Pennsylvania researchers summarize progress on Colony Collapse Disorder in bees

Colony Collapse Disorder, or CCD, has certainly had its fifteen minutes of fame over the past two years. A serious problem for commercial beekeepers, this new threat to managed honey bees has puzzled researchers. For an up-to-date report from the leading U.S. research team, check out the new article in Scientific American magazine. According to researchers, pesticides, often singled out as a likely culprit in bee die-offs, have not been ruled out as a factor in colony deaths, but less likely as a prime cause. New molecular techniques seem to point to a recently discovered virus as the principal suspect.

Study on risks of Chagas disease in Texas

If you think bed bugs are creepy, consider the kissing bug. This insect, like the bed bug, comes out primarily at night for its blood meals. Much larger than the bed bug, some kissing bugs approach an inch in length. Also, unlike the bed bug, kissing bugs are known to carry a serious illness, called Chagas disease, that can affect humans.

In a new paper published in the journal Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, researcher Sonia Kjos and associates describe first survey of the kissing bug species in Texas in many years. Using new DNA-based techniques they were able to tell how many of the insects they collected were infected with the parasite.

The study confirms the presence of kissing bugs through most areas of Texas (97 of 254 counties), and shows that over half the bugs collected from domestic settings tested positive for the disease pathogen. Dogs seem to be especially at risk for the disease where these bugs are present, possibly because they may eat the bugs whenever they can. Over 530 cases of Chagas disease have been confirmed in dogs in Texas over the past 15 years.

Ready for some good news? The disease, for reasons not fully understood, remains very rare in humans in Texas. Only 6 cases have been confirmed since 1955 when the first incident was recorded in the medical literature. Tighter house construction and different sanitation standards could account for the lower infection rates in Texas compared to northern Mexico, where some of the same kissing bug species are found. In any case there is much more to be learned about this secretive and creepy bug. In the meantime, thanks to Sonia and her team for shedding a little more light on this important pest and disease.

New Handout on Crazy Ants

Depending on your perspective, the new crazy ant species discovered by Texas A&M researchers with the help of Houston PMP Tom Rasberry either has you excited about the prospect of new revenue, or shaking in your boots. Personally, I dread new exotic pests. Exotics are a lot easier to get than get rid of, and the ultimate spread and impact of this pest is still anyone's guess.

A new resource is available through the Texas AgriLife Extension public website that explains the new pest succinctly and gives consumer practical suggestions on what they should do if they suspect they have the Caribbean (aka Rasberry) crazy ants. If you have not thought about using AgriLife Extension publications in your business, now may be the time to start. Many useful publications are available online for linking to through your company's website, or for printing and distribution to customers, or potential customers.

By the way, the handout notes that at the present time the only practical recourse for dealing with these ants is professional pest control. And in case you think that this new pest is not anything to be concerned about in your part of the state, you might want to think twice. The new crazy ant species has spread to 11 counties within a few years, and there is no reason to think that it won't continue to spread, especially east and south.

And if you eventually end up with these ants in your neighborhood, you may live to rue the day when you looked forward to seeing these ants for the revenue they can generate. There's little satisfaction in a pest that's very difficult to control.

New Rules for Schools

The new proposed rules that will govern how Texas schools conduct their pest management programs were published today in the Texas Register. The rules can be found online at http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/sos/PROPOSED/4.AGRICULTURE.html#95

In my opinion, the Texas Department of Agriculture has done a good job listening to schools and the pest control industry, as well as our concerns in the public education sector. That said, I encourage anyone with concerns about the impact of these rules to participate in the public comment period.

These public comments do make a difference. In fact, the comments made during the last round, when the rules were first published, forced the agency to go back to the drawing board and review what they had proposed. The second version, represented by today's rules, is much improved.

We have 30 days from today to get comments and suggestions about the new rules to the TDA. Written comments are the preferred method, and probably the only chance to be taken seriously by the process. Send your comments to Mr. Jimmy Bush, Assistant Commissioner for Pesticide Programs, Texas Department of Agriculture, PO Box 12847, Austin, Texas 78711.

New since the last advisory committee is a definition of IPM for schools. This was something I noted in my last blog on the subject had been avoided until now. I think they did a good job with the definition. To recap then, some of the most important impacts these rules will have on the way we do pest management in Texas schools include:

• all school IPM coordinators (IPMCs) will be required to attend training on a regular basis (a minimum of six hours every three years);
• the definition of IPM is made more clear under the new rules and will require all schools to
  have monitoring programs, keep an organized record-keeping system, develop an education plan for school district employees, and have written thresholds for important pests;
• non-pesticide control measures will be exempt from posting requirements;
• the existing criteria for Green category pesticides will be retained and clarified;
• the reentry interval for students after pesticide applications will be shortened from 12 to 4 hours in most cases, and reentry for Green category products will be allowed as soon as sprays have dried;
• outdoor areas of pesticide application will require posting at time of application for duration of the required reentry interval.

I am proud of the way Texas schools and PMPs got involved in the rule making process over the past 12 months. I think the end result is that our school IPM regulations are more reasonable and ensure that pests and pesticides are one less worry for people concerned with the safety of our kids. And what's good for our kids is good for all of us.

Horizontal transfer of fipronil among termites

Sometimes a scientific fact is known within the research community long before it comes out in print. This is the case with a paper published in the latest issue of the Journal of Economic Entomology.

In a paper by Bagnères et al (J. Econ. Entomol. 102(1): 347-356) the ability of fipronil to be picked up by foraging termites, both by simple contact with treated sand, and by ingestion of treated filter paper. According to one of the authors, Bob Davis of BASF Corporation, this study represented the first scientific evidence that fipronil is transferred horizontally among termite colony members.

The horizontal transfer phenomenom has been suspected for several years since it was observed that termite activity in monitoring stations consistently ceased when stations were close to fipronil-treated soil. While this doesn't mean that transfer of fipronil results in death of colonies, it does offer a possible explanation of the good track record for perimeter-only treatments for termite infested homes.

To see an abstract of the paper you can go to http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/esa/jee/2009/00000102/00000001/art00046

Carpenter Ants Reveal Character

Carpenter ants are now swarming in homes throughout Texas. Besides signaling the end of winter, carpenter ants can also signal whether your company can be trusted to provide honest advice about pest risks.

Of course the presence of swarming carpenter ants means that a carpenter ant nest resides somewhere in the structure. But is this really a problem? Most entomologists and experienced Texas PMPs will say no (carpenter ant species and behavior and damage potential are different in other parts of the U.S.). Small carpenter ant colonies that swarm once a year and otherwise cause no problems to the homeowner need no aggressive pest control. The fact is that Texas carpenter ants rarely cause damage to structural wood, mostly choosing to nest in void areas between studs or behind insulation in walls.

I believe it pays to be upfront with customers about the real risks, or lack thereof, of not treating carpenter ants. Many customers will want carpenter ant control even if they know that their home is not is danger. Even though they are not wood-destroyers, carpenter ants can be a nuisance by continually entering the living areas of a house. Many customers will be repelled by their presence and be willing to pay for control service in any case. Your other prospective customers will greatly appreciate an honest assessment of the situation, and be relieved that they don't really have to spend a lot of money to protect their home. For the latter category of customer, I am pretty sure you will be the first one they will call or refer to a neighbor when a more serious pest problem arises.

Yesterday my wife and I met with an energy auditor who had come to give us a free assessment of the energy efficiency of our home--a service that is subsidized by our electric delivery company. We talked about the different philosophies of companies who offer this service and learned that some companies charge for weatherproofing and others do it as part of the free audit. The companies who offer free weatherproofing typically use a hard sales routine to sell other improvements that the customer may or may not need. Our auditor's company takes the other approach and uses the free audit as a chance to explain their other services (detailed computerized energy audits, weatherproofing and energy efficient windows--all for a fee, of course).

I greatly appreciated the lack of pressurized sales pitch. After our talk, I felt convinced that this company would give me something for my money and would tell me when I would or wouldn't benefit from an energy upgrade.

As a consumer I am more likely to establish a relationship with a company I can trust, compared to the one who leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth (even if I succumb to their aggressive tactics). In the case of carpenter ants, every pest control company has a choice between scaring a sale out of someone (if you don't treat carpenter ants will tear down your home!) and providing the customer with the facts and letting them decide.

Honesty is even more important among educated consumers today. An increasing number of people who call you to their homes have already researched the subject online and will recognize when a salesperson is blowing smoke. Swarming season is a great time to establish a reputation with prospective customers and can lead to later, legitimate services (Can we call you back in two months to see if these ants have become a nuisance in your home?).

In today's economic climate I think we want customers who will stick with us through tough times, who trust us and who will gladly tell others about the good work we do. Carpenter ant season can help reveal which of us are worthy of those kinds of customers.

Fipronil to go over and out?

The EPA is considering whether to cancel registrations for granular labels for fipronil products, according to a recent email sent this week to some Extension faculty, USDA researchers, state government officials and customers by Bayer Environmental Science representatives.

According to the email, "In 2001, EPA granted a 5-year conditional registration for broadcast granular products containing fipronil insecticide such as TopChoice® for fire ant control. Since that time, the conditional registration for these products has been extended until May, 2009. The EPA has recently indicated their intention to cancel the registration for fipronil broadcast applications when the conditional registration expires."

If so, this would mean that popular insecticides like TopChoice^® and Over N Out^® would go away, probably for good. Top Choice^® is currently the best option for control of mole crickets in the southern U.S., and both these products find use as a once-a-year treatment for fire ant control.

Although the EPA is not talking on the record about the reasons for a possible cancellation of registration, the official I spoke with noted that the agency has been concerned with the ecological impact of fipronil, especially in aquatic environments. The persistence of fipronil in the environment, and possible biomagnification in some food chains are additional issues for the agency. A review of the ecotoxicology of fipronil by Tingle et. al in 2003 will give you some idea of environmental and health concerns with this product.

Whether granular fipronil remains on the market will depend on how strong a case Bayer Environmental Science can make as well as input received from end users. As far as I can tell the registration of fipronil for termite and ant control is not currently at risk, and may never be. Fire ant baits certainly offer a strong alternative to fipronil granules for fire ant control. But turfgrass managers will miss fipronil as an option for mole cricket control.

The scientific issue at stake is what use pattern might result in fipronil toxicity issues in aquatic environments. It has been well documented that effluent from treated rice fields can impact many aquatic invertebrates and even fish (see for example Gunasekara and Troung 2007. and Stehr et. al 2006) Less well known is how much fipronil might be leaching from treated golf courses or home lawns. As a pest management specialist I would hate to lose fipronil as a tool for turfgrass management. But as an environmentalist and one who realizes the importance of water quality to our quality of life, I don't want to see pesticides eroding the health of our streams and estuaries. Let's hope the EPA uses sound science to make the right decision.