Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Burnet County

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1 Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Burnet County September 2016 Newsletter ZIKA VIRUS August 23, 2016 AgriLife Extension offers tips for avoiding Zika Writer: Steve Byrns, , Contact: Dr. Sonja Swiger, , Dr. Mike Merchant, , STEPHENVILLE The mosquito-transmitted Zika virus is a potential threat to the health of unborn babies in Texas and other states, and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has stepped up efforts to educate the public on ways to protect themselves from this new menace, said agency entomologists. While people enjoy outdoor activities and travel this fall, it s important to remember that our first line of defense against Zika is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, said Dr. Sonja Swiger, AgriLife Extension entomologist at Stephenville. The Aedes aegypti and A. albopictus mosquitoes that transmit Zika occur commonly in our backyards where their eggs are laid and larvae live in standing water. Like other mosquito species, they are active at sunrise and sunset, but commonly bite throughout the day as well. Swiger said it s important to remember the Four Ds as a first line of defense. They are: -- Drain: Empty standing water, thus eliminating mosquito breeding sites. -- Dress: Put on long sleeved shirts and pants when going outside. -- Defend: Apply mosquito repellent when going outside. -- Dusk and Dawn: Avoid outdoor activity during these two most mosquito-active periods. Swiger said simple steps such as repairing screens on doors and windows are critically important to keeping mosquitoes out. Managing landscape water features is another key area in the fight against the spread of the Zika virus. Mosquito dunks, commonly sold in garden centers for mosquito control in home water features, can be used to treat water that cannot be readily drained, she said. The dunks contain insect growth regulators or mosquito-specific bacteria to effectively control mosquito larvae. Neither approach is harmful to fish or other aquatic organisms. Dr. Mike Merchant, AgriLife Extension urban entomologist at Dallas, said that fighting Zika will be much different than fighting West Nile virus. Aedes mosquitoes infected with Zika are not easily detected, so health officials have to rely on actual human cases to identify hot spots. In addition, city and county truck-mounted sprayers are less effective at killing Aedes mosquitoes, so stopping these mosquitoes in each and every backyard is even more important. Everyone will need to pitch in, he said. Anything that holds water should be dumped or treated. Breeding areas can include sites as benign as containers under potted plants and bird baths. Other trouble areas are old tires, empty cans and bottles, kiddie pools, buckets, boat tarps and even clogged gutters.

2 It doesn t take much water for them to reproduce, he said. Small containers can hold enough water to breed mosquitoes. Aedes mosquitoes don t travel far from their larval habitat, so if you ve got them, chances are you unknowingly raised them. Swiger said there are many mosquito repellents available, but all approved formulations share two commonalities. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency registration of these repellent products means first, that the active ingredient has been tested and is safe for people to use, and second, that it s effective in repelling mosquitoes when used as directed. EPA and the Centers for Disease Control have evaluated scientific reports and conclude mosquito repellents containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, called IR3535, as active ingredients provide reasonably long-lasting protection from mosquito bites, Swiger said. Users should always read and follow label instructions. Most repellents can be used on children over two months of age, with the exception of those containing oil of lemon eucalyptus, which should not be used on children younger than 3 years old. For babies under two months of age, infant carriers fitted with mosquito netting are recommended. Pregnant and breast-feeding mothers can safely use EPA-approved insect repellents. Swiger said constant vigilance is the key to slowing Zika and other mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile virus. It s the global world we live in today, she said. As people travel and return from areas affected by Zika, some will return carrying the virus. When Aedes mosquitoes bite infected people, they acquire the virus. The mosquito then transmits it to an uninfected person, passing the virus to them. Swiger said that as of this writing, there are 122 recorded cases of Zika in Texas, all travel associated, except for one contracted sexually from their partner who traveled. No Texas mosquitoes have been found to be infected. Epidemics are expected as infected people arrive and locally acquired infections occur, she said. As the many media accounts report, women infected by the virus while pregnant are known to have babies with severe neurological defects. Aside from mosquito infections, additional cases may occur from sexual transmission of the disease. So, avoiding mosquito bites to protect yourself from infection is the most important thing you can do to defend against this new mosquito-borne virus threat. For more information, contact Swiger at or slswiger@ag.tamu.edu or Merchant at , m- merchant@tamu.edu. More information is also available at the following websites: Texasinsects.org Livestockvetento.tamu.edu Preventingzika.org

3 Central Texas Conservation Partnership holding Workshop on September 17 Texas Forest Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension are teaming up to host an educational workshop for landowners in Burnet County. The workshop will include topics on the benefits of prescribed fire, estate planning for your property, managing your home and property for wildfire, tree health and management and general land management practices for property health. When: Saturday, September 17, 2016 Where: First Lutheran Church in Burnet Texas 133 Apollo Drive Burnet, Texas What Time: 9:00 4:00 p.m. Cost: $20.00 and will include refreshments and a lunch RSVP: To Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Burnet County at by Friday, September 9, 2016 CEU s: There will be 3 CEU s offered at this program. 2 General and 1 IPM

4 2016 Central Texas Hay Program will be held October 20 The 2016 Central Texas Hay Program is Scheduled for Thursday, October 20, 2016 at the Burnet County Fair Barn. The program will start at 1:00 p.m. and dinner will be served at 6:00 p.m. Cost will be $25.00 for the program, that will include refreshments, handouts and a meal. We are having and promoting a Hay Testing Campaign for all members of Burnet, Lampasas and Llano Counties to turn in their hay samples to their Extension Office by Tuesday, September 13, 2016 along with $5.00 for a NIR Analysis. Samples will be mailed in to the Forage Testing Lab and handed out at the Central Texas Hay Program. If you are interested in turning in samples and need instructions on how to properly take a hay sample, please call the Burnet County Extension Office at Program topics for the Central Texas Hay Program include Timing of Fertilizer Applications for Forage Productions, Importance of Soil and Hay Testing by Dr. Larry Redmond, Benefits of Prescribed Fire and Forage Production by Dr. Morgan Russell, Dow Chemical Product Update by Dillon DeMuth, and Supplemental Feeding Strategies based on Hay Analysis by Dr. Whitney Whitworth Lyssy and Eckel Feeds. CEU s will be offered upon approval. Websites that I have found useful! Educational programs of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

5 Fall armyworms are on the march Writer: Adam Russell, , Contact: Vanessa Corriher-Olson, , OVERTON Fall armyworms are on the march in parts of Texas. Fall armyworm numbers are increasing around the state following recent rain events and a drop in temperatures. Armyworms can devastate rangeland and pastures quickly. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension photo by Adam Russell) Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agents in a few of the agency s districts have reported increased armyworm activity in hayfields and pastures over the past few weeks. Dr. Vanessa Corriher-Olson, AgriLife Extension forage specialist in Overton, said producers should expect an increase in armyworm numbers following recent rains and cooler temperatures in areas of the state. I was getting calls about them before the rain, she said. They like cooler temperatures and wet conditions in the spring and fall, so we could see a swell in their numbers. Armyworm moths can lay up to 2,000 eggs that hatch in two to three days, according to a 2015 report by AgriLife Extension entomologist Dr. Allen Knutson. There are four to five generations per year. Corriher-Olson said armyworm caterpillars are picky eaters that prefer high quality, fertilized forage typically found on fields maintained for hay production. They are a common pest of Bermudagrass, sorghum, corn, wheat, rye grass and many other crops in north and central Texas. Producers should scout each morning for armyworms, she said. Armyworms are night feeders that try to avoid daytime temperatures. Armyworms are green, brown or black in color and can be identified by the white inverted Y on their head. They can grow up to 1 inch in length when mature. The pest got its name because they appear to march across hay fields, consuming the grass in their path. The threshold for insecticide spray treating a pasture is three or more armyworms per square foot, Corriher-Olson said. Armyworms in those numbers should be treated immediately. Armyworms in the last two or three days of their larvae stage consume 85 percent of their diet. Corriher-Olson recommends insecticides labeled for armyworm control in pastures and hayfields. She said applicators should always follow all label instructions on pesticide use and restrictions. You don t need to wait a day if their numbers are at threshold, she said. They are going to do a lot of damage quickly. If you find them in the morning, spray that day. More information about armyworms can be found in Knutson s report The Fall Armyworm Pest of Pastures and Hay at:

6 Beekeeping program slated for Sept. 8 in Austin Writer: Paul Schattenberg, , paschattenberg@ag.tamu.edu Contact: Daphne Richards, or drichards@ag.tamu.edu An introductory program on beekeeping will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 8 at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office at 1600-B Smith Road in Austin. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo) AUSTIN The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Travis County will present To Bee or Not To Bee, an introductory program on beekeeping, from 10 a.m.-noon Sept. 8 at its office at 1600-B Smith Road in Austin. Topics will include bee anatomy, society and communication, said program coordinator Daphne Richards, AgriLife Extension agent for horticulture in Travis County. Participants will gather information on establishing their first hive, beekeeping equipment and integrated pest management, Richards said. Master Gardener Ginny Stubblefield, who will present the program, has been a beekeeper for three years and is a member of the Williamson County Area Beekeepers Association and the Austin Area Beekeepers Association. The cost is $10 through Aug. 29 and $15 thereafter. No cash will be accepted; payment by check or credit card only. Space is limited so attendees should register online early to reserve a seat. To register online, go to To register by phone, call For more information, contact Sue Carrasco at or sacarrasco@ag.tamu.edu -30-