BUGS
This page is for anything we find you may be interested in about bugs.  I guess it could be about insect hunting too.  I can remember hunting grasshoppers in my grandpa's field near Farmington with my red rider BB gun.  It beet the heck out of shooting cans.  I am sure it didn't have much effect on the grasshopper population in that field.  Remember folks, if we don't pay attention to our hunting rights grasshoppers may be the only thing we are allowed to hunt in the future.

Chiggers are a formidable animal of the prairie. Each year from mid June into September hikers hesitate before stepping off a trail, knowing these tiny beasts are lurking in wait.  Adult chiggers, also called harvest mites, are predators of other invertebrates in the leaf litter but their larvae require a single meal from a vertebrate host such as a mouse, bird or YOU.  Chiggers are found in open grassy areas such as marshes, prairies and old fields. They wait patiently, for weeks if needed, for a host to brush past. Chiggers do not burrow under the skin but simply insert straw-like mouthparts for a leisurely meal of lymph fluids and digested cells. The mite then drops off never again to feed on a human. They are too small to see or feel but unfortunately many people have a delayed allergic reation to the bite. This causes an intensely itchy bump that may persist up to two weeks. Bites are concentrated around the top of socks, backs of the knees, waist line and areas where clothing is tight.

The word “mosquito” derives from the Spanish word “musketas” which literally translates to “little fly”. There are more than 2500 species of mosquitoes worldwide, 150 of these being found in the US of which 73 are found in Florida. All species of mosquitoes have one thing in common. They are pests and can put a damper on our outdoor activities. They can cause decreased milk production and weight in farm animals and cause heart worms in dogs . Nothing compares, however, with the threat of disease they can easily transfer to humans. Some of the most common diseases spread by mosquitoes are Malaria, Dengue, Encephalitis and Yellow Fever.

How is West Nile Virus Spread?

Infected mosquitoes spread West Nile Virus. Mosquitoes most commonly pick up the disease from infected birds, and go on to infect other animals while feeding on their blood. In a mosquito, the virus is found in the salivary glands, which mosquitoes use to anesthetize the skin of the animal on which they are feeding. Note: the virus cannot be spread by human-to-human contact.

West Nile Virus in Humans

In the bloodstream of humans, the virus multiplies and crosses the blood/brain barrier. When this happens, the virus can cause West Nile encephalitis, a serious condition resulting in the inflammation of brain tissue. However, it is important to note that most people who become infected have either no symptoms, or only mild symptoms. Also, if a person does contract the virus, a natural immunity is developed that is assumed to last all their life.

Prevention

While there is currently not a vaccine for West Nile Virus, the Center for Disease Control has advice for reducing risk of exposure. These include:
· Stay indoors at dawn, dusk, and in the early evening
· Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors
· Spray clothing with repellents containing permethrin or DEET since mosquitoes may bite through thin fabric
· Apply insect repellent to exposed skin. An effective repellent will contain 35% DEET
· Always read and follow manufacturers directions when using repellents, and avoid applying repellents to the hands of children
· Install or repair window and door screens so that mosquitoes cannot get indoors
· Vitamin B and 'ultrasonic" devices are not effective in preventing mosquitoes

Reporting

An unusual number of dead birds in an area may indicate the presence of West Nile Virus. While there are over 110 species of birds known to have been infected, the virus tends to be somewhat more lethal to crows and jays. State and local health departments are responsible for investigating reports of dead birds.

For more information on West Nile Virus, please check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm
For a listing of State and Local Government Sites
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/city_states.htm
For a fact sheet on using insect repellents safety, please see:
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/citizens/insectrp.htm
For a selection of insect repellents, please see the following link to Lab Safety Supply's website:
http://www.labsafety.com/store/dept.asp?dept_id=4842

©Lab Safety Supply Inc., Janesville WI, Reproduced with Premission

Richmond, VA - "With West Nile virus occurring in the Commonwealth, is it safe to consume dove, geese, quail or any other wild game?" That is the question being asked by a lot of hunters getting ready for the opening of dove season. The answer, according to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, is yes, it is safe to consume wild game birds with the understanding that any wild game should be properly handled and cooked prior to consumption. Hunters should take the normal sanitary precautions when handling harvested birds making sure to wash their hands thoroughly, and if cleaning game, to use protective gloves.  According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) over 110 species of birds including doves and geese are known to have been infected with West Nile virus since the first outbreak occurred in New York in 1999. Although birds, particularly crows and jays, infected with West Nile virus can die or become ill, most infected birds survive. The CDC reports there is no evidence that a person can get West Nile virus from handling live or dead infected birds.  Biologists with the Department point out that West Nile virus is spread by infected mosquitoes. A mosquito is infected by biting a bird that carries the virus. Then that infected mosquito bites another bird, or even a person, and in doing so spreads the virus. West Nile virus is not spread from one person to another or directly from birds to humans.  Since the virus is transmitted through mosquito bites, hunters should take adequate precaution when in the field to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. Wear bug out type hunting clothing, long sleeves and pants, and head nets and gloves. Hunters should use insect repellent products with no more than 35 percent DEET for adults and less than 10 percent for children.

For more information on the West Nile virus, call your local health department or visit the following web sites:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at http://.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm
Virginia Department of Health Office of Epidemiology at http://www.vdh.state.va.us/epi/wnv.htm 
American Mosquito Control Association http://www.mosquito.org

The following information is provided in response to questions about the West Nile virus (WNV):
The Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) http://www.health.state.mo.us/ is the leading state agency on this issue. Please consult their link on WNV www.health.state.mo.us/WestNileVirus/index.html.
The Center for Disease Control also has helpful information  http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/
Additional information may also be found at http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/research/west_nile/west_nile.html

For information about the environmental impacts of pesticides contact the Missouri Department of Natural Resources http://www.dnr.state.mo.us/homednr.htm

DHSS is monitoring mosquito populations (which are the primary WNV vectors infecting humans, domestic and wild animals) in an effort to determine the best strategies to control the spread of the disease. The detection of WNV in crows and other birds is a reliable indicator of WNV activity and provides an effective early-warning to potential disease in humans and horses. Therefore, hunters are urged to continue to report them to DHSS (1-800-392-0272) or their local public health agency.

 First aid measures

Ingestion: Immediately drink one to two glasses of water or milk.Contact the nearest poison control center.

 Storage and handling

Store DEET in a cool, dry place with adequate ventilation.

 Personal protective equipment

No special requirements exist for respiratory protection, ventilation, protective gloves or eye protection under normal conditions of use.

 How to use DEET products safely:

 1.Read and follow all directions and precautions on the product label.

2.Do not apply over cuts, wounds or irritated skin.

3.Do not apply to hands or near eyes and mouth of young children.

4.Do not allow young children to apply the product.

5.Use just enough repellent to cover exposed skin and/or clothing.

6.Do not use under clothing.

7.Avoid over-application.

8.After returning indoors, wash treated skin with soap and water.

9.Wash treated clothing before wearing again.

10.Do not spray aerosol or pump spray products in enclosed areas.

11.To apply aerosol or pump spray products to face, spray on hands first and then rub of face. Do not spray directly onto face.

Enjoy your outdoor activities! Safely protect yourself from those pesky insects

Missouri Outdoors Folk Need to Get Ticked Off
Yes, ticks are bad this year, but with a little knowledge and the right tools, you can enjoy the outdoors with minimal risk of being bitten.
 

JEFFERSON CITY--Everything has a price. For two years in a row, Missouri has dodged severe winter weather. But one price of minimal cold is maximum tick numbers, and with the increased tick population comes an increased risk of tick-borne diseases. But you can still enjoy hunting, fishing, hiking and other outdoor activities safely with a few precautions. Most tick bites are nothing more than a nuisance. Still, in rare instances they can result in serious illness. Tick paralysis, a rare, severe allergic reaction to tick bite, can affect part or all of the body. This disease usually is associated with a tick bite at the base of the skull on the back of the neck. Victims almost always recover fully after removing the tick. A more severe reaction is tick toxicosis, which is a type of poisoning. It begins with redness and swelling at the site of the bite. Although it is an uncommon reaction, it can be quite serious, even fatal.

A person infected with a tick-borne disease may have all or none of these symptoms. If you consult a physician, be sure to mention that you've recently been bitten by a tick or were in a tick-infested area.

The good news is that most tick bites are avoidable. Clothing is your first line of defense. When outdoors, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants and boots. Tucking the cuffs of pants into your socks or blousing them with rubber bands or tape makes it harder for ticks to get inside your clothes. Wearing light-colored clothing makes it easier to spot ticks and remove them before they bite.

The most effective anti-tick tools are chemical repellents. Extensive testing has shown that two compounds DEET and permethrinprovide the best, longest-lasting protection against ticks. Repellents containing DEET (n, n-diethyl-m-toluamide) can be applied directly to skin, though products containing high percentages of the active ingredient may irritate some people. DEET's strong, unpleasant smell is reduced in some time-release formulations,which make them less unpleasant to use and extend the time they repel ticks.

For long-lasting protection, though, nothing beats permethrin-based repellents. Permethrin is a contact insecticide and shouldn't be applied directly to skin. There's little point in doing so, since exposure to human skin neutralizes permethrin in a few minutes. But when applied to clothing it bonds to the fabric, where it continues to repel ticks for at least two weeks. Amazingly, the repellence lasts through two washings. Storing treated clothing in a plastic bag between uses extends the protection even longer.

When applying repellents, pay special attention to waistbands, button-closures, boots, and shirt and pants cuffs. Apply aerosol repellents in well-ventilated areas, and don't spray DEET-based repellents directly on your face. Instead, put a little on your hands and rub it on, avoiding the eyes and mouth.

In spite of these measures, people who spend lots of time outdoors pick up a tick now and then. The risk of contracting a tick-borne disease is negligible if ticks are removed promptly. The likelihood increases when a tick becomes engorged with blood and regurgitates some of its stomach contents into the host. So it's important to do a "tick check" as soon as you get home. Remove all clothing and wash it immediately. Then check yourself front and back in a mirror or take turns checking an outdoor companion. Look closely; immature "seed" ticks smaller than pinheads can be difficult to detect.

Just as important as removing ticks promptly is doing so properly. Anything that causes a tick distress burning, soaking with alcohol, turpentine or nail polish remover is likely to cause regurgitation. Squeezing engorged ticks can cause involuntary regurgitation, and jerking them out is likely to leave their heads embedded in the skin, leading to secondary bacterial infections.

Follow these four steps to remove a tick that is already attached:
--Grasp the tick firmly as close to the head as possible, using tweezers or tissue to avoid direct contact.
--Gently pull the tick straight out. Don't jerk or twist.
--Disinfect the bite area.

You can dispose of ticks by flushing them down the toilet or by dropping them in rubbing alcohol. The most satisfying part of the process.

Travelers can help keep gypsy moths out of Missouri
A careful look at campers and other equipment before returning home could keep Missouri forests safe for decades.
 

Gypsy moth feeding damage.

The dominance of oak trees in Missouri makes the Show-Me State particularly vulnerable to gypsy moths. Oaks are among the gypsy moth caterpillar(s favorite foods. A gypsy moth caterpillar can eat a square yard of leaf surface before it changes into an adult moth. When gypsy moths become established in new areas, their numbers increase enormously, and damage to trees often is severe.

Citizens are in a position to help with gypsy moth control efforts. When vacationing out of state in July and August, travelers should be on the lookout for gypsy moth egg masses. Gypsy moths might lay eggs on trailers, lawn chairs or other recreational equipment during these prime vacationing months. The Missouri Department of Conservation asks travelers to Wisconsin, Northern Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and the Northeast to inspect all items that have been outdoors before returning home. Look for velvety, sandy-colored brown masses .75 to 1.5 inches in diameter. Scrape off any that are found before returning home. If you discover egg masses after returning to Missouri, contact the nearest Conservation Department office, or call the Missouri Department of Agriculture Plant Industries Division at 573/751-5505.

Gypsy moth females and egg masses.

The Missouri Departments of conservation and agriculture, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the University of Missouri cooperate to set more than 10,000 traps each year to detect the presence of gypsy moths in the Show-Me State. The traps, which contain a chemical that mimics female moths(sexual attractant, are designed to capture males. Egg-laden females can't fly.

The traps are not intended to control gypsy moth numbers but to detect infestations. They are placed across the state, especially in areas with high risk of infestation, including parks, popular tourist destinations and transportation hubs, such as St. Louis.

The first capture of a gypsy moth in Missouri was in 1974. Gypsy moths accidentally transported into the state have been trapped every year since 1980. Last year six moths turned up in Missouri traps.