Fall Armyworms

I have been getting questions on armyworms and consulting with other entomologists, they have been as well.  So, instead of me recreating the wheel, I am going to link you to a publication written by Dr. Allen Knutson.

Also, if you want to learn how to prepare your home to keep unwanted guest- in this case insects, not relatives- from entering your house, check out this month's All Bugs Good and Bad webinar provided by Janet Hurley.

2018 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series- recordings

Have you been keeping up with the All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar series for 2018?  There have been 6 webinars so far this year and we still have 4 more to go.  Webinars are held the first Friday of each month at 1PM CDT.

If you missed any (or all) of the webinars from this year, you can still watch them!  Webinars are available for free online, so grab the beverage of your choice, throw on some comfy clothes, and sit down to enjoy.  Click on the link below for the topic you are interested in, then click on the "watch recording" button at the top right.
Webinar topics for 2018 (so far)

• Feral hogs, ecology & control
• Misidentified pests in the landscape
• Argentine ants and others
• Everything you must know about fleas
• Attracting pollinators to our yards
• Bees, wasps, and hornets, oh my!

Upcoming webinar topics:

• Winterizing your home to keep pests out- September 7, 2018
• Structural misidentified pests- October 5, 2018
• Lice, Scabies, and mites- November 2, 2018
• Pantry pests- December 1, 2018

The 2018 Webinars are brought to you by the Ant Pests and Urban IPM eXtension Communities of Practice; and by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, the University of Georgia Extension, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and Clemson Cooperative Extension.  Series Coordinator: Dani Carroll, Auburn University.  Marketing: Amanda Tedrow, University of Georgia Extension.  Webinar Text Chat Moderators: Tim Davis, University of Georgia Extension, and Vicky Bertagnolli-Heller, Clemson Cooperative Extension.

Looking for 2017 Webinars?  Click here
Looking for 2016 Webinars? Click here
Looking for 2015 Webinars? Click here
Looking for 2014 Webinars?  Click here!
Looking for 2013 Webinars?  Click here!

2018 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series- FREE!

The 2018 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series kicks off Friday, February 2^nd  at 1 pm CST! 

Our speaker, Norm Haley,  from Alabama Extension, will be will be discussing “Feral Hogs, Ecology, and Control”.  The webinar will be recorded, so you can watch it any time.  To watch a webinar, just log in as a guest 15 minutes before the webinar begins. Please share this with anyone who might be interested. You can find the login information below. Thank you for supporting our program and we hope you listen in on February 2nd!

Event starts: Friday, February 2 at 2:00 pm EST

Event ends: Friday, February 2 at 3:00 pm EST

Location: https://auburn.zoom.us/j/209793415

As the numbers of feral hogs continue to rise in the United States, so do the problems that they create. Get a plan! Learn about their biology, distribution, and management strategies in this webinar presented by Norm Haley, Alabama Extension. Moderated by Mallory Kelley and David Koon, Regional Extension Agents, Alabama Extension. The link to the event will be https://auburn.zoom.us/j/209793415. Note: on February 2, the link to the live webinar opens about 15 minutes before the webinar. If you try to log in earlier, you will get an error message. 

For more webinars in this series, see 2018 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series. The webinars are brought to you by the following eXtension Communities of Practice: Ant Pests, and Urban IPM; and by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Clemson Cooperative Extension and University of Georgia Extension.

Here's the skinny on the full line up for 2018:

February 2 Feral Hogs, Ecology, and Control by Norm Haley

March 2 Misidentified Pests in the Landscape by Erfan Vafaie

April 6 Argentine Ants and Others by Dr. Eric Benson

May 4 What Everyone Must Know About Fleas by TBA

June 1 Attracting Pollinators to Our Yards by Molly Keck

August 3 Bees, Wasps, and Hornets, Oh My! byLynn Braband

September 7 Winterizing Your Home to Keep Out Pests byJanet Hurley

October 5 Structural Misidentified Pests by Wizzie Brown

November 2 Lice, Scabies, and Mites by Dr. Nancy Hinkle

December 1 Pantry Pests by Dr. Dan Suiter

Free Webinar Today- Don't Let Bed Bugs Hamper Your Vacation Plans

What: “All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series” 
When: Friday , December 1st at 1:00 pm CST 
Who: Alan Brown,  from ABC Home & Commercial Services in Austin, TX, 
Topic: “Don’t Let Bed Bugs Hamper Your Vacation Plans”.  This will be great information as many of us get ready to travel for the holidays.  

The link to the live webinar is here: https://extension.zoom.us/j/885968890

Details: The webinar will be recorded, so you can watch it any time.  To watch a webinar, just log in as a guest 15 minutes before the webinar begins.

Holiday travel plans often involve nights spent away from home.  Learn practical tips for identifying signs of bed bugs before they hitch hike home with you.  Alan Brown, ABC Home & Commercial Services, Austin, TX will discuss ways that travelers can detect and avoid bed bug infestations. 

Moderated by Taylor Vandiver and Marcus Garner, Regional Extension Agents, Alabama Cooperative Extension System. 

Note: on December 1, the link to the live webinar opens about 15 minutes before the webinar. If you try to log in earlier, you will get an error message.
The link to the live webinar is here: https://extension.zoom.us/j/885968890

For more webinars in this series, see 2017 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series. The webinars are brought to you by the following eXtension Communities of Practice: Ant Pests, and Urban IPM; and by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Clemson Cooperative Extension and University of Georgia Extension.

FREE Webinar series- All Bugs Good & Bad

Have you been watching the FREE webinar series All Bugs Good & Bad?  It happens the first Friday of each month at 1PM Central time.  If you are just now joining in, don't fret because past webinars are available online.

The next webinar is all about invasive ants.  I know here in Texas we have a fair amount of invasive ants, so this one would be a good one to watch.  Here
's the skinny:

WHEN: Friday, October 6, 2017
WHERE: online click here

New invasive ant species?  Yes, when we think we know about all the ant species, along comes new invasive ants capable of invading our space.  Dr. Timothy Davis, University of Georgia Agriculture and Natural Resources, Chatham County Extension Coordinator will introduce to these new invasive ant species that we should know about, assisted by Vicky Bertagnolli-Heller, Clemson University Extension. 

Moderated by Tim Crow and Eric Schavey, Regional Extension Agents, Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Note: on October 6, the link to the live webinar opens about 15 minutes before the webinar. If you try to log in earlier, you will get an error message.
For more webinars in this series, see 2017 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series. The webinars are brought to you by the following eXtension Communities of Practice: Ant Pests, and Urban IPM; and by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Clemson Cooperative Extension and University of Georgia Extension.

You can find information about past and future presentations in this webinar series online HERE.  If you want to watch one of the past presentations, click on the one you are interested in, look in the right top corner of the page, and click "watch recording".

Mid-year check on bug webinar series watching

Have you been tuning in the first Friday of each month to the All Bugs Good and Bad webinar series? If you have no idea what I'm writing about or you possibly missed one or more along the way, FEAR NOT....we've got you covered!

Each webinar has been taped for your viewing convenience (yes, you can watch in your PJs at home if you want).  All you have to do is click on the link of the webinar you want to view below and then click the green circle with the white arrow button next to "watch recording" in the upper right corner of the webpage that pulls up.

Webinars that have been completed so far in 2017:

Don't Let Tramp Ants Take Over Your Home

Protect Your Veggie Harvest From Hungry Insects

Mosquitoes and Insect Borne Diseases

Ticks

Aphids, Scales and, Whiteflies

We also have more webinars scheduled for the rest of the year beginning August 4th with me talking about various flies.  Webinars are the first Friday of each month at 2 PM Eastern time (that's 1 PM here in Texas).

The rest of 2017's schedule:

Drain flies, house flies, and fungus gnats- August 4th

Meet our native pollinators- September 1st

New invasive ants to know about- October 6th

Pantry pests, carpet beetles, and clothes moths- November 3rd

Don't let bed bugs hamper your vacation plans- December 1st (this one is my hubby speaking!).

The 2017 Webinars are brought to you by the Ant Pests and Urban IPM eXtension Communities of Practice; and by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, the University of Georgia Extension, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and Clemson Cooperative Extension.  Series Coordinators: Dani Carroll and Kathy Flanders, Auburn University.  Marketing: Amanda Tedrow, University of Georgia Extension.  Webinar Text Chat Moderators: Tim Davis, University of Georgia Extension, and Vicky Bertagnolli-Heller, Clemson Cooperative Extension.

2017 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series: Ticks

When: Friday, May 5th, 1:00PM CDT
Where: online
https://extension.zoom.us/j/332261879

In this webinar, Dr. Thomas Mather, Professor, University of Rhode Island,  (aka "the tick guy") will talk about an important arachnid, ticks.  Ticks that you do and don't see as well as how to protect yourself, your family, and your pets will be discussed.  Moderated by Ellen Huckabay and Bethany O'Rear, Regional Extension Agents, Alabama Extension. Click here to login as a guest and participate in the live event.   Note: on May 5th, the link to the live webinar opens about 15 minutes before the webinar. If you try to log in earlier, you will get an error message.

For more webinars in this series, see 2017 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series. The webinars are brought to you by the following eXtension Communities of Practice: Ant Pests, and Urban IPM; and by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Clemson Cooperative Extension and University of Georgia Extension.

FREE Webinar series- 2017 All Bugs Good & Bad

The 2017 webinar series All Bugs Good and Bad starts today (Friday, February 3, 2017). Please join us for this webinar series for information you can use about good and bad insects.  We used your feedback to bring topics that you suggested for 2017.   We will discuss troublesome insects such as invasive ants, landscape pests, vegetable pests, and house dwellers as well as arachnids too.  Not all insects are bad, though, come and meet some of our native pollinators!  The series kicks off today with “Don’t let tramp ants take over your home”!

Friday, February 3 at 1:00 pm CST

It's frustrating when ants march into our homes, schools, and buildings. Tramp ants such as Argentine ants and odorous house ants can be very frustrating to deal with especially if we are trying to control them the wrong way. Get a plan! Learn practical tips for preventing problems from these pests in this webinar presented by Dr. Karen Vail, Professor, University of Tennessee.  Moderated by Mallory Kelley and David Koon, Regional Extension Agents, Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Click here to login as a guest and participate in the live event.   Note: on February 3, the link to the live webinar opens about 15 minutes before the webinar. If you try to log in earlier, you will get an error message. 

For more webinars in this series, see 2017 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series. The webinars are brought to you by the following eXtension Communities of Practice: Ant Pests, and Urban IPM; and by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Clemson Cooperative Extension and University of Georgia Extension.

Please note that the connection room is different (and easier!) this year. 

https://learn.extension.org/events/2300

Schedule for the 2017 series:

February 3: Don’t let tramp ants take over your home; Dr. Karen Vail

March 3: Protect your veggie harvest from hungry insects; Zach Snipes

April 7: Mosquitoes and insect borne diseases; Dr. Derrick Mathias

May 5: Ticks; Dr. Thomas Mather

June 2: Aphids, scales, and whiteflies; Erfan Vafaie

August 4: Drain flies, house flies, and fungus gnats; Wizzie Brown

September 1: Meet our native pollinators; Molly Keck

October 6: New invasive ants to know about; Dr. Timothy Davis

November 3: Pantry pests, carpet beetles, and clothes moths; Dr. Eric Benson

December 1: Don’t let bed bugs hamper your vacation plans; Alan Brown

FREE Webinar: calibrating sprayers & spreaders

The October 2016 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series topic will be: Don’t use too much pesticide or fertilizer – learn how to calibrate your home grounds and garden sprayers and spreaders, presented by Ples Spradley from the University of Arkansas. The webinar is on Oct. 7 beginning at 1 pm Central time (2 pm EDT)

WHEN: Friday, October 7th 1:00 PM (central)

WHERE: https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/fireant

Concerns for the preservation of our environment and conservation of resources, as well as the costs associated with pesticides and fertilizers, make it imperative that pesticides and fertilizers be applied correctly. Learn practical tips for calibrating home garden sprayers and spreaders by Dr. Ples Spradley, Associate Professor – Pesticide Safety Education, University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture Little Rock, Arkansas.  Moderated by Ellen Huckabay and Taylor Vandiver, Regional Extension Agents, Alabama Cooperative Extension System.

Click here to login as a guest and participate in the live event. 

Note: on October 7, the link to the live webinar opens about 15 minutes before the webinar. If you try to log in earlier, you will get an error message.

For more webinars in this series, see 2016 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series. The webinars are brought to you by the following eXtension Communities of Practice: Imported Fire Ants, Urban IPM and Pesticide Environmental Stewardship; and by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Clemson Cooperative Extension and the University of Georgia Center for Urban Agriculture. 

Webinar on pollinators

2016 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series: Help pollinators cope with pesticides

Webinar TODAY! Friday, April 1, 2016 for the All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series: Help pollinators cope with pesticides

Friday, April 1 at 1:00 pm Central

Location: http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/fireant

Pollinating insects are at risk when pesticides are used carelessly. Learn practical tips for preventing pollinator deaths from pesticides by Jack Rowe, Dr. James Tew, Sallie Lee, and Dani Carroll from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Moderated by Mallory Kelley, Denise Heubach, and Ellen Huckabay, Regional Extension Agents, Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Click here to login as a guest and participate in the live event.   Note: on April 1, the link to the live webinar opens about 15 minutes before the webinar. If you try to log in earlier, you will get an error message.

Don't panic if you cannot login today at 1PM. The webinar will be recorded so you can watch it later.

A plethora of webinar opportunities

All Bugs Good & Bad Webinar Series

Did you miss the wonderful bed bug webinar presented by Amelia Shindelar?  The recording of the webinar has been posted at: https://learn.extension.org/events/1866

You can view the recordings of any of the previous All Bugs Good and Bad webinars at:
http://www.extension.org/pages/72197/2015-all-bugs-good-and-bad-webinar-series


The next webinar is entitled: "Wildlife in the Backyard - a Double-edged Sword." Tune in on December 4 at 1 pm Central time.  https://learn.extension.org/events/1886

Other upcoming webinars:

Bed Bug Updates for Pest Management Professionals
9am (CST) on December 1, 2015

• Topics will include:
• Best Management Practices
• Customer Service
• Protecting the Company

Understanding Bed Bug Control for Social Service Professionals
9am (CST) on December 3, 2015

Basic bed bug control information particularly relevant to social service workers who do home visiting

• Topics will include:
• Protecting Yourself
• Educating Your Clients
• Resources Available Through the University of Minnesota

Four Steps to Bed Bug-Free Premises for Landlords
9am (CST) on December 10, 2015

• Topics will include
• Encouraging Tenants to Report Infestations Promptly
• Helping Tenants Prevent Bed Bug Entry Into Residences
• Successful Control Procedures – a Partnership between Tenants and Landlords

For more information and to register visit www.bedbugs.umn.edu/webinars

FREE WEBINAR on managing cockroaches and ants

 

Cockroaches and ants!  We don't want them in our houses.  learn practical tips for preventing problems from these pests in this webinar presented by me, Wizzie Brown.

Note: On October 2, the link to the live webinar opens about 15 minutes before the webinar.  If you try to log in earlier, you will ge an error message.

For more webinars in this series, see All Bugs Good and Bad 2015 Webinar Series. The webinars are brought to you by the following eXtension Communities of Practice: Imported Fire Ants, and Urban IPM; and by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and the University of Georgia Center for Urban Agriculture. 

The link to this webinar is: https://learn.extension.org/events/1855

 

Look forward to your participation on Friday, October 2, 2015 at 1:00 pm central time.

 

If you happen to be unable to attend the webinar, it will be recorded for you to watch later at a more convenient time.

FREE Webinar on Bees, Wasps & Hornets- September 4, 2015

2015 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series

Is it a wasp, a bee, or a hornet?  Why do I care?  Dr. Charles Ray of Auburn University will explain the difference between these creatures, and give practical tips for preventing hornets, yellow jackets and other wasps from ruining your next picnic. 

Moderated by David Koon  and Lucy Edwards, Regional Extension Agents, Alabama Cooperative Extension System. 

Click here to login as a guest and participate in the live event.   Note: on October 2, the link to the live webinar opens about 15 minutes before the webinar.  If you try to log in earlier, you will get an error message. 

For more webinars in this series, see All Bugs Good and Bad 2015 Webinar Series. The webinars are brought to you by the following eXtension Communities of Practice: Imported Fire Ants, and Urban IPM; and by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and the University of Georgia Center for Urban Agriculture.

When: September 4, 2015 1 PM Central
Where: online webinar (you can learn in your jammies!)

All Bugs Good & Bad Webinar Series- Fire Ant Management Using Baits

When: Friday, March 6, 2015 at 1PM CST
Link: http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/fireant
Cost: FREE

Learn how to make the biology of fire ants work for you not against you. This webinar presented by Dr. Lawrence "Fudd" Graham from Auburn University will discuss fire ant baits and other control methods.  It will also provide the latest information on the Pseudacteon phorid flies, natural enemies of fire ants.  Moderated by Dani Carroll and Bethany O'Rear, Regional Extension Agents, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, and Vicky Bertagnolli-Heller, Extension Agent and Master Gardener Coordinator, Clemson University.  Click here to login as a guest and participate in the live event.   Note: on March 6, the link to the live webinar opens about 15 minutes before the webinar.  If you log in earlier, you will get an error message. 

For more webinars in this series, see All Bugs Good and Bad 2015 Webinar Series. The webinars are brought to you by the following eXtension Communities of Practice: Imported Fire Ants, and Urban IPM; and by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and the University of Georgia Center for Urban Agriculture. 


If you missed the previous webinar on Pesticide strategy- the good, the bad the ugly, you can still view it from the link below by clicking Watch recording in the top right corner.
https://learn.extension.org/events/1864#.VOdGJCzcBNg

2015 All Bugs Good and bad Seminar Series

The eXtension All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar series is set to resume Feb. 6, 2015. Dr. Kathy Flanders, an entomologist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, says the 2015 series will continue to emphasize good and bad insects that affect people every day.

“This webinar series will feature insects that affect homeowners and gardeners,” says Flanders. “These insects fall into two categories and we hope to provide information that is beneficial when treating your gardens or crops, pest-proofing your home and yard, and protecting your family and pets.  One webinar will venture outside the insect world to discuss the small mammals that share our backyards.”

Webinars will be held the first Friday of each month at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The first webinar in the 2015 series will discuss how to use pesticides safely and effectively. "Pesticide Strategy: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," presented by Kaci Buhl, Coordinator, National Pesticide Information Center, will be Friday, Feb. 6 at 2 p.m.

Charles Pinkston, a regional Extension home grounds agent, will be moderating the Feb. 6 webinar. He says it is imperative to follow the directions when using pesticides.

“All too often people think that if a little is good, more is better,” Pinkston says. “Using more pesticide than is directed is not only illegal, it can be dangerous and lead to secondary pest outbreaks.”

Upcoming webinar topics include fire ants, termites, beneficial garden helpers, and insect-borne diseases affecting people.

Flanders says The All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar series is designed to provide useful tips for those interested in solid, research-based information.

More information can be found at 2015 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series including how to connect to the webinars.  On Feb. 6, participants can use this link to connect to the webinar. Participants can login as a guest within 15 minutes of the start of the webinar.  Webinars will be archived and can be found on the 2015 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series page.

The 2015 webinars are a continuation of the nine webinars in the 2014 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series,  That series included webinars on pollinator health, termites, spiders, ticks, mosquitoes, fire ants, kudzu bug and brown marmorated stink bug.  Links to view these archived webinars can be found here.

The 2015 Webinars are brought to you by the Imported Fire Ants, Urban IPM, Disasters, and Pesticide Environmental Stewardship eXtension Communities of Practice; and by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and the University of Georgia Center for Urban Agriculture.  Kathy Flanders is the series coordinator.  Amanda Tedrow, University of Georgia Extension Agents, assists with marketing.   Shawn Banks, North Carolina State University Extension Agent moderates the text chat during webinars.

Upcoming Webinars in the First Friday of the Month 2014 Series

February 6, 2015 — Pesticide Strategy: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Presented by Kaci Buhl, Coordinator, National Pesticide Information Center
Moderated by Charles Pinkston and Danielle Carroll, Alabama Cooperative Extension System Regional Extension Agents

March 6, 2015 — Fire Ant Management Using Baits

Presented by Dr. Lawrence "Fudd" Graham
Moderated by Charles Pinkston and Bethany O'Rear, Alabama Cooperative Extension System Regional Extension Agents, and Vicky Bertagnolli-Heller, Clemson Cooperative Extension Consumer Horticulture Agent and Master Gardener Coordinator

April 3, 2015 —Common Termites of the Southern United States: Biology, Behavior, and Management

Presented by Dr. Robert Puckett
Moderated by Mallory Kelley and Ellen Huckabay, Alabama Cooperative Extension System Regional Extension Agents