If you see green leaves in Atlanta lawn care areas on top of deciduous trees, it might be mistletoe.

Mistletoe is an evergreen, parasitic plant found on a wide host of trees, including alder, birch, cottonwood, maple, oak, hickory and elm. Mistletoe gets water and nutrients from the host tree, but it is not totally dependent.

Leaves of mistletoe contain chlorophyll and are capable of making their own food from carbon dioxide and water. Birds feed on mistletoe berries and deposit them on new trees in their droppings. This is how mistletoe spreads from tree to tree. When the seeds germinate, they grow through the bark and into the vascular system of the host where it obtains water and minerals.

Mistletoe can be particularly stressful to trees during drought conditions. Trees that are heavily infested by mistletoe for several years may lose vigor, become stunted or even killed. This is especially true if the tree is already subjected to drought stress, harsh winter conditions, construction injury, diseases, insects or other conditions that further weaken the tree.

Mistletoe grows slowly at first and may take years to produce seeds. Healthy trees can tolerate small mistletoe infestations, but individual branches might be compromised and susceptible to wind or snow breakage.

Simply removing mistletoe will provide some protection from spreading. However, if you remove only the mistletoe, it will probably regrow.

To effectively control mistletoe, prune the tree one to two feet beyond the point of attachment. If the mistletoe is located on a main limb or trunk, remove the top of the mistletoe and wrap the cut with an opaque plastic to prevent sunlight. Since mistletoe requires light, it will die within a couple of years. It might be necessary to repeat this treatment, especially if the wrapping becomes detached or the mistletoe is not completely killed.

Winter is a difficult time for trees. Trees must stand in the face of drying and cold winds. Food reserves must be carefully conserved for the coming needs of spring. Water continues to be lost from the tree. Any creature needing a meal chews and nibbles on the resting buds and twigs. Trees stand alone against all circumstances that the winter season can generate.

A few small investments now can pay-off in a large way, yielding a healthy and structurally sound tree.

The “Top 10 List” of things you can do to winterize your tree include:

1. Remove or correct structural faults and deadwood that are clearly visible. Try to make small pruning cuts that minimize the exposure of the central heartwood core on branches.
2. Properly prune branches that will touch the ground when loaded with rain and snow. Foliage and branches that are in contact with soil can invite undesirable pests and problems.
3. Remove damaged and declining twigs, branches, and bark. Do not leave pests food and shelter for the winter.
4. Remove any new sprouts that have grown at the tree base, or along stems and branches. Pruning should conserve as many living branches as possible with only a few selective cuts.
5. Spread a thin layer of composted organic mulch to blanket the soil. Cover an area at least as large as the branch spread. Mulch is nature’s of recycling valuable materials, but be careful of pests hitching a ride.
6. Properly wrap new trees that have not developed a corky bark and could be easily damaged. Mechanical injury from the environment, including chewing and rubbing by animals, must be prevented.
7. Aerate soils if they are compacted and poorly drained. It is critical not to damage tree roots in the soil. Saturated and dense soil can suffocate roots.
8. Fertilize with all the essential elements, if they are in short supply within the soil. Be sure to go lightly with nitrogen, especially under large, mature trees and around newly planted trees.
9. Watering may be needed where soils are cool but not frozen, and there has been little precipitation. Winter droughts need treatment with water the same as summer droughts, except it is much easier to over-water in winter.

Trees are investments that require a small amount of care. For the sake of your tree’s quality of life and your own, take a few minutes to winterize your tree. Wonderful springs come from well-tended winters.

The cool temperatures we have been experiencing coupled with the dying back of kudzu, its preferred host, are likely causes of the mass migration. The same phenomenon was seen in the late fall of 2009 and 2010 when the bugs moved from kudzu in search of sites in which they will spend the winter in a mostly inactive state. In the spring these adults emerge, lay eggs on sprouting kudzu, and begin building large populations of the insect. These may also infest soybeans and a number of other legumes found in the Georgia landscape (including beans and peas in home vegetable gardens).

Unfortunately, there have not been any significant developments in controlling this nuisance pest in suburban and urban environments. Research on its control will continue. We are hopeful that the large numbers of these insects we currently see reflect a “colonization effect” of these recent invaders from Asia. If so, we will likely see kudzu bugs reach an ecological equilibrium in which their numbers are not as high as we see now. Until then there are a few tips to consider:

• Seal, with caulk or screen, all cracks around windows and doors, and make sure there are no gaps under doors and around soffits. Install doorsweeps on all outside doors, if necessary.
• Kudzu bugs should not be killed inside. They should be vacuumed if found inside to prevent the noxious odor/exudate from penetrating and perhaps, staining indoor surfaces.
• At this time of year (mid-October to mid-November), kudzu bugs are most active in the afternoon as temperatures warm up later in the day. As such, plan outdoor activities in the morning, if possible, or move activities indoors.
• Kudzu bugs can be killed with pyrethroid insecticides applied directly to the insects, e.g., while resting on outside walls. However, given the peak of flight activity currently occurring, homeowners should expect significant re-invasion within a day or so. If you use an insecticide, read and follow the product’s label (it’s the law), and never use a pyrethroid insecticide in an area where it might contaminate water as these insecticides are very toxic to fish and other aquatic life. No traps have been commercialized (and shown to be effective) in attracting and killing large numbers of kudzu bugs. Effective chemical attractants have not yet been identified.
• The flight will subside, based on our experience, in late November, but the bugs will once again become active, and mildly troublesome in the spring of 2012 as they awake from their winter slumber. In light of this, if kudzu can be removed from the property, it is recommended that this be done in order to eliminate potential problems once again in October 2012.

The Atlanta Georgia Department of Health provides primary prevention through a combination of surveillance, education, enforcement, and assessment programs designed to identify, prevent and abate the environmental conditions that adversely impact human health. One of the many mandates for the Environmental Health Division Georgia Lawn Care is that of inspecting tourist accommodations in order to “minimize illnesses and injuries associated with unsanitary or hazardous conditions in Georgia’s lodging industry.” County Environmental Health Specialists working for the local health authority inspect these facilities twice a year and when there is a complaint.

Bed bugs are becoming a problem within residences of all kinds, including homes, apartments, hotels, cruise ships, dormitories and shelters. While we associate bed bugs with unsanitary conditions, the problem may be found in the cleanest of homes, hotels or other buildings.

BIOLOGY
Bed bugs are small wingless insects that feed solely upon the blood of warm-blooded animals. They are sometimes mistaken for ticks or cockroaches. A mature bed bug is oval-bodied, brown to red-brown in color, wingless and flattened top to bottom. Unfed bugs are 1/4 to 3/8 inch long and the upper surface of the body has a crinkled appearance. A bed bug that has recently fed is engorged with blood, dull red in color, and the body is elongated and swollen. Eggs are white and are about 1/25 inch long. Newly hatched bed bugs are nearly colorless or straw-colored.

Of the 90 or so species in the family Cimicidae, approximately 7 will feed on human blood, but only 2 are commonly found: Cimex lectularius (bed bug) and Cimex hemipterus (tropical bed bug).

LIFE CYCLE
Female bed bugs deposit 3 to 8 eggs at a time; a total of 200-500 eggs can be produced by one female over her 10 month life span. The eggs are 1/25 inch long and are slightly curved. They are usually deposited in clusters and fastened to cracks and crevices or rough surfaces near adult harborages with a sticky cement-type substance.

The eggs hatch in 4-12 days. The newly hatched nymph is nearly colorless or straw-colored before feeding, and then turns red or purple in color after taking a blood meal. Bed bugs go through 5 nymphal stages before reaching maturity. This usually takes 35-48 days.

Nymphs look like small adults with the exception that adults have minute wing pads; females are larger than males. Nymphs can survive months without feeding and adult bed bugs can survive for 6-7 months without a blood meal. They have been known to live in abandoned houses for at least a year. Under favorable conditions (70-90° F), the bugs can complete development in as little as a month, producing three or more generations per year. Cool temperatures or limited access to a blood meal extends the development time.

HABITS AND HABITATS
Bed bugs are active mainly at night; they reach peak activity before dawn. During the daytime, they prefer to hide close to where people sleep. Their flattened bodies enable them to fit into tiny crevices – especially those associated with mattresses, box springs, bed frames, and headboards. Bed bugs do not have nests like ants or bees, but do tend to congregate in habitual hiding places. Bed bugs do not fly, but can move quickly over floors, walls, ceilings and other surfaces.

Bed bugs respond to warmth and carbon dioxide when searching for a blood meal, but not to odors. All nymphal stages and adults of both sexes require blood for nutrition and development. Bed bugs ordinarily feed within 24 hours of hatching, once between each molt and once before egg deposition; an average period of 8 days is required between molts. Adult females will continue to take blood meals every 3-4 days depending on ambient temperature and humidity. Bed bugs take up to 10 minutes to complete a blood meal, and will consume 2-5 times their own body weight in blood during that time. Individual bed bugs usually do not feed every night but at intervals of a few days to a week. Once a bed bug is finished feeding, it quickly retreats back to its hiding place. They do not remain on the host between feedings. Bed bugs may also feed on small animals, such as pets.

MOVEMENT
Some of the most common ways new bed bug infestations may be introduced include:
 Spending a night (or longer) in an environment which is already infested by bed bugs (hotels, homes, international flights, etc).
 Having someone visit from such an infested environment (bed bugs can be transported in luggage).
 Renting furniture or buying used furniture or bedding.
 Picking up discarded bedding or furniture from a curbside, trash collection point, or dumpster.

MEDICAL IMPORTANCE
The bite of a bed bug is painless. The amount of blood loss due to bed bug feeding typically does not adversely affect the host. Unlike flea bites, which occur mainly around the ankles, bed bugs feed on any bare skin exposed while sleeping (face, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, etc). Skin reactions are commonly associated with bed bug bites, which result from the saliva injected during feeding. However, some individuals do not react to bed bug bites, while others note a great deal of discomfort often with loss of sleep from the persistent biting.

Common allergic reactions include the development of large welts, often >1cm, which are accompanied by itching and inflammation. The welts usually subside to red spots but can last for several days. Blister-like eruptions have been reported in association with multiple bed bug bites and anaphylaxis may occur in patients with severe allergies. It has been suggested that allergens from bed bugs may be associated with asthmatic reactions. Reactions to the bites may be delayed up to 9 days before lesions appear. Reactions may be accompanied by severe itching that lasts for several hours to days. Scratching may cause the welts to become infected.

Bed bugs have been found to harbor at least 28 human pathogens and have been considered in the transmission of a wide variety of infectious agents. However, bed bugs have never been proven to biologically transmit any human pathogen, including HIV and hepatitis B. Although bed bugs are considered more of a nuisance than a health concern, public health officials maintain a level of interest due to the possibility of secondary infections. In fact, the CDC & EPA issued a joint statement saying that “Although bed bugs are not known to transmit disease, they are a pest of significant public health importance.”

For more information, see the Georgia Dept of Health Bed Bug Handbook

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