Outdoor Insect Hazards: Biting and Stinging Pests & What You Can Do About Them Outdoor Hazards in Wisconsin UW-Extension Publication: G3564 learningstore.uwex.edu PJ Liesch UW-Madison pliesch@wisc.edu Twitter: @WiBugGuy Outdoors Arthropod Hazards Ticks/Mosquitoes Wasps and Bees Potential to pose significant health risks What are Ticks? Not insects Related to spiders (Arthropoda: Arachnida) Hard Ticks (Family Ixodidae) Horse & Deer flies Stable Flies Black Flies Biting Midges Painful biters, but mostly a nuisance Hard, flat bodies Small size 8 legs* Larval Tick Mythbusters: Tick Edition Wood Ticks (American Dog Ticks) Climb high into trees Commonest tick in WI Jump from trees down onto people Burrow entirely beneath the skin Fly Seasonal Pattern: All life stages active during warm months (May August) Male Female Best removed by burning and/or smothering No major disease issues in WI Rocky Mtn Spotted Fever Tularemia Larva Nymph 1
Lone Star Ticks Deer Ticks Rare in WI; southern species Male Female Found throughout WI First detected in late 60 s Male Female Seasonal Pattern: Wisconsin =? Seasonal Pattern: Wisconsin: spring and fall Health Concerns Ehrlichiosis Allergic reaction to red meat Larva Nymph Health Concerns Lyme Disease Anaplasmosis Babesiosis Powassan Virus, Others Larva Nymph General Tick Biology Diagram: Purdue University Medical Entomology Tick-Borne Diseases Bacterial diseases (Lyme, Anaplasmosis, Ehrlichiosis) Viruses (uncommon) Malaria-like disease (Babesiosis) Lyme Disease Serious medical condition caused by spirochete Symptoms: aches, joint pain, fever, bulls eye rash* Spread by deer ticks Infectivity Rate in WI: Juveniles: ~20% Adults: ~40%* Deer Tick Bullseye rash (Erythema migrans) Maps: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention University Borrelia burgdorferi of Wisconsin: spirochetes Photos: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2
Tick Management Good tick management includes several approaches: 1. Landscape Management 2. Personal Protection 3. Repellents 4. Companion Animal Protection 5. Pesticide Applications Landscape Management Tick survival is low in open areas Need moisture and vegetation Maintain turfgrass areas Use mulch Remove invasive shrubs Consider thinning dense vegetation Move playsets, gardens, etc. in from edge of yard Grassy paths/edges Honeysuckle Thickets Photos: Trish Steel via Wikipedia; Colorado State University Long sleeves when possible Light colored clothing makes ticks easier to spot Use repellents Tick checks Personal Protection I found a tick on me Help! Removal: slow, steady pull is best Regular tick checks Deer tick must be attached ~24+ hours to transmit Lyme ID tick species Keep specimen if unsure Testing? TickEncounter.org Monitor and contact physician with any concerns Repellents Apply correctly, reapply as directed (skin vs clothing) EPA Approved Repellents: DEET, Picaridin, etc. Permethrin (designated clothing treatment) Companion Animal Protection Choose the correct product (dogs vs. cats) Consult with veterinarian, apply correctly Lyme vaccine available for dogs Tick checks! Photo: Tony Webster via Flickr 3
Tick Treatments Broad-spectrum, general-use landscape insecticides can help control ticks (e.g., carbaryl, permethrin, etc.) The Tick App Apply band to edge of lawn Volume and pressure to thoroughly soak leaf litter Single application in spring usually sufficient Tick Tubes target ticks on rodents For yards with heavy tick pressure 9 ft What are Mosquitoes? Type of True Fly (Diptera: Culicidae) Vectors of certain diseases Have specialized sucking mouthparts Most species in NA take blood meals to produce eggs ( ) Don t necessarily need human blood! Mosquitoes and Water Mosquito larvae are aquatic; need water to develop Like still or slow-moving water Most feed on plant debris in water; a few are predators Each mosquito species differs in preferences for: Quality of water Location of water source Longevity of water body More water (rain) often means more mosquitoes, but this doesn t mean more disease! Photo: Dunpharlain via Wikipedia General Mosquito Lifecycle Source: Wisconsin State Climatology Office Diagram: Mariana Ruiz Villarreal via Wikipedia 4
Mosquitoes in Wisconsin ~60 species in Four Main Groups 1. Snowmelt mosquitoes 2. Permanent Pool Mosquitoes 3. Floodwater Mosquitoes 4. Container Breeders Groups defined by the type of water Permanent Pool Mosquitoes Rely on standing bodies of water Often do better under drier conditions Often overwinter as adults Short flight range: < 1 mile Vectors of several diseases Ex. Culex pipiens & West Nile Virus Culex pipiens (Northern House Mosquito) Photos: Michelle Arseneault via Wikipedia; Kirk P. Smith via Wikipedia; Pete DeVries via Wikipedia Floodwater Mosquitoes Utilize ephemeral pools of water Thrive in rainy years; can be extremely abundant Can be fierce nuisance biters, but disease risk is low Overwinter as eggs Long flight range: 5-20+ miles Ex. Aedes vexans Malaria West Nile Virus Mosquito-Borne Diseases Encephalitis Viruses (La Crosse, etc.) Emerging Threats in the Western Hemisphere Chikungunya Dengue Zika University Aedes of vexans Wisconsin: (Inland Insect Floodwater Diagnostic Lab Mosquito) Photos: CDC MCEVBD and PJ Liesch, UW-Entomology Zika Virus in the Midwest? Mosquito Management Mosquito management includes several approaches: Aedes albopictus (Asian Tiger Mosquito) Overall risk low in Upper Midwest 1. Habitat Management 2. Personal Protection 3. Repellents 4. Pesticide Applications Other Remedies Maps: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 5
Managing Mosquito Habitat Reducing/Eliminating Breeding Areas Reduce/eliminate breeding locations Objects as small as the cap from a water bottle can serve as a breeding location! Vegetation management Dense vegetation can serve as resting areas for adults Plants overhanging water can drop leaves below Maintain buildings Screens in good condition Diagram: Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District Personal Protection Clothing: Long sleeved clothing Mosquitoes attracted more to dark colors Head net? Repellents Apply correctly, reapply as directed (skin vs clothing) EPA Approved Repellents: DEET, Picaridin, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, IR3535 Area repellents (Thermacell and similar) Avoid areas with high mosquito pressure Stay indoors or on screen porch Set up fan to keep mosquitoes at bay Use repellents Photo: Tony Webster via Flickr Insecticides for Mosquito Control? Understand limitations and have realistic expectations Targeting adults is short term fix Keeping a yard mosquito free all summer is unrealistic Some mosquitoes have long flight ranges (10+ miles) Good mosquito habitat can trump treatments! Potential non-target impacts from insecticides Other Remedies? Bats & Birds CO 2 Traps Sonic devices Mosquito plants Drinking beer B-vitamins, garlic, mint, vanilla, bananas, etc. Essential oils 6
Deerflies & Horseflies Associated with marshy areas Attracted by movement, dark colors Can be large (up to 1 ), fierce biters Deer Fly Stable Flies Resemble house flies, but bite Tend to bite on lower extremities Associated with decaying vegetation Fresh manure, seaweed, grass clippings, etc. Can travel long distances (100+ miles); pest near Lake Superior Stable Fly (Stomoxys calcitrans) Horse Fly Photos: Bruce Marlin via Wikipedia; Judy Gallagher via Wikipedia Photo: USDA via Flickr Black Flies Many species in our area, not all feed on humans Can be present in large numbers; fierce biters Associated with clean, fast moving water Biting Midges (No See Ums) Our tiniest biting flies Tend to be sporadically encountered Pack a punch for such a small insect! Black Flies Family Simuliidae Photos: Alan R Walker via Wikipedia; Ruhrfisch via Wikipedia Biting Midge Insect (Culicoides Diagnostic Lab sp) Photos: Acarologiste via Wikipedia; Dunpharlain via Wikipedia Protection from Biting Flies 1. Landscape Management 2. Personal Protection 3. Repellents 4. Companion Animal Protection Protection from Biting Flies Physical Barriers are key! Long sleeved clothing Biting flies attracted to dark colours Mesh suit or head net Repellents Fly sprays available for dogs Photo: Tony Webster via Flickr 7
Things that Sting: Social Bees and Wasps Social: live together as a colony Specialization of tasks Defense of colony (relatives) Honey Bee Meet the Bees: United States: ~4,000 species Wisconsin: ~400 species Honey Bee Bumble Bees Bald Faced Hornet Bumble Bee Photos: PJ Liesch UW Entomology; Marvin Smith via Flickr ; Christy Stewart UW Wild Bees (Sevaral Familes) Social Wasps (Vespidae) 1. Yellowjackets 2. Bald Faced Hornet 3. Paper Wasps Yellowjackets Aerial Nest All have similar biology: Start colonies from scratch each spring Colonies die out in fall; nests not reused Only mated females survive the winter (next year s queens) Some species such as the German Yellowjacket can build nests in hollow cavities (e.g., soffit overhangs) Ground Nest Photos: Arthur Chapman via Flickr; TJ gehling via Flickr; Famartin via Wikipedia Bald Faced Hornets Paper Wasps Northern Paper Wasp (Polistes fuscatus) Bald Faced Hornet Aerial papier-mâché style nest European Paper Wasp (Polistes dominula) Photos: via Wikipedia; Marvin Smith via Flickr Photos: Eugene Zelenko via Wikipedia; Judy Gallagher via Wikipedia 8
Wasps: Management Annual colonies; don t reuse nest from year-to-year Colonies typically die out on their own in fall Avoidance: possible to avoid area until colony dies out? Exclusion: useful for preventing nesting activity next year Insecticides: Aerosols/liquids for exposed nests Dusts for inaccessible nests (ground, wall void, soffit, etc.) Google: University of Minnesota Wasp and Bee Control Questions? Patrick (PJ) Liesch pliesch@wisc.edu Twitter: @WiBugGuy Handouts for this lecture: labs.russell.wisc.edu/insectlab/ 9