“WHAT’S HAPPENING

“WHAT’S HAPPENING?”

The University of Tennessee/Agricultural Extension Service

Entomology & Plant Pathology - EPP #60

April 28, 2006

CARPENTER BEES - "HUMMINGBIRDS" OF THE HYMENOPTERA

by Karen M. Vail and John Skinner

Carpenter bees, which belong to the order Hymenoptera, have been very active and residents have been alarmed by these large bees flying near eaves. Quite often it is the male carpenter bee that is seen patrolling the area or hovering like a hummingbird. They fly often fly close to your eyes and seem to “stare” at you. Possibly, they respond to the stimulus of the reflection they see from an eye. They could also be attracted by the CO₂ we exhale. Males are unable to sting. The females are not aggressive, but may bite and sting if handled. Males are easily distinguished from females by a large white marking on their “face”. So if you want to impress someone, reach up and grab one of those males hovering in your face.

Carpenter bees are large robust bees and are similar in appearance to bumble bees, except the dorsal (top) surface of the abdomen is almost devoid of hairs and appears shiny and black in the carpenter bee. Also, don’t confuse the white-faced male carpenter bee with a bald-faced hornet which also has a white “face”. You’re most likely to encounter a female bald-faced hornet and she is not forgiving. Catching this female in your hand may cause her to sting, release an alarm pheromone and recruit hundreds of other nest mates - all with stingers.

While carpenter bees are pollinators for several species of plants such as may pop, wisteria, and holly they are considered pests when they bore into wood. Bare, unpainted, weathered softwoods, especially redwood, cedar, cypress and pine, are preferred. Painted or pressure-treated wood is less likely to be attacked, however, older wood that has been exposed for several years is also acceptable. Some common nest sites include eaves, fascia boards, siding, window sills, wooden doors, wooden shake roofs, overhead trim, decks and outdoor furniture. A gallery for brood is excavated in weathered and usually unpainted wood and the exit hole is a nearly perfect circular hole about ½" in diameter. These holes often appear as if they were made by a drill bit. The gallery initially extends straight from the opening, but soon makes a right angle turn to go with the grain of the wood. In the gallery the female lays an egg, provisions it with nectar and pollen and seals the cell with chewed wood pulp. Galleries may contain six cells and are four to six inches long on average. However, because the galleries are reused and may be used by more than one bee, gallery lengths of up to 10 feet have been reported. The new adults will appear in late summer.

Other signs of carpenter bees include coarse sawdust the color of fresh cut wood beneath the entry hole. Splatterings of yellow-brown feces and pollen are often found below the entry hole. Burrowing sounds and buzzing may be heard inside the home when the bees are flying or burrowing nearby.

There are several preventive, noninsecticidal controls. Wood surfaces can be painted and individual bees can be caught with a net and killed or swatted with a badminton racket. Also, a flexible wire can be inserted into the hole after dusk to kill adult and larval bees, but the wire needs to be strong enough to break the wooden cells and flexible enough to make the right angle turn.

Insecticidal dusts such as Tempo 1D (cyfuthrin), DeltaDust (deltamethrin), Apicide (carbaryl) can be puffed into nest holes in the evening when the carpenter bees are at rest. An insecticidal dust fills the void very well and will not soak into the wood as a liquid might. The bees should have access to the nest for at least 24 hours to allow them to spread the dust through the galleries. The hole is then sealed with a wooden dowel coated with suitable sealants, such as carpenter’s glue or wood putty, to prevent reinfestation, moisture intrusion and wood decay. Painting the wood after the dowel is sealed may prevent woodpeckers from banging against the wood in search of the bees. Carpenter bees overwinter in previously used galleries, so the structure should also be inspected in the fall and any holes that may have formed should be treated and sealed.

Homeowners may not have access to insecticidal dusts labeled for wood treatment and thus may need to apply sprays (Bee/wasp killer aerosols, Ortho Termite and Carpenter Ant Killer [bifenthrin], Bayer Advanced Home Pest Control Indoor and Outdoor Insect Killer ready-to-use pump [cyfluthrin] or others) into the nest opening.

According to Mike Potter, University of Kentucky, a broadcast insecticidal spray onto wood surfaces attracting large numbers of bees may be needed as a deterrent. A broadcast spray of a pyrethroid , such as Bayer Advanced Powerforce Carpenter Ant and Termite Killer Plus Concentrate [β-cyfluthrin], Ortho& Carpenter Ant Killer [bifenthrin], Spectracide Bug Stop (lambda-cyhalothrin) or others, is often warranted when carpenter bees are riddling large areas of wood such as siding on a barn, wood shake roofs, decking or similar wood surfaces. Always check the label to ensure areas to be treated are listed. Take precautions to avoid pesticide exposure when applying pesticides where drift or dripping may occur. A broadcast treatment is best accomplished with a pump up or hose end sprayer that targets the wood surfaces that are most favored by the bees (fascia boards, joist ends of redwood decks, etc.). Residual effectiveness of deterrent surface applications is very limited and may last only about 1-3 weeks, so the treatment may need to be repeated. The residual effect may be reduced by rain which may wash the chemical from the boards’ surface.

A few years ago, we were conducting carpenter bee research with the representatives from a local pesticide manufacturer and we needed to exclude the bees from currently occupied galleries in the fascia boards. On a warm sunny day in which we hoped all the bees would be foraging outside of the nest, the gallery openings in fascia board were stapled or nailed closed with a gutter guard. Many bees became trapped behind the guard. Some were killed when attempting to forage, but many others from the next generation (late summer) were also trapped. Now, the gutter guards are not aesthetically pleasing. They are a made with light, flexible, “woven” metal or plastic. An oil-based paint may provide some protection; however, if your fascia can be painted, why not apply the gutter guard and paint over it? No one will know it’s there, except the bees.

Modified and excerpted from:

Potter, M. 2003.Managing Carpenter Bees. KENTUCKY PEST NEWS. Number 982, Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. 04/21/03 http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/kpn/kpnhome.htm

Potter, M. 2006. Carpenter Bees Are Flying. KENTUCKY PEST NEWS. Number 1088, Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. 4/17/06. http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/kpn/kpnhome.htm

Vail, K., E.E. Burgess, and C. Pless. 2002. PB 1703 Wood-Destroying Organisms Pesticide Applicator Training Manual Licensing Category: WDO. The University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service. http://eppserver.ag.utk.edu/psep/secondlevel/thirdlevel/WDO/WDOindex.htm

REDBOOK IS UPDATED

by Beth Long

The “Insect and Plant Disease Control Manual”, PB 1690, also known as the Redbook, has been updated on the web, located at: http://eppserver.ag.utk.edu/redbook/redbook.htm It can also be found by going to the Extension Entomology and Plant Pathology home page located at http://web.utk.edu/%7Eextepp/default.html and then choosing Recommendations on the left side bar.

A CD with the entire document will be sent out to all county personnel with agriculture responsibilities in the next week. The spiral bound Redbook manual will be sent as soon as it is out of the print shop. I can supply one manual for each agent with agriculture responsibilities from my USDA CAPS (pest survey and detection) grant funds.

Please contact me if you need additional CD’s.

ORNAMENTAL PEST UPDATE

by Frank A. Hale

Check holly and yews for cottony camellia scale. A dormant oil spray back in February to early March would have killed most of the overwintering female scale. These soft scale produce honeydew on which black sooty will grow. If people would pay more attention to these signs, we would be seeing more use of the helpful dormant oil sprays.

The cottony camellia scale adult females should all be dead now. They have laid their white egg sacs (ovisacs) on the underside of holly leaves and all over the narrower yew foliage. The many eggs in these ovisacs will hatch in a few weeks. They can be sprayed now with an all-season horticultural oil to kill most of the eggs. Follow-up in a couple weeks or so when any surviving crawlers have emerged with a second spray. Other insecticides that can be applied then to the foliage targeting the crawlers include Sevin, Tempo, Decathlon, Dursban, Diazinon, Malathion, Merit, Marathon II, Discus, Bayer Advanced Rose & Flower Insect Killer, Flagship, and Safari. An alternative to foliar sprays is the use of a systemic insecticide. Merit, Marathon, Discus, Safari, and Bayer Advanced Tree & Shrub Insect Control can be applied now or could have been applied earlier as a soil drench.

Note that other types of soft scale will be producing eggs that are usually found in the concavity of their rounded bodies. I inspected some soft scale on bald cypress this week that were full of whitish eggs. When you flip a scale over, check to see if it is producing eggs. If found, expect the crawlers to emerge in a few weeks or so. Target your insecticide sprays toward these crawlers.

Southern red mites are pests of broadleaf evergreens such as azalea, cherrylaurel, and pyracantha, as well as privet. Heavy infestations found on cherrylaurel are spreading to the new spring foliage. A dormant oil spray back in February to early-March is very beneficial in preventing spring damage by controlling overwintering eggs. All-season horticultural oil, insecticidal soap, or a miticide such as Kelthane, Hexygon, Ornamite, Floramite, TetraSan, Judo, or Forbid can be used now for mite control. Since Hexygon and TetraSan only target the immature mite stages, they are best used alone when the mites are first starting to hatch from eggs. If used now when adult mites are present, they should be used in combination with another miticide that will kill adult mites.

Boxwood leafminer adults (tiny orange gnats) were seen emerging last week and have subsequently been laying their eggs in the new foliage. If you catch the adults flying about the plants, a spray of Sevin will help control them and reduce egg lay. The best option at this time is to spray the foliage during the week of May 8 with a systemic insecticide such as Dimethoate, Orthene, Discus, Merit, or Marathon II. Since there is only one generation per year, control of the young larvae at this time will give you a clean plant. Note that Discus, Merit or Marathon can be used late next winter or in early spring as a soil drench as an alternative to spraying in early May.

Other pests seen in the landscape include sawflies on oak, azalea lace bugs, basswood lacebugs on linden and basswood, Asian ambrosia beetles (can see many frass tubes extruding from the trunk of infested trees), cynipid wasp galls on oak and other trees, plant bugs, yellow poplar weevil adults chewing holes in tuliptree, sassafrass and magnolia, and euonymus scale (treat the settled crawlers or second instar euonymus scale nymphs if you have not already treated).

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT SUBTERRANEAN TERMITES AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

by Karen M. Vail

Our first report of a termite swarm this year occurred in the first week of March and the calls continue. Listed below are answers to questions commonly posed by the homeowner as they ponder termite management options.

Q: Why should I be concerned about termites?
A: Subterranean termites, the most destructive wood-feeding insects in Tennessee, feed on cellulose that is usually obtained from wood. Termites are very important because they help recycle dead, fallen trees back into the soil. They do not easily distinguish between a dead pine tree and pine lumber; therefore, their food may be in the form of a dead tree or the wood in a house. They will also feed upon fence posts, paper, books and fabrics of plant origin, as well as living plants such as trees, shrubs, flowers and some crops, although they are more likely to invade woody plants that are in decline. They may chew foam board insulation, and even swimming pool liners and filtration systems.

In the United States, the cost of treating and repairing damage caused by subterranean termites has been estimated to be between 1.2 and five billion dollars a year. Subterranean termite treatment may cost more than $1000 per residence. Besides the expense, winged termites emerging by the thousands inside one's home can be quite traumatic. The thought of termites feeding undetected in your home, for most folks the largest investment of their life, isn’t too settling either.

Q: Why are infestations most often discovered during March - May?

A: In Tennessee, most winged forms of the subterranean termite, or swarmers, emerge from March through May, although many flights may begin as early as February or as late as June in some years. One less common species emerges in late July and may continue to emerge through the fall. In heated structures, subterranean termites can emerge any month of the year.

The swarm is a mating dispersal flight that usually contains equal numbers of both male and female winged forms. After flight, they land, break off their wings and seek out a nest site. Subterranean termites usually excavate a burrow under trees, in decaying wood or in the soil. Once the new king and queen find a nest site, they seal themselves in, mate and the queen starts laying eggs.

Very few swarmers emerging outdoors survive to start new colonies. Swarmers that emerge indoors will die in large numbers around windows in their efforts to escape. Swarmers emerging indoors do not eat wood and are best removed with a vacuum cleaner. With a few exceptions, indoor swarmers indicate that a structural infestation is occurring. Swarmers from outdoor infestations may be confused with those from indoor infestations when swarmers fly from the soil through a hole in a window or door screen, or through an open door. Swarmers may fly from infested fire wood stored indoors; however, most of these exceptions are rare.

Q: How will I know if my home is infested?
A: Signs of termite infestations:

1. Winged termites indoors. Finding winged termites indoors almost always indicates a structural infestation that will require treatment. Winged termites may be confused with winged ants because they often have mating flights at the same time of year. Winged termites can be distinguished from winged ants by the termite's straight antennae, broad waist and wings of equal size. (Winged ants have elbowed antennae, a constricted waist(s), and front wings that are longer than the hind wings.) Winged termites are attracted to light and are often found near windows and doors. Sometimes all that remains of the swarm is a pile of wings near a window. Termite swarmers emerging from items, such as tree stumps, woodpiles, and mulch, in the yard may not indicate a structural infestation. But, if winged termites are seen emerging from the base of a foundation wall or adjoining porches and patios, the house may also be infested. If a termite infestation is suspected, contact a pest management professional to conduct an inspection and discuss treatment options.

2. Mud tubes. Other signs of infestation are mud tubes climbing the slab, foundation walls, support piers, sill plates, etc. The mud tubes, formed by worker termites from soil and termite secretions, are typically about the width of a pencil, but may be thicker. As termites travel between their underground colonies and the structure, these shelter tubes protect the termites from drying out and predators. If small, creamy-white worker termites emerge when a mud tube is broken, the infestation is active. However, if no workers emerge from the broken tube, it does not mean the infestation is inactive. Termites may abandon sections of a tube and forage elsewhere in the structure.

3. Wood eaten in layers and along the grain with mud present in layers. Termite-damaged wood is usually hollowed out along the grain with the spring wood fed upon and the harder summer wood left behind. This results in a layered look with bits of dried mud or soil lining the feeding galleries. Damage caused by other wood-destroying organisms does not look like this.

4. Tiny holes in plaster/drywall with soil around edges. Termites may occasionally bore small holes through plaster or drywall and leave bits of soil around the margin of the hole.

5. Rippled or sunken traces behind wall covering. Rippled, puckered or sunken areas behind paint or other wall coverings may indicate termites tunneling beneath the surface.

6. Often no signs are present. Because termites are cryptic or often hidden, infestations can go undetected for years, hidden behind walls, floor coverings, insulation, and other obstructions. This damage goes undetected in exposed wood because the outer surface is usually left intact. Confirmation of infestation often requires a professional. However, even the most experienced inspector can overlook hidden damage or an infestation.

Q: How do I make my house less susceptible to termites?

A. Reduce conducive conditions by:

1. Eliminate wood contact with the ground. Many termite infestations result from the structure's wood coming in direct contact with the ground. Soil-to-wood contact gives termites easy access to food, moisture, and shelter and hidden entry into the building. Keep wood, such as siding, porch steps, door and window frames and other items, at least six inches above ground level. To avoid earth-to wood contact re-grading, pulling soil or mulch away from the foundation, cutting siding bottoms, or supporting steps or posts on a concrete base may be needed. Even pressure-treated wood is not immune to termite attack. Termites may enter pressure-treated wood through cut ends or cracks and may build tunnels over the surface.

2. Don't let moisture accumulate near the foundation. Termites are attracted to moisture and are more likely to recruit to a structure if the soil next to the foundation is consistently moist. Divert water away from the foundation by using properly functioning gutters, down spouts and splash blocks. Repair leaking faucets, water pipes and air conditioning units so water does not accumulate near the structure. Ensure the ground next to the foundation is graded (sloped) so that surface water drains away from the building. Homes with poor drainage may need to have tiles or drainage systems installed. Homes are not growing, they don't need to be watered or mulched. Reduce or eliminate puddling left by lawn sprinklers and irrigation systems.

3. Reduce humidity in crawl spaces. Ventilate the crawl space according to local building codes. Keep vents free of leaves, dirt, debris, and vegetation. Further reduce moisture and humidity in crawl spaces by installing 4-6 ml polyethylene sheeting over about 75 percent of the soil surface. Vents and vapor barriers can be installed by pest management companies.

4. Do not store wood or paper against the foundation or inside the crawl space. Firewood, lumber, cardboard boxes, newspapers, old journals and other cellulose materials provide a convenient source of termite food. If stacked against the inside or outside foundation walls of the house they provide a hidden path into the structure. This entry route could allow termites access into the structure without contacting the termiticide soil barrier. Prevent vines, ivy, and other dense plant material from touching the house. Other wood sources, such as dead stumps, tree roots, old form boards and grade stakes around and beneath the building and porches should be removed.

5. Use mulch sparingly, especially if you already have termites or other conducive conditions. Mulch is used in the landscape for aesthetic reasons and to retain moisture, reduce soil temperature extremes, and to reduce weed growth so plants will grow healthily. Houses however are not growing and do not need to be mulched or watered. Termites tunnel through mulch because of the moisture made available and the insulation against temperature extremes. Mulch is usually of poor nutritional value to termites. If termites are hungry enough though, they'd eat most mulches. Mulch placed against the foundation of the house can give termites access to the structural wood without coming in contact with the soil termiticide barrier. Research from Ohio found that fewer termites were found in stone than in cellulose-based mulches next to the structure. With that said, even crushed stone or pea gravel will retain moisture and can provide the same termiticide-avoiding bridge to the structure. Where mulch is used, it should be applied about 2-3 inches thick, and should never be allowed to contact wood siding or framing of doors or windows. Some recommend a 12-18 inch mulch-free zone next to the structure.

6. Consider treatment by a professional pest management company. Buildings have natural openings, often hidden, through which termites can enter. While the above measures will help make a house less likely to be infested by termites, the best way to prevent infestation is to have a professional treatment. A preventive termite treatment for a home is a sensible choice, especially if the structure has no prior history of treatment. If the building was previously treated by a pest management company, maintaining the warranty by paying the annual renewal fee is a good idea. All complete termite treatments are required to have a retreat warranty which means if termites should re-infest the building, the company will retreat the affected area at no additional charge.

Q: Can I treat the house myself?
A: Most people are trying to protect the largest investment of their life, so why risk damage to the house and environment by a poorly or inappropriately applied treatment by an inexperienced homeowner? Ridding a home of termites requires special skills and a pest management professional is recommended. Knowledge of building construction and termite biology and behavior, and specialized and expensive application equipment (masonry drills, pumps, large-capacity tanks, soil treatment rods and more) and access to professional termiticides are reasons why a pest management professional is needed. Professionals may use specialized detection tools, such as moisture meters, acoustic emissions detectors, microwave tools, thermal imaging, canine termite detectors (termite sniffing dogs), fiber optics and others. "Do-it-yourself" termite baits (see bait comments below) sold at retail stores or bought over the internet will seldom eradicate an existing termite problem (Potter 2004b).

Q: How do I choose a pest control company?
A: One of the most important steps to obtaining control of a termite infestation is procuring the services of a trained and experienced pest control professional. Use the following items as a guide in selecting professional help:

● Ask for referrals from trusted acquaintances who were satisfied with their termite treatment. Call at least three of these pest control companies and ask for price quotes, the chemical to be used and how the company plans to treat your house.

● If a company conducts an inspections, ask for copies of the inspection letter and map. Keep these records.

● Read the contract carefully. Different options are available. Some companies will offer to re-treat if there is a failure, while others may provide an additional damage repair clause. Read both sides of a contract to understand what you are getting.

● An annual renewal fee for inspections is usually offered. It is usually a good idea to contract for this service.

● Study the bids, a description of the work to be done and details of any guarantees and then make your decision.

● Be wary of prices that seem too low. Highly specialized equipment and training is needed to control termites and a low bid may mean low quality.

● In most cases, the materials to be used for termite control are only available to a certified applicator. The certified applicator should posses a certification card and a charter number should be present on a company’s truck to indicate the Tennessee Department of Agriculture has licensed the owner.

Do not feel pressured into signing a contract immediately. Termite damage occurs slowly. The amount of damage caused by taking an additional day, week, or month to make an informed decision is insignificant.

Q: Which treatment methods and products should I use?
A: A very challenging question to which the answer is based on an individual’s concerns and preferences, construction anomalies and other factors specific to each structure. Typically, termite treatments are placed into two categories - liquids and baits. The purpose of soil-applied liquid termiticides is to provide a persistent chemically-treated zone that kills, repels or otherwise prevents ground-dwelling termites from entering buildings. Until fairly recently, many products repelled termites from crossing the barrier rather than killing them. Newer materials such as Termidor (fipronil), Premise (imidacloprid) and Phantom (chlorfenapyr) are non-repellent or not detected, and termites tunneling into the treatment zone are killed. In general, nonrepellent liquid termiticides are proving very reliable in their ability to resolve termite problems with the first attempt. Both repellent and nonrepellent liquid termiticides can be effective and homeowners should not base their purchasing decision on a product alone.

Baiting is the other broad treatment category. Termite baits consist of paper, cardboard, or other similar cellulose-based products upon which termites can feed, combined with a slow-acting ingredient that can kill termites. Most baits are installed below ground in a plastic station. Aboveground stations can also be placed over active termite mud tubes found indoors. Foraging termites need to find the bait, consume it and share it with their nest mates, all of which results in a gradual decline in termite numbers. Baits may be the only treatment on some properties, while others may combine baiting systems around the structure with liquid applications to areas where termites are observed. Sentricon, Exterra, FirstLine, and Advance are examples of commercially-available professional baits.

Termite baiting is a very complex subject. More detailed discussion of the considerations in having your home treated with baits versus liquids is provided in some of the sources listed below. Chemically-concerned homeowners may find the concept of baiting more attractive. Some structures have construction features, such as wells, cisterns, drainage systems, etc., that interfere with conventional soil treatment methods.

Borates can provide another layer of protection when applied to wood in contact with the foundation, support piers and elsewhere. Several borate formulations containing disodium octaborate tetrahydrate are available to treat unfinished wood to deter termites from tunneling over these wood pieces into the structure. The Bora-Care^® label has been recently expanded to allow treatment of other areas too.

No matter which method or product is selected, it's important to have the application made by experienced, certified technicians, with a responsible, licensed pest control firm standing behind them. Termites are best managed with an IPM or integrated approach by reducing conducive conditions in combination with pest control methods listed above.

Q: Does the entire house need to be treated... or can they "spot treat" areas where I see termites?
A: Subterranean termite colonies may contain hundreds of thousands of individuals that forage in many different directions and feed on many sources. Small, localized or "spot" treatments are generally a gamble except in cases of retreatment. Because it is likely that termites will eventually find other points of entry into the structure, most reputable pest control firms will not warranty spot treatments.

Some companies may offer to do a so-called "perimeter" treatment using one of the non-repellent liquid termiticides. Usually, this involves a thorough application to the soil around the entire outside foundation wall of the building, and a spot treatment to the interior infested areas or critical areas such as pipe penetrations, bath traps, etc. The contract should state that this perimeter treatment is an incomplete treatment. I believe Termidor is the only termiticide that lists Post-construction Exterior Perimeter/Localized Interior (EP/LI) on the label.

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture requires a written contract for every termite control job. Retreatment is required if termites are found within one year of a COMPLETE treatment application, provided a termite contract has been issued. This required retreatment does not apply to “perimeter” or incomplete treatments. If “perimeter” treatments are considered, homeowners should inquire whether this incomplete treatment will be accompanied by a warranty or service agreement in case termites return. Before the termite service contract is signed, it should clearly state whether a warranty is given or not. (Service renewal agreements or contracts usually state that if termites return, the company will retreat the affected areas at no additional charge provided the renewal agreement is maintained.) Purchasing any treatment without an ongoing service agreement is a bit of a gamble. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) recommends pest management professionals use the TDA form, Disclosure of Modifications in Subterranean Termite Treatments, if they find it necessary to deviate from the standard application prescribed for subterranean termite treatments. This form or one containing the same information should be completed and signed by the applicator and the property owner.

Q: How long will the treatment last?
A: The actual length of control on a given structure will depend on such factors as thoroughness of the application, environmental conditions, and termite density in the area. All new liquid termiticides are required to show that they work for five years before they can become registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Should termites continue to be a problem the year after treatment, it may be due to termites finding an untreated gap in the chemical barrier.

Q: Have I been cheated if termites continue to infest my house after treatment?
A: Not necessarily. The best treatments performed by even knowledgeable firms may fail at times, if termites find their way through tiny, untreated gaps in the soil. While the intent is to establish a continuous chemical barrier, this is near impossible to achieve in practice. In the case of baits, it may take several months for termites to initially find the bait stations in the soil, and even longer to achieve control. The key to an effective treatment is to hire a reputable pest management company employing experienced, conscientious technicians. Companies will retreat affected area(s) at no additional charge provided the service agreement is purchased and maintained.

Excerpted and modified from:

Potter, M. 2004a. Entfact-639: Termite Baits: A Guide for Homeowners. University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/Entomology/entfacts/struct/ef639.htm

Potter, M. 2004b. It's Termite Season. Kentucky Pest News. University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. March 29,2004 vol. 1014 http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/kpn/pdf/kpn_1014.pdf

Potter, M. 2004c. Termites, pp. 217-316. In A. Mallis S. Hedges [ed. dir.], Handbook of Pest Control, 9^th edition, GIE media, Inc.

Potter, M. 2006. Protect Your Home from Termites. Kentucky Pest News. University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. April 3, 2006 vol 1086: http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/kpn/kpnhome.htm

Vail, K., H. Williams and J. Yanes. 2001. Subterranean Termite Control. The University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service. http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/pests/default.asp#home

IS SOYBEAN RUST A CONCERN ON HORTICULTURAL BEANS?

by Steve Bost

When soybean rust (SBR) arrived in the United States, the horticultural bean industry understandably was concerned that the disease might pose a threat to these crops, including snap bean, lima bean, kidney bean, southern pea, and English pea.. All are hosts of SBR, as are 87 other species of legumes. In general, SBR is considered a minor problem on horticultural beans, although most information has been obtained with artificial inoculations in greenhouses. SBR has not proven to be a problem on horticultural beans in Brazil.

While experimental evidence is lacking, the general consensus is that members of the genus Phaseolus, as a whole, are much less susceptible to SBR than soybeans. Phaseolus includes most of the types of horticultural beans that Tennesseans are likely to grow other than peas (Pisum) and southern peas (Vigna). M.R. Miles, of USDA-ARS, reports that “it is difficult to find SBR in fields of Phaseolus in South Africa, even when the adjacent soybeans are heavily infected.”

However, strains of the rust fungus can vary in virulence, and cultivars of the crops can vary in susceptibility. At the University of Florida experiment station at Quincy, a kidney bean cultivar had twice the level of infection of another kidney bean cultivar in a field trial last year in which SBR occurred naturally. The kidney beans and a scarlet runner bean line had noticeable SBR infection, although the severity was not as great as that in an adjacent soybean field. A lima bean line was much more resistant than the kidney beans or runner bean. The point here is that cultivars of a crop can differ in susceptibility.

We should keep an eye on SBR happenings in Florida, since their growing season is ahead of ours, and the behavior of SBR on horticultural beans there can be instructive to us.

If it appears that some types of beans may benefit from chemical protection, there are several registered fungicides that are effective against rusts. Protectant products include the strobilurins (Quadris, Headline), Endura, chlorothalonil, and sulfur. On snap beans, Nova can also be used. Nova is a sterol inhibitor, and provides kick-back activity, useful if infections have already occurred when the fungicide application is made.

OTHER UT NEWSLETTERS WITH PEST MANAGEMENT INFORMATION

Fruit Pest News

http://web.utk.edu/~extepp/fpn/fpn.htm

Tennessee Crop and Pest Management Newsletter

http://www.utextension.utk.edu/fieldCrops/cotton/cotton_insects/ipmnewsletters.htm

This and other "What's Happening" issues can be found at http://web.utk.edu/~extepp/whatshap.htm

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.

Visit the UT Extension Web site at http://www.utextension.utk.edu

Programs in agriculture and natural resources, 4-H youth development, family and consumer sciences,

and resource development. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture,

U.S. Department of Agriculture and county governments cooperating.

UT Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.