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Webinar on pollinators

Posted on April 1, 2016 by wizzie.brown

2016 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series: Help pollinators cope with pesticides Webinar TODAY! Friday, April 1, 2016 for the All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series: Help pollinators cope with pesticides Friday, April 1 at 1:00 pm Central Location: http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/fireant Pollinating insects are at risk when pesticides are used carelessly. Learn practical tips for preventing pollinator deaths from pesticides by Jack Rowe, Dr. James Tew, Sallie Lee, and Dani Carroll from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Moderated by Mallory Kelley, Denise Heubach, and Ellen Huckabay,… Read More →

Mothballs

Posted on March 18, 2016 by wizzie.brown

I remember walking into my great-grandmother’s house when I was a little girl and there was…well….there was a smell. Unfortunately for me, it wasn’t homemade cookies baking in the oven. I never knew exactly what it was at the time, but years later I discovered that the smell was mothballs. Since the smell of mothballs permeated throughout my great-grandmother’s house, she was not using them in a proper manner. I think many people may not know exactly how to use mothballs properly, hence my writing this particular blog… Read More →

Insects on Mountain Laurel

Posted on March 4, 2016 by wizzie.brown

The mountain laurels are in bloom in Central Texas. This is the time of year I walk around and any time I see a mountain laurel I take in a long, deep breath. I LOVE the smell when mountain laurels are blooming. It puts me in mind of grape bubble gum. So while I enjoy the scent and beauty of the mountain laurel flowers, some people may be more concerned with insects they are finding on their mountain laurels. The two common insects that I get questions about… Read More →

Ox beetles

Posted on February 19, 2016 by wizzie.brown

Have you found a ginormous grub in your compost pile? If so, don’t panic! Grubs are a common name for beetle larvae and these particular rubs become Ox beetles. The larvae look like a typical white grub and have a creamy C-shaped body, reddish head capsule and six legs. The difference is that these grubs look like they’ve been taking steroids and can fill the palm of your hand. Adult beetles are shiny brown and about 2 inches long. Males have horns while females do not. It takes… Read More →

Zika virus

Posted on February 5, 2016 by wizzie.brown

I thought I would jump on the band wagon and get some information out about Zika virus. This seems to be the latest and (not the) greatest in the news as of late. Considering that the first case of local transmission was detected within Texas in the past week, everyone needs to know about this so they can take proper precautions. Zika virus is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. Currently, there is no specific treatment for the virus, nor is there a vaccine. The best way to avoid getting Zika virus is to… Read More →

Boxelder bugs

Posted on January 25, 2016 by wizzie.brown

During the winter (if you can call the weather we’re having in Texas winter….), people may have the opportunity to see boxelder bugs emerge out of their overwintering sites on warm, sunny days. As they can show up all of a sudden in somewhat large numbers, it can be startling. Boxelder bugs are dark brownish-black insects with reddish-orange markings around the edges of the thorax and wings. The bugs are about 1/2 an inch long as an adult. Nymphs, or immatures, look similar to adults but are smaller… Read More →

2016 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series- FREE!

Posted on January 8, 2016 by wizzie.brown

Please join in for the 2016 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series. This webinar series provides information about good and bad insects. Webinars are free and open to everyone. We will discuss how you can help pollinators and other good insects by using pesticides properly. We will also talk about how to control insects we think of as bad, like fire ants, vegetable bugs, a new invasive fruit fly, and cockroaches. We will even have a webinar about snakes, although they’re not really insects but can be a pest or a beneficial, depending on… Read More →

Gift list for insect lovers

Posted on December 11, 2015 by wizzie.brown

With the holidays coming up, I thought I would pull up some gift ideas that have caught my fancy. I’m sure that y’all don’t have too many bug-lovers on your gifting list, but in case you do, here are some ideas. First up is a sterling silver bee nose ring because, c’mon….who wouldn’t want a bee in their nose? I have some bee earrings, but I may need to consider getting my nose pierced now just so I can really show off my love of insects with this. Nose ring sold by… Read More →

Beekeeping 101 class- December 10, 2015

Posted on December 1, 2015 by wizzie.brown

Beekeeping 101: What’s the Buzz? December 10, 2015 Travis County Extension Office Cost: $15.00 Must RSVP by December 9, 2015 at 2 PM (Central time) RSVP to sacarrasco@ag.tamu.edu you will receive a confirmation email once you are on the list. Seating is limited, so register early Pay at the door- CHECKS ONLY (NO CASH ACCEPTED!) Location: 1600-B Smith Road, Austin, TX 78721 Program as follows: 4:45-5:30 Registration 5:30-5:35 Welcome 5:35-6:25 Honey Bee Biology & Behavior 6:25-7:10 How to Get Started: Beekeeping Equipment Essentials 7:10-7:15 Break 7:15-8:00 Buying Bees, Installation & Basic Set-up Where Do I… Read More →

Kissing bugs and Chagas disease

Posted on November 24, 2015 by wizzie.brown

Triatomine bugs, also known as kissing bugs, reduviid bugs and cone-nose bugs, are almost an inch long with elongated cone-shaped heads. The body is grayish-brown with a wide abdomen that has flattened sides. The flattened sides of the abdomen stick out beyond the wing margins and are marked with red, orange or yellow stripes. Nymphs (immatures) look similar to adults, but lack fully developed wings. There are other insects in Texas that look similar and can be mistaken for kissing bugs. Many of these insects do NOT bite and do NOT… Read More →