University of Georgia
UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Department of Entomology
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Joro spiders cloak north Georgia in their webs
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It may be September in north Georgia, but it looks more like Halloween. Millions of palm-sized Joro spiders have suspended themselves in three-dimensional golden webs on porches, power lines and mailboxes in roughly 25 counties in the state — and counting. Although their numbers are a nuisance, the spiders are not considered a particularly harmful invasive species.
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“To my knowledge, this is the all-time highest funding amount the UGA IPM program has received, which is incredible because this is a highly competitive national grant,” said Ash Sial, coordinator of UGA's integrated pest management program. CAES News
IPM Grant
An impressive team of University of Georgia researchers has received $765,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture Crop Protection and Pest Management Program to support the continuation of integrated pest management (IPM) programming throughout the state over the next three years.
peaches CAES News
Pigskin and Peaches
Georgia and South Carolina share a border, a passion for football and pride in their peaches. With the University of Georgia and Clemson University campuses separated by a mere 70 miles, the Bulldogs and Tigers began fighting it out on the football field in 1897, with the teams set to meet for the 65th time on Sept. 4. As pitched as the battle is on the football field, there’s an even deeper rivalry between the two states when it comes to their peaches.
Like many other mosquito species, the larvae of Culex pipiens, commonly referred to as the common house mosquito, require certain vitamins to grow. These nutrients are extremely unstable in aquatic environments, and UGA researchers have found that gut microbes have to produce these components continuously in order for organisms like mosquito larvae to develop. CAES News
Mosquito Microbiota
To most people, mosquitoes are a nuisance. To University of Georgia entomologist Michael Strand, learning about their development processes could lead to new approaches in mosquito control.
The UGA cotton research team identified 24 Georgia counties where the presence of cotton leafroll dwarf virus (CLRDV) has been confirmed from commercial fields and UGA research farms during 2018-2019. CAES News
Cotton Leaf Roll Dwarf Virus
While aphids aren’t a direct threat to cotton plants, they can carry a persistent virus that is difficult to control and can cause significant losses in one of Georgia’s most important crops.
After molting into adults, periodical cicadas will move or fly to nearby vertical structures, especially shrubs and trees. The females will eventually lay their eggs on the ends of tree branches. CAES News
Tree Flagging
The emergence of Brood X exceeded expectations in north Georgia, as those of us who happen to reside in the “cicada zone” observed droves of periodical cicadas during the peak of the event. Over the past weeks, the song of the male periodical cicada has faded and fewer of these fascinating insects remain, but a sign of their passing is still evident.
Blubaugh Lab manager Katherine Hagan and master’s student Allison Stawara scout squash for various beneficial and pest insects as part of a living mulch study at the Durham Horticulture Research Farm in Watkinsville, Georgia. CAES News
Organic Pest Control
The hot, humid climate in the Southeast lends itself to nearly year-round insect, weed and disease pressure, and growing is especially tough if you’re an organic farmer.