Tex On Patrol For What Bugs You
ANTS
CHINCH BUGS
Nymphs and Adults
Adult Chinch Bug and Yard Damage
Chinch bugs and yard damage from them. Chinch Bug ControlAdult chinch bugs are almost 3/16-inch long, have black bodies and fully developed wings that appear frosty-white except for distinctive triangular black patch-like markings at the middles of the outer margins. Adults appear as either long-winged or short-winged forms. Newly hatched nymphs appear orange red with a pale whitish band across their abdomens. As they molt through five growth stages (instars), nymphs gradually change color from red to orange to black and develop wing pads as they develop.
Chinch bugs are most damaging to St. Augustine grass. You may see them on grasses such as Zoysia, Bermuda, and centipede, but infestations usually occur where high populations have built up on St. Augustine grass.
Chinch bug activity occurs from March through November in warm season grasses and is year-round in deep south areas. It is estimated that 3 to 10 generations with overlapping life stages develop each year depending on winter temperatures. New damage may appear by May or June, depending on spring temperatures, and any damage that existed in late fall will become apparent in the spring. Chinch bugs have become immune to almost every pesticide used to control them. They were even resistant to DDT in the early 1950s. The newer insecticides chinch bugs have not yet developed immunity to will likely kill most nymphs and adults, but the eggs will survive, nymphs will hatch, and the infestation will continue. Thus, damage may become visible again within 2 -3 months of treatment. Encroachment from neighboring lawns is also a possibility.
In turfgrass areas, injury typically appears as yellow or dead drought-stressed or heat-stressed spots in the yard, most commonly in July and August. Infestations are usually initially localized because chinch bugs feed in mass. Injured plants occur in spots or patches that enlarge as the population increases and spreads. When infested host plants die, high numbers of chinch bugs migrate by walking to neighboring lawns or turf areas in search of suitable host plants.
Detection
A flotation technique can be used to detect infestations. Cut both ends out of a metal can and push one end 2-3 inches into the soil on green or yellowing grass (not dead grass). Slowly fill with water and count the number of chinch bugs that float to the top within 5 minutes. Keep the water level above the grass surface. If nothing emerges in the first area, examine at least 3 or 4 other areas.
SILVERFISH
Silverfish bodies are small, elongated and triangular, covered with silvery-brown scales. They can get to one inch in length and are typically a shiny gray or silver color. Silverfish feed on carbohydrates, fungal molds, and organic matter such as flour, meat, natural fabrics, book bindings and paper. They can go for long periods, over 1 year, without food, though, making this pest a difficult insect to get rid of. Silverfish dwell in dark or moist areas such as kitchen cupboards of houses, bathroom sinks, and tubs. They can sometimes live in dry, papery areas such as old books, newspaper stacks, or behind wallpaper, or be found high on ceilings in bathrooms, bedrooms, etc. Treatment of cracks as well as attic and crawl spaces are necessary to minimize silverfish.
SILVERFISH
SPIDERS
South Texas is the area roughly between San Antonio and the Rio Grande, and it includes places such as Laredo and Corpus Christi. The area embraces a range of habitats, varying from the wet region of the Coastal Bend to the drier and sometimes semi-arid inland territory. That means most of the almost 900 species of spiders found in Texas as a whole can also be found in South Texas, including the only two that are dangerous to humans.
The Black Widow
Black widow species have females that are easily identified by the their black bodies and the red hourglass marking found on their bellies. These spiders and their webs can be found in sheltered cavities in virtually any indoor or outdoor location in South Texas. Examples include old tree trunks, under shrubs, below a power or water meter, or in an undisturbed bucket or boot. The neurotoxin in its bite is rarely dangerous, but it often produces severe pain and complications like nausea that can last for up to two days. Only 5 percent of widow bites are fatal.
Black Widow Spider
The Brown Recluse
This is the other dangerous spider of South Texas. While not as famous as the black widow, the brown recluse is arguably more obnoxious. This spider is also found in just about any sheltered location it can spin its webs in, either indoors or outdoors. It can be found under wood piles or under toilet bowls. The spider is a nocturnal hunter; it usually only leaves its web to become active at night. The spider's bite will cause fever, pain and nausea for up to three days. The bite area will then become necrotic and slough off.
Brown Recluse Spider
Tarantulas are common in the drier parts of South Texas. They are big (over three inches long), hairy and fearsome looking, but they are not considered to be as poisonous or as dangerous as the brown recluse or black widow. They live under rocks or in burrows, and they venture out at night to hunt.
Tarantulas in Texas
Other Common Spiders
The spider species common to South Texas number in the hundreds. Some other examples include the yellow ghost spider, the southern house spider, a variety of wolf spiders, several species of jumping spiders and a plethora of orbweaver species.
Orb Web Spider, Rabia Spider and Furrow Spider
SCORPIONS
Striped Bark Scropion
Watch Out for Scorpions in Summer!!!
Nathan Riggs, Extension Agent - IPM
Texas Cooperative Extension, Bexar County
Summer in San Antonio means heat and markedly less rainfall than other times of the year. This week's article from the Bexar County Extension Office will talk about ways to control scorpions around homes.
Late May and the entire month of June mark the most active time of the year for scorpions in San Antonio and South Texas. There are two species of scorpions found in Bexar County: the Striped Bark Scorpion (Centruroides vittatus) and another unnamed scorpion (Vaejovis reddelli). Neither of these scorpions is considered deadly poisonous to most people unless there are allergic sensitivities to stings.
The striped bark scorpion (photo on top by N. Riggs) prefers rocky or brushy areas or homes to hide in and hunt for their prey. They are tan to brown with darker stripes running the length of their back and average 2 ½ inches in length. Their claws are very thin and light in color.The Vaejovis scorpion (second photo, not credited) is much darker - reddish brown to almost a black-brown color - with much larger claws, and averages only two inches in length. This scorpion is common in caves and in leaf litter associated with live oak trees.
Both of these scorpions feed on insects, small centipedes and other scorpions. They prefer to hunt at night and remain hidden during the day to conserve water and avoid high temperatures. Baby scorpions are born alive after a long gestation and will remain on their mother's back for approximately 7 to 10 days until they shed their skin, or molt, the first time. After molting, the baby scorpions leave the safety of their mother's back to live their lives alone.
What can be done to keep scorpions outdoors and not indoors? There are a few simple tricks that one can try to accomplish this. For brick or rock homes, place pieces of rolled-up nylon scrubbing pad into the weep holes around the bottom of the outside of the home. This will allow air and moisture transfer in the walls while impeding the entry of the scorpions. For stucco homes, check the gap between the stucco and the concrete foundation of the home and consider some sort of approach for preventing scorpion entry into that area. Also be sure that weatherstripping around doors and windows is in good condition. Since scorpions feed on insects, it would be a feasible assumption to say that the insects around porch lights at night would attract scorpions. While this is true, one must remember that scorpions are generally not comfortable in lighted situations. Turning off the porch light would actually NOT repel scorpions. Another consideration for scorpions is brush, wood or rock piles near homes. These are perfect hiding and hunting places for scorpions. If these piles are not necessary, try to either remove them, or move them away from the home.
Chemical treatments for scorpions are many, but there are a few products on the market that seem to have better activity against scorpions than others. Look for sprays or granular products that contain one of the following active ingredients: permethrin, cyfluthrin, bifenthrin or deltamethrin. Products containing these active ingredients are sold at Wal Mart, Lowe's and Home Depot for sure, along with many local nurseries and feed stores as well. Liquids should be sprayed along the foundation of the home and 12 to 24 inches up the side of the exterior wall. Granules should be applied in a six to ten-foot band around the foundation of the home and then gently sprinkled with water to release the insecticide. Indoors, consider placing sticky traps (used for catching mice or rats) under or behind couches, sofas or beds and along baseboards where scorpions travel. You'll be surprised what gets caught on that trap!! For more information on scorpions, click on the link to theField Guide to Common Texas Insects OR download a PDF file of Extension Publication L-1678 on Scorpions.
Nathan Riggs, Extension Agent - IPM
Texas Cooperative Extension, Bexar County
Summer in San Antonio means heat and markedly less rainfall than other times of the year. This week's article from the Bexar County Extension Office will talk about ways to control scorpions around homes.
Late May and the entire month of June mark the most active time of the year for scorpions in San Antonio and South Texas. There are two species of scorpions found in Bexar County: the Striped Bark Scorpion (Centruroides vittatus) and another unnamed scorpion (Vaejovis reddelli). Neither of these scorpions is considered deadly poisonous to most people unless there are allergic sensitivities to stings.
The striped bark scorpion (photo on top by N. Riggs) prefers rocky or brushy areas or homes to hide in and hunt for their prey. They are tan to brown with darker stripes running the length of their back and average 2 ½ inches in length. Their claws are very thin and light in color.The Vaejovis scorpion (second photo, not credited) is much darker - reddish brown to almost a black-brown color - with much larger claws, and averages only two inches in length. This scorpion is common in caves and in leaf litter associated with live oak trees.
Both of these scorpions feed on insects, small centipedes and other scorpions. They prefer to hunt at night and remain hidden during the day to conserve water and avoid high temperatures. Baby scorpions are born alive after a long gestation and will remain on their mother's back for approximately 7 to 10 days until they shed their skin, or molt, the first time. After molting, the baby scorpions leave the safety of their mother's back to live their lives alone.
What can be done to keep scorpions outdoors and not indoors? There are a few simple tricks that one can try to accomplish this. For brick or rock homes, place pieces of rolled-up nylon scrubbing pad into the weep holes around the bottom of the outside of the home. This will allow air and moisture transfer in the walls while impeding the entry of the scorpions. For stucco homes, check the gap between the stucco and the concrete foundation of the home and consider some sort of approach for preventing scorpion entry into that area. Also be sure that weatherstripping around doors and windows is in good condition. Since scorpions feed on insects, it would be a feasible assumption to say that the insects around porch lights at night would attract scorpions. While this is true, one must remember that scorpions are generally not comfortable in lighted situations. Turning off the porch light would actually NOT repel scorpions. Another consideration for scorpions is brush, wood or rock piles near homes. These are perfect hiding and hunting places for scorpions. If these piles are not necessary, try to either remove them, or move them away from the home.
Chemical treatments for scorpions are many, but there are a few products on the market that seem to have better activity against scorpions than others. Look for sprays or granular products that contain one of the following active ingredients: permethrin, cyfluthrin, bifenthrin or deltamethrin. Products containing these active ingredients are sold at Wal Mart, Lowe's and Home Depot for sure, along with many local nurseries and feed stores as well. Liquids should be sprayed along the foundation of the home and 12 to 24 inches up the side of the exterior wall. Granules should be applied in a six to ten-foot band around the foundation of the home and then gently sprinkled with water to release the insecticide. Indoors, consider placing sticky traps (used for catching mice or rats) under or behind couches, sofas or beds and along baseboards where scorpions travel. You'll be surprised what gets caught on that trap!! For more information on scorpions, click on the link to theField Guide to Common Texas Insects OR download a PDF file of Extension Publication L-1678 on Scorpions.
