News Stories - Page 43

Pictured is an adult whitefly feeding on a tomato leaf.
Picture taken by Saioa Legarrea/UGA. CAES News
Combating Whiteflies
Whitefly populations in south Georgia have exploded over the past several weeks, troubling vegetable producers during the fall growing season, according to University of Georgia horticulturist Tim Coolong.
All stages of fall armyworms, from tiny larvae to large caterpillars, live in a growth chamber on the University of Georgia campus in Griffin, Georgia. The worms are used to conduct research on how best to control the pest. CAES News
Worm Army
Georgia farmers are never surprised to see fall armyworms munching on their precious corn, sorghum and forage hay crops. They just hope for a low number of armyworms. This year’s population of the tiny destroyers, described as an “Armageddon-type outbreak” by University of Georgia entomologist David Buntin, is far from low.
As part of the LepNet project, Joe McHugh, professor of entomology at the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and curator of the arthropod collection at the Georgia Museum of Natural History, will help lead the effort to digitize millions of butterfly and moth specimens now locked away in museum collections across the nation. CAES News
Museum Collection Digitized
Locked in museums across the world, millions of insect specimens tell the story of the world’s climatic shifts, animals on the move and changing fauna.
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension turfgrass specialist Clint Waltz was among the UGA experts who presented their research findings at the Turfgrass Research Field Day on Thursday, Aug. 4. Waltz is shown explaining how commonly used products, like insect repellant, sunscreen, cooking oil and powdered Gatorade, can harm a turfgrass lawn. CAES News
Turfgrass Updates
More than 800 people braved the hot August temperatures for a firsthand glimpse of the latest research by University of Georgia scientists at the Turfgrass Research Field Day held Thursday, Aug. 4, on the UGA campus in Griffin, Georgia.
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 Readiness
While school is back in session, Georgians won’t be giving up on summer fun just yet. In fact, many of us may be spending even more time outside as it starts to cool off this September and October.
While many of Georgia's 63 species of mosquito thrive in wet weather, southern house mosquitoes — which transmit West Nile virus — prefer dry or even drought conditions. CAES News
Mosquito Update
School is back in session in most parts of Georgia, and many families are returning to their normal routines. But less time chasing summertime adventures may mean more time consuming news and, unfortunately, new stories about the Zika virus.