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If you’ve seen the New World screwworm in headlines recently, you’ll know it’s difficult not to be alarmed by the shocking photos and news of its possible arrival. UGA extension specialists and veterinary experts came together last week to host a free Zoom webinar for agents and livestock professionals to combat potential panic with facts.…
Posted in: Pests -

Jonathan E. Oliver, Fruit Pathologist, Department of Plant Pathology, UGA-Tifton Campus Introduction In the last few years, particularly wet weather across Georgia’s blueberry production belt led to several disease issues, including severe problems with Phytophthora root rot and multiple reports of algal stem blotch in both 2021 and 2023 (Oliver 2021, 2023).While algal stem blotch had been identified in Georgia blueberriesprior to…
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Xylocopa virginica [L.] Authors: A. J. Stevenson, D.R. Suiter, B.T. Forschler, University of Georgia Appearance A large bee (¾ -1 inch in length) similar in size to a bumble bee (Figure 1). They possess a yellow, fuzzed thorax and a metallic black abdomen that is smooth and lacks hair. Females possess an all-black head and…
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Ashfaq A. Sial1, Zack Williams2, and Will Brown3 1Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 306022University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, Bacon County, Alma, GA 315103University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, Appling County, Alma, GA 31510 Identification and Biology Flower thrips are chronic pests of both southern highbush and rabbiteye blueberries in the southeastern United States. Flower thrips are small insects, less than 1.5 mm…
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Reticulitermes spp Authors: Dan Suiter & Brian Forschler, Entomologists, University of Georgia, 2021 Description Workers: Immature termites that are completely white and sightless.The caste responsible for foraging and building tunnels. Soldiers: Have enlarged, darker colored heads with large mandibles,responsible for defending the colony. Reproductives: Caste responsible for mating and laying eggs. Onlycaste that has pigmentation…
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Phillip M. Brannen, University of Georgia Department of Plant Pathology & Sarah Lowder, University of Georgia Horticulture Department Mancozeb has long been a crucial fungicide for grape production in Georgia and across the southeastern United States. Its broad-spectrum efficacy, low risk of resistance development in fungal pathogens, and consistent performance against various diseases have made it especially valuable early…
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Elmer Gray Ticks are one of the most important groups of arthropods in Georgia because of their disease-transmitting capabilities. In Georgia, ticks are known to transmit several diseases, with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme disease being the most common. Tularemia is a long-recognized disease also transmitted by ticks, as are the more recently recognized…
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Timothy Daly and Keith S Delaplane Insects, weeds, rodents and plant disease microorganisms compete with homeowners for food and living space. When these pests reach damaging levels, using chemical pesticides is sometimes the best way to control them. A pesticide is a product (usually a chemical) designed to kill offending organisms; such products include insecticides, herbicides, fungicides,…
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Nezara viridula (Linnaeus) Author: David Riley, University of Georgia, 2018 Description Immature stages: The southern green stink bug lays cluster of 30-130 eggs. Eggs are deposited in hexagonal clusters with arranged in straight rows and glued together. Eggs are about 1.3 mm long, yellowish-white to pinkish-yellow. The top of the egg is clearly indicated by…