Targeting Egg Masses in Winter Shows Promise for Spongy Moth Management
A new study evaluating pesticide effects on spongy moth egg masses shows the potential value in targeting the invasive pest in its dormant wintertime stage, before hungry larvae emerge.
How a Wasp and Geographic Data are Improving Surveillance for the Emerald Ash Borer
One of the best tools to detect emerald ash borer is a wasp that specializes in catching beetles. A new study compares the wasps' mix of prey with the mix of trees in nearby forests to estimate the wasp's foraging range—and thus determine where emerald ash borer may be present when the wasps are found with it.
Plant Pollen May Be Important Food Source for Some Mosquitoes in U.S.
Larvae of the southern house mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus) fared well in a new study when fed a diet of corn or pine pollen. The findings suggest corn pollen could help the species— key vector of West Nile virus in the U.S.—thrive in habitats near agricultural areas.
Honey Bee Heat Warms Up Fellow Pollinators for Early-Season Blooms
An incubator that draws excess heat from a honey bee hive warms up managed Osmia lignaria bees so they can pollinate early-blooming fruit trees such as cherry, apple, and almond. A new study shows the hivetop incubators are effective, with little effect on the honey bee hive temps below.