News By Department: Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology

If you want fewer fire ant beds in your yard, the best way to achieve that goal is to maintain a consistent management plan throughout the year.

No, that’s not a murder hornet. But you may have seen one of these four look-alikes that do live in Mississippi.

News reports of a new, invasive hornet spotted in the Northwest has heightened people’s awareness of flying insects recently.

Believe it or not, urban landscapes can provide enough plant diversity to sustain honeybee colonies, making beekeeping a suitable hobby for both city and country dwellers. Jeff Harris, beekeeping specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said both locales have their pros and cons when it comes to growing healthy honeybee hives. “Many urban landscapes contain ornamentals and other flowering plants that provide a better and more diverse diet than monoculture crops,” Harris said. “Just like humans, bees are healthier when their food comes from many different sources, not just cheeseburgers -- or in the bees’ case, 3,000 acres of corn.”

Jerome Goddard received the Felix J. Underwood Award from the Mississippi Public Health Association at its 82nd annual conference.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service Plant Diagnostic Lab is offering free nematode testing for all Mississippi-grown soybeans through Aug. 30, 2020.

September has arrived, and that has me thinking about all things fall. But the reality is it’s still sweltering outside, and we’ve got several more weeks of defending ourselves against mosquitoes.

Being outside in the summertime can feel like a battle against nature. Mosquitoes. Ticks. Chiggers. (Photo by CanStock)

With so much unpleasantness associated with cockroaches, it may not be surprising that they are one of the most expensive pests to control in the state.

Bullying is personal to Je'Kylynn Steen, whose experiences as a victim and witness, helped give her insight into a project that can help others who may face the same challenges.

As a community health intern with the Junior Master Wellness Volunteer Program, she served as the primary author of a new bullying module to help young people recognize this pervasive problem and learn strategies to stop it.

Termites are probably not something you consider when you are gardening. But many landscaping tasks, including digging and mulching, can put your home at risk for termite damage. (Photo by Blake Layton)

Peak flea season is in the spring and summer, but in warmer areas like the South, successful flea control is a yearlong battle. (Photo by CanStock)

It’s a given. Our beloved pets will attract some unwelcome guests: fleas. (Photo by Susan Collins-Smith)

Commercial pecan growers can learn about orchard establishment and management during the 2019 Pecan Education Workshop March 20 in Raymond.

Agricultural professionals are invited to attend the 2019 General Pest Management Workshop Jan. 24 at the Central Mississippi Research and Extension Center in Raymond.

Insects and their habitats take center stage during Bugfest at the Mississippi State University Crosby Arboretum in Picayune on Sept. 21 and 22.

Ticks are on the long list of things in Mississippi that make a person itch in summertime, and they are very unpleasant for a variety of reasons.

PICAYUNE, Miss. -- Pollinators are important to flowering plants and the food supply, but dwindling numbers of some of these creatures, including monarch butterflies and bees, have captured the public’s attention.

Many people want to help. But what can homeowners do to support these important pollinators?

Jennifer Buchanan, senior curator at the Mississippi State University Crosby Arboretum in Picayune, shared her top three tips for creating a pollinator-friendly garden.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- A new moth has become a serious pest to the greenhouse and nursery industries since it entered the state in 2010.

Blake Layton, an entomologist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said the European pepper moth was detected in California in 2004 before showing up in Mississippi six years later. Its caterpillars attack a wide range of ornamental plants and vegetables.

Agricultural clients met with Mississippi State University personnel to discuss research and education needs during the annual Producer Advisory Council Meeting for the southwest region February 20.