“WHAT’S HAPPENING?”

The University of Tennessee Extension Service

 Entomology & Plant Pathology - EPP #60

 

August 19, 2005

 

IMPORTED FIRE ANT (IFA)HAY INSPECTION AT 2005 FAIRS

by Karen Vail, Pat Parkman, Tahir Rashid and Beth Long

 

We wanted to remind you that hay is a regulated item in the imported fire ant (IFA) quarantine.  If you are bringing hay to a county or other fair, and the hay is from a quarantined county, it must be inspected, determined to be free of IFA and accompanied by a permit, prior to movement.  Hay must have been stored off the ground to be shipped. If hay was stacked, as long as it was not the bottom tier of hay, it would be considered  stacked off the ground.  Gray Haun, TDA Plant Certification Section Administrator, is making an exception to the inspection process with regards to the hay to accompany animals at county fairs.  He is allowing county Extension agents to inspect this, and only this, hay and sign the permit.  The permit will be e-mailed to all Extension agents. If you did not receive the permit and need another copy, please contact Karen Vail at kvail@utk.edu.  Gray suggests that you use the date and add one number starting with 1 for the permit number. For example, I would use 81805-1 for the first permit I was to sign August 18, the second permit number would be 81805-2, etc.  After your fair season is completed, Gray would like you to send him the number of permits that you completed. Gray Haun can be reached at Walker.Haun@state.tn.us, by phone at (615) 837-5338, or by fax at (615) 837-5246.

 

More information on regulations pertaining to imported fire ants can be found at Tennessee Department of Agriculture's Imported Fire Ants Web site (http://www.state.tn.us/agriculture/regulate/plants/ifa.html):

 

$Tennessee Imported Fire Ant Quarantine Rule Tennessee Chapter 0080-6-19 (http://www.state.tn.us/sos/rules/0080/0080-06/0080-06-19.pdf)

 

$Materials Regulated By The Imported Fire Ant Quarantine

 

$Requirements for Growers Concerning The Imported Fire Ant Quarantine

 

$Transportation of Regulated Items From Quarantined to Non-quarantined Areas

 

$IFA Hay Advisory (http://www.state.tn.us/agriculture/regulate/plants/ifa99.pdf)

(Note the list of quarantined counties is outdated.)

 

$Consequences of Breaking The Imported Fire Ant Quarantine

 

$What Can I Do If I Buy Products Infested With Imported Fire Ants?

 

The TN IFA quarantine has been expanded this year to include three new counties - Benton, Cumberland, and Humphreys and modifications have been made to many others  The new quarantine is listed under Updates on the left scroll bar of the UT Extension Imported Fire Ants in Tennessee web site (http://fireants.utk.edu). 

 

 

SOYBEAN RUST UPDATE

by Melvin Newman and Beth Long

 

Recently, it seems that we have had a lull in soybean rust activity, but now there is some significant movement toward TN.

 

D r. Bob Kemerait reported a finding of soybean rust on soybean leaves near Eatonton, GA in Putnam Co. on August 14.  This county is located east of Atlanta and just south of I-20.  This is about 150 miles from Chattanooga as the wind blows.  The soybeans where the rust was found are in a sentinel plot of MG II-III soybeans planted in April and are now at R 5-6 growth stage.  Dr. Kemerait reports that soybean rust has not been found in any commercial field in GA yet.

 

Our early planted, early maturing soybeans in TN are probably out of danger even if rust infects the leaves at this late stage (R6).  However, be sure to keep checking late planted soybeans that are still in the R1 to R5 stage for rust pustules.

                                               

 

NATIONAL SOYBEAN RUST SYMPOSIUM

by Beth Long

 

The National Soybean Rust Symposium will be held on November 15-16, 2005 in Nashville, Tennessee. This meeting is sponsored by the American Phytopathological (Plant Pathology) Society and will be a great opportunity to hear about the national, regional and state situations from the people who are working on soybean rust detection, spore trapping and control issues.

 

The program content listing, a registration form, and hotel information are now available online at http://www.apsnet.org/online/sbr   You can save $20 if you register for the meeting by September 30, 2005.

 

 

VELVET ANTS - LARGE, FUZZY, RED/ORANGE AND BLACK WASP

by Karen M. Vail

We’ve started receiving calls about large, fuzzy “ants”. Often folks are concerned that these are fire ants and are amazed when I explain that velvet ants are wingless wasps. Most are also amazed that they are found in Tennessee because they have not seen them in the 30 or more years they have resided here.

Useful questions and answers that will help identify the mystery “ant” as a velvet ant are listed below:

1. Q: Does it resemble an ant? A: Yes.

2. Q: Is the insect hairy or velvety? A: Yes.

3. Q: Does the insect have a bump on the waist? A: No.

4. Q: Is it orange or red with black stripes on the abdomen? A: Yes.

5. Q: Is it difficult to crush? A: Yes.

6. Q: Does it produce a rasping sound when stepped on? A: Yes.

7. Q: Are there many of these ants in a trail? A. No.

The velvet ant’s common name is a misnomer. They are actually more closely related to wasps than ants and are often called wingless wasps. The wingless females resemble an ant, but lacks a node or bump on the waist. Males, on the other hand, do have wings and actively fly. These ants are orange or red and often have black stripes toward the back of the abdomen. A dense coating of velvety hair covers this insect. An image of Tennessee velvet ants can be found at http://web.utk.edu/~extepp/profiles/insects/velvetant.htm .

Biology. Velvet ants are solitary wasps. Larvae, the immature feeding stage, feed externally on the prepupal or pupal stages of ground-nesting bees, other wasps and some flies and beetles. Females actively search for hosts on which to deposit eggs. The host is attacked after the cocoon has been spun or the fly puparium formed. Upon locating a host, the female uses its long ovipositor (which can also function as the stinger) to penetrate the cocoon or puparium and deposits one or two eggs. Eggs hatch and larvae feed on the host, devouring it. After feeding, the larval velvet ant spins its own cocoon inside that of its host. Overwintering occurs as the prepupal stage inside the host's cocoon.

Upon emerging as adults, winged males search for mates. The male is attracted by a specific sound produced by a rasping structure located between their second and third abdominal segments of the female. The rasping sound also occurs when the wasp is pressed or attempted to be crushed. Mating usually lasts just a few seconds. Males may also be seen visiting flowers in search of nectar.

Importance. Females spend much time in sandy areas searching for hosts and may be encountered by adults and children. The females can sting repeatedly. The stinger is long and produces quite a painful sting --perhaps the reason that the large common species is called the"cow killer". People are most often stung by velvet ants while walking in infested areas without proper footwear. The intensity of pain and allergic reaction to the sting will vary according to the immune response of the person stung. These are solitary creatures and the possibility of being stung by a number of these insects at one time is unlikely. Ground-dwelling bees, which may be important pollinators of some crops, are known to be hosts for velvet ants. Other species are reportedly pests of white grub parasites, a condition known as hyperparasitism. Therefore, velvet ants can be considered either beneficial or pestiferous depending upon the host species attacked.

Control Measures. Chemical control of velvet ants is rarely needed. The best methods for dealing with velvet ants are: 1) to inform people, especially children, not to handle these insects and 2) to wear shoes in infested areas to avoid accidental encounters. On occasion, the numbers of velvet ants in an area such as gardens or underneath houses, trailers or other raised structures may be high enough to warrant control. In these cases, the best control tactic would be to eliminate ground-nesting wasps or bees on which immature velvet ants feed. Although the exoskeleton seems uncrushable, individual velvet ants can be killed by crushing. Household aerosol formulations labeled for wasp control can also be directed at the velvet ant.

If you are still unsure of the “ant’s” identification, more information on ant, including fire ant, identification and management, can be found in our new fire ant web site at:

Imported Fire Ants in Tennessee, http://fireants.utk.edu

Modified from: Drees, B. 1988.VELVET ANTS. UC-001 Texas Agricultural Extension Service.

 

SADDLEBACK CATERPILLARS AND TREATMENT OF “STINGS”

by Karen Vail

                                                                                                           

Our most common “stinging” caterpillar in Tennessee has been making its presence known  - I received my first phone call today. The saddleback caterpillar, Sibine stimulea, is brown with a brown circle on its back surrounded by green giving the appearance of a brown saddle on a green saddle blanket (http://eppftpserver.ag.utk.edu/profiles/insects/saddleba.jpg).  A robust caterpillar about an inch long, it is the fleshy protuberances on the front and hind ends that bear the venomous or stinging hairs.  Smaller stinging organs can be found in a row along the sides.  An itching and burning sensation may be experience when this caterpillar is contacted; however, some people may have a more severe reaction from the poison released by the spines and may require medical attention.

 

According to Short et al. 1997 (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/IN014), first aid should consist of repeatedly placing and removing “Scotch” tape from the affected area to remove spines. Ice packs followed by a paste of baking soda and water can be applied to the affected area to reduce the stinging sensation.  If the victim has a history of hay fever, asthma or allergy, or if allergic reactions develop, contact a physician immediately.

 

For images and descriptions of other stinging caterpillars, see the fact sheet at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/IN014 .

 

                                               


MITE-AWAYIITM (FORMIC ACID) IS NOW AVAILABLE TO USE IN HONEY BEE COLONIES IN TENNESSEE

by John A. Skinner, Apiculture Specialist, University of Tennessee          

 

            Earlier this year, Mr. Gray Haun, Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) Plant Certification & Apiary Program Administrator announced that Mite-AwayIITM, single application formic acid treatment in honey bee colonies for tracheal and Varroa mite, received Section 3 registration from the EPA.  The registrant - NOD Apiary Products USA Inc. successfully completed the application from the TDA to allow use in Tennessee.  There are now 36 states where this material is approved for use.

            A list of U.S. Distributors is available at the NOD Apiary website: http://www.miteaway.com/ The nearest distributor to Tennessee is Rossman Apiaries, PO Box 090, Moultrie, GA 31776. The material can be ordered from Rossman Apiaries via phone: (229) 985-7200.  Ten treatments are included in a sealed plastic pail.  The cost per pail is $30 (current quoted cost) and shipping will vary by zipcode.  Shipping cost to Knoxville is $9.60 for one pail and would be less individually for four pails or larger lots. It will be much more cost effective if beekeeper associations pool their orders. This cost is competitive with current available treatments and is also effective for both mites. Mite-AwayIITM can be an important tool in an IPM program to manage mites.

            Mite-AwayIITM was developed in Canada and is an improved version of the original Mite-Away pads developed by Dr. Medhat Nasr and tested by our personnel in Tennessee eight years ago.  This material can be very effective to manage tracheal and Varroa, but only if you apply it when temperatures are between 50 and 79 degrees F. At higher temperatures formic acid vaporizes too fast. Before using this material it is important to understand exactly how to use it and carefully observe the safety precautions to avoid serious health problems. See http://www.miteaway.com/ (or call 866-483-2929) and follow all directions on the label that includes safety instructions (precautionary statements, hazard statements for humans and animals, environment, physical and chemical and handler personal protective equipment) directions for use in the U.S. and specifications for storage and disposal. Why so much safety?  The material is a very corrosive acid that is listed as a hazardous material because “it can be fatal if inhaled, absorbed through the skin or swallowed.”  If not handled properly, “it can cause skin burns and irreversible eye damage.”

            One Mite-AwayIITM treatment pad is used one time only per colony for 21 days and then removed and discarded.  Mite-AwayIITM should not be used when making honey and honey supers should be removed. You need to use protective goggles, an organic acid cartridge respirator, and wear acid resistant gloves (PVC, neoprene or nitrile). The pads are packaged individually in a plastic bag, in groups of 10 in a polyethylene pail. To apply, you slit the outer bag, remove the wet pad (don’t remove inner bag in contact with pad) and place with the side having holes down over top bars of top hive body above two ½ inch wooden sticks that are spaced 4 inches apart.  With treatment in place, add  a 1 ½ inch rectangular spacer (same dimensions as hive body) above the top of the hive body and install the inner cover above this spacer. This allows air to flow around the treatment needed for proper vaporization of the acid.  Entrance reducers should not be used and the pads should not be placed on any metal surface (like metal covered outer covers).

 

 

 

                       

 

 

 

 

 

                       

                       

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.

 

Precautionary Statement

To protect people and the environment, pesticides should be used safely. This is everyone’s responsibility,

especially the user. Read and follow label directions carefully before you mix, apply store or dispose of a pesticide. According to laws regulating pesticides, they must be used only as directed by the label.

Persons who do not obey the law will be subject to penalties.

 

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