News Stories - Page 47

CAES News
Pest Facility
Since the pest control training center opened on the University of Georgia campus in Griffin, Georgia, thousands of pest control operators from across the Southeast have received training. Now the training facility is expanding to allow pest control operators to learn how to control pests in commercial kitchens and schools and pests like bed bugs in bedroom settings.
UGA entomologist Ashfaq Sial inspects a blueberry bush for damage. CAES News
Spotted Wing Drosophila
A tiny fly is having a huge impact on American fruit farmers. Known as spotted wing drosophila, the insect is costing famers more than $700 million a year in lost produce and prevention costs.
Brad K Hounkpati is shown in his UGA office with images of his lady bug collection shown on his computer screen. CAES News
International Graduate Research
In 2015, the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) expanded a program that funds graduate student research travel, with remarkable results.
The most common species of fruit fly has red/orange eyes, but not all fruit flies have red/orange eyes. Fruit flies, typically just an eighth of an inch in size, often hover around and just above food (most often decomposing vegetable matter) prior to landing.

Habits: Feed mainly on decaying vegetable matter, compost, rotting fruit, etc. Often found around salad bars and restaurants where vegetable matter and juices collect. Also called vinegar flies, since vinegar (acetic acid) is a decomposition product of some rotting vegetable matter.

Interventions: Find larval fly feeding site(s) and clean or otherwise throw away rotting fruit or vegetable matter. Remove garbage, including the plastic liner, and other refuse at least twice per week.

Might Be Confused With: humpbacked flies, fungus gnats, moth flies. CAES News
Fruit Flies
Fruit flies can be a problem year-round, but are especially common during late summer and fall because they are attracted to ripe or fermenting fruits and vegetables. The best way to avoid problems with fruit flies is to eliminate sources of attraction.
Don't let fire ants ruin your afternoons. CAES News
Ant Control
Fall is the best time to control fire ants, so start next year’s battle plan now. Fire ant colonies have been growing all summer and will have reached their peak size by the end of September. It is best to attack these colonies before cooler weather sends them deep into the ground.
University of Georgia agricultural specialist Robbie Beck clears a plot of land on the UGA Westbrook Farm in preparation for the Sept. 17 Agroforestry and Wildlife Field Day. CAES News
Agroforestry & Wildlife Field Day
Controlling coyotes and clearing trees will top the list of popular topics at the Agroforestry and Wildlife Field Day on Thursday, Sept. 17, at the University of Georgia’s Westbrook Research Farm in Griffin, Georgia.