“WHAT’S HAPPENING?”
The University of Tennessee/Agricultural Extension Service
Entomology & Plant Pathology - EPP #60
July 7, 2006
Most Home Uses of the Organophosphate Pesticide DDVP No Longer Permitted
by Darrell Hensley
Pending completion of the organophosphate cumulative assessment, EPA has determined that DDVP will be eligible for reregistration. EPA has reviewed the remaining uses of DDVP and has determined that risks do not exceed levels of concern, and therefore no additional risk mitigation measures are necessary at this time. EPA is releasing an Interim Reregistration Decision document (IRED) on the organophosphate pesticide DDVP (or dichlorvos) which no longer permits most uses in and around homes. The home-related uses that remain are pressurized aerosol spray cans, pet collars and a limited use of DDVP pest strips [http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/op/ddvp/ddvp_changes.htm], which remain because the Agency's most recent analyses show these can be used safely. Various foggers, crack and crevice, lawn, turf, and ornamental plant uses are no longer permitted. Two sizes of pest strips will also be taken off the market through a phase-out plan.
The Agency is committed to a process in all of its reregistration decisions that is both transparent and based on sound science. The Federal Register notice announcing the IRED on DDVP is open to public comments for 60 days. http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/2006/June/Day-30/p5892.htm. The Agency may take additional action on DDVP, if needed, based on the cumulative assessment of all the organophosphate pesticides that is being completed later this summer.
Insect Book Available
by Darrell Hensley
Purdue University's Tom Turpin, the creator of "Bug Bowl," a celebration of insects drawing over 12,000 people annually to its Purdue University home, comes Flies in the Face of Fashion, Mites Makes Right, and Other Bugdacious Tales (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1557534179/103-1151594-2252602?redirect=true&%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=283155).
This book by Tom Turpin, professor of Entomology at Purdue University (http://www.entm.purdue.edu/), has all of the spirit and fun that the "Bug Bowl" embodies. It leaves the reader with a breadth of useful knowledge about insects, which cannot be found in one place anywhere else. All the information that one should know about these peculiar invertebrates is present, even though the book remains an easy read. Turpin guides the readers through 3 orders of insects, insect biology, insect ecology, and discusses the relationship between humans and insects.
The enlightening analysis of Turpin's Bugdacious Tales may be useful for both farmers and gardeners who would like to know more about those mysterious creatures that eat their plants and crops. Anyone who wants a complete picture of the insect world, but a fascinating and fun read will find this book delightful and instructive. Since the book is easy to comprehend, children may also find that this is the bug book for them.
Don't miss out on the chance to find out what bug the ancient Egyptians worshiped, or which bug has survived for over 300 million years. With tips on how to create a butterfly garden and how to predict insect behavior, Bugdacious Tales is ultimately useful for all those who enjoy the natural world that surrounds them.
For more information e-mail Tom Bacher (bacher@purdue.edu) of the Purdue University Press or call 765-494-8251.
AMENDMENTS TO NATIONAL ORGANIC STANDARDS
by Darrell Hensley
USDA recently published a set of Proposed Amendments to the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (Crops and Livestock) for the National Organic Program. More information concerning this may be found at: http://epa.gov/EPA-PEST/2006/July/Day-03/.
NEW BOOK "Manage Insects on Your Farm: A Guide to Ecological Strategies,"
by Darrell Hensley
Nationwide, farmers are in need of insect pest management strategies that are effective, affordable and environmentally sound. To help meet that need, the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) announces the release of "Manage Insects on Your Farm: A Guide to Ecological Strategies," a primer designed to help farmers improve their farms' natural defenses against insect pests.
While every farming system is unique, the principles of ecological pest management apply universally. Manage Insects on Your Farm outlines the principles of ecologically based pest management and illustrates the strategies used by farmers around the world to address insect problems by:
Increasing on-farm diversity above and below ground
Encouraging beneficial insects to attack their worst pests
Enhancing plants' natural defenses against pests
Managing soil to minimize crop pests
"Well written and illustrated, Manage Insects on Your Farm provides both a framework for understanding ecologically based pest management as well as many of the useful details to help minimize insect pest problems," said Fred Magdoff, University of Vermont soil scientist and Northeast regional coordinator of USDA's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program.
Examples of successful pest management strategies featured throughout the book demonstrate real-life examples of how to address insect problems and develop a more complex and diverse on-farm ecosystem. Readers will learn how to minimize insect damage with wise soil management and identify beneficial insects to put these "good bugs" to work.
Download a complete copy of Manage Insects on Your Farm at www.sare.org/publications/insect.htm for free. To order print copies ($15.95 plus $5.95 s/h) visit www.sare.org/WebStore, call 301/374-9696 or send check or money order to Sustainable Agriculture Publications, PO Box 753, Waldorf, Maryland 20604-0753. (Please specify title requested when ordering by mail.) Discounts are available on orders of 10 or more. Allow 3-4 weeks for delivery. Call 301/374-9696 for more information on bulk or rush shipments.
Treat Pests Early Before They Do Much Damage
by Frank A. Hale
Several caterpillar pests are feeding on ornamentals. Bagworms and fall webworms are still small and easy to control with Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) and other common insecticides for ornamental pests. If you have not already sprayed the bark of Prunus spp.(this includes cherrylaurel) with preventive sprays of permethrin (Astro and other brands) or bifenthrin (Onyx) for peachtree borer, do so now.
While boxwood leafminer larvae are best controlled in May, a spray of acephate (Orthene), imidacloprid (Merit), or imidacloprid plus cyfluthrin (Bayer Advanced Rose & Flower Insect Killer) can still be applied to the foliage.
Aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies, and soft scale produce copious amounts of sticky honeydew. Neonicotinoid insecticides such as imidacloprid (Merit, Marathon, Bayer Advanced Tree & Shrub Insect Control), imidacloprid plus cyfluthrin (Discus, Bayer Advanced Rose & Flower Insect Killer), thiamethoxam (Flagship), acetamiprid (TriStar), or dinotefuran (Safari) can be used for these pests on ornamentals. Note that Safari is also labeled for control of armored scale which do not produce noticeable honeydew.
Asian woolly hackberry aphid (AWHA) populations crashed last summer (possibly due to the hot weather) and consequently the populations of the predaceous multicolored Asian lady beetles were also very low in most areas of Tennessee. The number of AWHA eggs overwintering on hackberry are probably low but aphid populations can increase rapidly when conditions are right. If a soil drench of Merit, Marathon, Bayer Advanced Tree & Shrub Insect Control, Discus, or Flagship was made last spring, you may not need another drench this year. First check the hackberry leaves for the white, fluffy aphids. If these aphids are found, either drench with the aforementioned insecticides or spray the foliage with Merit, Marathion II, Flagship, Safari, or TriStar.
Flea Control Steps
by Karen M. Vail
Although flea control programs should be initiated in the spring, many folks tolerate fleas until their populations start to increase later in the year. Listed below are practices that will help manage fleas in and around a home. Specific pesticide recommendations can be found in the UT Extension PB 1690 Insect and Plant Disease Control Manual at http://eppserver/redbook/sections/structural.htm.
The following measures should be performed on the same day to maximize flea control success: 1) treat the pets, 2) vacuum areas visited by pets, 3) treat indoors, 4) exclude other hosts and 5) treat outdoors if necessary.
1. Treat the pet
Adult fleas spend most of their life on the animal — not in the carpet. Untreated pets will continue to be bothered by fleas. They may also bring fleas in from outdoors, eventually overcoming the effectiveness of the insecticide used inside the home.
Several spot-ons containing active ingredients, such as imidacloprid or fipronil, are available from the veterinarian to kill adult fleas on pets. These are applied as a spot-on to the pet between the shoulder blades. Most pet owners are satisfied with the control provided by these type of products. It’s best to consult your veterinarian regarding flea treatments on pets.
2. Vacuum flea-infested areas of the home to:
• remove eggs (~67%) and larvae (~27%),
• remove fecal blood and other organic matter that serves as larval food,
• stimulate adults to emerge from insecticide-resistant cocoons, and
• straighten carpet fibers to allow pesticides to penetrate to the carpet base where larvae are found.
Vacuuming should be performed at least two times a week or daily if the infestation is severe. Seal the vacuum cleaner bag immediately and dispose in a garbage can with a tight-fitting lid.
Steam cleaning will kill most of the fleas, including those in cocoons, as well as remove larval food.
3. Treat indoors
The areas where pets spend the most of their time or sleep are where most flea eggs, larvae and pupae will be concentrated. Thus insecticidal treatments should be focused on these areas. Hardwood and tile floors usually do not require an insecticide treatment, but should be thoroughly vacuumed or mopped. See PB 1596 for precautions on spraying insecticides indoors for fleas.
4. Exclude other hosts
Exclude wildlife, such as possums and raccoons, from the area as the may serve as a source of cat fleas. Seal crawl spaces to keep animals from making a nest or den under the house. This is usually the source of fleas for folks that don’t have pets. Remove the urban or feral animals’ access to pet food by training the pets to eat their food in 10 minutes. Never leave pet food outdoors overnight. Talk to neighbors about treating their pets that have access to or live near your yard.
5. Treat outdoors
Most flea problems in Tennessee can be eliminated by treating the pet and the interior of the home. In cases where the pet spends a majority of its time outdoors, it may also be necessary to treat outdoors. One way to determine if the yard is infested is to walk around the property wearing white socks, pulled to the knee. If fleas are present, they can be seen against the white background of the socks.
Outdoor flea treatments should focus on areas where the pet rests, sleeps, and runs, such as a doghouse and kennel area, under decks, along fences, and next to the foundation. It is seldom necessary to treat the entire yard or open areas exposed to full sun because flea eggs and larvae will dry out and die when exposed to sunlight.
Fleas should be successfully controlled using the techniques described above. Ideally, flea control programs should be initiated no later than April and infested areas vacuumed at least twice a week.
Sources:
Hinkle, N. 2004. Fleas and the PCO. Georgia Pest Control Association http://www.gpca.org
Vail, K. 1999. PB1596. Chemical and Nonchemical Management of Fleas. University of Tennessee Extension (pesticide recommendations are outdated).
OTHER UT NEWSLETTERS WITH PEST MANAGEMENT INFORMATION
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
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 buy, mix, apply, store or dispose of a pesticide. According to laws regulating pesticides, they must be used only as directed by the label.
Disclaimer
This publication contains pesticide recommendations that are subject to change at any time. The recommendations in this publication are provided only as a guide. It is always the pesticide applicator's responsibility, by law, to read and follow all current label directions for the specific pesticide being used. The label always takes precedence over the recommendations found in this publication.
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 author(s), the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture and University of Tennessee Extension assume no liability resulting from the use of these recommendations.
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