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Kudzu Bug Update! November 2nd, 2011

Megacopta cribraria, also known as the kudzu bug, is once again moving from its preferred host in search of protected sites where it will spend the winter. Once on the move, the adult bugs are attracted to light-colored surfaces – landing on people, vehicles, and buildings. They are a nuisance pest for those living in our urban and suburban areas. This mass migration results in complaints and inquiries to pest control operators, Cooperative Extension offices, and the media.

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.

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Posted in Insects, Lawn Care, Lawn Care Calender, Lawn Treatment, News, Pest Alert, Pesticides, Pests, Tree care, Uncategorized |
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New Fescue Seed, Now What? October 7th, 2011

If you intend to re-seed your lawn or if you’ve already done so, here’s a few tips you should follow to help with your success and to protect your investment. Fertilizers used during the core aeration season are specifically designed to help the new grass develop properly and to become strong. Seed germination should be obvious at this point and new grass should be evident throughout the newly seeded area. Keep in mind, new seedlings are very fragile during this time and there are several things you should do in order to protect the grass from being damaged.
During the fall season, leaves should be kept off the new grass! In order for the fescue seed to continue its development process, it needs proper sunlight to thrive. Allowing large amounts of leaves to cover newly seeded lawns even for short amount of time can damage and smother the new seed. You should also take care not to rake the leaves if possible because this process can damage the under developed root systems. Try blowing the leaves with a backpack blower or hand blower.
Falling leaves should be kept off the new grass. In order for the fescue to continue to develop, it needs sunlight. Allowing leaves to cover newly seeded lawns for even a short period of time can cause severe damage to the new grass. You should avoid raking the leaves if possible because raking can damage the underdeveloped root systems. Blow the leaves with a blower, or try to pick them up with your mower if you have a bagging attachment.
You should mow your new fescue at a height of 2-2 1/2 inches for the first few mowings. You can then raise the mowing height to between 3-4 inches. Be sure to use a very sharp blade to avoid causing damage to the new grass. A dull blade will pull at the new grass, damaging the roots similar to the damage caused by raking.
Weeds will be present in your new lawn. This is unavoidable because the new fescue cannot withstand the effects of the weed controls. As a general rule, the weeds can be treated as soon as the new grass has been mowed 3 or 4 times. The new grass must be mature enough that the weed controls will not kill it.
Watering is very important and you should not allow the grass to become dry. Keep your seed moist it all times for the first 3 to 4 weeks until established and then water accordingly after that.

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Posted in Lawn Care, Lawn Care Calender, Lawn Treatment, Maintenance, Mowing, News, Out Door Watering, Roots, Seeds, Uncategorized, Watering, Yard Care |
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Kudzu Bugs!!! (Atlanta Georgia) October 5th, 2011

Since they arrived in Atlanta Georgia region last year, kudzu bugs have multiplied and spread across the Southeast. They are also showing up in new places Lawrenceville, Decator, Roswell, Smyrna, Cumming Johns Creek and Alpharetta behind tree bark.

Almost two years ago, a tiny immigrant pest arrived in Georgia, and there’s nothing the state’s immigration office can do to make it leave. The bean plataspid, or kudzu bug, munches on kudzu and soybeans and has now set up residence in four Southern states.

Homeowners consider the bug a nuisance. Soybean producers shudder at the damage it causes. And many are hoping it will prove to be a kudzu killer.

Spreading problem
The kudzu bug was first spotted in Georgia in the fall of 2009 when insect samples were sent to the University of Georgia Homeowner Insect and Weed Diagnostic Laboratory in Griffin, Ga. The first samples came from UGA Cooperative Extension agents in Barrow, Gwinnett and Jackson counties.

“The bug can now be found in 143 Georgia counties, all South Carolina counties, 42 North Carolina counties and 5 Alabama counties,” said Wayne Gardner, an entomologist with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Last fall, Gardner had to search repeatedly to find the pest in kudzu patches in north Georgia. “Those areas are loaded with bugs this year,” he said.

By studying the pest for the past year, Gardner has determined wisteria, green beans and other legumes are the bug’s true hosts in the landscapes and home gardens. A plant becomes a true host of the insect when different life stages of the insect are found on the plant, he said.

Multiplying pest
Like Asian lady beetles, kudzu bugs seek shelter indoors. They are attracted to light colors, especially white cars and light colored house siding.

Removing kudzu is one way to help control the pest around homes, but that’s not an easy task, especially if the kudzu is growing on your neighbor’s land.

“The bugs re-invade so quickly from nearby kudzu that a pest control operator may have to treat every other day, losing money in the process. A single call that they were paid for might turn into a half-dozen visits, five of which they’d not be paid for,” said CAES entomologist Dan Suiter. “I suspect that the pest control industry will be steering somewhat clear of kudzu bug control unless some smart pest control operator begins to market kudzu removal as part of his business.”

Having a few hundred uninvited houseguests is bothersome, but the bugs are not harmful, and they don’t feed on indoor plants.

Munching on kudzu
No one seems to mind if the bugs take out a 1,000 or so acres of kudzu. But are they?

“We found the bug caused a 32 percent reduction in kudzu growth last year in the plots we monitored,” said Jim Hanula, an entomologist with the USDA Forest Service. He monitored the bug on kudzu plots in Athens, Ga., for the past year.

This may sound like reason to celebrate, but kudzu roots can grow as deep as 12 feet and weigh up to 300 pounds, Hanula said.

“We’re hopeful that feeding by the bug year after year will deplete those roots and weaken the plants,” he said. If the bug’s effect is cumulative, kudzu plants will likely weaken, and patches won’t be as thick.

“Hopefully, the bug will reduce kudzu’s ability to climb, which would be good for forestry,” he said. Weed Pro Lawn Care would like to thank UGA for this great info…

Bed Bugs August 2nd, 2011

Bed bugs were once a common public health pest worldwide, but declined in incidence through the mid 20th century.Atlanta Lawn Care Recently however in Atlanta Georgia, bed bugs have undergone a dramatic resurgence and worldwide there are reports of increasing numbers of infestations. There have been some anecdotal references that bed bug problems are on the rise because of increased tourism and changes in cockroach management shifting to an emphasis on using baits and reducing the use of liquid insecticides that may have coincidentally controlled bed bugs in the process in Atlanta Georgia.

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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