Join the 4-H Entomology Team!

If you have or know of a child ages 8-18 who is interested in entomology and learning a little more about insects, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension has an opportunity they may be interested in.  I am trying to get an Entomology Team started for Bexar County (and any other surrounding county that might be interested).

If you are not familiar with 4-H, it is the youth development program of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.  Kids can join a traditional club in which they meet regularly, do community service, projects, etc, OR they can join and be a part of a team or participate in a contest.  This gives those that have a specific interest the opportunity to compete and local, regional, and state levels.  Some examples of projects and teams include: livestock showing, horticulture shows, nutrition, debate, rifle shooting, and entomology.  Of course, there are much, much more!

This year, I would like to see an Entomology Team get started, and as the entomologist in Bexar County, I feel I should help get this underway!  I am hosting an informational meeting about Entomology Teams, October 25th at 7pm.  I will go over what is expected of an entomology team, how the contest works, and what all the kids need to know to compete.  We'll see if we have enough interest to get some teams started.

There are three levels: junior (ages 8-10; intermediate (ages 11-13) and senior (ages 14-18).  You will need to join 4-H to be a part of the team, so come to the meeting to see if this is for you.

I plan to set up trainings once a month so we can practice for the contest, which will be held April 13th.  If you aren't from Bexar County, you are still welcome to attend.  We can try to get a team started in your county!

For more information, or to RSVP to the meeting, please email me (Molly) at mekeck@ag.tamu.edu.

Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite!

If you haven't already experienced bed bugs, the chances are very good that you will.  Experts are predicting that bed bugs will continue to be an issue for us and that the worst is yet to come.  They are saying its not a matter of "if" you get bed bugs, but a matter of "when".

Unfortunately, the unknown can be pretty scarey, but there are ways to learn more about prevention and early detection.

Just in time for the holiday travels, I will be hosting a Bed Bugs 101 Seminar.  It is free and open to the public and we will cover the basics of bed bug biology, how to identify them, where they like to hide, prevention tips, detection tips, and management options.

Bed Bugs 101

October 30, 2012

2-3:30pm

Bexar County A&M AgriLife Extension Office

3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 208

Please RSVP to Molly at mekeck@ag.tamu.edu, so we can keep a head count.