This iridescent metallic green beauty was first discovered in the Detroit area in 2002. Wooden packing materials are suspected to have been his preferred mode of transportation. The fact that he is smaller than a dime made it easy for him to hide within the wood products used to protect goods shipped overseas from China.

Oak wilt is a fungal disease affecting oak trees caused by the fungus known as Bretziella Fagacearum. It was first recognized in 1944 when over half of the oaks in affected areas of Wisconsin were infected and died as a result. The most recent evidence suggests oak wilt to be an exotic disease which arrived in the United States as early as 1900. Its exact origin is still unknown, possibly from Central or South America, or Mexico.

WPS requires employers to provide pesticide training that covers the following topics: pesticide product safety, reading labels, following directions, pesticide application, best health practices during application, restricted entry intervals training, posting signage to protect workers from entering areas that have been recently sprayed, use of protective equipment, pesticide handling, decontamination practices,

Although seed treatments actually date back to 470 B.C., we as agricultural producers are obviously more concerned about the more modern applications of these processes, not only because they have been found to be beneficial to early crop protection but especially because they have been of concern to the safety of humans and the environment. In the last 10 years, there has been a resurgence of treated seed use, largely due to the advent of improved chemical performance.

Cockroaches take the lead in New Orleans and Tampa, while mice infestations appear to be most prevalent in Philadelphia, followed closely by New York and San Antonio. Although rats are not as much of an issue as cockroaches and mice, they are found within the top 5% sighted in every city.  Washington DC seems to take the lead in bedbugs, scorpions are quite the nuisance in Arizona. It seems there’s no place to hide when it comes to these pesky creatures.

We often think about all of the amazing places we wish to vacation or even make our homes. But have you ever thought about the creatures that may be hidden between the walls, under the bed or between the sheets?  Listed below you’ll find an informative, yet tongue-in-cheek reference guide to some of America’s top cities and the creepy crawly creatures you’ll likely find hidden within them.

There are advantages to using biopesticides in that they are less toxic than conventional pesticides and generally affect only the target pest and closely related organisms.  In contrast, the use of conventional pesticides has been known to adversely affect other organisms such has insects, mammals and birds. Biopesticides are often effective in very small quantities and decompose quickly which results in lower exposures and an avoidance of pollution problems. They can often be used as a component of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs, and can greatly reduce the use of conventional pesticides, yet still produce a high crop yield.

Researchers at the University of Delaware have recently found that agricultural plants send out sensory volatile cues that alert organisms in the area (such as birds) that they are in need of help. Previous research has shown that this occurs in ecosystems such as forests. These “signals” are sent when plants are under siege from insects. With a little Play-Doh and orange colored pins, they are seeing the potential for growers to defend their crops.

The Spotted Lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (White), an invasive planthopper, has been discovered in Berks and surrounding counties in Pennsylvania. It is native to China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and introduced to Japan and Korea where it has become a major pest of grapes. This insect has the potential to greatly impact the grape, hops and logging industries. Early detection is vital for the protection of Pennsylvania businesses and agriculture.

Criminals are hacking into the email accounts of real estate agents or other persons involved in a real estate transaction and using information gained from the hack to dupe a party into a fraudulent wire transfer. The hackers often send an email that appears to be from an individual legitimately involved in the transaction, informing the recipient, often the buyer, that there has been a last-minute change to the wiring instructions.