JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 Creeping Indigo | IPM in the Landscape | Turkey Vultures Hidden Costs PESTPRO Of Pests From Entomology to Landscape and Managers THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE FLORIDA PEST MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION Citrus Greening Disease

January/February 2017 | PestPro 1 2 PestPro | January/February 2017 VOL. 13, NO. 1 January–February 2017 PESTPRO CONTENTS magazine is a publication of Pest Management Education, Inc., FEATURES and is the official magazine of the Florida Pest Management Association Huanglongbing, Or Citrus Greening Disease 8 Hidden Costs Board of Directors 11 Of Pests Tim Brock, Brock Lawn & Pest Control John Cooksey, McCall Service Faculty Profile: Dr. Phil Koehler, University of Florida Adam Dale Marie Knox, Control Solutions, Inc. 16 Jane Medley, Pest Management Education John Paige III, Bayer Turkey Vultures Dr. Roberto Pereira, University of Florida

Sandee Weston, Pest Management Education 19 Tony Weston, Pest Management Education Creeping Indigo, Managing Director Danger Underfoot Philip Koehler (352) 392-2484 23 [email protected] Incorporating IPM Into Your Managing Editor Roberto Pereira (352) 392-2485 25 Landscape Management Program [email protected] Production Editor DEPARTMENTS Jane Medley (352) 871-1809 [email protected] 6 FPMA President's Message: Happy New Year! Advertising Manager Sandra Krempasky (904) 679-5615 7 Editorial: FPMA and PestPro [email protected] 15 Pest Detective: Redlegged Ham Beetle PESTPRO (ISSN 1553-4693) is published Jan.–Feb., March–April, May–June, July–Aug., Sept.–Oct., and 21 Past President’s Corner: Robert McGranahan Nov.–Dec. by: Pest Managment Education, Inc. 5814 Nob Hill Blvd. 22 Executive Suite: Why is Confidentiality Port Orange, Florida 32127 Phone (352) 392-2326 Such a Big Deal? Copyright © 2017 by the University of Florida and Pest Management Education, Inc., a nonprofit 28 PCO Pointer: Notice of Pesticide Application corporation working to help UF Urban Entomology. Technical information provided by the University of Florida. ON THE COVER POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Pest Management Education, Inc. Huanglongbing is a funny-sounding name, 5814 Nob Hill Blvd. but the devastation this disease has caused to Port Orange, FL 32127 the citrus industry is no joke. In this issue, FOR ADVERTISING information contact our UF/IFAS plant and experts explain the advertising manager, Sandra Krempasky, at (904) 679- finer points of citrus greening disease. 5615, or by email at [email protected]. Citrus photos by UF/IFAS

January/February 2017 | PestPro 3 SAME ACTIVE INGREDIENT IN NUVAN® PROSTRIPS®, NOW IN A DIRECTED SPRAY AEROSOL.

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© 2014 AMVAC Chemical Corporation. All Rights Reserved. AMVAC, the BEAKER logo, NUVAN and PROSTRIPS are U.S. registered trademarks, and NUVAN Directed Spray and AEP AMVAC Environmental Products are trademarks of AMVAC Chemical Corporation. Always read and follow all label directions. www.amvac-chemical.com. AV-2014-NUVANDIRECTEDSPRAY150WS PestPro | January/February 2017 4 628-1441 Nuvan Print Ad_Bed_7x10.indd 1 10/17/14 10:18 AM January/February 2017 | PestPro 5 Anne-Marie Tulp Message from the President-Elect of FPMA

ITH EVERY new year, there’s his leadership and service to our association committee with Suzanne Graham at the helm reflection on the year prior and this past year. A special thank you to those has brought in awesome speakers and sessions anticipation of what the new year committee members, region directors and that are sure to be pertinent regardless of the willW bring. First and foremost, FPMA is excited executive committee members for volunteering size of your company. and proud to team up with the University their time in 2016 and look forward to working Our Legislative Tour was on hiatus in 2016 of Florida entomology department to have closely with you all in 2017. Also a thank you due to scheduling conflicts, but we are back PestPro magazine be the official magazine of to Al Turner, our 2016 Allied Board Member, on track for March 20–22 at the Doubletree the Florida Pest Management Association. This for further opening the lines of communication by Hilton Tallahassee. Sean Brantley, Suzanne partnership allows us to support Dr. Koehler, with our allied members. We are listening and Graham, and FPMA lobbyist Missy Timmins Dr. Pereira, and their team in their venture in appreciate all of you! have a great program in store, so you won’t the publishing world, as well as provide our I welcome Marcie Downing as the 2017 want to miss this “behind the scenes” membership with the necessary educational Allied Board Member, and I know she will opportunity to get close and personal with our information to deal with current pest and continue with the positive strides that Al state’s capital. See further information below. business management issues. has made in our association. FPMA has seen Back once again by popular demand, FPMA Be sure to check out the “Past President’s many internal changes in 2016, but with the in Paradise returns to the beautiful Florida Corner” starting with this issue. Questions are dedication of Leslie Herren as our Director of Keys and Hawks Cay Resort. We were sold out asked of a past president and featured in each Member Services and Rachel Pantania-Borgie of this resort in 2013 and expect the same for issue so they can pass on their knowledge (and as our Event Coordinator we have been able to 2017. The Summer Conference committee is lessons!) to help you grow your own business. rebound with few hiccups. in full planning mode, so be sure to watch for Go to page 21 to see the first installment from We hope you all have your calendars marked more details for this event June 12–16. past president Robert McGranahan of Live and your registrations completed to attend the It is my privilege to serve as your 70th Oak Pest Control, who served as your FPMA Business and Operations Expo January 12–14 President, and I thank you for trusting me with president in 1970–71. at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista. In this important responsibility. I look forward to A new year also brings about leadership addition to CEU sessions, our new Business sharing my vision with you and unrolling some change within the FPMA Executive Tracks are being offered to give you the tools new benefits exclusively for FPMA members, so Committee. I want to take this opportunity you need to run your business more efficiently stay tuned! PP — Anne-Marie Tulp, to thank 2016 President Adam Jones for and take it to the next level. The Expo President-Elect, FPMA

MARCH 20–22, 2017 | DOUBLETREE BY HILTON TALLAHASSEE A DATE to REMEMBER The FPMA 2017 Legislative Days will be held March 20–22, near the beginning of the 2017 legislative session. We have an entirely new type of session for Florida politics with new lobbying rules, compensation rules, and totally different mechanics. Our industry never ceases to be included in some sort of legislative activity, and we need you to bring your voice as a Florida voter to the table. We have a very special lineup for you again this year, and we promise to make your experience a great one. We are going to give you an education on the process, a private tour of the Capitol, a chance to mingle with movers and shakers of the legislative landscape, face time for your voice to be heard in elected officials’ offices, and a special dinner with a lot of guests. Plan to attend now. Save the date, and be on the lookout for registration links at www.FLPMA.org, under Seminars and Events. — Sean Brantley, Regional Director, Governmental Affairs Committee, FPMA 66 PestPestProPro || January/FebruaryJanuary/February 20172017 FPMA and PestPro

HIS ISSUE of PestPro were on Saturdays. In some regions, magazine is a landmark. hundreds of pest control operators and PestPro will now be technicians came to the training. Tserving as the official magazine FPCA eventually changed its name for the Florida Pest Management to FPMA, but the close relationship Association (FPMA). PestPro with us at the University of Florida still will remain a source of technical remains strong. I am a proud honorary information from the University member of FPMA and hold the title of Florida to the pest management of FPMA Endowed Professor of Urban industry. In addition, we are now Entomology. I take seriously the job of partnering with FPMA to provide doing research to assist the industry as information about FPMA’s meetings a whole and to provide solid technical and priorities for improving the information to the Florida pest industry. As a professor of urban entomology the efforts of Dr. John Creighton, Dempsey management industry. at the University of Florida, I have had a Sapp, Earl Dixon, and others who were Florida’s urban pest management longstanding, close relationship with the interested in bringing together competent, industry is comprised of more than 20 industry. It is clear that our relationship upstanding pest control operators so percent of the companies in the United will grow even closer with PestPro magazine consumers in Florida would not be ripped off States and represents about one-third partnering with FPMA to deliver current, by fly-by-night operators. Back in the 1940s, of all pest control treatments. It is a important information to the pest operators up north would come to Florida, vibrant industry that has grown from a management industry. sell contracts, and then go home. FPCA was few pioneering companies to a corporate Over the years, I have been proud to work formed as an association of reputable Florida network of firms that exceed the annual with FPMA to improve and grow the pest companies. on-farm revenues for citrus in Florida. control industry in Florida. I remember when The first meetings of FPCA were on the We are proud to cooperate with FPMA to I first started working at UF in 1975 that University of Florida campus, and even in provide not only technical information to Florida Pest Control Association (FPCA) 1975 the FPCA management workshop was the industry, but also let the industry know was the only association representing the held in January at the Reitz Student Union. about FPMA’s activities and events. PP industry in Florida. FPCA was actually born Every year I did regional training meetings, — Dr. Philip Koehler, on the University of Florida campus through and in the early years all the meetings Managing Director, Pest Pro

Phil Koehler and D.R. Sapp

January/FebruaryJanuary/February 20172017 || PestPestProPro 77 A central Florida citrus grove. All citrus trees in Florida are at risk for citrus greening disease.

8 PestPro | January/February 2017 Huanglongbing“hwahng-lawng-bing” Citrus Greening Disease M.M. Dewdney, M.E. Rogers, and R.H. Brlansky

UANGLONGBING is thought affected fruit often contain aborted seeds to be caused by the bacterium and have a salty, bitter taste. Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. The causal bacterium present in Florida, HThe name huanglongbing means “yellow Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus, has not been shoot disease,” which stems from the bright cultured. Diagnosis is by polymerase chain yellow shoot symptom that commonly reaction, a technique used in molecular occurs on a sector of an infected tree. biology to amplify a piece of DNA across

Huanglongbing, also known as HLB or FDACS/DPI Halbert, Susan several orders of magnitude, generating citrus greening disease, is a serious citrus symptom of the disease, especially on sweet thousands to millions of copies of a disease because it causes tree decline and orange. Leaves may be small and upright particular DNA sequence. Detection of affects all citrus cultivars. with a variety of chlorotic patterns that often the bacterium is usually only possible from HLB has significantly reduced citrus resemble mineral deficiencies such as those symptomatic tissues. production in a number of countries in of zinc, iron and manganese. Some leaves At least four different species of Ca. Asia, , the Indian subcontinent, and may be totally devoid of green or exhibit Liberibacter exist. There are three species the Arabian Peninsula. It was more recently green islands. The blotchy mottle symptom that cause HLB in citrus: Ca. L. asiaticus; discovered in July 2004 in Brazil. Wherever also may be confused with other diseases or Ca. L. africanus, found in Africa; and Ca. the disease has appeared, citrus production damage such as severe forms of citrus tristeza L. americanus, discovered in Brazil in 2004. has been compromised with the loss of virus (CTV), Phytophthora root rot, water There is also Ca. L. africanus sp. capensis millions of trees. HLB has not been reported logging, citrus blight, leafminer tunnels, or that causes a disease in cape chestnut, in or in the Mediterranean Basin. stubborn, a disease that is not known to be and the most recently discovered, Ca. L. In August 2005, the disease was found present in Florida. solanacearum, is likely responsible for zebra in the South Florida region of Homestead Root systems of infected trees are often chip disease of potato. and Florida City. Since that time, HLB has poorly developed, and new root growth The host range of the Ca. Liberibacter been found in commercial and residential may be suppressed. As mentioned above, spp. that cause HLB includes all citrus sites in all Florida counties with commercial early symptoms of yellowing may appear species regardless of rootstock. Normally citrus. The HLB-causing bacterium found in on a single shoot or branch. The yellowing symptoms are severe on sweet orange, Florida is the Asian species, which occurs in usually spreads throughout the tree over mandarins, and mandarin hybrids, and warm, low-altitude areas and is transmitted several years, especially on young trees, moderate on grapefruit, lemon, and sour by the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri and affected trees may show twig dieback, orange. Lime, pummelo, and trifoliate Kuwayama. The Asian citrus psyllid was causing the productivity to decline within orange are listed as more tolerant, but this discovered in Florida in 1998 and now a few years. Affected fruit are often few and does not mean that the bacterium is unable occurs throughout the state wherever citrus small. Fruit may be lopsided with a curved to infect and multiply in those cultivars. is grown. central core and fail to color properly, In South Florida, the symptoms have been Early HLB symptoms on leaves include remaining green at the stylar end. Many severe on pummelo, lime and grapefruit. vein yellowing and an asymmetrical chlorosis fruit drop prematurely from afflicted trees. When psyllids are abundant and referred to as “blotchy mottle.” The blotchy A yellow stain may be present just beneath conditions are favorable, HLB can spread, mottle symptom is the most diagnostic the peduncle, or stem, on a cut fruit. The destroying existing groves and preventing the

M.M. Dewdney is Associate Professor at UF/IFAS Plant Pathology Department, M.E. Rogers is Associate Professor at UF/IFAS Entomology and Nematology

UF/IFAS file photo UF/IFAS Department, and R.H. Brlansky is Professor Emeritus at UF/IFAS Plant Pathology Department, Citrus REC, Lake Alfred, Florida. January/February 2017 | PestPro 9 commercial production of oranges and other citrus cultivars. Infected mature trees may decline and become nonproductive. Young trees that become infected will never come into full production. In China, the disease was reported to kill young trees in one to two years. HLB also can be transmitted with infected budwood. Therefore, use of certified disease-free planting materials is essential to Dr. Tripti Vashisth Asian citrus psyllid is the minimize further spread. conducts HLB research at UF insect that transmits HLB Recommended Practices Photos, from left: Tyler Jones, UF/IFAS, and Jeffrey Lotz, DPI and Jeffrey UF/IFAS, Jones, Tyler left: from Photos, HLB is difficult to manage, and continued production of citrus has proven difficult and expensive in areas where it is widespread. Since HLB is transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid, which is well established in Florida, there is clearly a potential for the continued spread of HLB throughout Florida citrus. The use of clean budwood and certified healthy trees is essential for successful replanting. It is now mandatory in Florida that budwood sources and nursery production are carried out under psyllid- proof enclosures and certified HLB free. Systemic such as imidacloprid are an important part of psyllid control (see ENY-734, Asian Citrus Psyllid and Citrus Leafminer). Some biological control of the psyllid is available, but the amount of psyllid control provided by introduced parasitoids has been insufficient to slow disease spread. The Asian citrus psyllid feeds on many rutaceous plant species. The psyllid has a preference for the landscape ornamental known as orange jessamine, Murraya paniculata. It has been found to be a host of Ca. Liberibacter spp. and can serve as a potential source of inoculum. Another rutaceous ornamental, Severinia buxifolia or orange boxwood, is also a host for the bacterium as well as the psyllid. Movement of these ornamentals is restricted under state compliance agreements, and they should not be moved from areas where the disease occurs. Scouting for HLB infected trees should be done routinely in young plantings so that infected trees can be removed. It is recommended that scouting be conducted four or more times per year. The frequency of scouting may be higher in areas that have high rates of HLB. Symptoms are easiest to find from October to March. However, symptoms may be present at other times of the year. The current methods used to scout are walking, all-terrain vehicles, and on vehicle-mounted platforms. Mark Continued on Page 29 10 PestPro | January/February 2017 Hidden Costs of Pests Philip G. Koehler and Roberto M. Pereira

discovered. This occurred at the women’s AS WE APPROACH the club building in Jacksonville in 2016. The colder months of the year, museum was being renovated, and they discovered that the wooden “bones” of the and the landscape and structure were completely destroyed by structural pests slowly fade Formosan termites. The museum that was renovating the building lost $7 million in from our minds, perhaps structural damage that was hidden from view it is time to consider some but determined by structural engineers to be structurally unsound. None of that damage of the hidden effects and was visible. hidden costs associated with A few years ago we had a student working on damage to thermal insulation due to pests in and around human termite infestations. Some of this damage structures. may occur much before the structural damage in a building is visible. Termites OU NEED to explain hidden costs to invade structures to consume wood and Termites in wall insulation your customers. These hidden costs are other -based material, but in the raise energy costs often forgotten when your customers process of finding and exploiting these considerY the cost of pest control compared materials, they may damage a lot more, such with their losses if they don’t have your service. as insulation material. The loss of insulation Make sure your customers know about pest properties alone can represent a significant and their hidden costs. hidden cost due to termite infestation. A 30 percent loss in the insulating capacity in a Wood-destroying organisms building can double the cooling load for a Damage from termites and wood-boring house, and that can represent a significant beetles remains hidden until termites emerge amount of money in warmer areas, where we as winged reproductive or beetles chew holes depend on cooling of structures for a great in the wood when they emerge as adults. part of the year. Depending on exactly how the termite And it is not just the damage to the infestation develops and how attentive the insulation component that damages the property owner is to changes in the structure, insulation capacity of the wood frame some of the hidden costs can go on for a buildings. Our experiments showed that long time before the termite infestation is relatively low consumption of wood can January/February 2017 | PestPro 11 change considerably the heat exchange allowed States will force you to go north — which by wooden elements used in structures. may actually represent a few savings in For example, just a 7 percent consumption cooling bills but increases in heating costs of 2×4 caused a 34 percent increase in the — or to go into a drier, desertlike climate. temperature passing through that piece of But even for those people that decide wood. A 3 percent consumption in plywood not to move, the cost of constant vigilance caused greater than a 70 percent change in the against fire ant bites and their consequences temperature going across. also add up. We have all heard about absurd prices they are charging for “EpiPens” Fire ants these days! One can say that this is a pretty Another pest with hidden costs is the fire extreme example, and it probably is! But ant. There are many losses associated with there are many other examples of hidden fire ants that are unseen. Do your customers costs of pests that we do not necessarily Fire ant costs go well beyond know that fire ants can tunnel under take into consideration. the ankles they bite driveways and roads? That tunneling can Continued on Page 14 undermine a driveway, causing it to crack and settle unevenly. We have seen roads in subdivisions undermined by fire ants that are not controlled. In fact, one hidden cost was to the state of Florida when it was building I-75 near Tampa. Construction of the interstate was held up for several years because fire ants undermined the road while a bridge was being built. The section that was already paved was undermined and had to be reconstructed because lack of road traffic allowed fire ants to tunnel under the road, causing it to collapse and crack. Fire ants are also important for doing hidden damage to electronics. For instance they can short out electronics on cars, air- conditioning units, and well pumps. Less known is that they can short out electronics that regulate traffic signals. Traffic signals that are not working can cause car accidents, another hidden cost of pests. Let your customers know that ants are attracted to electricity and can damage their expensive electrical equipment. Also, through the years working with these insects, our lab would receive phone calls from people asking where they could move in to get away from these pests. Some people just did not want to be bothered by these pests, but most of them just wanted a safe place to live with some family member that was diagnosed with a life-threatening allergy to these ants. In fact, recently, someone very close to us reacted badly to a fire ant sting and ended up having an unexpected trip to the emergency room. In this case of a family considering moving due to an allergic reaction to an insect, there is a not-so-hidden cost to this pest. Moving a family requires finding new jobs, moving expenses, adapting to new schools, and many other things that come with a price tag. Moving away from fire ants in the United

12 PestPro | January/February 2017 January/February 2017 | PestPro 13 Cockroaches If we consider another common pest group, cockroaches, the hidden costs are also extremely important. We can start with the costs associated with cleaning and sanitation of cockroach infested properties. If you have ever entered a college student apartment filled with pizza boxes and leftover food everywhere, you can imagine what we are talking about. Cockroaches contribute Cockroaches will really thrive in these Citrus greening locations, and then the preparation of these to child asthma costs causes citrus prices to rise apartments for the next resident will certainly require more than a simple cleaning. Removing all the signs of a cockroach infestation will certainly cost some money. However, it is the hidden health costs associated with cockroach allergies and cockroach-caused asthma that are the real damage. A study of inner-city areas in New York City, Washington DC, St. Louis, Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, and Detroit revealed that more than 50 percent of bedrooms had high cockroach allergen levels, and a resulting 37 percent of children were allergic to cockroach allergens. These children lost more school days and had more medical and hospital visits, and their caregivers had more nights of lost sleep, which results in lower productivity and other health costs. A study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health confirmed that cockroach allergen is the primary contributor to childhood asthma in US inner cities. Part of these hidden costs associated with health problems brought about by cockroaches are actually borne by society at large through the cost of social programs and others. Lawn and ornamental pests In the area of lawn and ornamental pests, there are also many hidden costs. For instance, we can start with simple cleaning costs associated with excessive dropped leaves or removal of weeds, but there are many others. Because L&O pests may also affect other economically important crops, some agronomic pests can find refuge in our yards and lawns. Also, important pests, such as the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, which transmits the bacterium that causes citrus greening disease, can find host plants in many urban yards. The hidden costs of these urban yards plants can be felt in the price of groceries we buy. Also, a lawn killed by chinch bugs allows fertilizer to run into a lake and cause eutrophication. Movement of fertilizer into water sources is greatly enhanced when a healthy lawn is not maintained. Your customers can help protect the environment when they control lawn and ornamental pests. 14 PestPro | January/February 2017 pest detective

Anxiety over bed bugs can cost a pretty penny Beetle on dog food Larvae on dog food Bed bugs Let us consider now the bed bug resurgence that has occurred in recent years. People well beyond the areas heavily affected by bed bug infestations were extremely worried about this pest. Despite the fact that no diseases are known to be transmitted by these insects, the public in general went into a bit of a panic mode as they contemplated the possibility of traveling somewhere and bringing bed bugs back home. The anguish that this simple thought caused was certainly enough to prevent Closeup showing adult features Larva closeup showing points people from visiting certain areas, and limiting on the tip of the abdomen their travel plans. We certainly answered Photos by Lyle J. Buss enough phone calls from people concerned with bed bug infestations. All that anguish probably translated into some canceled travel Redlegged Ham Beetle plans, discarded luggage and other belongings, unnecessary bed bug control products Lyle J. Buss (probably many of which would not have had EXPECT that many of you deal with common stored product pests such any effect on a real infestation anyway!), and perhaps other hidden costs. All this, of course, as red flour beetle, confused flour beetle, sawtoothed grain beetle, cowpea comes on top of the real costs of controlling weevil, and rice weevil. But how often do you see this one? This is the Iredlegged ham beetle, Necrobia rufipes. real infestations. Most of the stored food pests that I see feed on plant-based items, such as Hidden benefits spices and processed foods made from corn, wheat and other grains. However, of pest management this pest feeds mainly on -based items. They can be pests of dried So, as we consider the hidden costs of urban meats, smoked hams, bacon, and dried . They can also feed on cheese, pests, it is important to tell your customers dried coconut (copra), and even Egyptian mummies! Redlegged ham beetles about the hidden benefits of urban pest generally are a significant pest only in processing plants and warehouses where control. Whether these benefits are enjoyed by the pest management industry clients or by the large quantities of unwrapped, dried meats are stored. Most of the samples that general public, they are part of the collective I have received come from homes, where the usual source is dry dog food. good that comes out of a well managed urban The adults are bigger than cigarette and drugstore beetles, about 1/8 to 1/4 pest management program. Pest management inch long. They are a metallic bluish-green, and if you look closely with a goes beyond killing pests. It is an insurance hand lens, you’ll see that they are covered with short black hairs, have red legs, against the hidden costs that may not be and have antennae that end with segments expanded like a club. Larvae are tightly connected with the pest problem. Your caterpillarlike and about 3/8 inch long. At this early stage they are cream colored customers should understand that when they with brownish or reddish markings. At the tip of the abdomen is a hardened are paying for a pest control service they are plate with two short spikes. getting a lot of hidden benefits. PP Redlegged ham beetles aren’t much of a pest in homes, which have Philip Koehler is Endowed Professor and limited food options. In most cases they will likely be coming from pet Roberto Pereira is Research Scientist at food. Discarding the infested food and doing a thorough job of cleaning or UF/IFAS Entomology and Nematology vacuuming the area is usually the best way to get rid of the population. PP Department. Lyle J. Buss, Scientific Photographer, manages the Insect Identification Lab at the UF/IFAS Hidden Entomology and Nematology Department. benefits ROCK! January/February 2017 | PestPro 15 Adam Dale’s 2016 to-do list

FINISH PhD

Start faculty job at UF

Plan wedding

LOOK OUT, 2017! Adam Dale An Unexpected Professor of Entomology

ORN IN North Carolina and raised a compound microscope, and a variety of around a lumberyard and small farm, miscellaneous scientific toys. In high school, Adam Dale was exposed to hard work Adam was given an opportunity to visit and Band the outdoors from an early age. Whether participate in research labs at the NIH, which that meant digging up potatoes, cutting really sparked his interest in a career in science. back plants, carrying doors and windows, or Toward the end of high school, Adam installing hardwood floors, it had a major effect took premedical career courses and focused on his work ethic and outlook on life. In many on human biology. This included spending ways, each of those things have come full circle time working in doctors’ offices, hospitals, and are part of his life today. and dental offices. Upon graduation, he was Growing up, he was always outside building accepted to North Carolina State University, forts in the woods, wading through creeks, where he would study biology with the goal of fishing, or bringing home snakes and frogs. Not becoming a dentist. everything was outdoors, though. His father has always been an avid auto mechanic and Q&A with Adam classic car collector. As a result, Adam spent So, how did you end up as an entomologist? many hours as a kid working on cars and riding That’s a pretty long story. Basically, I figured out around in them with his dad. This triggered a what I was bad at and not interested in, met lot of interest in cars, which led to regular trips a professor who changed my life, and found to racetracks to watch and listen to the cars go something that I genuinely enjoy. around the track. After a few semesters studying biology at One of Adam’s aunts was also very NC State and taking many of the required His rare influential. A research scientist at the chemistry courses (which were not my forte), down time National Institutes of Health, she has always I decided that I needed to add some research finds Adam demonstrated the excitement and joy of experience to my resume. I also did not want to scientific discovery. This came to Adam in move home to work on the lumberyard for the outdoors many forms including Ranger Rick and National summer. I applied for a few internships through Geographic Kids magazine subscriptions, university programs and research institutes like 16 PestPro | January/February 2017 demonstrated an amazing passion and excitement about scientific discovery. I was on board, but I had no idea where to go with it. I eventually started to consider graduate school and strongly considered becoming a biostatistician. Everyone needs a good statistician. I can appreciate that now more than ever. However, I was fooling myself back then, and my boss knew that career wasn’t a good fit. He had recently begun to do research on insects and urban trees, which really sparked my interest, and he needed a student to work on the project. So, I applied to graduate school to get Golf course my master’s degree in entomology, in his lab. Throughout graduate school, I thoroughly pest management enjoyed the research I was doing and getting training that information out to people who could use it in their professions. Toward the end of my master’s program, I was considering pursuing a career as a county Extension agent. However, What are your hopes in your current Adam one thing turned into another, and all of a position? scouts sudden I was pursuing my Ph.D. I have several hopes and goals in this position, for as I’m sure others in my situation do. insects Seems like a rapid change. How did that Ultimately, I hope to develop a well known affect your priorities? and respected research and Extension program. It was a pretty rapid change of plans, but I am here to help the landscape industry in not a rash decision. It came after serious Florida and the southeastern United States discussion with my fiancée, advisor, and family. address and stay ahead of challenges in insect During my Ph.D., I became more interested pest management. I will do that by conducting in horticulture and trees since the insects I applied research and extending that to the was studying, scale insects, are so intimately industry.

UF/IFAS file photo UF/IFAS associated with their host plants. I took several The overarching objective of my programs arboriculture classes and ended up climbing is to use ecological principles to inform pest Florida the NIH, but was not successful. As time trees. I even brought this skill set back to my management and make urban landscapes more red was running out and I was losing hope, my grandma’s small farm, where I climbed and sustainable. We’ve got some serious landscape scale roommate came home from class with a flyer pruned 27 sixty-foot loblolly pines in three management challenges facing us in Florida. that he had found on a wall on campus. days. Although I thoroughly enjoyed doing it, The key to addressing them is developing The flyer read something like, I didn’t enjoy how I felt afterwards. I won’t do effective strategies that people can easily “Ornamental entomology: summer that again. understand and use, which is what I lab assistant position. No experience Toward the end of my Ph.D. program, I strive for. required.” Then it described the duties, began to think a career in academia would be which included counting insects in the a good fit for me. Especially if I could remain What do you do outside of work? summer heat and greenhouses. I was involved with research and Extension in urban Lately, not much. I suppose that not impressed. And I had no clue what ecosystems. I love the research, study system, comes with being in my first year of ornamental entomology was. However, I was and getting out and interacting with the this position, though. I am also getting out of options and time. I applied and got the professionals that I am trying to help. However, married in North Carolina in May, which job. Not too sure that I had any competition. I didn’t seriously consider it due to the scarcity means that my fiancée and I have been of jobs, particularly ones that fit my expertise. doing a lot of wedding planning. And the rest is history, right? When my current position in turfgrass and I have been passionate about music for quite Pretty much. But not because I had a well- ornamental entomology was announced, it some time. Over the past several years I have defined plan. My summer position turned seemed like a perfect fit, and I had to apply. tried to see as many live shows as I can. I also into a lab technician position for about the I am extremely fortunate to have had the try to spend as much time outdoors as possible. next four years. It was a reliable, flexible and opportunities that got me here to UF and for One of my favorite things about Florida is that enjoyable job, and I liked most of the people I things to work out the way they have. What is I can do just that. My fiancée and I have a state worked with. still somewhat surreal to me is that my previous parks pass and have visited several since we Not long after getting that job, my boss, major professor, and good friend is now moved down. Another passion that I developed interests began to shift away from human my colleague, collaborator, and counterpart during graduate school is photography, biology and dentistry toward environmental at another land-grant university. I don’t think particularly macro photography of wildlife and sciences, insects, and plants. My boss had many people would have predicted this when plants. Florida seems to be a perfect place for a big influence on that. He was a brand- my college roommate came home with that job that, so I am looking forward to getting out and new assistant professor, and like my aunt, advertisement. capturing what Florida has to offer. PP January/February 2017 | PestPro 17 We know pest control. We know pest control business ownership. We sold our own 21-year-old Florida pest control business to the sixth-largest pest control company in the nation,and we can put our real-world expertise to work for you. Ask yourself ... do you own your company or does your company own you?

18 PestPro | January/February 2017 Turkey vulture

t Winter vulture roosts can be a serious nuisance. Wintering flocks use the same roosting sites year after year. Turkey vulture photo by Larry Korhnak. Turkey Vultures Florida is home to two species of William H. Kern, Jr. New World vultures: the turkey about turkey vultures are 1) congregations vulture, Cathartes aura, and the around landfills looking for food, 2) black vulture, Coragyps atratus. winter roosts on buildings causing damage to the structure and accumulated fecal EW WORLD vultures and condors contamination of the structure, 3) winter are placed in their own order, roosts in trees in residential areas with Cathartiformes. They are not related complaints of odor, fecal contamination, Nto the Old World vultures, which are placed in and noise, and 4) risk of airplane strike a different bird order. Vultures are extremely threats around airports. important to keeping wildlife populations Continued next page healthy by disposing of diseased animal carcasses. Their strong stomach acids and Above: A comparison of the silhouette of enzymes allow them to do this without getting a turkey vulture and the black vulture sick themselves. when seen from below. The difference is Turkey vultures are much more evident visible from over 100 yards away with in winter in the southeastern United States. the naked eye. During spring and summer vultures pair up to nest, and the pairs tend to disperse over a large Top left map: Turkey vulture summer area in North America. As winter approaches, distribution, 2007 – 2013, North both species of vultures migrate south and American Breeding Bird Survey. concentrate in the Gulf Coast and South Atlantic states. This is the season when most Bottom left map: Turkey vulture winter distribution, based on Christmas Bird complaints occur about vultures roosting on Count data. structures such as buildings and towers or in trees in large numbers. While black vultures have been known to kill newborn livestock, especially calves and lambs, turkey vultures rarely, if ever, show this predatory behavior. The main complaints January/February 2017 | PestPestProPro 19 Management of vulture issues bombs — 15 mm bangers that are When vulture roosts become a fired using a .22 cal. / 6 mm black. problem, the main solutions are EPCD do not include devices harassment and habitat modification. that do not explode, like 15 mm Trapping and relocation or lethal bird screamers. EPCDs are those measures should only be considered that produce a report (bang) and as last resorts when harassment and are classed as Division 1.4, minor habitat modification have been tried explosion hazard, not mass-detonating and failed. Vultures are protected explosives. The Bureau of Alcohol, by federal law and cannot be killed Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives or injured without a migratory bird requires people that use EPCD have depredation permit from the U.S. an ATF explosives license, maintain Fish and Wildlife Service. Assistance records of purchase and use of EPCD, with vulture problems, including and store exploding devices in a permit applications, is available from Type 4 magazine. This is same type USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services, of magazine you have to use to store 2820 E. University Ave., Gainesville, black powder and smokeless powder. Shellcrackers are fired from a FL 32641, (352) 377-5556 or (352) EPCD can be very disturbing to 12-gauge shotgun, preferably with an improved cylinder choke. 375-2229, or your state’s USDA- neighbors, and it is always wise to Always use hearing and eye Wildlife Services office. warn your neighbors and inform the protection. A single shot, break- Harassment usually involves noise police that bird-control harassment action shotgun is inexpensive to disturb the birds when they are will be taking place. Police will still and very easy to check for barrel trying to settle into their night roost. need to come out, but they won’t be obstructions. Aim to place the Early efforts may be successful with worried that they are driving into a cracker over the roosting birds for just making noise like banging pots dangerous situation. best effect. When using 15 mm or air horns, but vultures habituate to Lasers have also been shown to be bangers and screamers, always these noises quickly. This requires an effective for disrupting night roosts. wear gloves to protect your hands escalation to exploding pest control Some lasers for bird harassment from the exhaust blown from the devices (EPCD) like shellcrackers, include the Desman laser gun, which back of the projectile. fuse crackers, exploding rockets projects a red 632 nm helium-neon (oversized bottle rockets), and bird laser beam up to 1.5 miles. The Avian Dissuader™ projects a red 650 nm wavelength beam up to 1,500 feet, and the LEM50 Bird Deterrent Laser Torch projects a green 532 nm beam for up to 1,640 yards. Habitat modification includes methods like flight disruptors, roost deterrents like slanting boards, electrified tracks on ledges, moving perch deterrents, and food removal and disposal (bury or incinerate carcasses in a timely manner). One highly effective method combined with harassment pyrotechnics are the use of effigies of dead vultures. Vultures recognize a dead vulture hanging head down from the roost site. Originally, taxidermy prepared mounts were used, but attempts have been made to manufacture an acceptable synthetic effigy.P P

William H. Kern, Jr. is Associate Professor of Entomology at UF/ A taxidermy vulture effigy used to discourage vultures from a winter roost site. Left, closeup of effigy IFAS Ft. Lauderdale Research and prior to being deployed. Right, effigy in place. Education Center.

20 PestPestProPro | January/February 2017 ROBERT McGRANAHAN, LIVE OAK PEST CONTROL, FPMA PRESIDENT 1970–1971

Name: Robert F. (Bob) McGranahan customers. I worked my way up through the Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida ranks at Clements Pest Control and became the Where you live now: Frances and I live on vice president. our farm in McAlpin, Florida. Our daughter, Best advice: I remember doing service for a Melissa Snodgrass, and her family are the fifth customer in Ft. Lauderdale who once told me, generation to live on the family farm. “If you work eight hours a day, you have a lot About your company: My wife, Frances, of competition; if you work more than eight and I took a leap of faith and moved to hours a day, you cut your competition down.” Suwannee County in January 1972. We began I don’t know that I have ever worked just an building Live Oak Pest Control in February eight-hour day since. that same year, with zero clients. I served as the What would you tell someone new technician, and Frances as secretary. I was also to the business? This business is based on farming full time, and Frances was working at customer service. If you always put the customer the local hospital. We slowly built the business first, are dedicated to your company, and have a to cover 16 counties in North Central Florida, good work ethic, things will fall into place. and currently employ 36 employees, including Where can we find you when you aren’t our daughter, Melissa, and ourselves. First paying job: I began working at Manor at the office? I still work on the family farm Market in Ft. Lauderdale at the age of 14. every day. I also enjoy hunting for deer and It was a locally owned grocery store in my turkey on the farm with my grandchildren and neighborhood. It was here that the value of friends. customer service was instilled in me. As a Hiring trait: Honesty and work ethic are the bagboy, I quickly learned that the goal was to most valuable assets an employee can possess. keep the customers returning week after week. I have had several mentors in the pest First break: In 1959, I was a senior in high control industry that were also past presidents school and enrolled in the DCT program. of FPMA. Pete Clements took the initiative Pete Clements hired me to work half a to teach me about the pest control industry day Monday–Saturday. I did a little bit of and enable me to work through the chairs to everything including assisting on termite become President of FPMA. Both Dempsey jobs, working in the lawn and garden center, Sapp and Art Brown set a wonderful example Bob and Frances McGranahan running errands, and delivering fertilizer to of leadership and work ethic. PP

January/February 2017 | PestPro 21 EXECUTIVE SUITE Why is CONFIDENTIALITY Such a BIG DEAL? RAND HOLLON

ONFIDENTIALITY and the immune to the pest industry rumor mill. professionally managed release of Industry gossip, true or not, can sometimes information works to reduce risk and make both employees and customers look for Cprotect asset value for both the buyer and the the exit door. seller of a pest control business. When rumors of a sale spread, there’s often A pest control business’s biggest assets are a shift in employee thinking. Happy, content intangible. They aren’t physical in nature — employees start worrying about job security you can’t touch them. Sure, there are plenty and protecting their future — they start of tangible assets such as vehicles, inventory, looking at options. Employees that are not and bulb dusters. But when it comes to pest so content but are held by a regular paycheck control business assets, the Big Kahuna is the may start dusting off their rèsumès. More CONFIDENTIALITY selling company’s goodwill. often than not, employees assume a paycheck In a nutshell, it’s the goodwill of the selling is no longer guaranteed when they think a HELPS PROTECT company’s customers to continue to accept future sale is in the offing. and pay for future services as provided by the Most pest control companies are small, the buying company. And there isn’t much that closely held family businesses where translates customer goodwill better than the customers are generally as loyal to you, the goodwill of a selling company’s employees. owner, as they are to the services you provide. Not a bad deal. And, in most cases, your business dealings GOODWILL For a little money, or a lot of money, have been conducted with mutual respect the buyer gets a business complete with and integrity. You, the owner, can mean established customers ready to accept and more to your customer than the services your VALUE pay for future pest control services…and company provides. A breach in confidentiality employees ready to provide those services. can make that customer start thinking of of a What could possibly go wrong? Plenty. other options that don’t include you. Without confidentiality and professionally Confidentiality helps protect the goodwill PEST CONTROL managed release of company information, value of a pest control company’s customers overall transaction value for both buyer and and employees. seller can be put at great risk. Confidentiality should be enforced in an COMPANY’S And when risk increases, transaction value adaptation of the military’s classic “need-to- decreases! Never good. know” principle and be managed to help In addition to your customers your form a cornerstone of a successful deal for CUSTOMERS employees are also a tremendous asset. In both buyer and seller. and the eyes of a savvy buyer, a seller’s employees It’s one of the first and most important bring an abundance of what I call “village items necessary to create highest and best knowledge” to the value of a transaction. acquisition value. PP Employees know the customers. Customers EMPLOYEES know the employees. When properly Rand Hollon, a graduate of Florida Southern leveraged, this “village knowledge” helps College, is a second-generation pest industry reduce the effort a buyer needs to fully veteran. Preferred Business Brokers has exclusively integrate and effectively transition a newly served the pest industry for 30 years. Working exclusively in the pest industry, Hollon has led acquired business. Simply put, “village transaction processes and brokered pest industry knowledge” helps shorten the timeline deals throughout the United States and the between investment and return for the buyer. Caribbean. Over the years, Hollon has also It enhances value. authored M&A-related articles for several pest Pest control is a competitive business. industry publications and has served as an M&A participant/speaker for numerous local, state and The world is getting smaller every day, and national events. regardless of size or location, no one is

22 PestPro | January/February 2017 Creeping Indigo Digitized voucher specimens from the four major herbaria in Florida, showing location and year of collection Creeping indigo closeup

Photo by WESH 2 News Creeping Indigo: Map by UF Large Animal Hospital A Deadly Weed in Pastures Erin Harlow

Over the past 10 years, small outbreaks of flowers that grow from the base of the leaf. The Across Florida there has horses being poisoned from this plant have seed pods are uniquely downward pointing, been a rise in requests been reported. Even though this plant has needlelike structures. been in Florida for approximately 90 years, This plant primarily reproduces by seeds, from landowners for it is unclear why the plant has become more and each seedpod in the cluster contains prevalent. Pasture management practices are four to eight seeds. This plant also has an treatments of their probably a factor. It seems to be most prevalent extensive tap root. It can easily be found in turf in Central and North Florida, including throughout Florida. pastures and properties Hillsborough, Marion and north into Alachua Turf management professionals have County. extensive experience when it comes to turf due to the deadly Creeping indigo is a prostrate, or flat- management in urban settings, but almost weed creeping indigo, growing plant. The leaves are alternate none when treating pastures. Historically, compound with five to seven leaflets per leaf. ranchers treat their own pasture weeds. Indigofera spicata. This means that one leaf is actually made However, UF/IFAS Extension has found that up of several smaller leaves that connect to because this weed has become so prevalent HIS ARTICLE will discuss the biology the midrib in an alternating pattern. It has a across central and north Florida and is growing Tof the weed, why turf professionals pinkish bloom that consists of several smaller in smaller pastures where the landowner is are well equipped to manage this weed in not necessarily a rancher, but rather an equine pastures, and treatment strategies. enthusiast, landowners are not comfortable This plant was first introduced to doing their own treatments. Because of the Gainesville, Florida, from Africa in 1925 experience turf management professionals as a potential forage and nitrogen-fixing have with soil testing, turf selection and proper plant. Reports of possible poisoning are maintenance practices such as mowing heights, documented as early as 1933, but in only a fertilization, and chemical options for pests, few cases. The plant did not pass the initial this challenge could be a natural fit for a pest grazing trial when one of two rabbits in the Extensive taproot management business. trial died (Sellers, 2013). Continued on Page 30 WESH 2 News

Creeping indigo is toxic to many , including horses

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24 PestPro | January/February 2017 As I travel around Florida Incorporating IPM Into Your for my Extension program, I always ask my audience Landscape Management Program two questions: 1) Do you Adam Dale know what IPM is? and 2) Do you use IPM in your pest management program?

EARLY EVERYONE in the audience always Nknows what integrated pest management is. This is great. However, not everyone who knows what IPM is, practices IPM. Herein lies the challenge. One of the biggest hurdles to implementation is convincing pest managers that IPM will improve long-term pest control, reduce risk, and result in more satisfied customers. The most effective way to get this across is by example.

Fortunately, there are multiple case studies of file photo UF/IFAS effective landscape IPM programs. Unfortunately, To implement an effective landscape IPM program, ask yourself how your pest management decisions will affect the there are not effective IPM strategies for all major landscape's ecosystem, your wallet, and people. UF/IFAS file photo. pests, and challenges are always changing, which can make implementation difficult. That is what trees treated with imidacloprid had more severe killing them. The only time they can be killed I’m here for. mite infestations because the on contact is during a few weeks of their life as caused them to produce more offspring. However, immatures, or crawlers, looking for a place to feed. What is IPM? imidacloprid targeting aphids can work quite well. The only way to know when these crawlers are out Integrated pest management is an informed Proper identification is critical. is by monitoring. selection and use of pest control measures Plant identification is a great way to narrow Mole cricket management also requires based on their environmental, economic, and down possible pests. Some of my nonentomologist monitoring to time effective control efforts. sociological consequences. Ask yourself how colleagues joke that they could name most insects Monitoring for these pests with soapy water your pest management decisions will affect the by the plant they are found on. That is not always flushes will allow you to keep track of insect landscape’s ecosystem, your wallet, and people. the case, but often is. Many insect pests specialize development. Research found that when most Whenever I talk about IPM with landscape on a single host or plant group. For example, most flushed individuals are half an inch long, the professionals, I emphasize that thinking in an people know what pests to expect on azalea or majority of eggs have hatched, and nymphs are IPM framework is the most important first step of crapemyrtle. It becomes more challenging when still small enough to be killed by insecticides. practicing IPM. What is the IPM framework? It generalist pests come into the picture. follows five general steps: Many pests feed on multiple host plants or Decision making 1. Identification – What is the pest, and how do cause damage and leave the scene. Figure out what Deciding when to act against a pest can be one you know? kind of mouthparts (chewing or piercing–sucking) of the most difficult steps. However, those who 2. Monitoring – When, where and how will you caused the damage, or what pest may have left have identified and monitored for the pest are look for and track the pest or its damage? behind the symptoms — e.g., honeydew on leaf miles ahead of those who have not. For a few 3. Decision making – At what point should you surfaces. That will narrow things down quite a bit. pests there are infestation thresholds, or points at act to control a pest? which populations will cause damage if left alone. 4. Intervention – How will you manage the pest? Monitoring In landscape management, control efforts are 5. Evaluation – How well did you do? Would Once you have identified the pest, you can largely driven by aesthetic standards and customer you change things next time? effectively monitor for it. This is arguably the demand. Therefore, it is up to the manager to Although IPM is critical for managing pest weeds, second most important step of IPM. Many pests make responsible, informed decisions based on the diseases and nematodes, I will use insect pests are vulnerable to control efforts only during a knowledge they gain from proper identification in the landscape throughout this article to walk brief period during their development. Typically, and monitoring of the pest. After deciding to act, through the IPM process. younger insects are easier to kill. The only way to there are several approaches that can be taken to know how young it is, is by actively monitoring reduce pest populations. Identification the population. The only way to monitor it is One of the most important steps of IPM is correct by knowing where and when to look, which is Intervention identification. Some pests cause severe plant dependent on accurate identification. See why the The best IPM approach is a well planned damage more rapidly than others. Also, different first two steps are most important? combination of each principle described below. insecticides affect insects and mites differently. One of the best examples of IPM is managing This management is “integrated” because it This is because pests are biologically different, feed armored scale insects. There are over 140 species in integrates multiple strategies and approaches. on different plant parts, or are exposed to different Florida. Armored scales are protected most of their Mechanical control is physically removing or elements. For example, research showed that elm life by a covering that prevents insecticides from excluding pests from a host plant. This can be as January/February 2017 | PestPro 25 simple as pruning off infested plant material or not a host to that pest. Set up plants for success mites. Also, an insecticide application will never collecting and discarding infested turf clippings from the beginning. kill every pest in a population. Natural enemies when mowing. Active monitoring can catch Biological control of insect pests can be are there to finish the job after and between infestations early, making this an effective option. difficult to regulate in managed landscapes. applications. Plant pests generally reproduce more Cultural control practices, methods of Most people think about releasing predators and quickly than predators. Therefore, predator-free manipulating the host plant and its surrounding parasitoids onto their plants, but the most effective windows of time may leave any remaining plant environment, are critical for effective pest control. biological control in these systems is conservation. pests behind to flourish and damage plants. We always hear the phrase, “right plant, right Preserve habitats that are conducive to natural Many landscape managers rely on chemical place.” This is cultural control. Plants have evolved enemies. Leave habitat for them, but also use control as their primary means for pest to tolerate certain environmental conditions and control practices that they can live with. management. In this volume-driven industry, pests. If you plant them somewhere outside of This means appropriate selection of chemical “insurance” cover-spray applications of mixed this, they will likely struggle without intensive pest control tools. The most important part products (insecticide, fertilizer, herbicide) make management. If you know there are problems with of chemical pest control is product selection. things simpler and allow for more site visits per a specific pest in a landscape, select a plant that is Products differentially affect different insects and day and meet customer demands. However, this exposes plants, arthropods and microbes in those landscapes to the same products.

E HAVE learned a few things over the DON’T ENCASE THEM... Wyears that have improved chemical control in landscape IPM. This boils down to making treatments when needed rather than on a calendar basis, spot treating infested areas rather than KILL THEM treating the entire landscape, and using reduced- risk or biorational, selective insecticides rather than broad-spectrum products. Reduced-risk insecticides are those that pose minimal risk to applicators, have low toxicity to nontarget organisms, can be used at low rates, and are compatible with IPM practices. These include many neonicotinoids, anthranilic diamides, insect growth regulators, and others. Broad spectrum products like pyrethroids, carbamates, and organophosphates do not provide these benefits. Multiple studies have demonstrated that calendar-based, cover spray applications wipe out natural enemies, which causes secondary pest outbreaks and leads to unsatisfied customers. This practice may provide short-term business success, customer satisfaction, and pest reduction. However, it is also introducing a lot of risk to the applicator and environment. Repeated sub- lethal exposure to pests may lead to insecticide resistance. Toxicity to natural enemies often leads to secondary pest outbreaks like scale insects, aphids, and spider mites. Plus, recent developments have demonstrated risks associated with insecticide toxicity to pollinators. None of these risks are something that anyone wants to add to their already-full plate. They are also not necessary. I have spent most of my entomology career working on developing armored scale insect IPM strategies. We demonstrated that a combination • Starts working within 10 minutes of accurate identification, proper timing (because we were monitoring for crawler emergence), and • Provides Prevention & Control for 2 years proper product selection is the most effective way to reduce scale insect populations and damage. • Easy to Install Plants treated with reduced-risk and/or systemic products have more natural enemies on them, which means they can provide additional pest control and reduce plant damage. Recently my lab has been investigating chilli www.allergytechnologies.com • (866) 978-6288 thrips management on Indian hawthorn. Several products that run the gamut of chemistries are used to control these pests. Some of them are 26 PestPro | January/February 2017 University of Florida Receives Mosquito Traps For Graduate and Family Housing

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida Department of Housing and Residence Education will receive traps designed to stop mosquitoes in their tracks through a donation from Seoul Viosys, a South Korean–based company. While there are no cases of locally transmitted Zika virus on the UF campus, Gainesville or Alachua County, Sharon Blansett, assistant to the associate vice president for UF student affairs, welcomes the mosquito traps as a virus-prevention measure for students living in graduate and family housing. “The Department of Housing and Residence Education is happy to receive the

mosquito traps to help further protect residents UF/IFAS Guillen, Camila by Photo living in graduate and family housing from From left: Michael Bartlett of UF Housing, Paul Choi of Seoul Viosys, a South Korean-based company, and Philip Koehler, mosquitoes that could potentially transmit UF/IFAS Entomology, at University Village. Seoul Viosys donated 100 MOSClean mosquito traps to UF Housing. viruses,” said Blansett, whose duties include managing UF student housing. “We do Phil Koehler, an entomology professor “It is a very effective way of being able to not have a mosquito problem at UF, but it’s with the UF Institute of Food and capture mosquitoes, hopefully before they bite great to know we’re getting more help in our Agricultural Sciences, said the device — someone,” Koehler said. continued efforts to keep students safe.” called the MOSClean trap — is well- Mosquitoes can transmit more than 20 Apartment complexes in UF graduate designed. It uses a combination of carbon types of viruses, including Zika, West Nile, St. and family housing include Corry Village, dioxide and ultraviolet light — which Louis encephalitis, eastern equine encephalitis, Diamond Village, Maguire Village, comes from light-emitting diodes — to chikungunya, and dengue, Koehler said. About Tanglewood Village and University Village attract mosquitoes, then traps them inside 750,000 people die globally each year from South. via a vacuumlike method. mosquito-transmitted diseases. PP — Report by Brad Buck, UF/IFAS reduced-risk products and others are not. Our goal was to determine how well the most common products control thrips, what effects they have on key predators, and how long these effects last. We found that the products containing broad- spectrum active ingredients were immediately toxic to thrips and predators. After 14 days, they continued to kill over 30 percent of predators, but no thrips. The reduced-risk products we tested never killed over 10 percent of predators and were still causing thrips mortality after 14 days.

Evaluation No matter the stage of management, constant evaluation of what you are doing and observing is critical. Framing your pest management program with the five steps of IPM will facilitate this evaluation and successful pest management. Making the effort to properly identify and monitor pests and selecting the most appropriate control measures can ultimately save you time, money and plants. PP

Dr. Adam Dale can be reached by email at agdale@ufl. edu or by phone at 352-273-2976. Resources that further explain content discussed here can be found at http://edis. ifas.ufl.edu or dalelab.org. January/February 2017 | PestPro 27 PCO Pointer Facts From DACS: Notice of Pesticide Application HERE HAVE BEEN a lot of questions (d) Clearly set forth the business about the signs used for the posting of name of the licensee a pesticide application. I am going to or name of the limited Ttry to answer some of these questions. FDACS certificateholder making the inspectors have been finding signs that don’t pesticide application. comply with the rule. The issue is the size of the The notice may be made part sign containing the words “pesticide application, of a larger sign containing keep off until dry” and the symbol. additional information. I’m going to lay out the rule for you. Rule The rule Chapter 5E-14.147 5E-14.147 states: In accordance with Chapter also states: a notice shall be 482.2265(2), any person who is licensed or posted in a conspicuous location at the time of (e) The business name of the licensee making the certified under this chapter, including any person an application of a pesticide to a lawn or exterior pesticide application shall be clearly set forth who is a limited certificateholder, shall post a foliage, the following example represents the on the notice; and notice in a conspicuous location at the time of required physical makeup of the notice. (f) The notice may be made part of a larger sign application of a pesticide to a lawn or exterior In addition to the example of the notice, the containing additional information. foliage. The Department shall provide for the following requirements shall apply: Some of the signs that we have seen in the field wording and physical makeup of such notice by (a) Minimum size 4"× 5"; have had the correct information but the size rule, but the notice must: (b) Constructed of rigid, durable, weatherproof of the print and symbol are smaller (3" × 4") or (a) Be at least 4"× 5" in size; material; stretched out (3"× 8"), for example, which would (b) Be constructed of rigid, durable weatherproof (c) Background and lettering shall be of be considered noncompliant. PP material; contrasting color; (c) Have a background and lettering of (d) The size of the print and symbol shall be in Report by Paul Mitola, Florida Department of contrasting colors; and conformity with the example; Agriculture and Consumer Services

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HLB, continued from Page 10 symptomatic tree numbers and the rows in Laboratory or to the Southwest Florida REC in Liberibacter spp. The infected psyllids may then which they are found with colored flagging Immokalee. The procedures for submission to disperse to uninfected trees once the new flush tape, and take GPS coordinates or mark the either lab of suspect samples for PCR testing are hardens off. sites on a map to facilitate relocation and available online.2 Integrated pest management strategies removal of these trees. In some cases, an Removal of infected trees is the only way should focus on the following: use of disease- HLB PCR diagnostic test may be necessary to ensure they will not serve as a source of the free nursery trees, reduction of the inoculum to confirm the disease (see diagnosis below). bacteria for psyllid acquisition and subsequent by frequent disease surveys, removal of Scouting resources are available online.1 transmission. Prior to removal, the infected tree symptomatic trees, and suppression of Asian Diagnosis of HLB by symptoms alone may should be treated with a foliar insecticide such citrus psyllid populations through citrus be difficult since some nutrient deficiency as Danitol or fenpropathrin to kill all adult health management areas, or CHMA. For symptoms and other problems are often psyllids feeding on that tree. Failure to control more information about the CHMA program confused with some of the symptoms associated these psyllids will result in the infected psyllids and how to create or join one in your area, with HLB. Affected leaves accumulate . dispersing to new plants once the diseased tree consult the CHMA website.3 Refer to ENY- An iodine-based starch test can be used to assist is removed. Pruning of symptomatic limbs has 734, Asian Citrus Psyllid and Citrus Leafminer, in determining what leaves should be sent for been attempted in many countries to reduce in the Florida Citrus Pest Management Guide, PCR diagnosis. The iodine test alone is not the inoculum available to the psyllids. However, for more information on Asian citrus psyllid used for HLB diagnosis. However, it is a useful because the disease is systemic, pruning has management. PP indication that the tree likely has HLB. The not been successful since tree roots may procedure for the test can be found in EDIS already be infected without canopy symptoms. Additional Information publication HS 1122. Samples of suspected Additionally, since the tree is still infected after Links to websites on HLB and EDIS HLB-infected trees may be sent for PCR pruning, the new flush produced will serve as documents can be accessed through the Citrus diagnosis to the Southern Gardens Diagnostic a feeding site for adult psyllids to acquire Ca. Research and Education Center website at the following websites:

1 http://www.crec.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/greening/index.shtml or http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/CH200 http://greening.ifas.ufl.edu 2 http://www.crec.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/greening/Diagnostics.shtml http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/CH200 3 http://www.crec.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/chmas/index.shtml http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1165

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Creeping Indigo, continued from Page 23

This plant is toxic not only to horses, but also cattle, sheep, rabbits, seizures, ulcers, abortions, and eventually death. Signs in cattle are similar goats, guinea pigs, and fowl. Pigs generally will not eat the plant, so and can include dullness, anorexia, aimless walking, pressing head against toxicity to swine is generally not a concern. objects, abortion, and death. This plant causes multiple poisoning symptoms in animals. Depending Research suggests that cattle have to have a diet of greater than 50 on the amount ingested, some signs in horses include weight loss, labored percent creeping indigo to begin showing signs. It is unclear with horses breathing, foaming of the mouth, light sensitivity, neurological damage, how much they have to ingest before signs are observed. Most horse owners want to eliminate any from the pasture and the surrounding areas for safety.

Managing Creeping Indigo Pasture management is an important part of managing this weed. Most bahia performs best at a pH of 5.5 with regular fertilizations. Phosphorous is also important, along with tissue testing. There is a separate submission process to the UF Soil Lab for bahiagrass pastures. The form can be accessed at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/SS/SS59700.pdf. Overgrazing of pastures is another common reason that creeping indigo moves into an area. Herbicides are the most effective method for removing creeping indigo from pastures. GrazonNext HL applied at 24 ounces per acre, or 1 ounce per gallon if spot spraying, is recommended and seems to be highly effective for control. There are label restrictions for composting and producing hay with this product, so the label should be well understood prior to the application. Other effective herbicides include metsulfuon and Chaparral (bermudagrass only), Banvel, and dicamba +2,4-D such as in Weedmaster, and Remedy, but it does not seem to control the weed as well. Pesticide licensing in Florida is based on the site where the application is occurring. If someone has a pest control operator license then they are not licensed to treat pastures, but rather around structures that are occupied, such as residences and commercial buildings. If you would like to consider treating pastures for your clients, then a commercial restricted-use pesticide license in the category of agriculture row crop is recommended. The herbicides that are recommended for treatment of creeping indigo are not restricted-use products. According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, you do not have to be licensed to do the applications, but it is recommended. PP

Erin Harlow is Commercial Horticulture Agent for UF/IFAS Extension in Duval County. PestPro | January/February 2017 30 PestPro | January/February 2017 Thanks to our SPONSORS

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