Latest news with #entomologist
CTV News
16-07-2025
- Science
- CTV News
Abundance of moths in central Alberta
Residents in central Alberta are capturing images of a large number of moths. An expert says the insects exist in 20 year cycles, and the last outbreak was in the 90's.
Associated Press
15-07-2025
- Climate
- Associated Press
Forget the calendar: This method reveals the ideal time to tackle garden pests
I hate to break it to you, but just like your calendar can't tell you the best time to harvest, it won't provide you the perfect date to attack the pests waging war on your plants. Timing effective pest control is all about understanding how the weather affects insect life cycles. We know that most plants and insects emerge in spring, advance through summer, and, in cold regions, go dormant over winter. But beyond those general seasonal cycles, there's no way to predict precisely when, for example, seeds will sprout, garlic will be ready for harvest or pests will be at their most vulnerable. Those developmental stages vary from year to year because they're dependent on the weather. That's where growing degree days come in. GDD is a cumulative system used to determine exactly when plants and insects will reach certain stages of maturity. And with so much variability — with different pests having different life stages that are vulnerable (or resistant) to different control methods at different times — it's a helpful tool for gardeners. The system, introduced by the French entomologist René Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur in 1735, is a measurement of heat accumulation that accurately predicts when seeds will germinate, crops will mature and specific pest populations will hatch and reach advancing stages of maturity. The progression of an insect's life cycle, like much of the natural world's biological activity, is dictated by environmental factors like temperature. And because not every life stage will succumb to treatment, weather is the only thing that can truly accurately inform the timing of many control methods. Here's how it works The average daily temperature is typically recorded on March 1, and for each degree over 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius), one point is assigned. Then, every day throughout the remainder of the season, the number of degrees over 50 is added to a running tally. If the temperature is exactly at or below 50 degrees, the day is assigned a score of zero. Let's say the temperature was 53 degrees on March 1; the GDD on that day would be 3. If it was 60 on March 2, the GDD would be 3 plus 10, or 13. If the temperature was 49 on March 3, that would add nothing, and the accumulated growing degree days would remain at 13. The tally continues to grow through a regionally specific date in the fall. Seems complicated? The good news is you don't have to crunch the numbers yourself. Your local cooperative extension office likely tailors and tracks this information for your region, and many post the GDD, as well as pest- and plant-specific GDD guidelines, on their websites. In addition, the agricultural company Syngenta offers a handy tool among its GreenCast online resources that quickly generates the GDD for your zip code. What does this mean for your garden? As an example, Colorado potato beetle eggs and pupae are not susceptible to pesticides, so attempting control during those stages would be pointless. But their larvae are vulnerable to the natural biological control Bt from the time they emerge until they reach ¼ inch (6 millimeters) in length. Rather than heading out into the garden with a ruler — or spraying every day and hoping for the best — you can time the application for between 65 and 185 GDD. Similarly, the first generation of euonymus scale insects are most vulnerable to Neem oil and horticultural oil treatments between 400 and 575 GDD. And for pre-emergent crabgrass controls, like corn gluten meal, to be effective, they should be applied just before 200 GDD. That's why I recommend a treatment window that coincides with the time between when the first forsythia blooms and the last of the lilacs fade: It's a visual cue tied to nature's reaction to temperature. Depending on the variety, most tomatoes, which love the heat, are ripe for the picking between 1,000 and 2,000 GDD. But, for the record, my tomatoes always let me know when they're ready. ___ Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. You can sign up here for weekly gardening tips and advice. ___ For more AP gardening stories, go to
CTV News
13-07-2025
- Science
- CTV News
How a tree-killing beetle chose wrong human to fly into, revealing presence in B.C.
An emerald ash borer that was found by Andrew Short in Vancouver, on June 15, 2023, is seen in a handout photo. The amateur entomologist's discovery revealed the first infestation of the beetle in British Columbia. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout — Andrew Short (Mandatory Credit) The tiny beetle could scarcely have picked a worse human to fly into. Amateur entomologist Andrew Short was sitting on a bench in downtown Vancouver in June 2023 when the unfamiliar metallic green beetle hit him and fell to the ground. He said he 'needed to know what it was,' so he captured it, took it home to photograph, and later handed it over to authorities — who confirmed the insect to be the first emerald ash borer collected in Canada west of Manitoba. Short's fortuitous encounter set in motion a chain reaction of research aimed at understanding and clamping down on the pest that has devastated ash forests across North America, killing millions of trees in Canada and the United States. 'I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. So, if that's what some people consider fate, then I guess it was,' he said in an interview. Short makes a hobby of searching for insects and plants, examining how they interact and photographing them. 'I'm quite versed in invasive species and what they can do, but I certainly hadn't considered for a moment that I'd ever have a run-in with an emerald ash borer,' he said. 'It's kind of a strange feeling to realize that you've found something that's that important.' A study published this spring in the peer-reviewed journal BioInvasions Records describes Short's role in the beetle's discovery in Vancouver, and subsequent findings that included 'heavily infested' trees in Andy Livingstone Park, about 300 metres from the site of his encounter near BC Place stadium. The study suggests emerald ash borers, which are native to East Asia, were likely first present in the downtown Vancouver park 'no later than 2020.' Lead author Chris MacQuarrie, a forest entomologist with Natural Resources Canada, said Short was 'the best person' for the beetle to have run into — if not from the beetle's perspective. 'There are lots of green beetles and people think they've found it and they turn it in and we're really happy when it's not (an emerald ash borer). But this time, it was.' MacQuarrie said it's 'really rare' to find an adult emerald ash borer, which measures up to about 1.4 centimetres. He said the discovery in Vancouver represents a 'big jump' from pre-existing infestations in Canada and the United States. MacQuarrie said Short had the 'presence of mind' to capture the beetle, which he tucked into a makeshift container using material in his backpack, then took it home to photograph before enlisting the help of another hobbyist entomologist to identify it. All they could conclude, Short said, was that it 'was something that shouldn't have been here.' Short submitted a suspected invasive species report along with photographs of the beetle to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. He eventually met with someone from the agency and handed over the bug, which he had frozen. After the agency confirmed Short's beetle was an ash borer, MacQuarrie said he and other researchers met in Vancouver last year to investigate. They set traps and took samples from trees near the bench. While the traps did not capture any adult ash borers, branch samples yielded 19 larvae. MacQuarrie said the closest infestation in Canada is in Winnipeg, though there is another population in Oregon. The researchers could not determine how the beetle was introduced to Vancouver, although the pest is commonly dispersed via infested wood. An infested tree found in nearby Burnaby last year suggests the beetles in Vancouver could be an 'extension' of an older infestation that went undetected, the study says. The beetles often go undetected for years in new places, with sick or dead trees usually the first sign of infestation. The findings in Vancouver suggest there may be other undetected populations in western North America, the study says. Short's discovery has given researchers the opportunity to study the beetle's behaviour in Vancouver. It grows faster in warmer conditions, and researchers 'don't really know' how fast it may kill trees in Vancouver's maritime climate, MacQuarrie said. Early detection allows for mitigation measures such as insecticides, removing infected trees, diversifying the tree canopy and educating the public, he said. The Vancouver finding has sparked interest elsewhere, MacQuarrie added, with a British forestry researcher starting work with Canadian counterparts to examine how the beetle is behaving in European ash species in the city. Short said some people think his bug-catching hobby is 'weird.' But it's calming, he said, slowing down and focusing on what is right in front of you. 'You don't have to look far to find really cool things.' This report by Brenna Owen, The Canadian Press, was first published July 13, 2025.
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Symptoms of climate change such as extreme heat can impact insect activity
Climate change symptoms like rising temperatures in Augusta are affecting gnat and other insect activity. 'Changing Climate can affect them in some ways,' said Elmer Gray, entomologist, at the University of Georgia. 'One thing that's going to help them is staying warm at night. Wednesday night I don't know if it got below 77 degrees. We know that insects like warmer temperatures. Warmer temperatures mean a longer growing season.' Gray added, 'They may grow longer into the fall, if it stays warmer into October. So they'll have more chances to create more generations in a life cycle.' Gray said insects need humidity. 'We've had so much rain throughout the end of spring and into the beginning of summer,' said Gray. 'The temperatures have warmed up, so everything is starting to grow faster. They completed their life cycle quicker. When we have lots of moisture in the environment, whether it's in the soil, standing water collecting in containers, all of these things provide habitats that increase the productivity of a wide range of insects.' 'The term gnat is kind of interesting,' said Gray. 'Gnat is a general term for a small fly. So, what you're calling a gnat in Augusta is going to be a different insect than what they call a gnat in Pennsylvania. Gnat is a general term, typically for insects that swarm about our faces. Black flies and other gnats are attracted to the carbon dioxide in our breath.' Gray added, 'It tells them there's an animal there. Then they're going to get closer and try to pick up the final cues as to whether you're the kind of animal that they like to feed on.' 'As far as the eye gnats they're attracted to the moist membranes,' he said. 'So your eyes are where they're drawn to. For other animals, they'll get around the genitals and other places. When we say Diptera or fly that means insects that have two wings. A lot of our common insects that we deal with are a type of fly.' Different types of flies according to Gray: House flies Black flies Blow flies Mosquitoes 'So right now is peak season,' said Gray. 'Now, if it stops raining and everything starts drying up, if we go into drought conditions, the insects suffer. It's very common for the insect populations to kind of go down in the heat of the summer. If you think it's hot outside for us, well, it's hot outside for them too. Insects are very susceptible to drying out.' 'It tends to be drier from August to September,' said Gray. 'If we have a hurricane that could mean a lot of flooding. Then things start getting wet again.' 'For mosquitoes, you want to be very diligent about eliminating standing water around your homes and in your neighborhood and communities,' he said. ' Richmond County has a good mosquito control program down there in Augusta. If people are having problems with mosquitoes, they should reach out to the Richmond County Public Health to let them know what's going on.' Tips for homeowners according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Empty or throw out any items that hold water like tires, buckets, planters, toys, pools, birdbaths, flower pot saucers, or trash containers. Ensure screens are secure, free of tears, and properly installed to keep insects out while allowing fresh air in. When sleeping outdoors or in areas with poor screening, use a mosquito bed net. Wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants. 'I'm a homeowner,' said Gray. 'It's easy to have a bucket for picking up sticks in the yard, or the old boat that you use once in a while. So you really need to be diligent about eliminating standing water. Most of the biting flies are attracted to darker colors. So light colored, loose fitting clothing will help. If you're planning on going to a ball game or going to watch fireworks on the Fourth of July you might want to apply an EPA approved repellent to your exposed skin.' Gray said there's a lot of misinformation surrounding natural ways to get rid of pests. "The plants that have oils that can repel insects have to be crushed and processed," said Gray. "So the Citronella plant is not good. There have been studies conducted that show mosquitoes will actually land on it. Yes, citronella oil can repel mosquitoes to some degree. Oil of lemon eucalyptus is one thing that works. T's naturally derived and very effective." This reporting content is supported by a partnership with several funders and Journalism Funding Partners. Erica Van Buren is the climate change reporter for The Augusta Chronicle, part of the USA TODAY Network. Connect with her at EVanBuren@ or on X: @EricaVanBuren32. This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Impacts of extreme heat may mean more insect, pests activity
The Independent
13-06-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Singing cicadas brought back to UK from France after disappearing in 1990s
Musical insects that went extinct in the UK have been brought back to the country from France by conservationists hoping to re-establish their population. Scientists at the Species Recovery Trust this week released 11 New Forest cicadas into a specially created habitat at Paultons Park – just outside the Hampshire woods where they once sang. The New Forest cicada, Cicadetta montana, was once found across the New Forest but the last confirmed sightings were in the 1990s. Conservationists believe the insects became extinct in the UK because of changes to the way land was managed. Charlotte Carne, Species Recovery Trust project officer, said: 'This has been a really challenging project so it's amazing to see New Forest cicadas in England after all this time. 'It's like bringing them back from the dead.' The adult insects are black with distinct golden rings and transparent wings, with females growing to about 5cm while males are slightly smaller. The Trust recruited a French entomologist this week who captured the 11 female cicadas in northern France and had them shipped to the UK on Wednesday. It is understood that some of the insects are already pregnant and have been laying eggs in their specially created habitat, which is full of their favourite plants such as raspberry canes and hazel tree saplings. Because cicadas spend at least four years underground as nymphs, the trust will not know until 2029 at the earliest whether this phase of the project has been successful. If they survive, the conservationists can release the adults at secret locations in the New Forest. In the meantime, the team said it hopes to import more cicadas from France to continue the breeding programme at Paultons Park. They are also studying populations of the same species in Slovenia to learn more about their behaviour. Dominic Price, Species Recovery Trust director, said: 'We believe the New Forest cicada probably went extinct because of changes to the way land was managed, but we have worked with Forestry England to put the right kind of management in place. 'What's more, we think that our warming climate could also favour their survival, so we are very hopeful that one day soon, cicadas will sing in the New Forest again.' The first-of-its-kind project has been funded by Natural England, the Swire Charitable Trust and the Valentine Charitable Trust. Graham Horton, acting deputy director for the Thames Solent Area Team at Natural England, said: 'This project represents a remarkable achievement, showcasing the dedication, innovation and teamwork that made it possible. 'After years of absence, we finally have New Forest cicada on English shores again and we look forward to the next phase of the project to explore re-establishing this species in the New Forest.'
