Adult blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) search for blood meals during the winter months (November through March). These cold-hardy ticks can be active whenever the temperature is above freezing. The female has long mouthparts and a distinctive orange-red body with a…
Monthly Archives: November 2018
Sucking and Biting Lice
Lice are small, wingless, flat-bodied insects with legs modified for grasping hair shafts. They are generally host-specific. For example, cattle lice will not survive for long on swine. They are obligate parasites because they must have blood meals to develop…
Posted in Livestock Pests
Management of Soybean Cyst Nematode Starts with Soil Sampling this Fall or Spring
The soybean cyst nematode (SCN) (Figure 1) causes greater annual yield losses in Kentucky than any other pathogen of soybean. The last time a formal survey was conducted by the University of Kentucky in 2006 and 2007, approximately 76% of…
Posted in Grains
Managing Diseases with Sanitation Practices
When diseases occur in commercial or residential plantings, it is often presumed that fungicides are the most important and effective disease management tools available. However, a good sanitation program can help reduce the need for chemical controls and can improve…
Posted in Featured Pubs & Videos
Biological Pest Management in Kentucky High Tunnel / Greenhouse Tomato Production Systems
Kentucky producers of tomatoes in high tunnel or greenhouse production systems manage several key arthropod pests to maximize their yields and profits. An environmentally and economically sound management system for these pests is based on the following components: Sanitation and…
Posted in Greenhouses/High Tunnels, Vegetables
Causes for Green Stem Syndrome in Soybeans are Still a Conundrum
Description of green stem syndrome in soybeans Green Stem Syndrome (GSS) is a condition where the stems of soybean plants remain green when the rest of the plant is senescing (normally stems, pods and seeds are brown and ready for…
Posted in Grains
Pesticide Use Best Management Practices for Homeowners
Pesticides for purchase at local stores or online to anyone are referred to as ‘General Use’ pesticides by the EPA. You do not need a license or certification to purchase and use these on your own property. Although these are…
Posted in Pesticide Topics
Kentucky Pest News 