Blackmargined aphid giving live birth

The Blackmargined Aphid, Monellia caryella, is a key pest of pecan. The following images, that I took  near Clint, Texas on October 4, 2015 show this specimen giving live birth:

The Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle

The Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle, Harmonia axyridis, was introduced into the US by the USDA in 1978 as aphid biocontrol. In several states, it has become a nuisance species due to its habit to seek shelter in homes or buildings from the fall season to early spring. Their defensive secretions stain walls and produce a foul smell. This chemical may cause extreme allergic reactions in some people. Their numbers can reach the tens of thousands in a single home! Luckily, this bug has never been abundant in El Paso.

The number of spots may vary (0-19)

Pupa

EL PASO BUGS:

Recently, I started two websites and a Facebook community page called "EL PASO BUGS" with the mission to create awareness and appreciation for local insects and related arthropod species with which we share this land.  This is a large gallery of insects and related invertebrates (labeled to species or genus in most cases) that I have had the opportunity to photograph in this beautiful corner of Texas.
These websites have been well received by the El Paso community and beyond and have been promoted on radio as a local resource for Master Gardeners, Pest Control Operators, farmers, and anybody interested in nature, wildlife, and the environment.

To view EL PASO BUGS as a taxonomic list go to:
http://elp.tamu.edu/integrated-pest-management/el-paso-bugs/

To view EL PASO BUGS as thumbnails go to:
http://elp.tamu.edu/integrated-pest-management/el-paso-bugs-thumbnails-2/

This is El Paso Bugs Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/ElPasoBugs

Denizens of El Paso and the American Southwest: the carpenter bee & the cuckoo wasp

I want to share with you a YouTube video that I filmed on May 7, 2015 in my patio of a carpenter bee (Xylocopa spp.) and its kleptoparasite (Family Chrysididae):

Pesticide efficacy trial on pecan aphid control

PECAN:

In 2013, Drs. Mark A. Muegge and Salvador Vitanza evaluated the efficacy of several insecticides for black-margined aphid (BMA) control.  This study was conducted in a commercial pecan orchard near Fabens, TX.  A single pecan tree constituted an experimental unit.  Each experimental unit was bordered by untreated pecan trees as buffers to help reduce potential drift contamination.  Experimental units were arranged in a randomized complete block design with 10 treatments replicated 4 times.  Insecticide applications were made using a high pressure sprayer calibrated to deliver 100 gallons per acre (gpa) at 100 pounds per square inch (psi).  From each experimental unit 3 randomly selected compound leaves were examined for BMA.  Adult and nymph aphids found were counted separately and recorded.  Treatments were applied on 11 Oct after pre-treatment samples had been collected.  Post treatment samples were taken at 10 and 25 days after treatment.  All data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA).  Treatment mean separation was performed using Fisher's Protected LSD (P=0.05). 

Although total BMA densities were moderately high they never exceeded economically damaging population densities throughout the duration of this test.  Prior to treatment application, BMA adult and nymph population densities were statistically equal among untreated check and treated plots.  At 10DAT the Induce, Agriflex, Agrimek and Admire Pro treatments did not significantly reduce BMA adult population density.   All treatments except Agriflex and Admire Pro significantly reduced BMA nymph population densities.  At 25DAT only the Beleaf treated trees had significantly lower BMA adult population densities relative to the untreated check trees and BMA nymph populations were not significantly lower in any of the treated trees relative to the untreated check.  However, population densities of BMA nymphs were substantially lower in the Endigo, Voliam and Beleaf treated trees relative to the untreated check trees.  Interestingly, the NIS and Agriflex treated trees had significantly higher BMA nymph population densities relative to the untreated check trees.   Whether this result is a real cause and effect or a result of experimental and or sampling error requires further studies. 

		Mean BMA adults/3 Compound Leaves			Mean BMA nymphs/3 Compound Leaves
Treatment	Rate (oz/acre)	0 DAT	10 DAT	25 DAT	0 DAT	10 DAT	25 DAT
UTC	-	8.2	7.8ab	4.2bc	14.3	24.2a	11.3bcd
Induce	4.8	6.9	7.9a	9.2a	10.7	11.8bc	31.7a
Agriflex+NIS	5.5	4.6	5.7abc	6.4ab	11.7	15.6ab	30.6a
Agrimek+NIS	2.5	8.7	5.5abc	5.7bc	20.8	13.4b	17.9bc
Admire Pro	2	4.6	4.7bcd	4.8bc	7.6	14.7ab	15.0cb
Endigo	5	10.8	4.2cd	3.1cd	26.3	5.8bc	5.7cd
Water*	100g/a	10.1	3.9cd	4.8cb	17.8	10.7bc	19.7ab
Voliam Express	9	10.2	3.2cd	3.4cd	21.6	6.3bc	9.7bcd
Fulfill+NIS	4	8.7	2.7cd	4.7cb	9.8	2.5c	12.3bcd
Beleaf	2.8	8.4	2.4d	1.0d	21.3	2.2c	1.9d
LSD (P=0.05)		6.0	3.2	2.9	15.8	10.6	12.5
P>F		NS	0.0039	<0.0001	NS	0.0017	<0.0001

Is the Hickory Shuckworm becoming a more serious pest in El Paso County?

Mr. Kevin Giraud, Manager of Helena Chemical Company in Tornillo, placed two pheromone traps for hickory shuckworm (HSW) south of Fabens, near the Rio Grande, on June 3. Just three days later, he had collected 41 HSW moths. In previous years, I have found minimal amounts of HSW larvae and nut damage. This year, I did not set up HSW pheromone traps, but I have done so in the past with little success. Although in other regions HSW is considered a serious pest, pecan growers in El Paso generally do not monitor for HSW. This pecan pest has received little attention and might have been under the radar. Based on these recent captures, I am afraid that HSW populations might be increasing in El Paso region. It is hard to interpret what these captures mean in regards to affecting pecan nut yield and quality. When asked about this subject, Bill Ree commented: “HSW pheromone seems to catch adults early in the season, a few during the summer, then more in the late summer or fall”. He added “We (pecan entomologists) just don’t know what the trap catches are telling us so treatments are based on the fact that there was a problem last season and kernel development has reached the half shell stage.” It is not time to panic, but a good moment to monitor the development of this pest. If past events are good indicators of the future, we should find comfort in the fact that this pest has caused only a minor damage in pecan production during recent years. Fortunately, insecticide applications for second generation PNC, in case they are needed, may also reduce HSW population levels. I will be placing HSW pheromone traps in the field soon to monitor this pest more closely.

Boll Weevil and Pink Bollworm declared eradicated in El Paso County

The Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation, Inc. (TBWEF) has placed the boll weevil and the pink bollworm in the status of ERADICATED. No cotton grower will shed a tear to see these major pests go. Last year (2012), a few pink bollworm moths captured in the traps had to be evaluated more closely, but finally were determined to be sterile. In 2012, TBWEF placed 1 trap every 10 acres in non-Bt fields, but this year they have reduced this rate in half (1 trap/20 acres). The rate for non-Bt fields continues to be 1 trap per field regardless its size. Last year, the program released almost 15 million sterile moths (14,833,784 to be exact). No releases of sterile pink bollworm moths are planned for this year.