Ag Biz News Column By: Chad Gulley County Extension Agent–Ag/NR Smith County Fly Species and Livestock                 Livestock producers have several species of flies to manage when it comes to livestock production.  These fly species, if left untreated, can cause economic losses to livestock species through energy loss and physical feeding of these pests on our livestock species.  The fly species can reduce weight gains and feed efficiency of our livestock. The fly species that are most common are the housefly, stable fly, and horn fly.  Other external… Read More →

  Ag Biz News Column By: Chad Gulley County Extension Agent–Ag/NR Smith County Wood-Boring Insects in Trees and Shrubs Many insects feed and make their homes in the bark of trees and shrubs.  Most of these insects are attracted to weakened, damaged or dying trees.  Typically, we call these insects “secondary invaders” because they only attack after the plant or tree is weakened by another stress such as drought.   Secondary invaders include wood-boring beetles, carpenter bees, termites, and carpenter ants to name a few. Wood-boring insect damage can… Read More →

  News Column By: Chad Gulley County Extension Agent–Ag/NR Smith County Tent Caterpillars Tent caterpillars are in my trees.  What do I do about them? These caterpillars produce unsightly webs or tents in trees and shrubs around the landscape.  With large populations, defoliation of trees may result.  The keys to eliminating tent caterpillars are to identify them early and accurately, understanding their life cycle, and using appropriate control methods. In Texas, there are four closely related species of tent caterpillars.  They are the eastern tent caterpillar Malacosoma americanum,… Read More →

Ag Biz News Column Chad Gulley County Extension Agent—Ag/NR Smith County  Overwintering Insects in the Home  Some homeowners may be seeing numerous lady bugs invading their homes this fall and winter.  Lady beetles are insects that are considered beneficial and are not invading your home to cause problems, only to stay warm.  The lady beetle does not chew or bore holes in walls nor do they eat carpet. The multi-colored Asian lady beetle is native to Asia but occurs in many areas of the United States.  This beneficial… Read More →

  Ag Biz News Column By: Chad Gulley County Extension Agent—Ag/NR Smith County Twig Girdlers                 Have you recently noticed several limbs of your pecans, hickory and other nut trees being cut off as if someone cut it off with a sharp pocket knife?  You have an insect called the Twig Girdler.  Twig Girdlers are common throughout most of Texas.  The damage caused by these insects usually either results in complaints or evokes curiosity.    Most people do not even realize they have this insect until winter months when… Read More →