“WHAT’S HAPPENING?”

The University of Tennessee/Agricultural Extension Service

Entomology & Plant Pathology - EPP #60

Volume No.8 - June 24, 2004

BLUE MOLD

by Darrell Hensley

Blue mold has been confirmed in Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio. On 5/30/04 - 6/2/04 we did have some air movement from Kentucky down into Tennessee and several counties have reported blue mold. Union, Robertson and Smith counties have sent in samples and are positive for blue mold. Remember that Dithane DF is the only fungicide labeled for float beds and Acrobat 50WP when used must be mixed with Dithane DF to obtain control. Dithane DF, Acrobat MZ and Acrobat 50WP may be used in the field, from the time of transplant until just prior to topping. Use lower formulation and mixture rates when the plants are small. If plants are less than one foot in height, use a half pound formulation per acre with approximately 20-30 gallons of water directed over the row. Hollow cone nozzles, directed over the row will provide the best performance of these products. As the plants get larger, increase the formulation rate, the amount of water used and additional nozzles for each row may be needed to obtain thorough coverage. Actigard may be used only if plants are 18" in height and when growing conditions are favorable for plant development. Actigard applications do not require hollow cone nozzles or multiple nozzles for each row to achieve efficacy. However, Actigard will need to be applied five days prior to the onset of blue mold.

MILLIPEDES - THOSE LITTLE BROWN “WORMS”

by Karen Vail

This week we received a phone call about little brown worms which turned out to be millipedes. This was not the only phone call we received regarding millipedes, so we thought you would benefit from a discussion on their identification, biology and management.

Millipedes or “thousand-leggers” are not insects and belong to a class of arthropods called Diplopoda. Millipedes are worm-like, cylindrical animals with many body segments. Most of their body segments bear two pairs of legs, unlike centipedes which have only one pair of legs per body segment. Millipedes will coil up tightly when disturbed and some species secrete a foul-smelling fluid to protect themselves. Female millipedes can lay from 20 to 300 eggs singularly or in clusters in the soil. The eggs hatch in a few weeks, and the young molt seven to eight times before maturing to adults.

Millipedes feed on decaying vegetable matter and are often found under stones, flower pots, heavily mulched shrub or flower beds, rotting logs, boards or similar debris where there is abundant moisture. Occasionally after rains, or during hot and dry weather or prior to cold weather, large numbers of millipedes may migrate into buildings. They can climb foundation walls and enter houses through any small opening. These pests are generally more troublesome in wooded or newly developed areas where decaying vegetation provides excellent food and breeding conditions.

Management

Reducing Moisture and Removing Debris - A large indoor population usually indicates large numbers of millipedes or centipedes surrounding the structure. The most effective, long-term measure for reducing entry of millipedes and many other occasional invaders is to reduce moisture and hiding places near the foundation and to pest-proof the structure.

One study reported reducing millipede invasions into a structure by 93 percent using non-chemical procedures. Several techniques were used to reduce moisture levels in the lawn and areas surrounding the structure:

• lawns were dethatched,

• lawns were closely mowed and edged to allow it to dry more quickly,

• debris and mulch were pulled away from the structure to reduce hiding places, and

• grass was watered early in the morning to allow it to dry out later in the day.

There are other ways to reduce moisture and debris around structures.

• Move leaves, grass clippings and compost piles away from the structure because they provide food and habitat.

• Boards and rocks provide protection and moisture and should be moved away too.

• Prune tree limbs to increase air movement and sunlight penetration which dries their habitat.

• Make sure water drains away from the foundation and that down spouts and gutters are free of debris.

• Repair water spigots and prevent water from accumulating under drip lines from air-conditioning units.

• Reduce moisture in crawl spaces by adequately ventilating, and using polyethylene soil covers, dehumidifiers, drainage systems, sump pumps, etc.

Pest-Proofing

• Seal cracks and openings in foundation walls, doors and windows, especially basement windows.

• Install door sweeps on exterior entry doors, and apply caulk along the bottom outside edge and side of door thresholds.

• Seal around pipe and utility penetrations into the structure.

• Other pest-proofing methods can be found in PB1303, Managing Pests Around the Home (http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/pests/default.asp#home)

Inside - Pest Removal

Remove individuals found indoors with a vacuum, or broom and dust pan. As with other pests requiring high moisture, millipedes should die after being indoors for several days.

Outside - Pesticide Applications May Reduce Indoor Invasions

Apply pesticides to the perimeter of the structure and around potential entry points such as doors, windows, vents, pipe and utility penetrations. After heavy rains, such as when an inch of rain falls within an hour, one has to wonder how much of the insecticide from the perimeter treatment is left in place. Pesticides should not be relied upon for primary control of millipedes, but rather used as a supplement to pest-proofing and habitat manipulation. Wettable powders (WP) and microencapsulated (ME) products tend to have a longer residual on outside surfaces than emulsifiable concentrates or flowables. Most homeowners don’t have access to MEs or WPs and thus may need to rely upon over-the-counter products that contain synthetic pyrethroids such as cyfluthrin (Bayer Advanced Home Indoor and Outdoor Insect Killer), bifenthrin (Ortho Home Defense Perimeter and Indoor Insect Killer), tralomethrin (Real-Kill Home Insect Control 4), or lambda-cyhalothrin (Spectracide Bug Stop Home Insect Killer).

Modified from:

Vail, K.M., G. Burgess, R. Gerhardt and C. Harper [eds.]. 2001. PB 1673 General Pest and Rodent Control Pesticide Applicator Licensing Manual (GRC). pp. 130. The University of Tennessee Extension (http://eppserver.ag.utk.edu/psep/secondlevel/thirdlevel/GRC/GRCindex.htm)

Oi, F. and A. Appel. 1998. ANR-1075 IPM Tactics for Millipede Control. Auburn University, Cooperative Extension Service.

Waldvogel, M. 2004. Controlling Millipedes in and Around Homes. Insect Note - ENT/rsc-18. North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service.

NEW WEB LISTING CONSOLIDATES INFORMATION ON ACTIVE PIP EUPS

by Darrell Hensley

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a new Web page that provides a consolidated list of

active, plant-incorporated protectant (PIP) experimental use permits (EUPs). The listing provided, states and EPA Regions with a quick resource on which states are listed in federally approved PIP EUPs. The new Web page is also intended to provide public interest groups and interested citizens with easier access to information on approved PIP EUPs. The direct links to EPA Dockets provide more specific information. Plant-Incorporated Protectants (PIPs) are pesticidal substances produced by plants and the genetic material necessary for the plant to produce the substance. The EPA issues experimental use permits to allow necessary information/data to be generated before registering a pesticide. The new Web page, Current Plant Incorporated Protectant (PIP) Experimental Use Permits is available on The EPA's Web site at http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/biopesticides/pips/current_pip_eups.htm

INTERESTING LONGHORN BEETLES

by Frank A. Hale

One insect that is sure to catch your attention, if you are lucky enough to see one, is the cottonwood borer. The cottonwood borer is a longhorn beetle (long antennae) and the larva is a roundheaded borer that attacks poplar, cottonwood and willow. A newly emerge adult (from willow) was sent in from Shelby County last week. The body of the adult is 1 to 1.5 inches long and has an even amount of black and white in patches while the legs and antennae are black. The antennae are longer than the body. The exit hole will be perfectly round. Now is the time to apply protective sprays of permethrin or chlorpyrifos (Dursban).

Do not confuse the cottonwood borer with the Asian longhorn beetle that is an introduced pest in New York, Chicago and Ontario, Canada. It is thought to have come into this country in wooden shipping containers from China (note that 13 million shipping containers entered the U.S. in 1999 so the threat of exotic pests via direct shipping is great). It attacks and kills maple (Norway, red, sycamore, silver, boxelder, and sugar maples). Other hosts include horsechestnut, black locust, elms, birches, willows, poplar (not tulip poplars) and green ash. Fortunately, it has not been found in Tennessee or anywhere near here. The Asian longhorn beetle is also called the starry sky beetle because it is shiny black with bright white spots that give the impression of stars in a black sky. The adult beetle excluding the antennae is 0.75 to 1.25 inches long and the antennae are banded in black and white and 1.5 to 2.5 times longer than the body. The adults emerge through a 7/8 inch round exit hole in the tree.

In New York, officials will treat 69,000 trees with imidacloprid (Marathon, Merit, Imicide) to protect them from Asian longhorn beetles. The New York quarantine is 132 square miles in size. The control of this pest in Illinois is progressing with quarantines imposed in Summit and Addison being lifted in March. These quarantines were originally imposed to prevent the spread of this pest and they seem to have worked. In September of 2003, Asian longhorn beetles were found in Woodbridge, Ontario which was the first confirmed find of this exotic pest in Canada.

ALLOWED AND DISALLOWED USES OF CCA

by Gene Burgess

The EPA is releasing the “Supplemental Guidance on Interpretation of Revised Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) Wood Preservative Label.” This document provides clarifications on the allowed and disallowed uses of CCA. It also provides a reference table with the American Wood Preservers Association Commodity Standards related to CCA, with examples of some of the uses that are permitted and disallowed since the December 31, 2003,voluntary cancellation date.

This action is taken to provide stakeholders, regions, consumers, public interest groups, wood treaters, and registrants with a reference tool that supplements the product labeling to better identify the specific uses of CCA-treated lumber are permitted or disallowed. It also references enforcement and compliance strategies drafted by the Office of Enforcement and Compliance so that all affected parties will be aware of the Agency’s position regarding compliance monitoring, targeting inspections, and reporting tips and complaints. This enforcement and compliance document will be available soon and posted on the Office of Pesticide Programs website (shown below).

By clearly articulating the permitted and disallowed uses of CCA, and by providing the strategies which the Agency will use to ensure compliance with the product labeling the Agency hopes to ensure the proper use of

CCA in treating lumber. The full text of the guidance document and the guidance chart can be found at

www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/chemicals/1file.htm.

SPANISH WEB SITE ON HOUSEHOLD CONSUMERS PESTICIDE STORAGE AND DISPOSAL INFORMATION

by Gene Burgess

Spanish-speaking individuals can now view in Spanish EPA’s household consumer information on proper pesticide storage and disposal. Visit http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/regulating/storage.htm and click on the “En espanol” button above the “Quick Resources” box.

Translating this language into Spanish is important to help improve the storage and disposal of household pesticides within the large Hispanic population in the United States.

ORIENTAL BEETLES AND JAPANESE BEETLES

by Frank A. Hale

The adults of these two scarab beetles are active now. The Oriental beetle is probably a native of the Philippines and probably arrived in New Haven, CT in 1920 in B&B nursery stock from Japan. In Tennessee, the Oriental beetle has only been found in Knoxville, although nursery inspectors continue looking for this pest. The larvae (white grubs) are nearly the same size as Japanese beetle larvae. They are distinguished from Japanese beetle larvae by their raster pattern which consist of two parallel rows of 10-16 setae pointing toward the median line. Conversely, the Japanese beetle larval raster has the setae forming a v-shape.

Oriental beetle adults, unlike Japanese beetle adults, are not serious pests and are rarely seen feeding on plants such as roses, hollyhock, phlox, dahlias and petunias. The larvae feed on grass roots but can also cause serious damage to nursery stock and strawberries. While Japanese beetles are not known to lay their eggs in container nursery stock other than ornamental grasses, Oriental beetle larvae can be a problem in container plants.

LIGHTNING BUGS

by Frank A. Hale

I saw on the news last night that a company is paying for adult lightning bugs. I think that they are paying $10.00 per ounce. I am not sure how many lightning bugs are in an ounce, but I guess you can find out. If interested, call them at 1-888-520-1272 and they will get back to you with the specifics.

DICOFOL (KELTHANE)

by Darrell Hensley

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is asking about the importance of Dicofol for the stone fruit commodities, citrus commodities and the nuts crop commodities. If Dicofol is important to any of these crops

in Tennessee, please let me know ASAP. It is very important that you submit any Dicofol use information which concerns these crops. EPA needs this information in order to support the need for Dicofol use on these crops and without it the use may be lost.

Information needed (if possible):

1) The typical application rates, number of seasonal applications, and application methods used for these crops?

2) What critical needs are there in your area for Dicofol and what insect(s) and/or disease(s) does it control in your particular commodity?

3) What is the maximum REI that a grower of these crops could handle?

4) Is there a particular need within you state or region, which Dicofol is needed because of weather, pests, etc.?

Please provide EPA detailed information concerning any critical needs for Dicofol use on "any crop" in our region. You may send all information directly to ppoli@ars.usda.gov and dhensley@utk.edu. Thank you for all your help with these important use questions for these crops and pesticide.

PEST MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE

by Darrell Hensley

The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) on June 18 released its newest Special Publication entitled "Management of Pest Resistance: Strategies Using Crop Management, Biotechnology, and Pesticides."

Fifty-two presentations are collected in these 191-page proceedings from an April 2003 CAST-convened symposium on pest resistance management (PRM). Major objectives of the meeting included identifying common issues related to PRM across disciplines, considering ways to remove barriers to effective preventive resistance management, describing research activities in PRM, and disseminating this information to a wide audience of stakeholders.

The complete document, Special Publication 24, is available online only on the CAST website

at www.cast-science.org.

MONITOR 4 SPRAY ON TOMATOES

by Frank A. Hale

Monitor 4 Spray insecticide had, in the past, a Special Local Need (SLN) 24(c) registration for use on fresh fruit tomato in Tennessee. That 24 (c) had run out (they only last five years). Valent recently applied for and received a new 24 (c) registration for specific counties in Tennessee. The new 24 (c) label is for distribution and use only in Bledsoe, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hamilton, Haywood, Jefferson, Lauderdale, Lincoln, Macon, Marion, Rhea, Robertson, Sequatchie, Smith, Tipton, Trousdale, Unicoi, Warren and Washington Counties of Tennessee. The rate is 1.5 to 2 pints per acre for listed pests of tomatoes (fresh fruit only).

JAPANESE BEETLE DEFOLIATION

by Frank A. Hale

The Japanese beetle is moving into new areas each year. Many people will not recognize this pest or its feeding damage (skeletonizing leaves) until considerable damage has occurred. I recently saw littleleaf linden trees planted in a church parking lot that were almost completely skeletonized. They started feeding at the top of the tree and were working their way down. If the groundskeeper does not spray with Sevin or a labeled pyrethroid insecticide soon there will be no green leaves left to spray. We saw our first Japanese beetle adults here in Middle Tennessee on May 28 and within a month, the foliage of favorite hosts is being completely skeletonized.

If getting around to spraying is a problem, I suggest treating these preferred plants ahead of time (winter through early spring) for next year with a drench to the root zone of imidacloprid, a systemic insecticide. Landscape professionals can use Merit 75 WP while nursery growers can use Marathon or Discus. The homeowner brand to use is Bayer Advanced Garden Tree & Shrub Insect Control. This insecticide will protect the foliage throughout the late spring and summer feeding period of the Japanese beetle.

Disclaimer Statement

Pesticides recommended in this publication were registered for the prescribed uses when printed. Pesticide regulations are continuously reviewed.

Should registration or a recommended pesticide be canceled, it would no longer be recommended by

The University of Tennessee.

Use of trade or brand names in this publication is for clarity and information; it does not imply approval of the product to the exclusion of others that may be of similar, suitable composition, nor does it guarantee or warrant the standard of the product.

The Agricultural Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, age, national origin, sex, veteran status, religion or disability and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK IN AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture,

and county governments cooperating in furtherance of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914.

Agricultural Extension Service Charles L. Norman, Dean