News Stories - Page 10

Lewis Bartlett presents at the Young Harris Beekeeping Event last May. (Photo by Sidney Rouse) CAES News
Beekeeper Outreach
No line of research is too big or small for Lewis Bartlett — literally. From mammoth extinctions to the western honey bee (Apis mellifera), he’s published on a wide range of topics during and since university. But bees have had his attention since childhood.
This female Joro is the first of the species documented in Spalding County. UGA researchers are asking citizen scientists to report Joro sightings at jorowatch.org to track the species' spread throughout Georgia. CAES News
Spider Drift
Since first making an appearance in Georgia in 2014, Joro spiders have steadily expanded their range in Georgia, and now — just in time for Halloween — the spooky-looking species has reached the University of Georgia Research and Education Garden on the UGA Griffin campus.
Honeybee research CAES News
Honey Bee Vaccine
Vaccines are a proven benefit in the world of animal science. Producers have vaccinated livestock and pet owners have vaccinated dogs and cats for decades. Soon beekeepers may be able to protect their colonies through vaccination. The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and Dalan Animal Health have teamed up to advance the world’s first honey bee vaccine.
Abnormally dry conditions this summer have kept Georgia's mosquito populations mercifully low, but that's no reason for Georgians to let down their guard, especially this season. CAES News
Mosquito Season Ongoing
Cooler weather may be upon us, but as we open windows and head outside, it is important to remember that we are still in mosquito season. Recent rains have filled all of the containers, cracks and crevices that can hold water around our homes and neighborhoods. While working around my yard, I have found mosquito larvae in the bird bath, a garbage can lid and in the rim of a recycling container.
A bee on a flower in the Trial Gardens at the University of Georgia. (UGA file photo) CAES News
Urban Bee Conservation
New research from the University of Georgia revealed that mixed land use — such as developments interspersed with forest patches — improves bee diversity and is leading to new solutions for bee conservation. UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences researchers found that small amounts of development actually had a positive impact on the number of bee species present in a given area.
The Joro Watch team is pursuing a number of approaches to Joro spider research, looking into their impact on native species — like pollinators and native spiders — habitat, lifecycle and management. To help facilitate more conclusive research, UGA experts ask that the public help gather critical data by monitoring spider populations in the environment. (Photo by Carly Mirabile) CAES News
Joro Watch Initiative
They have been described as palm-sized, parachuting creatures with the potential to spread up the East Coast. Now dozens of webs are appearing in trees, on fences and in gardens around the Southeast, and social media and message boards are buzzing with Joro spider sightings. Discussions of eradication methods ranging from chemical sprays to “Joro sticks” are rampant. Joro season is here.