News Stories - Page 65

The adult of the hornworm caterpillar is a hummingbird moth.  This fast-flying moth has a long tongue that can suck nectar from deep-throated flowers.  Like a hummingbird, the moth can hover while feeding. CAES News
Hummingbird moths
Remember that big green worm with the red horn on its tail that was eating your tomato plants in July? Well, over the last month it has burrowed into the soil, pupated, and emerged as a big moth that shows up after sunset and feeds from flowers at night.
Use tweezers to remove ticks. Pinch the tick close to the mouthparts to remove as much as possible. If the tick head is left behind, don't worry. Having a tick attach itself to your skin is like having a thorn. Your body will expel it over time. CAES News
Tick control
Ticks make most people squeamish. No one likes the idea of something crawling on them, and I do not know anyone who wants to be a source of food. Luckily, there are things you can do to help reduce you and your pets’ chances of having a close encounter with a tick.
Mosquitoes feed on sugar water in Mark Brown's endocrinology lab on UGA's Athens campus. CAES News
West Nile virus outbreaks
West Nile virus usually peaks between Aug. 15 and Sep. 15 in Georgia, but this year doctors are seeing an earlier start. Entomologists and public health officials are worried that a near record number of Georgians will be sickened with West Nile virus this year.
Bidens growing at the Unversity of Georgia campus in Tifton as part of a SARE trail researching cover crops as beneficial companion plants. CAES News
Detering tomato spotted wilt virus
U.S. Department of Agriculture-sponsored research at the University of Georgia campus in Tifton is looking into the potential of using a cover crop system to improve soil and prevent tomato spotted wilt virus.
Beekeeper Jim Quick collects a hive of bees that have gathered on a gas pipe on the University of Georgia campus in Griffin, Ga. CAES News
Beekeeping 101
Jim Quick, who will teach a beekeeping workshop in Griffin Sept. 20, has been dabbling in beekeeping for the past 32 years.
A bed bug fills with blood as it feeds on a human arm. CAES News
Bed bugs from school
Just when parents thought head lice were the only insects to invade classrooms, bed bugs have been added to the list. Hotels are typically the place that comes to mind when bedbugs are mentioned, but the critters like book bags, too.