“WHAT’S HAPPENING?”

The University of Tennessee/Agricultural Extension Service

 Entomology & Plant Pathology - EPP #60

01 June 2007

PLEASE INCLUDE SPECIMEN SIZE WITH DISTANCE DIAGNOSTICS’ SUBMISSIONS

by Karen M. Vail

When uploading specimen information to the University of Tennessee’s Distance Diagnostics Web site, please remember to include a size estimate of the insect or plant damage. At the very least, include an estimate of length or photograph the specimen against a ruler, coin or other object of known size. Size estimates could be included in the box under “Describe the plants abnormal appearance such as ...” Thanks for your help in providing more detailed information so we can make a more specific diagnosis.

BRIGADE 2EC FOR TOBACCO 

by Gene Burgess

Brigade 2EC (bifenthrin) insecticide/miticide now has a label for tobacco insects. It is a moderately toxic, restricted-use insecticide. Please see the following table for insect, rate and remarks for control.

PSEP REMINDER

by Gene Burgess

Please remember when training a Private Applicator to have them sign the Roster for Private Applicator Initial Certification Program, EPP Info #756. You will need to keep this on file at least for the duration of the three year certification period, in case there is ever a question about a farmer, greenhouse or nursery operator being trained in your county. If you have misplaced this form, please contract me and I will send you a copy.

A good example of where the roster may be needed. A farmer may forget to send their copy of the triplicate form with the fee to TDA and eventually loose the form. He/she may come back to your office to get another form several weeks or months later . You may be out of the office. The secretary or another agent may have to check the record and see if and when they attended in order to issue them another form. Without a record where they signed the roster, you have no proof they were there. It is imperative to keep a good paper trail.

TOBACCO IPM REPORT

by Gene Burgess

Loudon County, Ryan Hensley reported:

Nitrogen deficiency in four of the sections.

Perennial grasses present in one section.

Flea beetles, under threshold, were present.

Eight turkeys feeding in the field. Natural pest control!

Williamson County, Sarah Kennan reported:

She is scouting a field that was treated with Admire and Orthene.

One plant had a virus.

A total of two flea beetles were found.

One plant with angular leaf spot.

There was a lot of dead aphids on the tobacco plants.

Overall, the tobacco plants were in very good shape.

Sevier County, Jessical Jarrell reported:

Horsenettle was reported in four of the sections scouted.

Hamblen County, Jessica Bolinger reported:

She scouted three different fields. She reported finding the same thing in each field.

Insect and weed problems were very minuscule as compared to lack of rain.

Some farmers are waiting for rain to transplant their tobacco.

HYPERBOLE ASSOCIATED WITH BROWN RECLUSE SPIDERS

by Karen M. Vail

Rick Vetter, University of California-Riverside, believes that skin lesions are often misdiagnosed as brown recluse bites, that there is an over-reaction to the possibility of being bitten and the possibility of the bite causing a severe reaction, and he’s probably right. Please visit his web site, http://spiders.ucr.edu/ to further explore this subject.

Very few people, about 8, have died from an alleged brown recluse bite and none of these bites were confirmed. In one section of his web page, Vetter provides a summary from an article by Phillip Anderson, a Missouri dermatologist who specialized in brown recluse bites for over 30 years, and several other authors.

•    Almost all brown recluse bites heal very nicely without medical intervention.

•    Only 3% of brown recluse bites require skin grafts.

•    Despite the fact that lots of people believe that brown recluses are deadly, there are only about 8 reported deaths from possible brown recluse bites in the medical literature, Philip Anderson states that there is still not one VERIFIED death from a brown recluse bite and none of the alleged fatal cases are convincing.

•    Often physicians will make a recluse bite worse by going in and messing with it by removing tissue and that outcome for most recluse bite situations is very promising with general care. One condition of skin necrosis, pyoderma gangrenosum, definitely gets worse when tissue is removed. (The correct treatment for recluse bites is simply RICE therapy [rest, ice, compression and elevation]).

Loxosceles reclusa, or brown recluse, is fairly common in central and western Tennessee and established in pockets of high populations in Knoxville. Lower brown recluse population numbers are usually experienced in eastern Tennessee. Rick’s belief that there is an over-reaction to the possibility of being bitten and the bite causing a severe reaction, is supported by data or publications on his web site. He uses the example of the Kansas family that found more than 2000 brown recluse in 6 months, lived in the structure for more than 7 years and still had no evidence of a brown recluse bite. However, I still feel it’s important to warn folks about avoiding potential brown recluse bites, even if only 3% of bite victims will require a skin graft.

Part of our recommendations for reducing brown recluse harborage in and around homes includes removing unused boxes and papers, sweeping out sheds and attics, cleaning around water heater compartments and removing old clothing from sheds, barns and attics. Please use caution when performing these tasks and follow recommendations below to help avoid bites. I'd keep a vacuum handy to remove any spiders and their webs as they are found.

Avoiding Bites

Most bites occur when the spider is pressed against the skin inside clothing or when rolled on in bed. To minimize bites in homes where brown recluse is present:

1. wear long rubber gloves taped to long sleeve clothing and closed shoes with socks taped to long pants when moving potentially infested items, i.e., cardboard boxes and many other items,

            2. store clothing in sealed plastic bags or storage boxes,

            3. store shoes in plastic shoe boxes,

            4. shake clothing and shoes before wearing,

            5. move beds away from walls or curtains and place glue boards under each leg,

            6. remove bed skirts from box springs,

            7. do not use bedspreads that touch or come close to the floor, and

            8. inspect bedding before climbing into bed.

See the UT Extension publication, PB 1191 Brown recluse spiders, http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/pbfiles/pb1191.pdf, for a thorough description of brown recluse and their management. Updated pesticide recommendations can be found in this year's Redbook, i.e., The 2007 Insect and Pest Disease Control Manual under the Household and Structural Pest Management for Professionals chapter at http://eppserver.ag.utk.edu/redbook/pdf/professionalinsects.pdf

NEW MOSQUITO REPELLING PRODUCT

by Darrell Hensley

The Discovery Channel Store recently released a new product, which is available for repelling mosquitoes. This new product is named the "Discovery Mosquito Shield." Their website (http://shopping.discovery.com/product-65413.html) reported that shield uses Geriniol, an odor that has been reported to have been field-tested to repel mosquitoes. I did a little bit of searching on the internet for "Geraniol" and found several documents indicating that Geraniol repels mosquitos but no hits on Geriniol. I am guessing they did not have spell check. The site indicates that the Shield has a dual cartridge designed to repel mosquitoes up to 120 hours per cartridge. It creates an invisible layer of protection that keeps mosquitoes up to 15 feet away. It has a compact design which allows you to clip it to your belt for hikes and long walks, or it may stand freely on a tabletop. More information on the product may be found at the following URLs:

http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9723410-1.html?tag=nl.e501

http://shopping.discovery.com/product-65413.html

INSECTICIDES & INSECT REPELLENTS

by Gene Burgess

See the following newly registered insecticides and insect repellents in Tennessee and label changes:

Bayer Crop

EXP3. AI= thiodicarb; RUP

For use in commercial seed treatment facilitites

Cerexagri-Nisso

Kryocide. AI= cryplite

Control of insects on various crops

Control Solutions

Grubz Out. AI= imidacloprid

Control of grubs and various insects

Dominion 2L. AI= imidacloprid; PCO;

Control of subterranean termites

Kmg-Bernuth

Clean-Up Pour On. AI= diflubenzuron

Control of flies & lice on beef & dairy cattle and horses

Sepro Corp

Talus 40SC. AI= buprofezin

Insect growth regulator for greenhouses & ornamentals

Tender Corp

Ben’s 100 Max. AI= deet

Repellent for mosquitoes, ticks, black flies and various insects

Univar USA

Masterline Bifenthrin 7.9. AI= bifenthrin

Control of various insects and termites

Taken from TDA’s The Registration Review.

HERBICIDES & PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS

by Gene Burgess

See the following newly registered herbicides and plant growth regulators in Tennessee and label changes:

Basf Corp

Tatus. AI= sodium salt

For use in filed corn grown for grain, seed, or silage

Cheminova

Accurate. AI= metsulfuron methyl

For use on wheat, barley, fallow, pastures and rangeland

FMC Corp

Associate. AI= sulfentrazone

Control of broadleaf weeds, grasses & sedges

Greenleaf

Shortstop. AI= paclobutrazol

Plant growth regulator for trees

Monsanto

Parrlay. AI= metolachlor

Control of annual grasses & broadleaf weeds in cotton & soybeans

Nufarm

Tahoe 3A. AI= triclopyr

Control of woody plants, broadleaf weeds, & vines in forests & industrial non-crop

Sanco Inc

Catt Plex. AI= glyphosate

Control of aquatic and landscape vegetation

Taken from TDA’s The Registration Review.

FUNGICIDES, RODENTICIDES, & OTHER PESTICIDES

by Gene Burgess

See the following newly registered fungicides, rodenticides and other pesticides in Tennessee and label changes:

Dupont

Section 18 approved for use of Dupont Harmony GT XP, Dupont Express XP, and Dupont Express Herbicides (thifensulfuron) on wheat

Valent

Section 18 approved for use of Select Max (clethodim) for burndown control of roundup ready corn and replanting of corn

Syngenta

Section 24-C approved for the use of Zephyr 0.15EC (Abamectin) for control of spider mites in cotton

Advan LLC

Tee-Off 4.5F. AI= thiophanate-methyl

For use on all turf applications

Agriliance

Thalonil 90DF. AI= chlorothalonil

Control of a broad spectrum of plant diseases

Taken from TDA’s The Registration Review.

FIELD CROP UPDATE

by Russ Patrick

Corn

Not as much activity as I would have expected this time of the year. I have seen some minor feeding of leaves probably by European Corn Borer. Very little activity in the traps as well. Two southwestern corn borers which means the overwintering generation has not arrived or something has stopped their emergence. If we do not get any significant moth counts within the next two weeks, I would suspect the population has been reduced drastically by either cold weather. Your guess is as good as mine. We did have some black cutworm moths in the traps this time. Four in Milan traps and 4 in the Jackson traps. They were still alive Monday when I checked the traps. This low

emergence of the moths does not indicate much except that they are emerging in low numbers. The soil is getting very dry at this point and I do not expect much of a problem from cutworms. However, anyone can be wrong even the weatherman.

IT’S SLIME MOLD TIME IN TENNESSEE

by Alan Windham

I have had three calls over the last two days on slime molds, which are probably some of the more interesting fungal-like organisms you are likely to see. They are extremely common and can be found on rotting limbs, wood, leaf litter, bark mulch, turfgrass and even the rotting subfloor of a bathroom. Probably the most common slime mold in gardens is Fuligo septica (the dog vomit slime mold). It’s yellow and gelatinous early in the morning, before its body (plasmodium) is converted to dusty, brown spores. Another common slime mold is Physarum cinereum. When we see it on turfgrass, it has crawled up on to the leaves of turf and is gray and powdery. Other common genera of slime molds are Diachea, Lycogala and Stemonitis.

In the garden, I consider these organisms as harmless oddities of the natural world. There is no need to try to control them. A grounds manager at a local mall called yesterday and I told him to explain to his bosses, first, there are no fungicides labeled for slime mold control; second, slime molds are harmless to plants and animals; third, slime molds are extremely common on hardwood mulch; fourth, other mulches are less likely to support the growth of slime molds, but may be more expensive; fifth, for the most part they are extremely temporal and will disappear almost as fast as they appeared.

ORNAMENTAL PEST ACTIVITY

by Frank A. Hale

This time of year, the bristly rose sawflies and rose slug sawflies attack the foliage of roses. They especially like the climbing rose varieties and they usually feed on underside of the leaf. They either skeletonize the leaf sort of like Japanese beetles or leave all but the clear top layer of the leaf like small window panes. These sawflies are not difficult to control. Malathion, Orthene, Conserve SC, and imidacloprid containing insecticides (Merit, Marathon, Bayer Advanced Rose and Flower Insect Killer, Discus) are all effective.

There are several types of leaf feeding beetles that devour the foliage of willows, poplars, cottonwood, and related plants. One of these,Chrysomela interrupta, is a close relative to the cottonwood leaf beetle, Chrysomela scripta Fabricius. C. interrupta overwinters as a oval shaped tan beetle covered with black comma shaped and circular spots. I found an adult beetle (less than 2/8 inch long) feeding on weeping willow foliage. Soon, clusters of lemon yellow eggs will be laid and the black spotted larvae will begin to skeletonize the foliage. Try to treat the foliage early before much feeding damage with Orthene, Sevin, Talstar, or Conserve SC.

PEACH TREE BORER

by Frank A. Hale

Now is the time to apply a first protective insecticide spray for peachtree borer. This pest attacks the trunk and lower scaffolds of trees and shrubs in the genus Prunus (cherry, plum. peach, cherryluarel, almond etc.). Ornamental Prunus should be sprayed with permethrin (Astro, Perm-Up and other brands), bifenthrin (Onyx), or chlorpyrifos (Dursban - which is only to be used in the commercial nursery). Treat again in the middle of July to give season-long control.

Commercial stone fruit trees (peaches, plums and nectarines) also need to be protected from peachtree borers and lesser peachtree borers. The lesser peachtree borer that tends to attack the branches is especially a concern in a year when the crop has been lost to freeze. Normally, cover sprays containing insecticide help to control peachtree borers and lesser peachtree borers during the growing season. If no cover sprays with insecticide are being used on these fruitless blocks, these stone fruit trees are susceptible to attack by these borers. An application of esfenvalerate (Asana 0.66 EC, Adjourn 0.66 EC) to the bark of the trunk and main branches will give some protection to the tree until a single application of chlorpyrifos (Lorsban 4E, Chlorpyrifos 4E) at the 3 pt/100 gallon rate can be made at the normal post-harvest date. This chlorpyrifos spray will then protect the trees for the rest of the summer. The spray should be directed to the trunk and lower scaffolds with a hand gun type sprayer.

Backyard stone fruit trees can be treated with esfenvalerate (Ortho BugBGon Multi-Purpose Insect Killer) as a direct spray to the bark (try to keep off foliage so as to not flare spider mites) on May 31, June 30, and July 15 (these sprays must be applied at least 14 days prior to harvest). A final application can be applied after harvest.

RACHEL CARSON’S HONOR IS HALTED

by Darrell Hensley

Recently (5/23/07) the Associated Press reported (http://www.bradenton.com/439/story/55953.html) that Senator Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma) is blocking a resolution that would honor Rachel Carson on the 100^th anniversary of her birth. He has delayed submitting a resolution to honor the pioneering environmentalist after a colleague signaled he would block it because of her aggressive fight against pesticides. Rachel Carson's book "Silent Spring" released in 1962, revealed the harmful effects of DDT and other pesticides. The books publication helped launch the environmental movement. Senator Benjamin Cardin's resolution had intended to honor Carson for her "legacy of scientific rigor coupled with poetic sensibility." But delayed the bill because Senator Tom Coburn, R-Okla., signaled he would use Senate rules to halt it. Senator Coburn blamed Carson for using "junk science" to turn the public against pesticides that could prevent the spread of insect-borne diseases. Senator Coburn is also a doctor, specializing in family medicine, obstetrics and allergies. Since Carson's death in 1964 from cancer, she has been celebrated as a hero by the environmental movement and as the inspiration for aggressive advocacy for nature.

WILDLIFE DAMAGE MANAGEMENT

by Darrell Hensley

A new Wildlife Damage Management Web site was recently developed through the collaboration of nationally recognized wildlife biologists, nuisance wildlife control operators, educators, and people interested in the field of human-wildlife relations. The Web site puts a wealth of information directly on consumers' computer screens. It's an excellent resource for anyone needing information about managing wildlife problems. To take full advantage of the site, register at www.extension.org and choose Wildlife Damage Management.

The backbone of the site is a series of illustrated pages on 65 wildlife species that cause damage or nuisance problems in North America. For each species, you can navigate easily through life histories, behavior, damage identification, economics, legal issues, and a complete list of methods for managing wildlife damage.

The eXtension Wildlife Damage Management Web site also features:

Frequently Asked Questions allows users to submit queries about wildlife management.

Ask the Expert provides answers to questions not already available in the Frequently Asked Questions section, usually within 24 hours;

News & Upcoming Events keeps the news and calendar of events current at the local, state, and national levels; and

Glossary & Diseases lists terms and illnesses commonly found in wildlife damage management.

eXtension is an educational partnership of more than 70 land-grant universities helping Americans improve their lives with access to timely, objective, research-based information and educational opportunities.

PLANT & PEST DIAGNOSTIC HIGHLIGHTS

by Bruce Kauffman

We received 108 samples from May 9 to May 30, 2007 including 51 samples via the UT Diagnostic Web Site.

ORNAMENTAL:

April freeze injury of azaleas, Chinese and native dogwood, Florida anise, and Alberta spruce; phytophthora root rot of yews; powdery mildew and euonymus scale on euonymus; botryosphaeria twig blight and drought on water oak; site stress on red maple, Bradford pear, and English ivy; elsinoe spot anthracnose and magnesium deficiency of native dogwood; winter injury of Leyland cypress, magnolia, and arborvitae; frogeye leaf spot of crabapple; root decline associated with poor site drainage of yews, cherry laurel, and dwarf Blue Star juniper; brown spot needle blight of Austrian pine; root decline associated with dry site of dwarf Blue Pacific juniper; leaf spot and twig dieback of rhododendron; fire blight of Bradford pear; April freeze damage, boxwood leafminer, and volutella blight of boxwood; April freeze injury and ornamental pear graft incompatibility; anthracnose of hosta; black spot of rose; drought symptoms on white pine seedlings.

TURF:

Anthracnose of bentgrass; brown stripe disease (Scoleocotrichum) of orchardgrass; root knot nematode on bentgrass; rhizoctonia root and stem rot on zoysiagrass; spring dead spot disease (Ophiosphaerella) on bermudagrass.

ANIMAL DAMAGE:

Woodpecker damage on viburnum.

INSECTS and MITES:

Bladder gall mite on maple; treehopper on sunflower; maple shoot borer and potato leafhopper damage on red maple; silverleaf whitefly on tomato; darkling beetles in hay; boxelder or redshouldered bugs in pine mulch; spruce mite on arborvitae; white grubs on tomato roots; ladybird beetle pupae on tree leaves; lace bugs on azaleas and rhododendron; eriophyid mites on shumard oak leaves; rose slugs (sawflies) on rose leaves.

In and around the house:

Trapdoor, house, and brown recluse spiders; bird mites; winged ants; formicid ants; lygaeid seedbug; undetermined mite; carpenter ants; solitary ground-nesting bees; steletto flies; red flour beetle; casebearer caterpillar on orchid.

FRUIT and VEGETABLES:

Wirestem disease (Rhizoctonia) on cabbage; sunscald on wax beans;

bacterial canker of Brandywine tomatoes; apple graft and/or root decline; herbicide damage to tomato, pear, cherry, grape and apple; April freeze damage to pear; fusarium crown root rot of tomato; hairy root of apple; tomato spotted wilt virus on tomato; leaf spot on Sweet 100 tomatoes; pythium stem rot of tomato; chemical injury to tomatoes, peppers and ornamental vines; pH imbalance of soil in cabbage; fertilizer burn of beans.

TOBACCO and FIELD CROPS: April freeze damage on wheat; pythium root rot of burley tobacco; spring dead spot disease (Ophiosphaerella) on hay.

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 attp://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.

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