News Stories - Page 11

solitary oak leafminer damage CAES News
Solitary Oak Leafminer
“What’s wrong with the leaves of my oak tree? Is my tree dying?” Over the past several weeks, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension offices across north Georgia have been flooded with calls from residents asking about their oak trees. Whether white, red or chestnut oaks, the question has been the same.
A monarch butterfly rests on a leaf in Nova Scotia, Canada. (Photo courtesy of Pat Davis) CAES News
Monarch Butterfly Populations
For years, scientists have warned that monarch butterflies are dying off in droves because of diminishing winter colonies. But new research from the University of Georgia shows that the summer population of monarchs has remained relatively stable over the past 25 years.
Aerial photo of soybean field at the UGA Northwest Research and Education Center in Rome, Georgia, by Henry Jordan CAES News
MyIPM Row Crops
New insect wreaking havoc in your cotton field? Troublesome disease in your peanut stand you don’t recognize? No idea where to start? There’s an app for that.
Fire ant mounds seen on the surface of our lawns and fields are just a small portion of the ant colony where soil has been excavated to the surface. These colonies are unsightly and occasionally dangerous. CAES News
Fire Ant Management
There are many things you come to expect living in the Southern U.S. You can count on sweetened ice tea being available at every restaurant, there will always be festivals named after fruits and vegetables, and the weather after Easter will never make any sense. You can also count on fire ant mounds appearing in late spring. 
Close-up of a firefly against a dark background with its abdomen lit up.
Fireflies' bioluminescence comes from light-producing lantern organs in their abdomen where the chemicals work with other substances in the insect’s body to produce light. CAES News
Firefly Season
Georgia is home to more than 50 species of fireflies — or lightning bugs — more than any other U.S. state. The dancing light patterns we enjoy in our gardens and landscapes are an important, and nostalgic, part of Georgia summer evenings. To protect these insects and ensure that we continue to enjoy them, it is important to understand their lifecycle and habitat needs.
“This is beyond just a feel-good program — we’ve had students learn to read just so they could participate,” said Jennifer Berry, a doctoral student and research professional in UGA's Department of Entomology. “It clicks in their minds that they can learn — through beekeeping they can learn. CAES News
Prison Beekeeping Program
“I was one of those teenagers — I wanted to be an actress. I went to college for theater but dropped out and got on drugs.” This is certified beekeeper Joy Ishi (Cornett) Smith’s story. Or it was for a while.