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Extension Entomology

Category: Pollinators

Perennial Grain Species as Border Crops: Pollinator Habitat, Weed Suppression, and Forage Potential (panel discussion)

Posted on by Sharon Schroll

–by Tania Kim — Dept. of Entomology – Insect, Landscape Ecology; Plant-Insect Interactions

 

You are invited to attend a panel discussion about perennial grains as border crops hosted by the Land Institute.

Date Time: Sep 22, 2021 10:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Perennial Grain Species as Border Crops: Pollinator Habitat, Weed Suppression, and Forage Potential

Location: Zoom (registration required, information below).

 

 

Description: Border crops have the potential to deliver agronomically important ecosystem services to crop fields. Perennial plantings could be advantageous in providing low-maintenance ground cover for field borders, flowers for pollinators, and even forage for livestock. In this webinar we will discuss the border crop potential of four perennial species at The Land Institute being domesticated as perennial grain crops – sainfoin, silflower, cup plant, and Kernza® – compared to two known border and forage crops, alfalfa and a 9-species prairie mixture. Dr. Ebony Murrell at The Land Institute and Jessica Butters at Kansas State University will discuss data collected during a 3-year research study, give a brief virtual tour of the research plots, and answer questions regarding perennial border crops and the services they provide.

 

To register, please use this link

 

https://landinstitute.org/news-events/event-calendar/perennial-grain-species-as-border-crops-webinar/

 

Remember Pollinators Matter

Posted on by Sharon Schroll

–by Frannie Miller — Pesticide Safety and IPM Coordinator

It is important to remember that pollinators matter to each of us as they are vital to ecosystem health and having a sustainable food supply. This week is pollinator week (June 21-27, 2001), which was created to support pollinator health. It is a time to celebrate pollinators and spread the word about items each of us can do protect these species. Honeybees, native bees, birds, bats, butterflies, and other animals are required to pollinate more than 80 % of the world’s plants.

As we celebrate pollinator week here are several items you may consider doing to help protect the pollinators.

  1. Plant for Pollinators – Pollinators prefer a diverse mix of flowering plants. Consider using native plants in your landscape. Plant in clusters to create a “target” for pollinators to find. Pollinators will also assist in the healthy production of fruits and vegetables, so you both benefit.
  2. Protect Nesting Sites – Consider allowing dead branches and logs to remain as nesting sites. Reduce the mulch to allow patches of bare ground for ground-nesting bees to use. Consider installing wood nesting blocks for wood nesting natives.
  3. Reduce or Eliminate the Impact of Pesticides – Pollinator’s can be sensitive to certain types of insecticides. If you need to use a pesticide, then read and follow all label directions. Choose a product that is the most pollinator friendly and consult the label to see if it should not be used on prebloom or blooming plants.
  4. Support Local Bees and Beekeepers – Purchasing local honey helps to support a beekeeper in your area. Visit your local beekeeper, ask questions, and learn.
  5. Reach Out to Others – Be informed and spread the word to others about the importance of pollinators. Share on social media about what you are doing to help and encourage others to do the same.

    This year our program promoted pollinators through an Insect Art Contest with the theme of “Exploring Pollinators.” Hopefully these images remind you that pollinators do matter. Take time to think about what little things you could do to help diversify your landscape!



Be an Insect Detective

Posted on by Sharon Schroll

–by Frannie Miller — Pesticide Safety & IPM Coordinator

This week I got the opportunity to visit a community garden to view the beautiful flowers and try to obtain some images of insects. It occurred to me that as an entomologist I often need to be a bit of a detective to discover who is feeding on what plant. It is possible to be deceived if we don’t take the time to take a closer look!

 

At first glance the Black Eyed Susan’s appeared to have a fuzzy web like appearance making a person think of a disease, but upon closer inspection I could tell they had been fed on by an insect. The image illustrates what I was seeing in the landscape. The leaves appeared fuzzy because something had skeletonized the leaves and left behind their frass, which is characteristic of some type of caterpillar.

Caterpillar Feeding

 

Upon closer inspection, I was able to find the culprits feeding on the plants in groups as shown in the second image. It is important to remember that the larval stage can be difficult to identify as there are not as many identification guides available. In this case, I determined them to be Variegated Checkerspot caterpillars.

Checkerspot Caterpillars

Since caterpillars can be vary host specific sometimes what type of plant they are found on will give you a clue as to what they are! I recommend using a notebook or your phone to take notes of where the insect was found, on what type of plant, and to make a note of any identifying features. A magnifying glass may help you be able to identify key characteristics. The camera on your phone can be used to take a clear photo, which can then be identified later. An image can be worth a thousand words and is a lot easier to identify from than a description. Just some items to think about as you explore the outdoors this summer.

Honey Bees in Kansas

Posted on by Sharon Schroll

–by Raymond Cloyd

 

The Kansas Honey Producers Association appreciates Kansas State University extension agents and all the work they do across the state for pollinators including honey bees. We would like to offer support during these challenging times. With the focus on home and health, we are seeing an increased interest in beekeeping across the state. The Northeastern Kansas Beekeepers Association offers beginning classes associated with beekeeping each year. Because of the need to distance ourselves, our classes are held remotely.  Although this has some disadvantages, the classes are recorded. The private YouTube links to both classes are provided below. The first class is “Beginning Beekeeping” and provides information on biology, acquiring bees, basic diseases, colony growth, and seasonal management. The second class is “Year 2 and Bee-Yond,” which focuses on topics related to individuals with some beekeeping experience. Topics include why hives die, making splits and requeening a hive, management of varroa mite, and extracting honey. The classes are available to members of the Northeastern Kansas Beekeepers Association for $5.00 but these classes are being offered free to extension agents.  We ask that you respect our work and if others would like to view the programs, please direct them to our web site: www.nekba.org.  Questions and requests for assistance may be sent to Becky Tipton, President of the Kansas Honey Producers Association at bstbees@embarqmail.com or 785-484-3710.

 

Beginning Beekeeping: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-ODXdd1Vl4knXZL7IcjeBhVIGu3bcdju

 

Year 2 and Bee-Yond: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-ODXdd1Vl4k0DQmqCvLszBrs6zJtOR94

Exploring Pollinators Theme for Art Contest

Posted on by Sharon Schroll

–by Frannie Miller

 

The Pesticide Safety and Integrated Pest Management Program is hosting an insect-themed art contest for Kansas 4-Her’s and art students. This year the artwork needs to fit into the contest theme of “Exploring Pollinators.” The goal is to explore what pollinators do and why they are important and create an art piece that captures that information. Selected artwork will be used to promote pollinator week (June 21-27, 2021) and create other educational items. The program encourages youth to get your creative hats on and create an entry before the April 16, 2021 deadline. Entries must feature an insect as the central focus of the art. More information on the rules and how to submit an entry can be found at: https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/pesticides-ipm/ or you can e-mail fmiller@ksu.edu to have the rules e-mailed to you.

Honeybee by Emma Good

 

Silverfish by Leeann Skinner

 

CARPENTER BEES

Posted on by Sharon Schroll

–Dr. Jeff Whitworth

A couple folks viewed last weeks carpenter bee photos and thought they were bumble bees. This is a great example then to point out just how important it is to take the best possible photos before sending them in to be ID’d. Please take several closeups from several angles and please place some object beside the specimen, i.e., a penny, pencil, ruler, etc, will work, so we can get an idea of size.  Also very important, where the specimen was found and what was it found on, and how many were at that location and what were they doing-feeding/crawling on the ground, etc. The specimens last week were collected from insulation in an old garage and seemed to have smooth abdomens. See figure 3 for side by side comparison between a carpenter bee vs bumble bee.

Figure 3 carpenter bee (on the left) vs bumble bee (on the right)

Also, for those interested in trapping carpenter bees-please see Dr Phil Sloderbeck’s carpenter bee trap (fig 4). Dr Sloderbeck retired ca.6 years ago as a KSU Extension Entomologist and Southwest Kansas Area Administrator. But, (fig 5)as you can plainly see–Dr Phil is still an entomologist at heart! Happy retirement, Dr Phil, and thank you for the pictures!

Figure 4  bee trap (P. Sloderbeck)

Figure 5  captured 17 carpenter bees (P. Sloderbeck)

 

Celebrate National Pollinator Week

Posted on by Sharon Schroll

–by Frannie Miller

 

Did you know that June 22 – 28, 2020 is National Pollinator Week. Fun fact is beetles pollinated the first flowers more than 140 million years ago. It is estimated that more than 200,000 animal species serve as pollinators. Insects pollinate our crops and help provide one in every three bites of food. Without them we wouldn’t have chocolate or many other vegetables, fruit such as strawberries, apples or grapes, seeds, and nuts.

What can you do to help make sure the pollinators are around to do their job? Examples may include:

*Create a backyard pollinator garden

*Volunteer to help create a pollinator garden at a local school

*Reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides

*Don’t spray directly on flowers

*Plant pollinator friendly plants such as natives or milkweeds

*Support local bees and beekeepers

*Give bees a nesting place

*Provide a water source for pollinators.

Beekeeping Basics Workshop

Posted on by Sharon Schroll

–by Dr. Raymond Cloyd & Brooke Garcia

Join K-State Research and Extension for an informative all-day “Beekeeping Basics” workshop on Tuesday, September 24, from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Sunset Zoo. This beekeeping workshop will provide an introduction to beekeeping, as well as provide education on the parasites, pathogens, and other maladies associated with honey bees, including the effects of pesticides on honey bees. Participants will learn the importance of honey bees and see how to build their own beehive.

 

Whether you’re new to beekeeping or have some experience, you’re sure to learn something new. Discussions will be led by K-State Extension Entomologist, Dr. Raymond Cloyd, as well as other beekeepers in the Manhattan area. This event is limited to 30 participants.

 

Lunch will be provided. Please pre-register and make a payment at https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/pesticides-ipm/. If you have any questions, please email Brooke Garcia at bmstiffl@ksu.edu.

Read the KSRE Tuesday Letter Announcement: https://ksre.ksu.edu/tuesday/announcement/?id=55234

Honey Bees and Bumble Bees: What Is The Difference?

Posted on by Sharon Schroll

—by Dr. Raymond Cloyd

Honey bees and bumble bees are important pollinators of many horticultural crops including vegetables, and ornamental plants in gardens and landscapes. As the weather warms, both pollinators will become more active visiting the flowers of plants in bloom. However, how different are honey bees and bumble bees?

IMG_1326

There are a number of behavioral differences associated with honey bees and bumble bees that are presented below:

  1. Bumble bees are more active at lower temperatures (40°F) whereas honey bees are primarily active when temperatures are around 60°F or higher.
  2. Bumble bees are active on cloudy and rainy days. Honey bees are less active at low light intensities.
  3. Bumble bees “buzz pollinate” flowers so only a single bumble bee is required for pollination whereas up to 7 honey bees may be needed to pollinate a flower.
  4. Bumble bees forage for pollen instead of nectar. They are also more efficient pollinators than honey bees because they visit more flowers in a designated time period (e.g., minute).
  5. Bumble bees are present longer during the day (early morning and late evening) than honey bees, which means they may be more susceptible to exposure from pesticide applications.

It is important to protect honey bees and bumble bees from exposure to pesticides including insecticides and fungicides. So, when using pesticides be sure to adhere to the following:

  1. Use pesticides according to the label (ALWAYS READ THE LABEL DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY).
  2. Apply pesticides when both honey bees and bumble bees are less active (early morning and later evening).
  3. Apply more selective pesticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki (sold as Dipel), which is only active on caterpillars.
  4. “Bee-Careful” when applying any pesticides. For example, avoid directly applying pesticides to open flowers that may be visited by honey bees or bumble bees.

IMG_2443

HopGuard II Section 18 Approved for Kansas

Posted on by kansasbugs

—by Sharon Dobesh

For Kansas beekeepers interested in using HopGuard II for varroa mite control, the 2015 section 18 was approved effective April 13, 2015 through December 31, 2015. The active ingredient in HopGuard is 16% potassium salt of hop beta acids, which offers an alternate chemistry against varroa mites and is considered to be a more natural or ‘softer’ chemistry.

The use directions for HopGuard II in the colony at a rate of one strip per five deep frames covered with bees in each brood chamber. Strips must be opened and hung over the frame, two strips per ten frame super. There is a maximum of three applications per year per super (i.e. six strips per year super) is allowed. Application should occur based on varroa mite levels in the colony. For optimal results, little to no brood should be present in the colony.

Inspections

The Kansas Department of Agriculture needs beekeepers, who are current users of HopGuard, to volunteer for required Section 18 inspections. If you use HopGuard and would allow KDA to come inspect HopGuard use in your hive(s), please contact Judy Glass, judy.glass@kda.ks.gov. Judy will need your name and contact information to follow-up. These inspections should not take longer than an hour to complete (probably less), but are required data for EPA in order for Kansas to continue to apply for Section 18 status. All volunteers may not be inspected.

Contact Sharon Dobesh (sdobesh@ksu.edu or 785-532-1340) if you have any questions regarding the section 18 approval, need a copy of the HopGuard II label, or the KDA inspections.