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Northeastern bees have suffered population declines over the last century and a half, largely due to human encroachment, which has fragmented their environments. But none has faced a more devastating, rapid and recent collapse than the genus Bombus -- the humble bumblebee -- say entomologists in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences online, March 5.
In this issue: • IPM Education in Latino Communities • Uninvited Guests: Bed Bugs • CDC Issues Health Advisory • Training Modules for Child Cares • Home Visits for Children with Asthma • IPM for Multi-Family Housing • Useful Websites • Upcoming Events
Now that you're over winter's last hurrah, it's time to think spring - and stink bugs. Plenty of the pests crawled in for a long winter's nap, but scientists can only guess what that means for the 2013 growing season. A few early risers ventured out of the crevices on warm winter days, but many more are as snug as bugs in a rug.
Emerging technology is arguably one of the most significant issues ahead for ag retailers. It is in that spirit that I present my top five technology trends, picked out as being the most important from the perspective of an information technology company.
A series of professional development lessons that promote safer and healthier indoor environments in child cares are available online through the Penn State’s Better Kid Care Program.
Stink bugs have become common throughout central Pennsylvania in recent years. Unfortunately, they are becoming common in living rooms, kitchens and bathrooms in the area. And according to Tom Ford, commercial horticulture educator with the Penn State Cooperative Extension Cambria County Office, this year could be "quite a banner year" for the pests.
Now some of Penn State Entomology's most popular publications are available in a free eBook format. The publications include information about bed bugs, cockroaches, spiders and other common household pests. The publications are available in several different mobile device formats, and several are available in both English and Spanish.
Invasive species are any species, including its seeds, eggs, spores, or other biological material capable of propagating that species, that is not native to that ecosystem; and whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. For a comprehensive look at a wide variety of invasive species, visit http://www.invasive.org/
For some folks, the idea of beekeeping makes them a little nervous. After all, if you take up the hobby "you are going to get stung at some point," says Tom Butzler, a Penn State Extension horticulture expert who, with entomology expert Maryann Tomasko Frazier, developed Penn State Beekeeping 101, an online course designed to get people interested in beekeeping.
As the emerald ash borer ravages North American ash trees, threatening the trees' very survival, a team of entomologists and engineers may have found a way to prevent the spread of the pests.
For decades, it's been a rite of spring. You hop in the car, head for the nearest garden center, and load up on impatiens, the best-selling, candy-colored annuals that thrive in shade, mound up like half a beach ball, and bloom their heads off till frost, asking little in return.
Everything from car seats to cat food can now be delivered to our doorsteps. But in addition to the item you ordered, what else may be lurking inside the packing box? Shripat Kamble, former director of the certification program for the Entomological Society of America and a professor of Entomology at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, scratches the issue.
Preserving genetically diverse local crops in areas where small-scale farms are rapidly modernizing is possible, according to a Penn State geographer, who is part of an international research project investigating the biodiversity of maize, or corn, in hotspots of Bolivia, Peru and Mexico.
Everybody’s heard of cover crops as a good source of nitrogen and a good way to cut down on soil erosion. But cover crops for disease control? In an organic system, they could be a good, albeit costly tool.
When Extension entomologist Greg Krawczyk started experimenting with a certain kind of trap to catch stink bugs last year, he saw a ray of hope. A light at the end of the tunnel, literally.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is moving to ban the sale of 12 D-Con mouse and rat poison products produced by Reckitt Benckiser Inc. because these products fail to comply with current EPA safety standards.
If Jeremy Barnes had his way, everyone would have at least one bee hive. A shortage of honeybees caused retail prices per pound of honey to increase annually for the last seven years. But beyond the growing cost of honey, Barnes focuses on the bigger picture, which includes the need for more pollination of fruit, vegetables and other crops. "Our environment is so toxic," said Barnes, a member of the York County Beekeepers' Association, of orchards and farm fields that are sprayed with pesticides and herbicides that kill bees.
New food safety and security regulations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will mandate producers adopt certain practices to reduce microbial contamination of fresh produce.
The PA IPM News Winter 2013 edition is now available. In This Issue: Another Invasive Pest Discovered in PA; Uninvited Guests – Squirrels; Natural Fungus Bed Bug Control; Penn State Ag Sciences Students Awarded International Fellowships; American Academy of Pediatrics Supports IPM; CDC Issues Health Advisory about Misuse of Pesticides for Bed Bugs; New Publication Offers Advice on Managing Wood-destroying Pests; The IPM Practioner’s 2012 Directory of Least-Toxic Products; Useful Web Sites; Upcoming Events.
A recent report from the White House recommended that more of a focus be placed on Integrated Pest Management and the reduction of overall pesticide use. The full report is available at this link.
