Life Sciences Commons^™

Providing Pest Management Education For Home Gardeners In Utah, Nick Volesky, Marion Murray

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

In January 2024, Utah State University (USU) Extension's Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program launched a three-part class series targeting Utah's home gardeners. The goal was to enhance their abilities in identifying and managing insect and plant diseases. With over 200 participants, the series notably increased the knowledge of attendees. This initiative aligns with the USU Extension IPM program's mission to promote sustainable pest management practices across Utah, evidencing its commitment to environmental stewardship and community education.

Plum Curculio (Conotrachelus Nenuphar), Kate V. Richardson, Marion Murray

All Current Publications

Plum curculio is a brown weevil (beetle with a snout) native to eastern North America, where it is a major pest of pome and stone fruits. It was detected in Box Elder County, Utah, in the early 1980s, and this population remains the only known infestation in western North America, where it is occasionally found in residential and wild fruit trees. Plum curculio is a quarantine pest in western North America (U.S. and Canada), and fruit grown in infested counties is restricted from being exported. Thus, it is a threat to Utah’s fruit industry and requires ongoing monitoring and management …

The Mojave Poppy Bee (Perdita Meconis) And A Primary Plant Host, The Las Vegas Bear Poppy (Arctomecon Californica): Status And Interactions, Sarit Chanprame

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The Mojave Desert is one of the most biodiverse places in North America. A harsh environment with many species results in complex relationships between animals and plants. This study focuses on one bee-plant relationship, the Mojave poppy bee, and the Las Vegas Bear Poppy.

The Mojave poppy bee is rare and has only been collected from Las Vegas Bear Poppy, Dwarf Bear Poppy, and a few species of prickly poppies. A 1995 report suggested the bee was a major contributor of pollination for the Las Vegas Bear Poppy in Clark County, Nevada. More recently (2019), their local extinction in southwestern …

Surveying And Evaluating Pests And Beneficial Insects In Utah's Vegetable Production, Nick Volesky, Amelia Olds, Marion Murray

All Current Publications

The Utah State University (USU) Extension Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program conducted a season-long survey evaluating arthropod pests, plant diseases, pollinators, and other beneficials on a ¼-acre vegetable farm and adjacent pollinator habitat located in Logan, Utah. Understanding the roles of these groups on plant health and the efficacy of nonchemical pest management approaches critically impacts the sustainability of Utah’s vegetable industry. Survey findings have been used as a reference for developing video content, fact sheets, and presentations to educate Utah’s commercial and small-acreage farmers.

Locust Borer, Marion Murray, Ryan Davis

All Current Publications

The locust borer, Magacyllene robiniae, belongs to the longhorned beetle family, referring to the long antennae of most of the species in this group. In Utah, locust borer has damaged black locust trees in most northern Utah counties. The only host is black locust; honeylocust and other trees are not affected by this pest. This fact sheet describes locust borer and its life cycle, symptoms, and control.

Poplar Bud Gall Mite, Marion Murray, Ryan Davis

All Current Publications

The poplar bud gall mite belongs to the eriophyid mite family. These mites are microscopic and about one-fourth the size of a spider mite. Adults are about 0.2 mm in length, reddish, and spindle-shaped. This fact sheet reviews poplar bud gall mite biology and habits, damage, and control.

Red Firebug, Kate V. Richardson, Erin Hodgson

All Current Publications

Red firebugs, Pyrrhocoris apterus (Heteroptera: Pyrrhocoridae), are true bugs with vibrant red body and wing coloration. These insects are native to central Europe, but are also found in western Siberia, southwestern Mongolia, India and northwestern China. This fact sheet describes red firebug, host plants, nuisance behavior, and management.

Poplar Borer, Marion Murray, Ryan Davis

All Current Publications

The poplar borer is the most commonly submitted wood borer found in aspens and other poplars in Utah. While large trees are seldom killed by this pest, it can cause the decline of trees, weakening of branches or the bole (which promotes wind breakage), and allows the introduction of pathogens. This fact sheet describes poplar borer life cycle, damage, and control.

Escarabajo Japonés, Lori Spears, Diane Alston, Marion Murray, Joey Caputo, Kristopher Watson, Celina Wille

All Current Publications

El escarabajo Japonés es una plaga invasora que puede ser muy destructiva para plantas ornamentales, árboles, arbustos, césped, y algunas frutas y hortalizas. El EJ probablemente se introdujo desde Japón al este de los EE. UU. en 1916 durante envíos de plantas ornamentales. Ahora está establecido en la mayoría de los estados del este y algunos del medio oeste.

Mosca Linterna Moteada, Lori R. Spears, Ann Mull, Celina Wille, Marion Murray

All Current Publications

La mosca linterna moteada es una nueva saltahojas invasiva en Norteamérica. Es originaria del norte de China y se ha extendido a otras partes de Asia, incluidos Vietnam, Japón y Corea del Sur, donde está causando daños significativos a la vid.

Picudos En El Césped, Desireè Wickwar, Ricardo Ramírez, Marion Murray, Celina Wille

All Current Publications

Los picudos son gorgojos, un tipo de escarabajo, del género Sphenophorus. Al menos 10 especies de picudos se reconocen como plagas del césped, y se pueden encontrar tanto en céspedes estivales como invernales en todo Estados Unidos.

Manejo De La Chinche Hedionda Marrón Marmolada Para Frutas Y Hortalizas En Utah, Lori R. Spears, Marion Murray, Diane G. Alston, Celina Wille

All Current Publications

La chinche hedionda marrón marmolada es una plaga molesta y conómicamente importante para la agricultura que invadió Norteamérica desde el este de Asia a fines de la década de 1990.

Beginner's Guide To Common Native Bees, Cody Zesiger, Elizabeth Cohen, Hannah Jarvis, Lori R. Spears, Ricardo Ramirez

All Current Publications

Utah is a superb place for beginning bee enthusiasts. Over 1,000 species of native bees exist in Utah (Cane, 2015). Southern Utah alone has approximately the same number of bee species as the entire eastern U.S. coast. There are many reasons for appreciating bees and encouraging their presence in the landscape. Specifically, bees are key to a sustainable environment as they are essential pollinators of food and fiber crops. Bees can also be appreciated for their striking diversity in color and size. This fact sheet highlights the different bee species that you may see in Utah.

Boxelder Leafroller, Marion Murray, Ryan Davis

All Current Publications

The boxelder leafroller, Archips negundana, is a pest of boxelder and other trees and shrubs in parts of the United States and Canada and is commonly found in Utah. Boxelder is the primary host, but damage can also occur on raspberry, birch, elderberry, white elm, and various shrubs.This fact sheet provides information on the boxelder leafroller's life cycle, symptoms of damage, and control methods.

Ticks And Tick-Borne Diseases Of Utah, Kate V. Richardson, Ryan Davis, Ricardo Ramirez

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes ticks and tick-borne diseases in Utah. It includes a description of ticks, their life cycle, habitat, feeding, and reproduction. The fact sheet also provides information about tick bites and safety, common tick-transmitted diseases in Utah, and the status of Lyme disease in Utah.

Balsam Woolly Adelgid, Liz Rideout, Kate V. Richardson, Diane G. Alston, Ryan Davis, Darren Mcavoy, Lori R. Spears, Danielle Malesky, Liz Herbertson, Colleen Keyes

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes balsam woolly adelgid, a tiny sucking insect that is a serious pest of true firs in forests, landscapes, and in seed and Christmas tree production. It includes a description of tree injury and symptoms, life history and identification, monitoring, management, and implications to forest health.

Hobo Spider, Kate V. Richardson, Ryan Davis

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes the hobo spider, its life cycle, habitat, medical significance, and management options.

Carpenterworm, Dr. Jay B. Karren, Alan H. Roe, Ryan Davis

All Current Publications

The larval stage of the carpenterworm, Prionoxystus robiniae is a wood-boring insect that affects various ornamental trees. Unlike most other wood-boring pests of ornamentals, which are mostly beetle larvae, the carpenterworm is a caterpillar belonging to the moth family Cossidae.

Parasitoid Wasps Of The Invasive Brown Marmorated Stink Bug In Utah, Zachary R. Schumm, Kate V. Richardson, Mark Cody Holthouse, Yota Mizuno, Diane G. Alston, Lori R. Spears

All Current Publications

The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB, Halyomorpha halys Stål), an invasive insect from eastern Asia, is causing nuisance problems and agricultural damage in northern Utah. Insecticide applications to control this pest are not sustainable, and therefore the focus is on biological control through the use of parasitoid wasps that sting and kill stink bug eggs. Surveys are underway in Utah to search for Samurai wasp (Trissolcus Japonicus [Ashmead]), a parasitoid wasp native to BMSB’s home range that has been found in 12 U.S. States, and is highly effective at killing BMSB eggs. While Samurai wasp has not been found, …

Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus Planipennis [Fairmaire]), Emily A. Parent, Lori R. Spears, Ryan S. Davis, Ricardo Ramirez

All Current Publications

Emerald ash borer (Order: Coleoptera: Family Buprestidae) (EAB) is an invasive wood-boring insect that infects the true ash species (Fraxinus spp.). EAB is native to parts of China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and small areas of Russia and Mongolia. EAB was first discovered in North America in June 2002 near Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and is thought to have arrived to North America via infested wood packing material. EAB is generally established in an area for several years before it is detected and can spread over large areas through active flight and human-mediated dispersal.

Pests Of Hemp In Utah, Marion Murray, Macahl Evans, Claudia Nischwitz, Austin Taylor, Cody Zesiger

All Current Publications

This guide includes information on insect and disease pests of hemp, organized by pest group. Much of the content is a result of a two-year arthropod and plant disease survey of field-grown hemp operations in northern Utah. Some pests included in this guide were not found in that survey but may be likely to occur in the future. Beneficials and natural enemies are also covered, and information on pesticides is included.

Greenhouse Biocontrol In Utah: Beneficial Insects And The Pests They Target, Marion Murray

All Current Publications

This guide provides information on biocontrol in Utah and pests that are targeted by beneficial pests, such as aphids, fungus gnats, mealybugs, scales, spider mites, thrips, whiteflies. Symptoms, monitoring, lifecycles, and biocontrol options are included.

Asian Giant Hornet (Vespa Mandarinia Smith), Lori R. Spears, Carson Wise, Ryan Davis

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes Asian giant hornet and reviews similar-looking insects, its life cycle, predatory strategies, monitoring and management, and the related public health concerns.

Pavement Ants (Tetramorium Immigrans Santschi), Ryan S. Davis, Lori R. Spears, Austin Taylor

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes pavement ants. It covers identification, biology and habits, and management.

Japanese Beetle (Popillia Japonica Newman), Lori R. Spears, Diane G. Alston, Joey Caputo, Erin Hodgson, Cory Stanley, Kristopher Watson

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes Japanese beetles and reviews damage symptoms, life cycle, monitoring, and management.

Demonstration Farm Provides Educational Opportunity For Ipm, Nick Volesky, Mair Murray

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

The mission of USU Extension’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program is to increase the use of sustainable pest management practices within urban and rural landscapes to provide economic, human, and environmental health in Utah. In the spring of 2022, the IPM program established a vegetable farm to test and demonstrate IPM practices. The farm served as an experiential learning classroom for almost 50 farmers and home gardeners.

Insecticide Susceptibility And Resistance Detection In Phlebotomus Argentipes Sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae), Shawna M. Hennings

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Leishmaniasis is an understudied disease found predominantly in high heat and humidity areas. The disease is transmitted by sandflies which are blood-feeding, biting insects. There is currently no known vaccine for any form of leishmaniasis and treatment imposes a significant economic impact on already poor and marginalized populations, as well as severe, lingering side effects for afflicted individuals. Annually, there are millions of people around the world afflicted with a form of Leishmaniasis that is transmitted by species of sandflies. The primary sandfly population control method for over half a century has been indoor residual spraying using insecticides. The selective …

The Backyard Garden - Tomato Pests, Nick Volesky, Marion Murray

All Current Publications

This fact sheet contains information about pests and diseases that affect tomatoes. It includes general information and guidance on severity, other hosts, symptoms, and management.

Making And Managing Wild Bee Hotels, Ann Mull, Lori R. Spears, Sheriden M. Hansen, Andree' Walker Bravo, Ricardo Ramirez, Jaydee Gunnell

All Current Publications

Bee hotels (also called "bee boxes" and "bee blocks") are popular additions to Utah backyards and commercial agriculture alike, adding nesting habitat to aid local pollination efforts and address native pollinator declines. This fact sheet provides information about the construction, placement, and maintenance of bee hotels. It also addresses monitoring of bee enemies.

Integrated Pest And Pollinator Management, Ann Mull, Lori R. Spears, Marion Murray, Ricardo Ramirez

All Current Publications

An inextricable link exists between humans and pollinators, with benefits that include ecosystem health and function and human food security. Bees, butterflies, moths, wasps, flies, and beetles are responsible for most the world's pollination services. Considering the mounting scientific evidence denoting global pollinator declines, there is a critical need to prioritize pollinators and the essential services they provide. This fact sheet provides information about integrated pest and pollinator management (IPPM), which goes beyond integrated pest management (IPM) to include proactive, preventive measures that consider pollinators as well as pests in horticulture management.