4 Spot Sap Beetle
| INJURY: Sap beetles bore into fruits about picking time, and are especially attracted to overripe fruits. They are more destructive on tomatoes where the beetles bore into the fruit through cracks or any damaged area on the tomato fruit. In table corn, sap beetles are particularly noticeable on ears where there has been bird damage or where corn borers or corn earworms have been feeding. In the corn field, if they are plentiful, they may enter by the silk on previously undamaged cobs. The sap beetles do not do the primary damage, but feed on the sap exuding from damaged tissue. They do not bite or sting. |
Dusky sap beetle adults are 1/8-inch long with short wing covers and are uniform dull black in color. Picnic beetle adults are the largest (1/4-inch long), and are. Sometimes these spots run together to form one large spot. The corn sap beetle (2-3.5 mm (1/8 to 1/4 inch)) can be distinguished from the dried fruit beetle by the absence of the yellow-brown spots on the wing covers. The eleven segmented antennae are slender except for the last few segments, which are distinctly enlarged into a club.
It is difficult to make out the details of the individuals in your photo, but we nonetheless believe they are Sap Feeding Beetles in the family Nitidulidae, possibly Glischrochilus quadrisignatus, the 4-Spotted Sap Beetle which is pictured on BugGuide. Thank you very much for the information! That looks to be the correct match! The best known sap beetle is the fourspotted sap beetle, also known as the picnic beetle or “picnicbug.” This very common beetle is 1/4 inch long, shiny black and has four yellowish dots on the wing covers. It will feed on over-ripe or damaged fruit or vegetable and outdoor picnic foods. Four-spotted sap beetle, AKA 'picnicbug'. A sap beetle (Nitidulidae: Carpophilus sayi). Sap beetles like this one have been implicated in the transmission of wilts and other fungal diseases to plants, because they like both fungus and sap. This beetle shows the clubbed antennae, and distinctly-shortened elytra exposing a few abdominal segments as in many species of Nitidulidae.
In some instances these beetles have caused severe damage bycontaminating fruit and vegetables especially raspberries, tomatoesand table corn. Most sap beetles are found where plant fluids arefermenting or souring as they are attracted to the odors of suchthings as ripe fruit, prepared food, soft drinks, alcoholic beveragesand fresh paint.
DESCRIPTION:Most sap beetles are small, 12 mm in length or less, and generally elongate or oval. Members of this family vary considerably in size, shape and habits. Our most common sap beetle, also called the picnic beetle and the four-spotted sap beetle, is a small dark beetle about 1/4 inch long with two yellow spots on each wing cover.
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Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.) |
| INJURY: The saw-toothed grain beetle is one of the most common insects infesting grain products in the home. An infestation may begin at the time of manufacture or processing, in warehouses of food distributors, in transit or on the grocersí shelves, or in the home. Most food processors and handlers make every effort to avoid insect infestations, but occasionally the efforts fail. Both the adults and the larvae feed on foods of vegetable origin, especially grain and grain products such as flour, cereals, dried dog foods, nuts, candies, dried fruits, yeast, tobacco and dried meats. |
DESCRIPTION:
Adults are small, about 1/10 inch long, slender, very flat brownbeetles. The thorax of the body has six saw-tooth-like projections oneach side, hence the name saw-toothed grain beetle. Because of theflattened shape, these beetles are able to work their way intopackages of food that are apparently tightly sealed. The larvae arewhitish, elongate grubs with brown heads. When full grown they are1/8 inch in length.
Adult beetles generally live for six to ten months (some may livelonger). The females lay eggs loosely among foodstuffs. The eggshatch in three to five days and the larvae crawl about feeding onpieces of the host food. After a few weeks the larvae build delicatecocoons often joining together pieces of food. Pupation takes placein about a week and then the adults emerge.
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Scale insects are immobile for most of their life cycle and they showlittle resemblance to the usual form of insects. The soft scales, thegroup to which the brown soft scale belongs, have a covering made upof the exoskeleton and actually it can be quite hard (vs. armoredscales, which have the covering made up of a 'est'consisting of themolted skins and a quantity of hardened wax). The shell-like coveringprotects the entire body and adds to the difficulty in controllingscale insects.
INJURY:
The brown soft scale (Coccus hesperidum Linnaeus) is one of the mostcommon soft scales. It commonly occurs in greenhouses and onhouseplants. This and other soft scales infest both the leaves andthe stems of the host plants and feed by inserting needle-like mouthparts into the plant tissue and sucking out the plant sap. Feedinginjury may result in poor growth and stunted plants. In addition tothe feeding damage, the scales excrete droplets of a sweet stickyliquid called honeydew. The honeydew gives infested leaves a shinyappearance and they are sticky to the touch. A black fungus, sootymold, often grows on honeydew. Sooty mold inhibits photosynthesis andalso greatly reduces the aesthetic qualities of the plant due to thedirty or sooty appearance.
DESCRIPTION:
The brown soft scale is a rather flat insect, oval in shape, oftenbroader posteriorly, and variable in color but usually yellowishbrown, sometimes with a greenish tint. The adult scales are about 3-4mm long and 2 mm wide. Other species may vary from this description.
The scales are often overlooked because they resemble the bark orother plant parts. The first instar nymph is colorless to yellowishand the second instar nymph shows a little more yellowish-browncolor.
LIFE HISTORY:
The females of many species are ovoviporous (producing living youngby hatching of the ovum while still within the mother) and newborncrawlers occur under the protective cover of the adult. The newborncrawlers leave the protective cover of their motherísìscale coveringî to find a suitable location where theywill settle down and begin feeding. The crawler stage is only activefor a short time, but it is the stage which is most susceptible toinsecticide treatment. When insecticides are used for control we tryto aim our applications at the crawler stage. The crawlers settledown and become the first instar nymphs, which molt to a secondinstar nymph, and come to reach maturity in about 65 days.
When scales are raised in artificial environments such as agreenhouse or house provides, they are not subject to climaticregulation. They may keep reproducing year round and this leads tothe overlapping of generations. Because generations overlap it isdifficult to predict crawler activity.
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INJURY:
In 1856 the seed corn maggot was first found in the USA in New York State. Since then, it has spread throughout the United States and Southern Canada and it is now believed to be a complex of species of maggots. The seed maggots attack a wide variety of plants including beans, beets, cabbages, turnips, radishes, corn, peas and seed potatoes. Attack is most severe when moist, cool spring conditions contribute to delayed, slow germination and emergence of seeds and young plants. Snap beans are particularly susceptible to seed maggot damage. The cotyledon damage and ìtatteringî of small leaves reduce yield and cause uneven maturity.
DESCRIPTION AND LIFE HISTORY:
The seed maggots spend the winter as puparium in the soil. In earlyspring, about planting time, the first generation of adult fliesemerge. The flies are greenish or brownish-gray in color and areabout 1/5 inch long. The eggs are laid just below the soil surface inrecently plowed ground high in decayed vegetable matter. Fresh manurealso seems to attract the flies which feed on the organic matter. Themaggots hatch from the eggs and make their way to the sprouting seedswhere they feed on, and often destroy, the cotyledons and growingpoint of the seed or young plant. When full grown the maggots are ayellowish-white color, tough skinned, legless and about º inchin length. They change to the pupal stage inside the brown puparium,a relatively hard shelled brown case. The entire life cycle can becompleted in three weeks. There are at lease three generations perseason in New York State, the first usually being the mostdestructive. The second generation occurs in late June to early July,and another in August and September.
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Shrews, meadow mice and moles are common, native, small animals frequently encountered around the home landscape. Sometimes considerable confusion arises concerning the identification of these animals and the significance of their presence to the homeowner.
| SHREWS: Shrews have pointed noses, small eyes and ears which are almost completely hidden in their soft, velvety fur. They resemble their close relatives, the moles, in some respects but lack the large, modified feet for digging. The short-tailed shrew, Blarina brevcauda and the common shrew, Sorex cinereus are two species commonly observed in New York. The short-tailed shrew is approximately 5 inches long, dark, slate colored above, pale below, with a short, dark black 1 inch tail. The common shrew is slightly smaller with a maximum length of 4 inches, brown above speckled with lighter or darker hairs, grayish to buff beneath with a yellowish brown slender tail. |
Shrews are very active creatures sometimes seen even in daylight in their constant search for prey. Insects and insect larvae, slugs, worms and larger animals such as mice make up the bulk of their diet. Vegetable and plant materials make up a very small portion of their diet and are eaten only when other food sources are unavailable. They must eat approximately 3 times their own weight in food each day to stay alive which makes them useful as beneficial destroyers of insects and other pests.
Shrews are commonly found in and around gardens, fields, andwooded areas, but occasionally they may find their way into the home.Once inside they may become a nuisance but do not cause damage. Incases where their presence becomes intolerable, they may be trappedusing a snap back mouse trap or small live trap baited with liver orother meat. The traps should be placed flush against the wall whereshrews commonly run.
| MEADOW MICE: Meadow mice, Microtus pennsylvanicus, are found throughout New York State wherever there is grass which makes up the bulk of their diet. Adult mice are chestnut brown above, gray beneath sprinkled with cinnamon. Full grown mice measure up to 7 inches in length including a tail of less than 2 inches. These mice are blunt-nosed, short-eared, blocky in form, with small eyes and short legs. |
Meadow mice are active all year. They construct an intricate network of shallow surface runways through vegetation and surface litter. Grass cuttings and small piles of droppings litter well-used runways. Globular, compact nests of interwoven grass are built under snow, under old boards, in a tuft of grass or underground at the end of a shallow burrow. Meadow mice are active both day and night with peak periods of activity in early morning and late afternoon.
The potential breeding rate of meadow mice is very high. Eachfemale may produce up to 10 litters of 3 to 8 young in a singlegrowing season and occasionally more litters are born during thewinter. Young are ready to breed when 2 months old. This tremendousreproductive capacity may make this small rodent a serious pest ininstances when its population is not kept in check.
Meadow mice eat almost any kind of plant material. Grasses andherbs make up the bulk of their food during most of the year but,during fall and winter, the cambium layer of bark is also eaten.Meadow mice occasionally burrow in loose or very light soils feedingon roots and tubers.
Local populations of meadow mice vary greatly from year to yearand in years with high populations they can become very destructivearound the home. Usually the first signs of meadow mouse activity arenoticed in the spring. Just as the snow melts, the homeowner findsareas of his lawn displaying a ragged, chewed-up appearance wheremeadow mice have been living under the snow during the winter.Numerous, shallow runways are visible on the lawn surface, often withone or more interwoven grass nests and occasionally several smallburrows. Piles of mouse droppings may be seen at the junctions ofthese runways and sections of clipped grass may be found along therunways indicating mouse activity. Ordinarily, no permanent damagehas been done to the lawn and the mice usually retreat from the openlawn to more protected areas with the vanishing snow cover.
This mouse activity is frequently blamed on moles but can bereadily distinguished from the work of moles because moles do notconstruct surface runways through the grass, but dig a network oftunnels beneath the soil surface. Moles force up ridges or push upmounds of soil to the surface. Grass is not eaten nor are grass nestsfound on the lawn surface, if moles are responsible.
During the winter meadow mice sometimes injure trees and shrubs byeating away the bark at the base of trees and shrubs exposing thelight colored wood beneath. Occasionally this type of injury may befound as high as the winter snow, sometimes several feet off theground. Frequently this type of injury results in complete girdlingof affected plants and causes their subsequent loss later in thegrowing season. If caught early, girdling injury can be repaired bybridge grafting but plant growth is always seriously set back.
In late spring and summer, meadow mice can damage growing plantsand ripening vegetables. They eat into the exposed portions of beets,low lying tomatoes and other vegetables. In some cases they mayburrow down to feed on buried crops such as potatoes.
4 Spot Sap Beetle Larvae
Field mice can be easily controlled in small areas, such as lawnor gardens, by ordinary snap back mouse traps but, to be effective, adozen or more traps should be used. Locate the mouse runways ingrassy borders of the lawn or garden and set the traps in or at rightangles to the runways, flush with the runway floor. Traps may also beset at 10 foot intervals along the plant rows. Use a pinch of oatmealor peanut butter sprinkled over the trigger of the trap as bait.Avoid using bait such as bacon which may be attractive to birds orpets. Mice often invade lawns or gardens from adjacent weedy orgrassy areas which should also be thoroughly trapped. Traps should bereset daily and freshly baited until no more mice are caught. It maybe necessary to repeat this procedure several times during thegrowing season as more mice move in from outside areas.
Mowing of grassy or weedy borders and of unkempt grassy-weedyareas will help reduce the meadow mouse population. Removing highgrass and weeds from around desirable ornamentals and fruit trees isalso helpful. Certain herbicides may also be used cautiously alongfence rows, around plants and on waste areas to reduce weed and grasscover.
Mouse injury to trees and shrubs can be prevented by using wireguards encircling the tree or shrub at the base, with the lower endof the wire embedded firmly in the soil. Galvanized hardware clothwith º inch mesh and 19 to 24 inches wide is commonly used toform a cylinder large enough to allow for growth over a period ofseveral years.
MOLES:
Moles belong to the insect-eating group of mammals and arehighly specialized for their life beneath the soil. They aresometimes confused with the field mice or shrews but can be easilyidentified by their greatly enlarged forefeet modified for digging.Adults are from 5 to 8 inches long and have very small concealed eyesand ears with short, thick, dark, soft, velvety gray fur that issmooth if brushed either way. The two species commonly encountered inNew York State are the common mole, Scalopus aquaticus and thestar-nosed mole, Condylura cristata. The star-nosed mole has 22 pinkfinger-like projections around its nose which readily identifies itfrom the common mole whose nose is more pointed like a pick.
Moles seldom venture above ground and spend most of their liveswithin their extensive systems of underground tunnels, where acircular nest chamber is excavated and lined with leaves and grass. Asingle litter averaging four young is produced in late April or earlyMay. Young moles leave the nest in four to five weeks.
Insects, insect larvae (especially white grubs) and earthwormsmake up the bulk of the moleís diet but they also occasionallyfeed on plant material such as bulbs. Moles more commonly damagelawns, gardens and golf greens with their tunneling activities insearch of insects and worms. Soil is forced up in sinuous ridges bycommon moles. Star-nosed moles usually work deeper in the soil andbuild up mounds of soil on the surface.
Moles are difficult to control because of their subterraneanhabits. They can be controlled most successfully through the use ofspecial mole traps designed to overcome the difficulties of trappingthem within their tunnels. These traps, of which there are severaltypes, may be purchased from hardware dealers and garden supplystores.
Before setting mole traps it is necessary to locate tunnels thatare in current use. The common mole digs a network of deep tunnels aswell as a network of surface burrows and, while the deep tunnels arein more or less permanent use, some of the surface tunnels are onlytemporary structures dug by the mole in search of food and perhapsused only once. Surface tunnels of the common mole may be easilyidentified by the ridge of soil above them. Active surface tunnelsmay be located by pushing down the surface ridges on a number oftunnels and noting which ones are repaired within a day or two.Deeper tunnels can be located by pushing a pointed rod or stick intothe ground and noting the change in resistance when the rod breaksinto a tunnel. These are the places to set mole traps.
The star-nosed mole does not leave a soil ridge above itsunderground runs as does the common mole. Where the star-nosed molestunnel to the surface, they leave a mound of soil. It is necessary todig around these mounds a little to locate a tunnel before the trapcan be set in place. The trap should be set in a straight section oftunnel and the harpoon worked up and down several times to be certainthat nothing is in the soil to impede its function.
Snap back mouse traps may also be used to catch moles. The trapsare placed with the trigger at right angles to the tunnel afterexcavating down to the tunnel floor. It is not necessary to bait thetrap as the mole should be caught when attempting to clear the trapfrom the tunnel. After setting, the hole should be covered withsomething such as a board or box to exclude light.
Grassy areas such as lawns and golf greens may be treated withinsecticides to reduce insects and other mole food sources. When foodis no longer plentiful, the moles will go elsewhere.Back to Pest Information
INJURY:
The silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) and the firebrat (Thermobia domestica) cause damage in homes by eating foods and other materials that are high in protein, sugar or starch. They feed on cereals, moist flour, any paper on which there is glue or paste, sizing in paper including wall paper and book bindings, starch in clothing and rayon fabrics.
DESCRIPTION:
Both silverfish and firebrats are slender-bodied, about 1/2 inch inlength and wingless. Their bodies are covered with scales, shinysilver or pearl gray for silverfish, and mottled gray for firebrats.The immature insects look like the adults but are smaller in size.Both have two long antennae at the head end and three long tail-likeappendages at the hind end. The appendages are almost as long as thebody.
Silverfish and firebrats are common in houses throughout theUnited States. Silverfish live and develop in damp, cool places,especially basements. Large numbers can sometimes be found in newbuildings in which the walls are still damp. The firebrat lives anddevelops in hot, dark places such as around furnaces, fireplaces andin insulation around hot water or heat pipes. Both are active atnight and hide during the day. In apartment houses these insectsfollow pipelines from the basement to the rooms on lower floors wherethey find food, They may be found in book cases, around closetshelves, behind baseboards, and behind window and door frames.
LIFE HISTORY:Silverfish and firebrats develop slowly under usual householdconditions and produce few young. They are able to live without foodfor several months. The females lay eggs at any season in secludedplaces such as behind books or on closet shelves. Silverfish lay eggssingly or only a few at a time, but may deposit several batches overa period of weeks. Firebrats deposit about 50 eggs at one time, andagain, may lay several batches. Eggs hatch in 2 weeks or longer andthe rate of growth of the young depends on the temperature andhumidity in the building. Silverfish and firebrats may reach maturityin 3 to 24 months.
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INJURY:
Slugs and snails are often present in greenhouses throughout the year and in home vegetable gardens, flower and ornamental borders during most of the summer. Injury to plants consists of chewed holes in leaves, stems, flowers and fruit. Seedlings may be totally destroyed.
DESCRIPTION:
Slugs and snails are mollusks, a group of invertebrate animals withsoft unsegmented bodies. Slugs are often described as snails withouta shell, while snails are enclosed in calcareous shells. Slugs andsnails move along by secreting a path of mucus.
LIFE HISTORY:
Many species overwinter in the egg stage, but eggs may also be foundat other times of the year. The eggs resemble little round spheres,are whitish to clear in color, and are often found in masses justbelow the soil surface. The young slugs resemble the adults and beginfeeding as soon as they hatch. The life span for most species isusually less than one year.
Immature and adult slugs and snails that overwinter become activein the early spring when temperatures are consistently above 40degrees F (5 degrees C). A wet spring and early summer usually resultin a buildup of slug populations. Dry weather is often detrimental toslugs, and they may either die or burrow deeper into the soil toawait moist conditions. Cool damp fall weather is conducive to muchslug injury.
Slugs and snails are active mostly at night, and the slime trailthey leave is an indication of their presence. Early in the morningthis trail may appear as silver streaks on the plant surface, but asthe day progresses it dries out and becomes less visible. (Incontrast, caterpillars which cause similar feeding injury do notleave a slime trail.)Back to Pest Information
| The insect nicknamed the 'snow-flea' is not a flea at all, but instead is a species of springtail that may occur in very large numbers on the snow. In some instances they may be so numerous as to color the snow black. In British Columbia there is a minute yellow springtail that is said to cover the snow with a 'carpet of gold'. |
The snow-flea Achorutes nivicola Fitch was written about as earlyas 1847 by Asa Fitch. He wrote of it:
'This is an abundant species in our forests in thewinter and fore part of spring. At any time in the winter, whenever afew days of mild weather occur, the surface of the snow, often, overwhole acres of woodland, may be found sprinkled more or less thicklywith these minute fleas, looking at first sight, as though gunpowderhad been there scattered. Hollows and holes in the snow, out of whichthe insects are unable to throw themselves readily, are often blackwith multitudes which here become imprisoned. The fine meal-likepowder with which their bodies are coated, enables them to floatbuoyantly upon the surface of water, without becoming wet. When thesnow is melting so as to produce small rivulets coursing along thetracks of the lumbermanís sleigh, these snow-fleas are oftenobserved, floating passively in its current, in such numbers as toform continuous strings; whilst the eddies and still pools gatherthem in such myriads as to wholly hide the element beneath them.'
Later he included an additional note:
'In the early spring the buckets and troughs of themanufacturer of maple sugar are often thronged with these insects.'
Although springtails are very common insects and often veryabundant, they are seldom observed. Their small size and the factthat they are often found in concealed situations keeps them out ofview for most of us. Springtails occur in leaf mold, damp soil, underbark, in decaying logs and in fungi. A few are found on water. Mostspecies are believed to feed on organic debris.
The 'snow-fleas' need not be of concern to homeowners as they donot cause any damage. Their abundance and habit of crawling orìjumpingî all over the place attracts attention,especially when they are contrasted against the white background ofthe snow. This is one of the few insects that occur in the adultstage during the wintertime. It is a curiosity more than anythingelse and is of interest to the naturalist as well as thescientist.Back to Pest Information
DESCRIPTION:
Sooty mold is a charcoal black fungus that appears as a black coatingon the surface of leaves, fruits, twigs and branches of manydeciduous and evergreen shrubs and trees. This fungus is notpathogenic to plants but obtains its nourishment from insecthoneydew. Honeydew is a sweet, clear, sticky substance secreted byinsects such as aphids, mealybugs, scales and whiteflies. Thehoneydew drops from the insects to the leaves and twigs. Wind blownsooty mold spores (seeds) that stick to the honeydew then have asuitable medium for growth. When spores germinate, they send outblack fungus strands (mycelia threads) that bring about thediscoloration. A heavy coat of black mold may build up on twigs overmore than one growing season.INJURY:
On leaves, this coat of mold screens out light and reduces the plantscapacity to produce food. On some trees no obvious damage can benoticed. Shrubs under trees that are heavily infested with honeydewproducing insects may be seriously damaged or killed because the leafchlorophyll cannot function properly. Azalea, Rhododendron, Pieris,Cotoneaster, holly and other low-growing shrubs, growing under shadyconditions are susceptible to serious damage.
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The spiders are a large, distinct and widespread group of Arachnidsoccurring in many types of habitats. Many people think all spidersare very poisonous, however, although all spiders have venom glands,they very seldom bite man. Most spiders are beneficial because theyfeed on insects.
DESCRIPTION:
A spider's body is divided into two sections, the cephalothorax bearsthe eyes, mouth parts, and legs; and the abdomen which bears thegenital structures, spiracles and anus. Unlike insects, spiders haveeight legs and no antennae. Some of the most commonly encounteredspiders are:
| Jumping spiders - small to medium in size with short legs and stout bodies. The body is hairy and may be brightly colored or iridescent. They are found primarily under stones and in debris. |
| Crab spiders - as their name suggests, these medium sized spiders are crab-like in appearance and walk sideways or backwards. These spiders spin no webs, but forage for their prey or wait in ambush for it. One species can change color depending upon the color of the flower it is resting on. |
| Nursery web and Fishing spiders - these spiders may be quite large, some having a leg spread of three inches. Many of them live near water, walking over the surface and diving beneath it. They feed on aquatic insects and even small fish. These spiders are rovers and the female spins a web only for the young. The female carries the egg sac underneath her until the young spiders are ready to hatch at which time she ties it to a plant and wraps leaves around it. |
| Orb weavers - included in this group are the common garden spiders, many of which are brightly colored, black and yellow or black and red. These spiders are usually found resting head downward near the center of their large orb web. |
| Harvestman or Daddy-Longlegs - although these animals are not true spiders, but rather a separate order of arachnids, they deserve mention here because they are found in our gardens. These arachnids have a small oval body and extremely long legs. They feed on plant juices and dead insects. |
4 Spot Sap Beetle
Ground Spiders and Wolf Spiders - most of these common spiders are also quite large and dark brown in color. They may be found running along the ground chasing their prey. The females carry the egg sac and when the young hatch, they are carried on the female's back for a few days.
TARANTULAS - These spiders are feared because of their size andformidable appearance. The bodies may get up to 3 - 3 1/2 inches inlength. Actually they are sluggish spiders and will attack only whenthey are teased to an extreme. Many are kept for pets. The largerspecies can inflict a painful wound with their powerful jaws.Tarantulas are desert spiders and are not found in NortheasternStates.
BLACK WIDOW - The black widow is timid by nature, however, whenaccidentally squeezed, will bite in self defense. The venom is highlytoxic. The bite causes extreme pain which usually extends to theabdominal muscles. The danger exists because the black widow seeksout dark places in which to construct a retreat, often living inclose proximity with man.
BROWN RECLUSE - This spider is known to cause sores that are slowto heal when it bites. These spiders range from Western Georgianorthward into Kentucky and westward to Kansas and Texas. Since thesespiders are easily transported, it is wise to check vacation gearwhen returning from a southern and western vacation. The spiders hidein dark corners and are generally shy.Back to Pest Information
Pegomya hyoscyami |
| INJURY: The spinach leafminer attacks spinach, beet, sugar beet, swiss chard and many weeds including lamb's quarters, chickweed and nightshade. The insectís mines make the vegetables unsightly and unappetizing as well as destroying part of the crop. The maggots feed between the upper and lower leaf surfaces of the host plants mining out the tissue in between. As the maggot grows, the mines coalesce with others and blotches are seen on the affected leaves. It is not unusual for several larvae to be in the same leaf. The spinach leafminer is most injurious to spinach and chard and beet greens. Injury to the leaves of beets, and sugar beets also decreases the size of the root crop. |
DESCRIPTION:
The adult of the spinach leafminer is a fly about º inch long and gray in color. The adults may be seen flying near the ground between the plants. The egg is white and about 1 mm long. The maggot or larval stage is white to yellowish and legless. The puparium or resting stage is a hard, brown structure about 1/5 inch in length. LIFE HISTORY:
In April or May adult flies of the spinach leafminer appear in thegarden. The females deposit eggs singly or in rows of 2 to 5 side byside on the underside of the leaves. In 4 to 6 days the tiny maggotshatch from the eggs and work their way into the leaf tissue. Thelarvae excavate the mine, which is at first thread-like, but as themaggot grows, the mine becomes blotch-like. The larvae are full grownin 7 to 16 days at which time they drop to the ground and burrow afew inches into the soil. Here each larva changes to the puparium orresting stage. Two weeks to a month later the adult files emerge andwill soon lay eggs for another brood. In central New York there arethree generations and a partial fourth each year. Winter is passed asa puparium in the soil.
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Springtails, scientifically known as Collembola, are minute insects (usually less than 2 mm) that are very common and abundant with nearly universal distribution in moist soil. Because of their small size and somewhat concealed habitats, they are seldom seen. The name springtail refers to the fact that these tiny insects have a forked appendage attached to the back of the underside of the abdomen that can be moved quickly away from the body usually causing the insect to jump. The springtails are often whitish or grayish in color and blend in with their surroundings.
PROBLEM:
Springtails are considered pests in the sense that they areoccasional invaders and may occur in very large numbers. Theseinsects are commonly found out of doors, but occasionally get intothe indoor environment. Outside they may be seen on the paving blockssurrounding patios and swimming pools. In buildings springtails arefound in damp places such as kitchens, basements, bathrooms, arounddrains, on the floor near patio doors, on wet walls, or in the soilof potted plants. The majority of species feed on algae, fungi anddecayed vegetable matter, although a few species will feed on livingplants and dead animal matter. Some species also feed on nematodesand may contribute to the natural control of these tiny worms.
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Part I: Aerial Nesting Wasps andBees
Note: For ease of use this section is divided into two parts (PartI: Aerial Nesting Wasps
and Bees and Part II:Subterranean, Tree and Wall Nesting Wasps and Bees)
Introduction:
Most stinging insects are beneficial to man. Bees make ourhoney and are essential for the pollination of many crops. Wasps preyon large quantities of harmful caterpillars and flies which they feedto their young. Unfortunately these insects often build their nestsnear occupied dwellings and many become a nuisance or even a dangerif a person is allergic to their sting.
Most bees and wasps that are a stinging problem are socialinsects. This means that they generally occur in large numbers in thesame nest. Because they occur in large numbers, the only effectivemethod of control is to locate and destroy their nests. The remainderof this bulletin covers the identification, location and destructionof such nests.
Types of Aerial Stinging Insects and TheirNests:
Polistes or paper wasps are reddish-brown todark brown, long-legged insects with spindle shaped abdomens. Thesewasps construct circular, gray paper nests which resemble a honeycomb from the underside and seldom exceed four inches in diameter.The nests are frequently found under the eaves of houses, in littleused buildings and in attics. The nests are annual (used for only oneyear).
Hornets are large black insects with white or yellowmarkings. They are built more stockily than Polistes or mud daubers.Their nests resemble a large gray, coarsely textured football orgiant egg and are constructed of a papiermache- like material. Thenests are less common than Polistes nests and may be found undereaves and hidden in shrubbery or on tree branches. An active nest maycontain over 200 adults. The nests are seasonal.
Mud daubers have extremely long, thin waists and are blueto metallic black in color. Their nests are a series of mud cellswhich often resemble finger-like projections. The adult femaleprovisions the nest with paralyzed spiders for the young to eat. Theyare not social wasps and the female leaves the nest after sheprovisions it. The adults are much less likely to sting than thesocial wasps.
Honey bees are relatively small, hairy, yellowish browninsects, though dark brown or black honey bees are not uncommon. Theyare normally kept in bee hives but they will nest in trees andbetween the walls of houses. The removal or destruction of such nestsis covered in Part II of this bulletin. Quite often during the monthsof May and June and less frequently throughout the summer, 'swarms'of honey bees may be encountered on the sides of buildings or onnearby trees. These swarms are composed of honey bees which have leftthe old hive to start a new one and they may include as many as 4,000to 30,000 bees. The swarms are generally quite gentle if unmolestedand will remain for a day or two before flying to their new homesite.
Yellow jackets,bumble bees, the giant tree-nestinghornets and permanently nesting honey bees arecovered in Part II of this bulletin.
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Part II: Subterranean, Tree andWall Nesting Wasps and Bees
Introduction:
Most wasps and bees may be divided into two groups dependingon their nesting habits. Those species which live in exposed paper ormud nests have been dealt with in Part I of this bulletin. Part II isconcerned with those wasps and bees which nest underground, in hollowtrees, or sometimes utilize man-made cavities (walls, foundations,attics, etc.). These insects live together and cooperate in manyways. For this reason they are collectively referred to as socialinsects. Such groups, although beneficial, often have well developeddefense systems; that is, they sting when disturbed. Thus, effectiveidentification and extermination sometimes become necessary.
Subterranean (Ground) Nesting Wasps andBees:
Bumble bees are large, 'furry',yellow and black insects (sometimes tinged with orange) often seenvisiting flowers. These bees are not particularly aggressive but willsting if their nest or nest entrance is disturbed. Their small nestsare often built in abandoned mouse holes, and for this reason theyare most commonly encountered in field situations, but may also befound in mattress or insulating materials. Bumble bee nests areannual and only reproductive females or queens overwinter.
Yellow jackets, commonlymistaken for bees, are actually shiny yellow and black wasps. In NewYork State these small insects are annual nesters. Every springreproductive females start nests in small ground depressions andcavities. The only evidence of such a nest is a small ground-levelentrance. Yellow jacket nests are usually not discovered until theirpopulations are near their peak in late July or August; disturbing anest at this stage can be quite unpleasant and even dangerous. Itshould be noted that these wasps will often adopt cavities within thefoundations or walls of houses. Foragers from late-season yellowjacket nests can number in the thousands and sometimes become anuisance in backyards and picnic areas. Yellow jackets capture fliesand other insects to feed their young, and also seek out flowernectar and other sweet liquids. Generally insect foragers are lessaggressive than those individuals at the nest site.
Honey bees, our most numerouspollinators, are relatively small hairy insects. They vary in colorfrom the usual golden-brown to darker browns and even black. Honeybees cause concern under two circumstances. (1) The box-like hivesused by hobby and commercial beekeepers often become too crowded fora given colony of bees, and a group of bees (a swarm) will leave tostart a new colony. Frequently such swarms settle temporarily on theside of a house or tree. (2) Oftentimes, however, a group of beeswill start a new hive in a hollow tree or within the walls of ahouse. These permanent home sites cause the greatest problem. Honeybees tend to defend their new home against any inexperiencedintruder. Honey bee nests are perennial. These insects survive thewinter by huddling together forming a tight warm cluster.
The European hornet is a large heavybodied wasp. It is brown in color with yellow and orange markings.This species was introduced into North America in the mid-1800's. Itsbiology is quite similar to that of the yellow jacket, but it prefershollow trees as a nesting site. It will also accept man-made cavitiesespecially the outside walls of houses. The nests of this species areannual and only a small number of queens overwinter. The Europeanhornet is unusual in that it often flies at dusk and even in theearly evening. For this reason it sometimes becomes a pest nearoutdoor lights and on window screens.
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Melitta cucurbitae (Harris) |
DESCRIPTION: a = male moth, b = female with wings folded at rest, c = eggs shown on a bit of stem, d = full-grown larva in vine, e= pupal cell. All 1/3 larger than natural size. |
4 Spot Sap Beetle Identification
INJURY:
The larvae bore into the stems of squashes, pumpkins, gourds,cucumbers and muskmelons. Infested vines at first exhibit wilting,and later may be completely girdled and rot beyond the point ofattack.
An infestation may be detected by the presence of coarse,yellowish grains of frass (fecal matter) that collect on the groundunder the vines. Later the frass becomes moist and shiny, and may beseen oozing from holes in the stems.
LIFE HISTORY:
Adult moths emerge from the pupae about the time vine crops come up.In New York State this is usually during the latter part of June. Themoths are active daytime flyers and are often mistaken for wasps.Eggs are laid singly and glued to stems and leaf stalks near the baseof the plant. The young borers enter the plant about two weeks laterand begin feeding on the inner tissues. The larvae feed for about onemonth. If an infected vine is split open, it will be hollowed out andpartially filled with frass. Late in the season borers may be foundthroughout the plant stem and in the fruits. When fully mature, thelarvae leave the stems and make cocoons in the soil. The larvaeusually over winter in the cocoons, changing to pupae the followingspring.
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Acalymma vittata (Fabricius) |
Striped Cucumber Beetle Adult ( x 5) | INJURY: Striped cucumber beetles are carriers of bacterial wilt, a serious disease of cucurbits. As they feed they transmit the bacteria from one plant to another, and carry it over the winter when they hibernate. The following spring the beetles may infect new plants with the disease. The greatest injury done by this insect is to the young plants soon after they come up in the spring. The adults feed on them and may even kill them. The larvae cause injury by burrowing into the stem, both above and below the ground. They may also feed on the underside of fruit when it lies on the ground. Adult beetles will feed on flowers and destroy them by eating off pistils. New broods of beetles may feed on the rinds of ripening fruits. |
DESCRIPTION:
The adult beetle is small, 1/4 inch in length. The head is black, thorax yellow, and the wing covers are yellow with three longitudinal black stripes. The mature larva is 3/10 inch in length, white with a brown head, thorax and anal plates.
LIFE HISTORY:
The adult beetles hibernate under trash or if such protection is notavailable, they will burrow into the soil below the frost line. Theadults emerge from April to June usually before the cucurbit plantsare up and feed for a time on pollen from flowers of apple, horsechestnut, lilac and many others. When squash and cucumbers start toshoot up the beetles quickly congregate on them.
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Tiny black insects, commonly called thrips, could be responsible for the abnormal appearance (leaf tatter) of sugar maple foliage in many areas across New York State. Recently, foresters in Pennsylvania associated the pear trips (Taeniothrips inconsequens (Uzel) with sugar maple leaf distortion and defoliation. The pear thrips, a native of Europe, was introduced as early as 1904 to California and later was found on the East Coast. The pear thrips is economically important to growers of plums, cherry, apple and pear on the West and East Coasts. Additional hosts of the pear thrips are maple, basswood, birch, beech, ash, and black cherry. In Europe, this insect is associated with woodland vegetation. |
LIFE CYCLE AND DESCRIPTION:
The adult pear thrips has a slender brownish body and is 1.2 - 1.5 mmlong with a yellow to orange subintegumental segment. Its head isswollen behind the eyes and has red pigmented ocelli. Antennalsegments V and VI are broadly jointed, the third segment is yellowishbrown. Tarsi are yellowish-brown and the fore tarsi have an apicaltooth adapted for digging. Wings are long, narrow, and fringed withlong hairs. The fore wings are brown and the hind wings are pale.
Only female pear thrips are known to occur in North America.Therefore, the thrips probably reproduce asexually (parthenogenesis).Both sexes are found in Europe. Eggs are laid mainly in the petiolesof blossoms and leaves as soon as buds open. Egg laying is performedwith a sharply pointed down-curving, saw-toothed ovipositor. Smallbrown scars develop soon after eggs are laid.
Young pear thrips are small and white with red eyes. Because thelarvae feed on the foliage, they may add to the injury caused byadults. After two or three weeks of feeding, the larvae fall to theground, enter the soil to depths of up to 40 cm and form pupal cells.Strong spines on the 9th and 10th abdominal segments are used topenetrate the soil and mold a pupal cell. In the fall, the insectspupate within the cells and remain in the soil until the followingspring. Adult pear thrips emerge in spring when soil temperature hasrisen to between 7 or 12 degrees Celsius (45 to 50 degrees F). Afteremergence, adults migrate to the expanding buds and begin to feed.There is apparently one generation per year, adults appearing in lateApril to early May, and larval feeding finished by early June.
INJURY:
Foliar damage is caused when thrips scrape and rasp tender planttissue with their sharp, needle-like mouth parts to feed on plantliquids. Leaves damaged by the pear thrips are dwarfed, mottledyellow to green-brown, and distorted. This causes the tree to have athin crown, and the effect resembles late frost damage. Blister-likescars develop along the veins and petioles of the foliage. Moderatelydamaged foliage can place the trees under some stress and possiblycause premature leaf drop in early fall. Severely damaged foliagecould result in early spring defoliation followed by refoliation inJune or July.
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