The nesting biology of the scavenger sand wasp, Microbembex monodonta Say, was studied over 2 years (2009 - 2010) in Pedernales Falls State Park, Blanco Co., TX and compared with previous studies. In 2009, nest cell depths averaged 3.4 cm deeper than in 2010, when there was 4 times more rainfall. A total of 177 prey items recovered from 15 excavated nests represented 8 insect orders and the Aranae (Arachnida). In both years, dead alates (nearly all gynes) of the invasive red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, comprised a majority of prey items (62%) and were found in every excavated nest, a most unusual finding. This relatively new and abundant food resource has potential for positively impacting population dynamics of this widespread wasp.

The mortality response of Argentine worker ants, Linepithema humile (Mayr), following exposure to four phenolic compounds (sodium salicylate, sodium cinnamate, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid) known to serve in plant defense mechanisms, boric acid, and sodium bicarbonate was assayed in laboratory testing. Argentine ant mortality after 3 days of exposure to sodium salicylate powder was significantly (F = 129.69; df = 3,2; P < 0.0001) higher than ant mortality in the untreated controls and in treatments with boric acid and sodium bicarbonate powders. Worker ant mortality after 3 days exposure to either sodium salicylate or cinnamic acid powder was significantly (F = 124.56, df =4,2, P < 0.0001) higher than mortality of worker ants in control, p-coumaric acid, and caffeic acid treatments. Assays with a range of concentrations (0,0.625, 1.25, 2.5, and 5.0%) of either sodium salicylate or sodium cinnamate dissolved in 10% sucrose solution showed significantly higher mortality with 5% sodium salicylate (F = 15.03; df = 4,2; P < 0.0001) and 5% sodium cinnamate (F = 30.14; df = 4,2; P < 0.0001) than the lower concentrations tested. In summary, salicylic acid and cinnamic acid, both in powder forms and liquid sucrose baits caused a higher Argentine worker ant mortality than either boric acid or sodium bicarbonate. Both appear to be promising candidates for further development as Argentine ant control products.

European hornet, Vespa crabro L., damages bark of nursery trees, and most vespid species can be a sting hazard to nursery personnel when nests are disturbed. We tested acetic acid and isobutanol lures in traps for V. crabro spring queens to determine the seasonality of vespid captures and compare the efficacy of patterns of trap placement in Tennessee nurseries. Forty traps in transects from nursery tree blocks into the forest captured 547 vespid queens during 2001 and 2002. These were 78.8% Vespula maculifrons (Buysson), 6.9% Vespula squamosa (Drury), 6.8% V. crabro, 4.8% Dolichovespula maculata (L.), 2.6% Vespula flavopilosa Jacobson, and 0.2% Vespula vidua (Saussure). Total worker and male wasp captures in these traps were 2525 and 28, respectively. Polistes spp. (n = 416) were also trapped. Peak queen trap catch was in April for V. crabro and V. maculifrons and in May for other Vespula. Numbers of worker wasps captured were greater within nursery blocks or at field-forest edges compared with within forest, except D. maculata. Numbers of V. maculifrons, V. squamosa, and D. maculata queens trapped were greater in blocks in some years. The study demonstrated a strong response of V. crabro and several Vespula spp. to the lure, showed spring queen captures of V. crabro and other wasps, and indicated that trapping of the majority of vespid species was most effective at locations outside of the forest. The trapping of queens indicates some potential for reducing colony founding by queen removal in spring.

St. Augustinegrass, Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze, is used as lawn grass throughout the southern United States for its wide adaptation to varying environmental conditions. The southern chinch bug, Blissus insularis Barber, is the plant's most damaging insect pest. Host plant resistance of St. Augustinegrass to southern chinch bugs has been determined in numerous studies using various techniques. However, temperature has been shown to affect plant resistance to insects; this has not been determined for St. Augustinegrass resistance to southern chinch bugs. In our study, 4 varieties were tested for resistance to adult chinch bugs at 5 temperatures. These varieties were Floratam (susceptible), Captiva (resistant), NUF-216 (resistant), and FX-10 (resistant). The temperatures were 15°, 20°, 25°, 30° and 35°C, and adults were held 7 days at each temperature. Analysis of mean mortalities showed cooler temperatures reduced the ability of LSD tests to statistically determine which varieties were resistant compared with the susceptible variety Floratam. Linear regression analysis showed that mortality was not significantly correlated with temperature in Floratam. In contrast all 3 resistant varieties showed significant positive correlations of mortality versus temperature. These correlation data are consistent with LSD analysis which showed that higher temperatures were better than lower temperatures for discerning St. Augustinegrass resistance to southern chinch bugs held for 7 days.

Ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) have become a major impediment to profitable nursery production, with proper controls centered around an accurate monitoring program. Whereas the use of semiochemicals by ambrosia beetles is well understood, the potential use of visual cues including colors remains relatively understudied. Field tests were performed in Tennessee and Mississippi to determine response of the ambrosia beetle community to 13 trap colors (black, blue, brown, clear, gray, green, lavender, opaque, orange, purple, red, white, and yellow). Traps consisted of corrugated plastic in the shape of a prism and covered in insect glue (Pestick™ or Tangle-Trap^®). All trap colors were analyzed with a spectro-photometer to quantify spectral reflectance, ranging from 6 - 80% reflectance. Mean ambrosia beetle capture from opaque and red traps (60 and 54, respectively) was significantly higher than from yellow or white traps (30 and 28, respectively). However, captures from each of the afore-mentioned 4 colors were not significantly different from the other 9 colors tested. Although further research is needed to explain the efficacy of the opaque traps, we can recommend that industry-standard black traps are an acceptable choice for ambrosia beetle monitoring programs; whereas, yellow or white traps are not recommended.

Eastern hemlock, Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière, and Carolina hemlock, Tsuga caroliniana Engelmann, provide unique habitat that is threatened by the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae Annand, which arrived in Georgia in 2003. In an attempt to conserve a portion of the mature hemlocks in north Georgia, the USDA Forest Service created over 100 Hemlock Conservation Areas throughout the Chattahoochee National Forest and designated them to receive chemical and/or biological control. Sasajiscymnus tsugae Sasaji and McClure, Laricobius nigrinus Fender, and Scymnus sinunodulus Yu and Yao are predatory beetles reared in the laboratory and released in these areas. To determine establishment of these predators, infested hemlock trees were sampled during spring 2010 - 2012 at some of these release sites. Additionally, nonrelease sites, 0.4 -1.6 km from release areas, were sampled in 2012 to evaluate predator spread from release trees. Five hundred ninety-two S. tsugae, 232 L. nigrinus, 262 native L. rubidus, and 58 Laricobius hybrids were recovered at multiple sites over those years. Sasajiscymnus tsugae was found at 3 sites, 3 years after release and at 2 other sites, 2 years after release. Laricobius nigrinus was found at 1 site, 3 years after release and at 2 sites, 2 years after release. Scymnus sinunodulus was never recovered. Our results demonstrate that S. tsugae and L. nigrinus are established in north Georgia, and that the native L. rubidus is commonly associated with A. tsugae and is hybridizing with L. nigrinus; however, the population sizes, efficacy, and survival rates of all these predators are still unknown.

Hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae Annand, is currently found throughout most of the range of eastern hemlock, Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière. Biological control agents have been released in attempts to control this pest, but how different climates influence the efficacy and survival of these agents has not been studied. One predatory beetle of A. tsugae, Laricobius nigrinus Fender, is native to the Pacific Northwest and, therefore, experiences a much different summer climate in the north Georgia mountains. To better understand survival of this predator as it aestivates in the soil, 5 mesh cages were set up at each of 16 sites with 4 sites located at an elevation below 549 m, 4 sites between 549 m – 732 m, 5 sites between 732 m – 914 m, and 3 sites over 914 m. At each site 30 larvae were placed inside one of the cages during March, April, or May on a bouquet of adelgid infested hemlock twigs, and emergence of adults was monitored in the fall. Of the 1440 larvae placed at the 16 sites, only 4 adult beetles emerged between 06 October 2012 and 05 November 2012. The overall success rate remains unknown, and more research is needed to assess the efficacy of L. nigrinus as a biological control agent in Georgia.