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INSECTS AND WEEDS IN FOCUS

ROY D. PARKER, EXTENSION ENTOMOLOGIST JOHN E. BREMER, EXTENSION WEED SPECIALIST10345 Agnes - CORPUS CHRISTI, TX 78406-1412

PHONE: (361) 265-9203Web site: http://entowww.tamu.edu http://agfacts.tamu.edu/~rparker/

VOL. XXVII NO. 1 ENTO/WS January 4, 2002

pp GRAIN HANDLERS CONFERENCEpp WEED ALERT: HAVE YOU SEEN THIS ONE?pp BOLL WEEVIL TRAP SUMMARY FOR 2001pp INTERESTING INSECTS

GRAIN HANDLERS CONFERENCE

Stored grain managers and employees, pleaseattend the Texas Gulf Coast Grain HandlersConference scheduled for Tuesday, January 29,2002 at the Wharton County Fairgrounds inCrescent (program enclosed).

It is shaping up to be the best one ever. Twoindividuals with a lot of knowledge and experiencein cleaning grain will present a 1 hour program toopen the conference. It will be followed by 8demonstration/hands-on stops on an assortment ofsubjects. Additionally, an extra 1 hour CEU creditfor pesticide applicators will be available via a self-test based on information on displayed charts.Many presenters are traveling long distances to beat our conference. Please call Colorado CountyExtension Cooperative office at (979) 732-2082if you plan to attend so proper arrangementscan be made for lunch. RDP

WEED ALERT: HAVE YOU SEEN THIS ONE?

The following article appeared in Vol. 24 No. 3newsletter of the Southern Weed Science Societyby C.T. Bryson, Chairman, Weed IdentificationCommittee.

Yellow Unicorn-plant [Ibicella lutea (Lindl.) VanEselt.(=Proboscidea lutea (Lindl.) Stapf)] is a non-native, invasive weed from South America. It wasdetected in Mississippi last fall in a corn field nearCarthage and in a timber harvesting area nearGrenada. Until now, the only records of Yellow

Unicorn-plant from the United States were fromagricultural fields in the Sacramento and SanJoaquin valleys in California and a few counties incentral Florida. Yellow Unicorn-plant is kin toDevil’s-claw [Proboscidea louisiana (Mill.)Thellung] and has the potential to become aserious weed problem in row crops, pastures, andforested areas in the southern United States.Seedlings and young plants of both species aresimilar. Yellow Unicorn-plant flowers are brightyellow with dark yellow spots, while the flowers ofDevil’s-claw are pinkish-white to light lavenderwith yellow and purple spots. Immature pods ofboth species are contained in a fleshy capsulecovered with sticky hairs. At maturation, thefleshy covering splits and peels back exposing awoody two horned, curved beaked seed pod.Pods in Yellow Unicorn-plant are spiny similar tothe spines on Jimsonweed capsules, while thepods of Devil’s-claw are smooth or rough. Earlydetection and control are necessary toprevent Yellow Unicorn-plant establishmentand spread in additional areas of the south-eastern United States. If additional plants arefound, please contact Charles Bryson [662-686-5259; cbryson@ars.usda.gov]. JEB

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BOLL WEEVIL TRAP SUMMARY FOR 2001

Boll weevil numbers in Texas CooperativeExtension operated pheromone traps in WhartonCounty (outside the eradication zone) and inNueces/San Patricio counties (within theeradication zone) are shown in Table 1. In theNueces/San Patricio trap area, the 6-year averagecatch is for years before boll weevil eradication wasinitiated (1977-1982). Not shown in the table forthese 2 counties are boll weevils per trap per monthfor 1998 = 13.6 and 1999 = 11.4. Therefore, ournumbers indicate a steady decline since initiation ofthe boll weevil program and a 99.1% reductioncompared with the pre-eradication 6-year average.For comparison, trap catches for 2000 and 2001are shown for Wharton County.

There are, however, still significant problems withinthe eradication zone. First, areas that are near theouter boundaries of the zone experience boll weevilmovement into fields within the zone. Second,there has been continued problems with cottongrowing months after harvest without properattention to complete destruction with plows orherbicides. The situation allowing cotton to growmonths after harvest is inexcusable and should notbe tolerated. I noticed in the Texas Boll WeevilEradication Foundation weekly report for the weekending December 16, 2001, that 4,134.1 acreswere treated! Further, I submit to you that unlessthis situation is corrected program cost will continueto exceed the budget and prolong the periodnecessary to achieve eradication status. This zoneis already behind all zones in Texas that started in1998 (1st full season) or even some that startedlater. Due to our more subtropical climate, I’vealways said it would take longer and be more costlyto complete the job than zones to the north. Thiszone must correct the situation of allowing cotton togrow during the fall and winter months.Additionally, as we move into 2002, pheromonetrapping and field access will be even more criticalthan in past years. Hopefully, in a few years,access around entire fields will not be as critical;that is, in the maintenance phase of BWE. RDP

Table 1. Boll weevils per pheromone trap per month,Texas Cooperative Extension operated traps.

Wharton Countya Nueces & San Pat. Co. Month 2000 2001 6 yr

avgb2000 2001

Jan 4.5 0.25 5.3 9.93 0.00Feb 4.2 0.09 5.5 1.60 0.00Mar 29.7 5.88 7.7 1.72 0.11Apr 103.8 36.32 7.4 1.27 0.11May 47.4 14.04 2.8 0.83 0.17Jun 4.8 3.60 4.9 0.67 0.00Jul 119.1 46.0 188.9 12.89 0.35Aug 285.7 107.0 645.7 14.04 0.94Sep 248.3 19.4 309.7 1.39 0.11Oct 52.5 42.0 165.4 0.72 0.06Nov 2.1 214.3 55.3 0.50 0.11Dec 1.2 13.9 15.7 0.03 0.00Avg 75.3 41.9 117.9 3.80 0.16

a Traps outside the boll weevil eradication zone operatedby Dan Fromme, IPM Agent.

b 6 yr. avg. is 1977-1982 by Segers et al.

INTERESTING INSECTS

Now we will discuss the largest order of insectswith over 300,000 species worldwide and almost30,000 described in America north of Mexico.The order Coleoptera (coleo=sheath;ptera=wings) contains about 40% of all knowninsects. In the U.S. they vary in length from lessthan 1 up to about 75 mm and some tropicalspecies reach a length of 125 mm (about 5inches). Beetles are found almost everywhereand a great number of species are of economicimportance.

A distinctive feature of coleoptera is the structureof the wings. Most beetles have 4 wings, with thefront pair thickened, leathery, or hard and brittle(the elytra). The hind wings are membranous, areusually longer than the front wings, and when atrest, are usually folded up under the front wings.The hind wings are the only ones ordinarily usedfor flight. They got it right in the movie “It’s aBug’s Life” as the large beetle opened up theelytra, extended the hind wings and flew.

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Waterscavenger

beetle

Metalicwood-boringbeetle

Net-wingedbeetle

Carpet beetle

Lady beetleSawtoothedgrain beetle

Striped blisterbeetle

Long-hornedbeetle

Wrinkledbark

beetle

Sweetpotatoweevil

Carrion beetle

Tiger beetle

All species have chewing mouth parts with welldeveloped mandibles. In the weevil = snoutbeetles, the front of the head is drawn out into amore or less elongated snout with the mouth partsat the end. Note: there are more than 3,100species of snout beetles in North America alone,with one being the famed boll weevil.

Beetles undergo complete metamorphosis (egg,larva, pupa, adult). Their life cycles vary in lengthfrom 4 generations/year to 1 generation in severalyears.

Interesting facts about beetles follow:• Beetles feed on all sorts of plant and animal

materials, many are aquatic or semiaquatic,some feed on fungi, a few live in nests withsocial insects, some are leaf miners, and manyfeed on stored products.

• One species is remarkable for its ability to borethrough lead sheathing.

• Sound is produced in about 50 families but theirsounds are generally rather weak.

• Adult deathwatch beetles produce sounds bystriking the lower parts of their heads againstthe walls of wood galleries. In quietsurroundings these sounds are very apparent.

• Many beetles when disturbed draw theirappendages in close to the body and “playdead”. These beetles often have grooves inthe body or even in certain leg segments intowhich the appendages fit when so retracted.

• Common names of groups in the orderrecognized by almost everyone includenumerous species of tiger, ground, whirligig,dung, June, rhinoceros, wood boring, click,lady, bark, blister, leaf and snout beetles.

RDP

View our newsletter earlier on the internet on the TPMA website (http://www.tpma.org/) by selecting “IPM newsletter” on the drop-down menu by going to“Coastal Bend” and “go”. Another site is http://agfacts.tamu.edu/~rparker. Also pest management information is available at www.txaac.org.

*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************Educational programs conducted by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex,religion, handicap or national origin. The information given herein is for educational purposes only. References to commercial products or trade names ismade with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Cooperative Extension Service is implied._______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

2001 TEXAS GULF COAST GRAIN HANDLERSCONFERENCE

08:00-08:45 Registration: coffee & refreshments

08:45-9:00 Conference Objectives and InstructionsBenard Mitchell

09:00-10:00 Grain Cleaning Techniques for IPM and ProfitabilityBob Kice & Gary Gilbert

10:00-10:15 Break

10:15-12:15& Demonstrations & Hands on Sessions01:00-03:00 (30 minute each)

Session I Proper Storage Structure Sealing Techniques for NewConstruction Harmon Towne & Ron Dunning

Session 2 Equipment & Methods to Seal Structures for FumigationScott Ordner & Shane Suggs

Session 3 Stored Grain Insects: Viewing of Specimens and DescriptionsDan Fromme

Session 4 Grain Sampling & Identification of InsectsRoy Parker

Session 5 Rescue Equipment Use in Confined SpacesBryan Shaw

Session 6 Application of Insecticides to Grain Craig Jacob

Session 7 Aflatoxin Testing of Grain Samples Sally Andel, Cary Eubanks & Mike Reid

Session 8 Fumigant Concentration and Air MonitoringBill Cohen

12:15-01:00 Lunch

01:00-03:00 Demonstrations & Hands on Sessions Continued

3:00 Wrap up/CEU Forms/EvaluationRick Jahn

Extra optional C.E.U. credit (1.0 hr.) in Laws & Regulations from selftesting charts

NOTEA special note about the conference: Pending T.D.A.’s approval this course willoffer 6 CEU’s to private, non-commercial and commercial applicators.

PROGRAM SPEAKERSSally Andel - Farmers Co-Op of El Campo, Box 826 El Campo, TX 77437,

(979)543-6284

Bill Cohen - Pest Fog Sales, P O 3703 , Corpus Christi, TX 78463, (361)884-8214

Ron Dunning - 2213 Shumard Oak Lane, Flower Mound, TX 75028, (972)724-1884

Cary Eubanks - Farmers Co-Op of El Campo, Box 826, El Campo, TX 77437,(979)543-6284

Dan Fromme - Extension Agent, Pest Management, Wharton County Cooperative Extension Service, 210 S. Rusk, Wharton, TX 77488, (979)532-8040

Gary Gilbert - Post Harvest Grain Storage, 2941 Ashecroft, Edmond, OK 73034, (405)623-3590

Craig Jacob - Technical Sales, Marketing Manager, Hedley Technologies, 12005Trailwood, WB38, Whitney, TX 76692, (254)694-5866

Bob Kice - Kice Industries, 5500 N. Millheights Dr., Wichita, KS 67219-2358,(316)744-7151

Scott Ordner - Town & Country Pest Control, 2475 CR 69, Robstown, TX 78380,(361)387-1634

Roy Parker - Extension Entomologist, Texas Cooperative Extension, 10345Agnes, Corpus Christi, TX 78406, (361)265-9203

Mike Reid - Farmers Co-Op of El Campo, Box 826, El Campo, TX 77437,(979)543-6284

Bryan Shaw - Associate Professor & Extension Agricultural EngineeringSpecialist, Texas Cooperative Extension, Texas A&M University, 2121 TAMU,College Station, TX 77843-2121, (979)845-9793

Shane Suggs - Town & Country Pest Control, 2475 CR 69, Robstown, TX 78380,(361)387-1634

Harmon Towne - Vice President, Engineering and Product Development, BrockGrain and Feed Systems, P O Box 2000, Milford, Indiana 46542, (219)658-4191

Benard Mitchell - County Extension Agent, Texas Cooperative Extension,Colorado County, 316 Spring St., Columbus, TX 78934 (979)732-2082

Rick Jahn - County Extension Agent, Texas Cooperative Extrension, WhartonCounty, 210 S. Rusk, Wharton, TX 77488, (979)532-3310

Educational programs conducted by Texas Cooperative Extension serve peopleof all ages regardless of socio-economic levels, race, color, sex, religion, disabilityor national origin.

We will seek to provide reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilitiesfor this meeting. We request that you contact Colorado County ExtensionCooperative at 979-732-2082 as soon as possible to advise us of the auxiliary aidor service that you will require.

TEXAS GULF COASTGRAIN HANDLERS

CONFERENCE

Tuesday, January 29, 2002

Crescent, Texas Wharton County Fairgrounds