News Stories - Page 14

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.

“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.

Beekeepers, it’s time to grab your smoker and hive tool — the Young Harris Beekeeping Institute will celebrate its 30th year May 18 to 21. The four-day event, held in-person at Young Harris College, is an immersion experience for anyone interested in bees and beekeeping, regardless of experience level. Registration is open through May 16.

Inheriting a virus may sound like an undesirable bequest, but for certain insects, the phenomenon of beneficial virus inheritance is key to their survival. In the case of certain parasitoid wasps, viruses not only help these beneficial insects survive, they eliminate many agricultural pests in the process.

Urban landscapes have become a focus in pollinator conservation. Practices in urban plant selection and landscape maintenance play a critical role in pollinator populations and the preservation of essential ecosystem services.

The winner of the University of Georgia’s 2022 FABricate Entrepreneurial Initiative competition is a novel automated system designed to help pasture-raised egg producers increase their efficiency. Conceptualized by a team led by poultry science undergraduate student Chris Ayers and biological engineering student Jeffery Whitmire, Chiktopia is an automated chicken tractor designed to move pasture-raised chickens easily and efficiently while preserving the land and saving labor costs.