Insects and Pests
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Did you know that your local Extension office can help with the identification of and treatment for common pests? Recently we have had an influx of insect-related questions, so this week, I’d like to share some information about proactive household pest management with you.Insects compose more than 75% of all known animal species and come…
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About two years ago, I wrote an article on a new pest we were seeing in Northeast Georgia named Trichonephila clavata: The East Asian Joro Spider. Since then, UGA and other organizations have invested a lot of time, energy, and research into better understanding this new pest as they have continued to spread and multiply.…
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Each year, I get a number of calls asking for identification of common garden insects. Unwelcome pests reduce yields and lower the quality of harvested fruits and vegetables. Insects may cause damage through boring, sucking, or chewing plant parts such as roots, foliage, or fruits and vegetables themselves. In addition to plant damage, insects are…
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This week, I had a client send me a photo of their yard. There were 5-10 holes in the lawn characterized by large crescents of dirt around the entrances. While we’ve talked about some other digging pests in the past such as armadillos, this damage was most likely done by Geomys pinetis, better known as…
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By: Robyn Stewart A new spider species has begun to make its way into Northeast Georgia, and you may have seen one yourself this fall. I know that I had one of these arachnids take up residence at my house near my water hose and stay there until we got colder weather. The culprit? Nephila…
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I had a client come in last week who has been having issues with extensive root damage on the plants in her gardens. The culprit? Nematodes. Nematodes are microscopic parasitic worms that live in the soil and can have a huge impact on plant growth and development. Georgia is one of the top 4 producers…
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Robyn Stewart When I was growing up, my mother had a variety of rose bushes planted in our houses’ landscape. Most years, I would play in the yard and watch these metallic green and copper beetles in the roses and on the leaves of the rose bushes. These beetles, called Japanese beetles (popillia japonica) are…
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Robyn Stewart Did you know that Georgia is the #1 state for pecan production in the United States? Typically, pecan harvest occurs between October and November for commercial orchards, but homeowners can often harvest year-round. Pecans are a good source of protein, vitamins, and minerals, as well as fiber—they make a good addition to any…
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Robyn Stewart About a decade ago, hay producers in Georgia began noticing a decline in their bermudagrass fields characterized by a bronze appearance. This bronze color was caused by the chlorosis and death of the top two to three leaves of the plant, which showed obvious evidence of insect damage and decay when examined more…
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Robyn Stewart Summer in Georgia provides some of the best grazing opportunity for our cattle operations, but also presents the challenge of external parasites. External parasites can limit productivity and affect a producer’s bottom line if not managed appropriately. Animals with a high external parasite load will lose weight, reduce meat/milk production, transmit diseases, reduce…