products usually contain inert ingredients (e.g., preservatives, thickeners, gels, and fillers) intended to stabilize and enhance the shelf life and palatability of the bait. Logically, it is important that bait ingredients (actives and inerts) not be a deterrent to feeding.
Baits are most commonly formulated as ready-to-use liquids, gels, pastes, granules, dusts,
stations, pellets, and blocks. Depending on the product’s label, baits can be used both indoors
and outdoors, are generally target-specific, and are considered environmentally-friendly
because only small amounts of active ingredient are delivered, usually from a point source.
Because baits must be eaten, it is important to keep them away from non-target organisms.
To facilitate bait consumption:
In addition, for social insect pests (especially ants) it is important that the active ingredient be slow acting. Ants and termites share food with their colony mates in a social behavior known as trophallaxis (Figure 1). Trophallaxis results in active ingredient distribution throughout social insect colonies. It is, therefore, important that the active ingredient be slow acting over a range of concentrations in order to provide sufficient time for toxicant distribution among nestmates. Fast-acting active ingredients or excessively high concentrations of the active ingredient may too quickly impair a social insect’s ability to engage in trophallaxis, thereby rendering the bait less effective.
See the rest of this publication at Insecticide Basics for the Pest Management Professional
Pesticide Definitions taken from
Insecticide Basics for the Pest Management Professional
Dr. Daniel R. Suiter, University of Georgia Department of Entomology and
Dr. Michael E. Scharf, University of Florida Department of Entomology and Nematology
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines a pesticide as “any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest.” For the purpose of this bulletin, we subscribe to a more stringent definition of a pesticide as “any chemical or mixture of chemicals intended to destroy any pest.”
Active ingredient. The chemical substance(s) responsible for achieving a product’s desired effect.
Technical grade active ingredient. The chemical substance(s) (pesticide) in its pure, raw form (usually 95% to 100% active ingredient) prior to being formulated into a product.
Inert ingredient. Inert ingredients are biologically inactive (i.e., they typically have no pesticidal properties) chemicals that are mixed with active ingredients in order to produce an end-use, for-sale product. Some commonly used types of inert ingredients and their function include:
Solution. A liquid and all the chemicals that are dissolved in the liquid. For example, sugar or salt dissolve completely when placed in water to make a “sugar solution” or “salt solution”. In this example, water is called the solvent and the sugar/salt called the solute. When a chemical is soluble in a liquid, it forms a solution and cannot separate.Suspension. A liquid that contains solid particles that are not dissolved. Over time, the solid particles will settle to the bottom of the container. Many liquid spray formulations (wettable powders, suspendable concentrates, and microencapsulates) are suspensions in water, and will settle to the bottom of the sprayer if not agitated. Suspensions should be shaken, or agitated, often to resuspend the product in the water.
Contact toxicants are chemicals that penetrate the target organism on contact. For example, liquid sprays are usually effective only after an insect crawls on the treated surface and contacts the residual deposit.
Oral toxicants are chemicals that act after having been ingested by the target organism. For example, bait products kill only after an insect consumes the bait containing the active ingredient.
Fumigants are chemical gasses. They act after an insect breathes them.
See the entire publication here!
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.
Mosquito information is available through the Georgia Mosquito Control Association. Also see the other resources listed at the end of this article.
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:
Simple Key to Some Common Georgia Mosquitoes
Best Management Practices for Integrated Mosquito Management
Georgia Mosquito Control Association
American Mosquito Control Association
The Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory at the University of Florida offers an Advanced Mosquito Identification and Certification Course (http://mosquito.ifas.ufl.edu/Advanced_Mosquito_ID_Course.htm).
The Georgia Department of Public Health has offered at least one mosquito ID course every year since 2002, and hopes to continue this tradition depending on funding. Watch the Pest Control Alerts training page for these classes or other upcoming training.
The various mosquito control products vendors not only offer equipment calibration, they also offer training opportunities.
The insect is a smokybrown cockroach. Read the following info to know how to identify and to control five types of cockroach found in Georgia!
This information is from the UGA publication, Management of Insect Pests in and Around the Home. The publication gives a full range of control options for 75 household pests based on pest biology. You will want to explore the entire publication, but this is an excerpt from the Cockroach Control section.
Cockroaches are large, night-active, fast-moving insects with a broad, flattened body, long antennae, and a relatively small head. The front pair of wings (called tegmina) are tough, protective, and lay on top of the membranous hind wings. Most cockroaches are poor fliers. None of the cockroach species listed below is indigenous to the U.S., but all are well established.
Adults are large (2 inches) with pale outer margins on the pronotum (upper thorax). Chestnut to light brown-colored insects that run quickly. Males and females are visually indistinguishable, although females are a little wider posteriorly than males.
Mainly found in sewers and other dark, damp hideaways such as basements. Rarely, if ever, found in attics. Night active. Sometimes found co-habiting outdoor harborage sites with smokybrown and/or Oriental cockroaches.
Apply gel baits (multiple small dabs no larger than a pea) or broadcast granular baits in areas where cockroaches are found. Bait stations can be used to control small nymphs, but adults and large nymphs may be too big to fit into the small openings in most bait stations.
Smokybrown cockroach, Oriental cockroach.
Adults are large (1.5 inches) and uniformly dark cherry to dark red colored. Males and females are visually indistinguishable, although females are a little wider posteriorly than males. First instar nymphs approximately 1/8 to 3/16 inch, and identified by the white band across their back, just behind the thorax, and a white band on the tip of the antennae.
Most common cockroach in suburban, Southern neighborhoods with mature hardwood trees present, where they commonly live in treeholes, attics, crawlspaces, sheds and similar harborages with high humidity and protected from the desiccating effects of wind. Not commonly found in kitchens, as is the German cockroach. Night active. Sometimes found co-habiting outdoor harborage sites with American and/or Oriental cockroaches. Rarely, if ever, found in sewers. First instars not very mobile; their presence suggests nearby egg case hatch.
Apply gel baits (multiple small dabs no larger than a pea) or broadcast granular baits in areas where cockroaches are found. Bait stations can be used to control small nymphs, but adults and large nymphs may be too big to fit into the small openings in most bait stations.
American cockroach, Oriental cockroach.
Adults are large (1 to 1.25 inches) and cherry to black colored. Males with short wings that do not completely cover the abdomen; females wingless (wingpads only).
Sometimes found cohabiting outdoor harborage sites with smokybrown and/or American cockroaches. Night active. Rarely found around homes in suburban environments. Biology and habits more similar to the American cockroach than the smokybrown cockroach.
Apply gel baits (multiple small dabs no larger than a pea) or broadcast granular baits in areas where cockroaches are found. Bait stations can be used to control small nymphs, but adults and large nymphs may be too big to fit into the small openings in most bait stations.
Smokybrown cockroach, American cockroach.
Adults of both sexes about 1/2 to 5/8 inch, tan colored with dual, parallel stripes on back of pronotum (upper thorax). Males and females are visually indistinguishable.
Attracted to light, readily flies (rare for a cockroach), and found in shaded areas outdoors with leaf litter, mulch and/or high grass present. Rarely found indoors, unless attracted there by light. Flies during the day in response to disturbance (walking through habitat).
Alter lighting to make structure less attractive at night (see section in publication on Proactive Pest Management). Broadcast granular bait in areas where cockroaches are found. If desired, apply an appropriately labeled residual spray to those areas where cockroaches are found.
German cockroach.
Adults of both sexes about 1/2 to 5/8 inch, tan colored with dual, parallel stripes on back of pronotum (upper thorax). Males and females are visually indistinguishable.
Obligate indoor pest, never to rarely found outdoors except in cases of extreme indoor infestations. Found mainly in kitchens near and in warm appliances and sources of water. Night active. Under extreme levels of infestation this cockroach may be responsible for allergies, especially in children.
Use pheremone-based sticky traps to highlight areas of activity. Use gel baits and bait stations in areas (mainly in kitchen under the sink, next to the garbage, under/next to the refrigerator and stove, and in infested drawers) where German cockroaches are found. In moderate to heavy infestations, as many as 12-15 bait stations may be needed in a standard-sized home. Place bait stations on flat surfaces in corners and along edges of walls. When using gel baits, the application of many small bait ‘spots’ is preferred to the application of a few large bait spots (it does not take much bait to affect a large number of German cockroaches). If desired, in cases of extreme infestation apply a spot treatment with an appropriately labeled residual spray inside cracks and crevices where cockroaches are found. Total release aerosols (bug bombs) are ineffective at controlling German cockroaches, and should not be used indoors.
Asian cockroach.
About the Authors Daniel Suiter (dsuiter@uga.edu) and Brian Forschler (bfor@uga.edu) are Professors of Entomology, specializing in urban entomology, in the Department of Entomology at the University of Georgia; Suiter is located on the university’s campus in Griffin, while Forschler is on the main campus in Athens, GA. Lisa Ames (lames@uga.edu) directs the Homeowner Insect and Weed Diagnostics Laboratory on the UGA Griffin Campus. E. Richard Hoebeke, a systematic entomologist, is the associate curator of insects at the Georgia Museum of Natural History on the UGA’s main campus in Athens, GA (rhoebeke@uga.edu).
Ellen Bauske, Rolando Orellana, and Alfredo Martinez-Espinoza
These checklists can be used to introduce new landscape workers to safe work practices. They ensure that job training includes safety instruction. Before new employees start their first assignment, supervisors should discuss the items covered in the following checklists. Safe use of equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) should be demonstrated as the supervisor reviews the checklists. Pictures associated with each item reinforce the safety message for employees.
These checklists are based on the book Safety for Hispanic Landscape Workers which has been approved by OSHA for use in safety training. They are designed to help companies reduce incidents, stay in compliance and create a culture of safety.
Related publications
Safety for Hispanic Landscape Workers
Seguridad para Trabajadores Hispanos de Jardinería [Safety for Hispanic Landscape Workers]
Landscape Basics: Designing a Quality Control Program for Your Company
A new webpage has been created to host the amended Rules of the Georgia Structural Pest Control Commission (SPCC) which became effective on April 1st. The new page includes:
The new page named Laws and Regulations is found on the SPCC website and the Structural Pest Control Section webpage. All licensees were notified of the proposed rule changes in October 2013. Based on the comments received during the public comment period, the SPCC revised some of the proposed rules. As part of our outreach and compliance assistance effort, this announcement was sent to all licensee email addresses that we have currently on file.
The SPCC is currently working closely with the Georgia Department of Agriculture to develop guidance policies and fact sheets to assist the industry with compliance. As these resources become available, they will be posted on the SPCC website under “Guidance Policies”.
Laws & Regulations webpage – http://www.agr.georgia.gov/laws-and-regulations.aspx
The Georgia Structural Pest Control Commission
Chris Gorecki, Chairman
Derrick Lastinger, Vice-chairman
Maurice Redmond, Georgia Department of Public Health
Dr. Brian Forschler, University of Georgia
Bodine Sinyard, Adams Exterminating
Greg Holley, Zone Pest Solutions
Laurie Padgett, Consumer Protection Representative
Original story by Sarah Lewis, student writer with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
“April and September are good times to apply baits, once at the start of the season and toward the end to help control before they come back in the spring,” said Will Hudson, a professor with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
Fire ants are most active in warm weather. Fire ant season can last 10 to 11 months out of the year in the most southern areas of Georgia. Controlling ant colonies before they produce a mound is important. However, Hudson says that once a treatment program is in effect, timing is not all that important.
Baits and sprays
The general rule of thumb is if the area is one acre or less, don’t use baits. Re-infestation is more likely from colonies outside of the yard when baits are used.
One important thing to remember is the difference between ‘no mounds’ and ‘no ants.’ “There is a difference between eliminating ants and controlling them,” he said. “Baits do not eliminate ants because there is no residual control. A new colony can still come in and be unaffected by the bait laid down prior to their arrival.”
To eliminate mounds completely, apply baits every six months, Hudson said. “There will be invasion in the meantime, and you will still have fire ants, just not enough to create a new mound,” he said.
Hudson recommends treating lawns smaller than an acre with a registered insecticide in a liquid solution. This should rid the lawn of fire ants for one to three months. If you choose a granular product, measure carefully to be sure you apply the correct amount of material and get good, even coverage, he said.
The least effective treatment option for most people is individual mound treatments, according to Hudson. Treating mounds in general is going to be an exercise of frustration, and killing an entire colony by treating just the mound is a challenge, he said.
Minimal impact
Baits are considered to have minimal environmental effects for those who chose not to use hazardous chemicals. Once the bait is out, there is hardly anytime for anything to come in contact with it before the ants get to it.
Nonchemical options include using steam or boiling water. “We recommend using boiling water to treat a mound near an area such as a well where you do not want any chemicals,” Hudson said. “Using hot water is very effective, but the problem is you are not always able to boil the water right next to the area you want treated.” Carrying the boiling water can inflict serious burns, so extreme caution should be used when treating with this method.
There are products on the market that are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency and labeled as organic. Hudson says organic designation is a “slippery” definition. There is an official USDA certification and many states have their own set of regulations when labeling a product as organic. This labeling can mean the product is either a natural product or derived from a natural product. “While there are a few products that qualify as organic, with most baits the actual amount of pesticide applied is minimal,” he said.
Realistic expectations
Hudson says to be careful when choosing a product because the labels can be confusing, even deceptive, and it is difficult to make the right choice. For assistance in selecting a product, contact your local UGA Cooperative Extension agent.
“The most important thing to remember is that you need to be realistic in your expectations,” Hudson said. “If you are treating mounds, you need to be prepared. You are going to chase the mounds around the yard.”
For more information on selecting a control measure:
Come experience the future of training for Georgia’s pest management industry! The University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, powered by the Digital Innovation Group, has developed a training program that will allow pest management professionals to obtain re-certification and re-registration credit on-line, in the comfort of their home or office.
All your computer will need is the ability to access the internet. No special software is needed on your part. Logging on, watching a live online presentation (called a webinar), and then going back to work is just a few mouse clicks away. No more long drives and time off work to acquire credits!
Mark your calendar for the 2014 webinar series (all webinars 8:00 to 9:00 am).
April 16. Dr. Susan Jones, The Ohio State University on Bed Bug Monitoring
June 18. Mr. Elmer Gray, University of Georgia on Mosquito Biology
August 20. Dr. Brian Forschler, University of Georgia on Termite Biology
October 15. Dr. Karen Vail, University of Tennessee on Ant Pests of the Southeast
December 10. Dr. Ron Harrison, Orkin Technical Services on Bed Bug Control
How the Program Will Work. Several weeks prior to the event, Dr. Dan Suiter will announce the webinar by email. In the email will be instructions on how to register. If you’d like to be put on his mailing list, simply send an email to Dr. Suiter at dsuiter@uga.edu, and note that you’d like to be notified when registration for each webinar opens. Or, if you’d simply like to learn more about the series feel free to call Dan at 770-233-6114 to chat.
Hope to see you on-line February 19!
Dan Suiter, Ph.D.
Department of Entomology
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
University of Georgia, Griffin Campus
1109 Experiment St, Griffin, GA 3022