| For 2020 and newer grants, please go to https://grants.ipmcenters.org/ |
|---|
|
|
| Home Current RFAs PD User Guide Projects Login |
|
Funded Project |
|
Funding Program:
IPM Enhancement Grants |
|
Project Title:
Creation and dissemination of tawny crazy ant extension materials |
Project Directors (PDs):
|
|
Lead State: AL Lead Organization: Auburn University |
|
Cooperating State(s):
Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas |
| Undesignated Funding: $40,000 |
|
Start Date: Mar-01-2017 End Date: Jun-30-2019 |
|
Pests Involved: Tawny Crazy Ant |
|
Site/Commodity: Various, livestock, nurseries, homeowners, |
|
Summary:
In 2015, a tawny crazy ant work group was created using funds from the SIPMC. This work group brought together tawny crazy ant experts from seven states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and South Carolina) in the Southern Region. The work group meeting was held in conjunction with the Imported Fire Ant and Invasive Pest Ant Conference in April 2015, and a list of priorities for extension, research and regulatory issues were set. The top extension priority defined was to create educational materials for stakeholders in the region in order to get the correct information to those that need it most.
Our project proposes to meet this top priority by creating much needed regional extension materials in order to raise awareness of this pest, provide IPM options for stakeholders, and ultimately reduce the artificial spread of this invasive pest. It is imperative that we get this information out to the stakeholders in infested states as soon as possible, and with this funding we will be able to achieve that goal. Objectives: Create Extension educational materials to be disseminated by state extension personnel utilizing extension/professional meetings, workshops, field days, fairs, websites, emails, etc. as distribution tools. Extension personnel will be our front line in getting the information out to the target audiences, and after the initial information is made public. All materials created will be housed on a SIPMC website. This will make utilization of materials very easy for the targeted audience. |
|
Final Report: |
|
Outputs Presentations to publicize project Lets get the info out about the crazies (Tawny Crazy Ants, that is)…Stakeholder resources now available. Kelly Palmer, L. C. ‘Fudd’ Graham, and Jeremy Pickens, National Conference on Urban Entomology and Invasive Pest Ant Conference, May 20-23, 2018, Cary, NC. Est. 50 attendees Stakeholder resources for management of the tawny crazy ant, Nylanderia fulva (Mayr). Jeremy Pickens, Fudd Graham and Kelly Palmer, Southeastern Branch of the Entomological Society Annual meeting, Mar 3-6, 2019, Mobile, AL. Est 35 attendees Target audience for both presentations was research and extension personnel working with ants to introduce them to the new educational materials available. Crazy Ants. Fudd Graham, Structural Pest Control Training, August 6, 2019, Bossier City, LA. Est 30 attendees Target audience - pest management professionals. Ornamental and Turf Pest Control Recertification Training, August 7, 2019, Bossier City, LA. Est 30 attendees Target Audience - Lawn and Ornamental Industry Extension Agent Training, Est 60 attendees Target audience - Louisiana Extension Agents Ornamental and Turf Pest Control Recertification Training Est 95 attendees Target Audience - Lawn and Ornamental Industry The shade was used at both presentations and all four publications, bookmarks and infographic were taken by attendees at both Louisiana meetings. A shade and 250 of each publication, plus bookmarks and infographic, was left with Kim Pope, who used them at the last two meetings listed above. Gulf State Horticulture Expo, Jan 31 - Feb 2, 2019, Mobile, AL Handed out 150 ‘Managing Tawny Crazy Ants in Nurseries’ publications. Pecan growers meeting 2018, Alabama Est 70 attendees 400 bookmarks and ‘Managing Tawny Crazy Ants in Nurseries’ publications were given to the Department of Agriculture and Industy inspectors in Alabama to use during nursery visits and inspections. Publications distributed to 10 Texas Park and Wildlife contacts. Homeowner IPM Training to Alabama Extension Agents, Oct 8, 2019, Auburn, AL. Shade used at meeting, copies of all publications and over 250 bookmarks handed out. Extension Publications Created Managing Tawny Crazy Ants in Livestock Production Systems, Fudd Graham, Kelly Palmer, Paul Nester, Robert Puckett, 2019, AL. Coop Ext. Sys., ANR-2567, 2019 https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/beef/managing-tawny-crazy-ants-in-livestock-production-systems/ Managing Tawny Crazy Ants Around Homes, Fudd Graham, Kelly Palmer, Jeremy Pickens, 2019 AL. Coop Ext. Sys., ANR-2547 https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/home/managing-tawny-crazy-ants-around-homes/ Managing Tawny Crazy Ants: Guidelines for the Pest Management Professional, Fudd Graham, Daniel R. Suiter, Robert W. Davis, Robert T. Puckett, 2019, AL. Coop Ext. Sys., ANR 2546 https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/home/managing-tawny-crazy-ants-guidelines-for-the-pest-management-professional/ Managing Tawny Crazy Ants in Plant Nurseries, Jeremy Pickens, Fudd Graham, and Kelly Palmer, 2019, AL. Coop Ext. Sys., ANR 2460 https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/ipm-commercial-vegetables/managing-tawny-crazy-ants-in-plant-nurseries/ Window Shade to display at meetings, 2019, ‘Crazy Ant Alert - Don’t Spread the Crazy Ant” One-page infographic, 2019, ‘Crazy Ant Alert - Don’t Spread the Crazy Ant” Bookmarks, 2019, ‘Crazy Ant Alert - Don’t Spread the Crazy Ant” Videos Created Six YouTube videos were created to address tawny crazy ant identification, biology, and management tactics. These two – three minute videos are a series, with the hopes of educating the general public to increase their overall knowledge of this pest. 1. Tawny Crazy Ants – This is the Pest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKg2T9lh7kI&t=3s 2. Tawny Crazy Ants – The Pest’s Habitat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWKhk0MRebA&t=3s 3. Tawny Crazy Ants – Managing Your Habitat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aD_XXax60d0&list=PLOWJAC5jx29h6amNZuAZEjOX9TIfCbO2F&index=12&t=0s 4. Tawny Crazy Ants – Preventing Infestations https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8nsoiszLaQ&list=PLOWJAC5jx29h6amNZuAZEjOX9TIfCbO2F&index=13&t=2s 5. Tawny Crazy Ants – Taking a Correct Sample https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux5RK6D3chQ&list=PLOWJAC5jx29h6amNZuAZEjOX9TIfCbO2F&index=14&t=0s 6. Tawny Crazy Ants – Commonly Mistaken Ants https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0zHDCSehPI&list=PLOWJAC5jx29h6amNZuAZEjOX9TIfCbO2F&index=15&t=4s Extension travel fund were used to attend meetings, present IPM presentations on tawny crazy ants (and other pests when TCA not on the agenda) and to hand out educational materials to attendees at these meetings. All presentations, publications and videos acknowledge the USDA and the SIPMC. |
|
Outcomes 1. Tawny Crazy Ants – This is the Pest 755 Views, Ave. View Duration 1:05min , Ave. % Viewed 68.6% 2. Tawny Crazy Ants – The Pest’s Habitat 325 Views, Ave. View Duration 0,59 min, Ave. % Viewed 65.6% 3. Tawny Crazy Ants – Managing Your Habitat 190 Views, Ave. View Duration 1:14, Ave. % Viewed 65.8% 4. Tawny Crazy Ants – Preventing Infestations 223 Views, Ave. View Duration 1:11, Ave. % Viewed 63.0% 5. Tawny Crazy Ants – Taking a Correct Sample 260 Views, Ave. View Duration 1:20, Ave. % Viewed 67.4% 6. Tawny Crazy Ants – Commonly Mistaken Ants 320 Views, Ave. View Duration 1:55, Ave. % Viewed 64.8% We had multiple requests for use of the videos and they were made available via Dropbox as well as the YouTube site created by our videographer/producer. Users included university extension and research personnel and industry representatives. They wanted to download the videos for use in PPT presentations of their own. We are not sure how many downloaded the videos since YouTube and Dropbox do not keep these statistics. The videos were submitted in competition at the 2019 Association for Communication Excellence Conference Critique and Awards Program in the informational or Educational Production for External Audience or General Public category where they won second place (Silver Award). They were also submitted to 2018 The Entomological Society of America video contest and are showcased on the ESA YouTube Channel. Meetings where tawny crazy ant publications were handed out were usually sponsored by others and there was no opportunity to solicit before and after knowledge increase. However, there are a large number of stakeholders that now have the information they need to assist in preventing movement of the tawny crazy ant. They also have the knowledge of how to use IPM practices to manage this pest. We did not get an opportunity to measure changes in knowledge or behavior due to the nature of how we were able to disseminate our material. Over 1300 publications have been distributed to stakeholders to date, providing them information on how to stop the spread of tawny crazy ants. There have been over 2000 views of tawny crazy ant videos by stakeholders looking for information on the pest. However, looking at our data on EDDMaps, there have been no new counties added to the list so any movement to date has been minimal and within counties already infested with tawny crazy ants. |
| Report Appendices |
| Close Window |
|
Southern IPM Center North Carolina State University 1730 Varsity Drive, Suite 110 Raleigh, NC 27606 p. 919.513.1432 f. 919.513.1114 |
 |
Developed by the Center for IPM © Copyright CIPM 2004-2025 |
|