#the one on the right predates the release of the brown spike also

[bicolor-art]

Originally posted: Jan-March 2014. These were two of my more commonly stolen/traced artworks back in the day and im here to finally lay all the deviantart comments to rest. i do not give a rat's ass if you trace my silly art <3 help yourself

[purplepersnicketywrites]

purb please tell us about wetlands

*cracks knuckles* okay so this is a long post and image-heavy. Buckle Up.

Why are Wetlands so Cool?

WETLANDS ARE THE MOST BIOLOGICALLY DIVERSE ECOSYSTEMS IN THE WORLD.

[Image: A flat grassy area filled with pools of water. This is a bog.]

That means they have a higher number of different species of plants and animals than any other kind of ecosystem in the world. Whoa.

Wait, I hear you say, what about rainforests and coral reefs?

HA, WELL THEY’RE WETLANDS TOO! Sort of, anyway, in the case of the reefs. (Actual Underwater Environments aren’t wetlands, but they’re often linked to them!) I’ll explain in a bit.

In addition to being so incredibly important, they’re also the ecosystem that’s the MOST THREATENED out of all the kinds in the world. Oops.

Right, let’s move into what wetlands actually are.

The Four Wet Horsemen of the Dampocalypse

BOGS, FENS, SWAMPS AND MARSHES

You can sort of divide the 4 main wetland into 2 categories: Mires and Not-Mires.

[Image: A mountainous landscape. At the front there is a flat expanse of land covered in pools and waterways, which is a mire of some sort.]

MIRES are areas of wetland that are generally ‘peat producing’, so the main two kinds of mire are BOGS and FENS. A QUAGMIRE is a mire that is considered to be ‘floating’.

The other kinds of wetlans are SWAMPS and MARSHES, and sometimes they are mires, but these may only produce a very small amount of peat. So they may not be called mires sometimes. Confusing? Yes.

Bog vs Fen: What’s the Difference?

It’s about where this wetland is, and consequently where it gets its water from.

[Image: A flat land with a bog pool at the centre. It reflects the sky above.]

BOGS are ‘ombotrophic’, which basically means that they get their water from the RAIN. They don’t get all that much stuff from the rain so they tend to lack in stuff like minerals, and are Always Acidic.

[Image: A snow-covered ground with a few twiggy-looking plants and some spindly trees growing out of it.]

MUSKEGS are a kind of bog that exist in northern areas like boreal forests, and as such are COLD.

[Image: An area that looks a lot like a standard field. This is, however, a fen.]

FENS are found on slopes and dips and stuff, and are ‘minerotrophic’, and that means that they get their water from the SOIL or BELOW GROUND. They can vary wildly in how many nutrients they might contain, and their pH (acid v alkaline levels) may also be unpredictable.

The problem with like, all this classification stuff is that if you start looking into too much detail you realise wack stuff, like, fens are actually a kind of bog, that parts of marshes can turn into bogs, and fens can turn into carrs (which are sort of part swamp, part Just A Forest).

[Image: A large pool of water surrounded by trees, this is a carr.]

I guess you could say that everything is… Fluid.

Swamp vs Marsh: What’s the Difference?

SWAMPS are FORESTED WETLANDS. That’s it.

[Image: A pool of water at the forefront of the image is bordered by smaller trees and shrubbery to all sides. There are large trees in the background and most of the water is covered with a layer of some sort of plant.]

There are two primary types of swamp - True Swamps (with Trees) and Shrub Swamps (with Shrubs). Shrub swamps aren’t marshes because they’re too dry. But they’re still wetlands. I know.

MARSHES tend to be TRANSITIONAL AREAS between wetland-on-the-land and wetland-that’s-wet-because-it’s-genuinely-underwater, like rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water. They have a lot of plants, generally, but no trees. Lotsa stuff like reeds and rushes.

[Image: A marsh of reeds stands at either side of a river. There is a forest in the background and a building overlooking from a hill.]

You get different types of marsh depending on what kind of water they’re bordering. My favourite happens to be salt marshes, because A) that’s where stuff like samphire grows and I love that salty bastard, and B) it’s by The Ocean and I love that salty bastard too.

Aside From the Horsemen…

There are other kinds of wetland, too!

Ya got stuff like MANGROVE FORESTS!

[Image: A mangrove tree during low tide. The mangrove’s tall snorkel-like roots are visible rising all around like spikes.]

These fill the same sort of area as salt marshes, but they tend to happen in more tropical regions! (Where salt marshes are more temperate.) They’re also technically a kind of swamp!

Mangroves are great, they’re really well-adapted for living where they live, and they’re a fascinating habitat that facilitates a whole bunch of biodiversity. A lot of fish that spend their adult lives on reefs grow up in mangrove forests! Especially stuff like sharks - they’re too baby to live on the reefs without being eaten, and the mangrove forest with all of its roots and stuff offers a great place to hide from the Large Predators they may be faced with!

So in order to have Healthy Reefs, you also need Healthy Mangroves!

POCOSINS are fun wetlands generally dominated by ‘pond pine’ trees! They can be SHORT or TALL pocosins depending on the nutrient-richness of the peat soil they have, which then defines the height of the trees that grow on it!

[Image: There is a stretching expanse of pond pine trees under a blue sky.]

The best part of pocosins is that they’re PYROPHYTIC which basically means they’re a FIRE-RELIANT ECOSYTEM which is FUCKING BADASS. There are regular fires and the pond pine seeds laying around in the soils are all like HELLA let’s GERMINATE. It means that there aren’t all that many low-lying shrubs around, and where the pond pines get a little thinned it’s technically a flooded savannah!

RIVER DELTAS! Deltas are where the mouths of rivers have like, left big sediment deposits and the mouth sort of fans out over a wide region to form, well, a wetland! These can be going into lakes or seas, or the ocean.

[Image: As a river has approache the sea, its mouth has split into numerous branches in amongst chunks of brown, yellow and red sediments.]

Then there’s FLOODPLAINS, which are non-permanent wetlands. Basically, these areas are near rivers, and if the rivers burst their banks, the floodplains become covered in water. The river will leave behind a lot of stuff, like silt, so these areas can be quite fertile & fairly flat, and therefore highly desirable as farmland.

[Image: A black and white aerial picture of a river, showing older meander trails and a general outline of where floods would reach if it burst its bank.]

You can get some ecosystems dependent on predictable flooding, like Tugay forests that release their seeds & stuff post-flood to make use of the newly-deposited nutrient load, and they aren’t strictly wetlands themselves.

RIVER BASINS can be wetlands! You know what that means? The AMAZON BASIN is a wetland. That’s right, that place with the big ol’ river and the world-famous rainforest and all the stuff that’s down there. That’s a wetland. The river flods in places regularly, and as we’ve just discussed, That There’s A Floodplain.

[Image: And aerial photo of one of the Amazon River’s meanders.]

Other notable wetland areas include:

The SUNDARBANS, a bunch of mangrove forests in the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta, the largest delta in the world!

[Image: A satellite picture of an enormous delta. There is a big dark patch in the centre of the image, across the chunk of land, and this is the range that the Sundarbans cover.]

The PANTANAL, the world’s largest wetland area in South America.

[Image: A bunch of interconnected pools of water dotted with trees around the edges are glimmering in sunlight.]

The WEST SIBERIAN PLAIN, which is a massive region of lowland, full of marshes and swamps and floodplains.

[Image: A wide expanse of forested plains stretches across the picture. There is a river cutting through it.]

Let’s not forget that there are ARTIFICIAL WETLANDS that humans have made! These can include stuff like RICE PADDIES and NATURE RESERVES, but most of the time they tend to be used as a way to help purify water after it comes out of industrial use (like water used for sewage).

[Image: There is a field of reeds in front of a row of red-brick houses.]

There are more kinds of wetland, like MUDFLATS! AKA TIDAL FLATS! Basically there’s mud around the coast, and it’s in big flat areas, and the sea covers it up and reveals it as the tide goes in and out. They’re goopy.

[Image: An expanse of exposed mud along a coastline. There are seagulls near the forefront making use of the mud to look for food.]

So…. taking all of that into consideration…

How does the Knowledge of Wetlands help you Write Stories?

Let me tell you a short story of my own:

While you were busy worrying about quicksand, I was learning the best way to traumatise myself, ie, watching The Neverending Story on repeat.

Quicksand schmicksand, what y’all really have to worry about is BOGS eating HORSES (F for Artax).

Look,,, if you’re reading a story and they talk about a wetland, 99/100 times it’s going to be about T h e   B o g. Oh yes, say the locals, the Bog has… Killed. .. .. .

They’re somehow always like 10m deep, and Renowned for Eating People, and they go into detail about how they suck you in slowly. So you suffocate and drown. Fun! (BIG F FOR ARTAX, I KNOW HE CAME BACK TO LIFE AT THE END BUT HOLY SHIT)

It’s all about those 2 special words….

SPHAGNUM MOSS

[Image: A close-up of a type of sphagnum moss. It’s pale green and looks damp.]

Someone mentions sphagnum moss and you’re like.. Hooo… Is it green and glistening? yes it is? oh boy here it comes. .. . The Bog Sucking…. (No there isn’t a better way to say it.) And someone always inevitably gets stuck & has to be pulled out with great drama, and they lose their shoes.

I can attest to the shoe-stealing nature of The Ubiquitous Bog, having been in one myself… I don’t know WHY that walking through The Welly Monster (as this bog was named) was a necessary part of a school trip I was on one year, but it was. I didn’t lose my wellies, because I tried to stick to the less sticky outer edges of it and my wellies were NEW, damnit, but others in my class were not so lucky….

ANYWAY my point is: bogs are cool to write about but they seem to be the ONLY wetland people ever really talk about that much.

Spice up your writing by putting in a setting that’s Weird and Funky, like a motherfucking pocosin.

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

[irrevocably-delicious]

Hey what’s up, that HTTYD 3 poster got me fucked up

So this official poster has been released for How To Train Your Dragon 3 and it has left me with... opinions. 

My first initial reaction was excitement! Oh hell yeah HTTYD 3 is coming out! I adored the first two! But then i saw...

SIIIIIGGGGGGGHHHHHHH I knew immediately that this was most likely a female night fury and fuck yeah shit fuck it is which is so disappointing. I could write a huge essay on how female characters are portrayed in media. I could write a massive blog about smurfette syndrome and how female characters are always just a pink, soft version of their male counterparts, or how female animal or anthro characters still have to fall into society’s beauty standards so we do crazy things like give ducks tits or large eyelashes. 

I COULD talk about why these things occur, and how this is a worrying reflection of how society views human females, that males are the default and females are the other... but I’m not going to do that TODAY.

Hi my name is India and not only do I have an animation degree, but I also have a degree in animal and veterinary science.

This design doesn’t just insult me as an animator. This design insults me as a scientist. 

Let’s begin. 

So if you asked me to design a female night fury for the poster, this is what I would have come up with:

Because from a superficial perspective? I would not expect that there would be an obvious difference between males and females. Night fury’s obviously take a lot of design influence from axolotls, who you can only sex by examining their cloacas. Many species of lizards must also have their sexual organs examined for reliable sexing, because colour and size variation in many species are not a reliable way to tell the difference between males and females. 

Someone paint this girl’s nails pink! Otherwise HOW WILL I KNOW?

But I digress that sexual dimorphism exists, and from an animation perspective, you need variation in the character design so people can tell your characters apart. Kids need to want BOTH toys goddamit.

Sexual dimorphism is most obvious and famous in many bird species. In birds of prey, particularly your fast birds of prey such as raptors, your females will be much larger than males. Colour variation in birds (and some reptiles) also occurs. But it is the MALE that is the most colourful and “beautiful” in order to attract their mate. Females are often shades of grey/brown and definitely not a colour that would make them an easy target in their environment.

The female peahen is a basic bitch.

So keeping these size variations and natural colour variations in mind, here’s another suggestion I might offer:

She’s larger! She’s a different colour! Toothless is the sleek, deep black almost blue colour, while she is more in that grey/brown area. I can totally tell the difference.

“But India!” I hear your protests. “Why can’t she be white?! You can have dramatically different coloured male and females in the natural world. Have you heard of eclectus parrots?”

And I would say “Yes! Yes I obviously fucking have! Of course I have heard of the eclectus parrots, who when they were first discovered, people thought they were two different species and kept wondering why they weren’t breeding when they put all the green parrots together and all the red ones together. I’ve course of fucking heard of eclectus parrots you wet petri dish!”

But here’s the thing about eclectus parrots. They live in the rainforest, so while they are different colours, there is still an element of camouflage to this colouring. The female blends into the green treetops and the male looks a lot like a delicious fruit. 

A white night fury... just doesn’t make sense? Judging by when we first meet toothless, and my bullshit knowledge of fictional dragon behaviour, it’s fair to assume that night furys hunt at night. Toothless is so dark that he is almost impossible to see in the night sky. This is where the tension comes from when Hiccup first encounters the night fury. He just sees blue flame and not the dragon itself, because it is so difficult to make him out against the dark sky. 

This female night fury would be shot down so quick. She would stick out terribly at night. She wouldn’t catch shit. All the sheep in the field would be like “Oh fuck, I can see Phyllis two miles away. We all better shuffle into the barn.” There’s a reason albino animals are so rare in the wild. They just stick out too much and often get eaten. 

“But what if female’s hunt during the day? Wouldn’t being white help them blend in with clouds and the bright sky?” 

THEN WHEN WOULD THEY FUCK? Would males and females just pass each other at sunset like fated star lovers? That’s stupid. That doesn’t make sense. This isn’t Ladyhawke. 

But I’ll humour you. Yes, yes, we see white birds all the time. And you’re right! That white belly really helps them blend in with the clouds and bright sky. 

But they’re not all white. Especially birds that have to hunt or eat on the wing. We see this kind of patterning a lot of sea birds. Their bellies are white, but the tops of their wings are dark grey/brown. This is so when they nest, or are maybe viewed by a LARGER bird from above, they will blend in with the land or ocean below. White against a deep blue ocean really stands out... But dark grey? Not so much. 

“But Indiiiiiaaaa” some protests again like an absolute idiot who is about to be slapped out of their ignorance. 

“Night Furys are so fast that nothing could possibly catch them! They don’t have to worry about camouflaging to avoid predators!”

Alright Dumbass McBitch! Do you know what the fastest bird in the world is?

It’s the peregrine falcon. GUESS WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE?

WHITE BELLY. DARK TOP. 

The peregrine falcon is actually probably a decent comparison to the fictional night fury actually. Small in size, bird of prey, HORRIFICALLY FAST. But they have this sort of colouring for similar reasons. The dark colouring isn’t just camouflage during flight. It also helps them blend into their environment when they are nesting. 

SO IF YOU SOMEHOW CONVINCED ME THAT NIGHT FURYS ARE ALSO ACTIVE DURING THE DAY I COULD CONCEDE A DESIGN LIKE THIS:

But it’s not just colour. It’s not just size. There are other things that worry me about the female night fury’s design. The first is that she seems to have fewer of those... antennae things? And the few she has are much shorter. We’ve seen Toothless use these and they seem to be similar to a cat’s whiskers in their sensory role. So why on earth would she have less? And they be much shorter? SHE NEEDS THOSE! Without them, she may have difficulty flying, orienting herself in the air or feeling the winds she will have to combat. The designers are trying to feminise her by making her seem sleeker and rounder... which functionally makes no sense... why not do the opposite? Giver her really long antennae! Have them constantly moving in the wind!

The other thing that I immediately noticed was how SMOOTH she looks. They took away almost all of her scales. And again... doesn’t she need those for protection? This is so odd to me because it feels like they’ve removed her scales in the same way that pin up artists never draw body hair. Body hair is seen as unsightly on women, so artists remove it, leaving their subjects smooth and shining.

Do... do the dreamworks designers think the scales are unsightly? Have they waxed this dragon? And replaced her scales with body glitter??? Guys.... guys...

Whyyyyyy

Also they made her nose a lot shorter? That’s stupid. Don’t do that. 

Which one’s the girl?? Their noses are the same length so I can’t tell. 

So I can actually greatly improve the original design by just remedying these things.

Oh yeah I made her claws bigger??? BECAUSE THEY FUCKING MADE HER CLAWS SMALLER. 

But already I’m like... less pissed at it. Like “Aw yeah it’s still white, but at least they didn’t mess with much else.”

I think in a perfect world they would have given me something like this:

BUT! They did not.

And I’m not complaining just for the sake of complaining. I promise. This poster irritated me so much because HTTYD over the past 2 movies has had some stellar design. ESPECIALLY with it’s female characters. Astrid and Ruffnut are such courageous designs to me, because they’re not your classically beautiful disney knock off. Ruffnut is harsh looking. She has angles. She makes gross faces. These are all privileges that have traditionally been reserved for villains or men. Astrid is introduced in the first film like she’s some incredibly beautiful bombshell... but she really looks like a little girl. She’s kind of scrawny. She has only the smallest hint of a bust. She has a weak chin and her ears stick out, but it doesn’t matter because Hiccup thinks she is stunning.

Catch this chin in a disney movie. It will never happen.

We’ve even seen excellent female dragon designs! But we weren’t even aware that they were females because it’s not plot relevant, but they were not obviously coded. They just looked like sweet dragons!

Stormfly is a girl. You can tell by how much glitter in on her body and her short, rounded spikes. 

I just wish the HTTYD designers took more risk with the female nightfury design. The design they came up with is lazy, predictable, functionally incorrect and... kinda sexist honestly. I will still see this movie. I will still marvel at all the other wonderful designs, but this has left a bad taste in my mouth. 

From now on I hope to see more female characters that look like Sadie from Mouseguard

And less like ... this fucking shit

Not even Bambi is free from my wrath. 

[aion-rsa]

One Night in Miami Trailer, Cast, Release Date and Everything You Need to Know

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Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, Jim Brown, and Muhammad Ali walk into a motel room. No really, this isn’t a put-on. It’s an event that actually happened (more or less) on the night that Ali won the heavyweight championship of the world in 1964, and right before he changed his name from Cassius Clay. Now what these four historic figures at the intersection of Black male celebrity and wider American pop culture said to each other that evening is unknown… but it makes the mind wander; it also makes for a hell of a good story in One Night in Miami.

The new film from director Regina King (Watchmen, If Beale Street Could Talk) marks the Oscar and Emmy winning actor’s first foray into feature-length directing intended for the big screen—even as most audiences will only see One Night in Miami on Amazon when it premieres on the streaming service later this year—and already it’s generating more deserved award buzz. As a film written by Kemp Powers, who is adapting from his own play of the same name, One Night in Miami is a chance to interrogate the challenges of celebrity for Black men in America, and the larger responsibility one feels toward the Black community. These dueling pressures can pull in different directions, and they can elicit fascinating conversations.

Here’s how they inform One Night in Miami.

One Night in Miami Trailer

Here is the trailer that gives you an idea of the film’s unique approach…

One Night in Miami Cast

Kingsley Ben-Adir – Ben-Adir plays Malcolm X, a seminal leader of the Civil Rights era. Malcolm was an American Muslim minister and human rights activist who grew national attention for his blunt advocacy for Black empowerment and an end to segregation, as well as Black separation from whites and a possible return to Africa. In the white mainstream (and among some Black leaders), he was a controversial figure due to his support for the Nation of Islam, but One Night in Miami is set about a month out from Malcolm’s exit from NOI due to the sexual predations of Elijah Muhammad.

One Night in Miami is a breakout role for Ben-Adir who is a revelation as Malcolm X. He’s previously enjoyed small roles in King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, The Commuter, and Noelle. On Showtime’s The Comey Rule, he played President Barack Obama.

Eli Goree – Goree plays Cassius Clay on the last night he would go by that name. The film pivots on the evening Clay shocked the world when he defeated Sonny Liston by TKO in February 1964. Only age 22, Clay became the youngest heavyweight champ to claim the belt by knockout (a record Ali still holds). The day after the victory, Clay would announce he’s joined the Nation of Islam (at Malcolm X’s urging) and would go by the name of Cassius X (later changed to Muhammad Ali). He would also soon become a figure of controversy when he refused to be drafted in the Vietnam War due to being a conscientious objector. The resulting harassment by the U.S. government would see Ali banned from the ring for four years.

One Night in Miami is a breakout role for Goree, whose few other film credits include an unnamed character in 2014’s Godzilla. He’s previously had recurring roles on Ballers and Riverdale, and appeared in GLOW.

Leslie Odom Jr. – Odom portrays Sam Cooke, the pioneering singer, songwriter, composer, producer, and entrepreneur who became one of the first Black musicians to found his own record label and publishing company. Also known as the King of Soul, Cooke contributed to the rise of Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye (among others), and recorded a string of mid-20th century hits that include “You Send Me,” “Cupid,” “Chain Gang,” and “Bring It On Home to Me.” One Night in Miami is set, significantly, before Cooke recorded his first song demanding political change, “A Change is Going to Come” … and before Cooke was shot to death by a motel manager later that same year.

Odom is best known for playing the morally ambiguous Aaron Burr in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway musical, and pop culture sensation, Hamilton. He won a Tony and Grammy for his portrayal. He’s appeared in a variety of Broadway productions, including Rent, Dreamgirls, and Leap of Faith. On screen, his credits include Harriet, Red Tails, and Murder on the Orient Express. He’s also released four solo albums.

Aldis Hodge – Hodge depicts Jim Brown, one of the greatest running backs of all time in the National Football League. After earning unanimous all-American honors playing college football at Syracuse University (as well as basketball, track and field, and lacrosse), Brown went on to play for the Cleveland Browns between 1957 and 1965, earning the AP NFL Most Valuable Player for three years, and leading the browns to an NFL championship in 1964. He’d go on to be a major sports analyst and appearing in films and television series like Slaughter (1972), The A-Team, and Mars Attacks! (1996).

Prior to depicting Brown, Hodge might be best known for playing MC Ren in Straight Outta Compton. He also memorably appeared in a supporting role in The Invisible Man last year. Other credits include Hidden Figures, Clemency, and al lead role on City on a Hill.

One Night in Miami Release Date

One Night in Miami opened in limited theatrical release on Dec. 25 after premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival and Venice Film Festival. It premieres on Amazon on Jan. 15, 2021.

One Night in Miami Story

The film is loosely inspired by real events. On the night Cassius Clay knocked out Sonny Liston, Malcolm X was sitting ringside. Afterward Clay agreed to meet Ali at the Hampton House, a motel that Black celebrities frequented at the time in Miami’s Brownsville neighborhood. The two were later met by Sam Cooke and Jim Brown. However, Kemp Powers as first a playwright and then a screenwriter, took literary license to imagine what that evening was like before Cassius Clay announced the next morning he was now Cassius X.

Regarding the appeal of the project, director Regina King recently told The New York Times, “We don’t get the opportunity to see [on screen] our men, Black men, shown the way we see them so often in our family members and friends. Like every other human being they’re layered. They are vulnerable, they are strong, they are providers, they are sometimes putting on a mask. They are not unbreakable. They are flawed. They are beautiful. And just Kemp captured all of that in, you know, less than 110 pages…. I told him I felt like you’ve written a love letter to Black men.”

The official synopsis reads: “One Night in Miami is a fictional account of one incredible night where icons Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown gathered discussing their roles in the civil rights movement and cultural upheaval of the 60s.”

One Night in Miami Review

Here is an excerpt to our review out of the Toronto International Film Festival.

Each of the four key performances recreate the well-known tics of their historical personages. And in this arena, Goree is a delight. With wind in his sail after winning the heavyweight belt, his Cassius is so nimble in his dancing and prancing that it’s a wonder his feet ever touch the ground. Yet whereas most biopics, particularly in the last few years, have leaned into the legend of its subjects, One Night in Miami seeks to imagine a psychological truth that’s far slipperier, and far more rewarding.

In this context, Ben-Adir’s Brother Malcolm may be the most revelatory. In contrast with Spike Lee and Denzel Washington’s electric depiction of the civil and human rights activist, there is something slightly subversive about King and Ben-Adir’s interpretation. Here is the firebrand who preached African American separation and just several months before the film’s February ’64 setting referred to JFK’s assassination as “chickens coming home to roost”—a statement that gets him no shortage of grief from his friends in One Night in Miami—yet beyond his moral disgust at Elijah Muhammad’s affairs with young secretaries in the NOI, this version of Malcolm is full of second-guessing anxiety and a pained inner-life just bubbling behind the horn-rimmed glasses.

You can again read the full review here.

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[lowat-golden-tower]

Embracing Darkness

HOOOO BOY.

This one is... it’s kind of intense, guys. It’s emotional. Seriously, if you can’t handle some deep... emotional stuff, and abandonment and such, just... maybe not read this one. (Which would be unfortunate as it’s kind of important, but still.)

This was exhausting to write but I’m super proud of the finished product. So I hope you enjoy, even if it’s just... a lot of angst. I’m sorry. Legitimately, for once. It’s pretty rough.

@alcordraws, @galaxy-starheart, @kenmarlenn thanks for suffering through all my torturous snippets. Try not to die, okay? I need someone to theorize with.

Have fun trying to figure out what all of Yandere’s nicknames mean. B) I challenge you.

AO3 Mirror

Chapter 8: Yin

Yandere didn't know where he was.

There was darkness, all around; stifling and smothering and silent. He couldn't remember much. All he could recall was pure agony coursing through every inch of his body, the ringing sound of his own crazed laughter and the wind howling in his ears.

And Dark. He remembered Dark. But where was he now?

Where was Yandere, for that matter?

Had he lost? Had Dark tossed him into his void as punishment? What if he kept him there forever, for stealing his aura away?

Yandere sucked in a tight, anxious breath. He felt the fingers of one hand sliding into his hair and quickly tore them away. No, no panicking would only make the situation worse. He needed to stay focused. He needed to keep his head. He could figure this out. First, he just had to remember. Remember...

He tried to concentrate; tried to dredge up the painful memories. All the while he wandered the darkness. Yandere couldn't see a "floor," but there was definitely something solid enough to walk on beneath his feet. There was a chill in the air, though it felt out of place from how thick the atmosphere felt in his throat and lungs. Like humidity without the heat. Was that even possible?

Yandere was dragged from his poor attempts to concentrate and rambling thoughts as he spied a familiar silhouette in the near distance. He tensed, red eyes widening with disbelief and breath catching harshly in his throat. "Denka?"

The figure didn't seem to hear him- or at least, he didn't respond. Yandere wasn't certain how long he'd been searching the darkness for something, anything, and he was not about to waste this opportunity. Without further hesitation he kicked his legs into gear and ran at the man standing only a few yards away. "Denka!" His voice rang out in the darkness, echoing harshly around them and bouncing back into his own ears. "Denka!"

Finally, the man heard him and turned around, cheeks stuffed full of peanut butter. More dripped from his chin, and the squirrels scattered about him halted what they were doing to view the sudden commotion. Instantly, King of Squirrels' soft, brown eyes widened in horror. His subjects' fur stood on end and they chuffed at Yandere angrily. In a blink, the older ego was turning on his heel and fleeing from him. He left a diminishing trail of peanut butter in his wake, and his squirrels loyally followed in his footsteps.

"Denka! Denka wait! Wait! I just... I'm not... chikusho!" Yandere hissed out a curse as King surprisingly evaded him. He knew the other was fast, but even this was pushing it. He'd been so close when King decided to run away. Lips twitching with a mixture of fury and frustration, he decided to follow the trail while it lasted. At least it was better than the neverending darkness.

It didn't take Yandere long to come across more egos. This time, it was Silver Shepherd and Ed Edgar, huddled close together and heatedly discussing something- or, well, arguing. It was always difficult to tell. Yandere beamed. "Ginrenger! Otosan! Oiiiii!"

Both egos paused in their bickering to look up. However, they immediately frowned and tensed at the sight of Yandere and started backing away. Ed's hand was drifting towards the gun on his back, and Silver looked ready to put up his dukes. (He also looked ready to soil his suit.) Neither were welcoming or friendly and it prompted Yandere to slow.

He furrowed his brows, frowned and tilted his head. "Nani...? Ginrenger? Otosan? What's wrong? Are you scared of me?" Yandere had always known they were, but usually they were more inclined to hide it. Their current actions were practically... hostile.

They didn't say anything. Just stared almost accusingly at Yandere and prepared for the risk of an ensuing fight. It was unsettling and discomfiting.

Gradually, Yandere pouted. It deepened when he took a step forward and their body language turned even more aggressive. "Ginrenger?" Silver sucked in a breath and raised his fists up a little higher, as if the action were intimidating. "Otosan?" Ed, already tense, somehow managed to become more rigid while his fingertips twitched over the barrel of his gun. Yandere's pout screwed up into an irritated scowl. "Well fine then! Don't talk to me! Bakas! Kutabare!" he snapped, stalking off away from the pair.

Surely, surely there was someone around here who would be willing to help him. Yandere meandered through the darkness, occasionally calling out "hello" and "konnichiwa" to the emptiness. It took a long time, but eventually he located two more egos. "Bancho! Ongakuka-chan!"

Like before, the egos looked up at the call. Like before, their expressions immediately shifted upon sighting Yandere coming towards them. The easygoing smiles dripped off of Bingiplier and Mark Bop's faces; the latter even paling. Bing stepped in front of his companion with furrowed brows and a flicker of defensive hostility. Behind him, Bop trembled and watched Yandere as if he were a vicious, rabid predator just waiting to rip the flesh from his bones.

Normally, Yandere would be flattered, but right now he needed someone who didn't fear him. Bing was scared too, he could tell. His protectiveness for Bop was simply stronger than his fear. Yandere had no doubts the android would attack if Yandere drew too close, so he stopped. "Listen. I just wanna talk! Why are you all being so angry all of a sudden?"

Neither of them answered, though Bop rattled off something in that gibberish language of his. Yandere would have gotten a sense of deja vu were Bop not so obviously frightened. That and the fact Bing only stuck around long enough to make sure Yandere had stopped advancing on them. Scrunching up his nose and curling his lip in what was probably meant to be an intimidating sneer, he quickly ushered a near to tears Bop away into the darkness. Bing only spared a furtive glance to make sure they weren't being followed, then blatantly proceeded to ignore Yandere's existence entirely.

Yandere felt a spike of rage and something else surge up from his gut and stomped his foot with a guttural shout. "Warugaki! Go ahead and run away then! Okubyou mono! I doubt you could have helped me anyway!" He released another shriek of frustration and stormed off.

Yandere continued encountering egos either alone or in various groups, but the end result was always the same. Silence, wary glares, defensive postures and occasionally hostility until one side eventually gave up and left the confrontation. It was always the same.

"Ikemen, Arashi-san, Kuebiko-san..." Yandere had stopped shouting or eagerly calling out his names for the egos, but it didn't change their responses. Bim Trimmer and the Jims both spared Yandere one, single glance before quickly walking in the opposite direction. "Ishasan." Dr. Iplier glanced up once from the clipboard he was studying before turning away. Somehow, Yandere knew trying to get his attention again would be pointless.

He meandered, coming across the Googs next. Surely, they would at least acknowledge him! "Ao-san!" Nothing but a cold glare. It was more than enough for Yandere to scurry back away from Blue and turn to Oxnard instead. "Midori-san?" Nothing again. Honestly, Yandere wasn't even certain if the android was looking at him, or through him. He pouted. Oliver; surely, surely Oliver would greet him. He managed an anxious smile. "Ki-iro-kun..." Yandere wasn't met with anger or disdain, but instead that ever becoming familiar flicker of fear. Oliver backed away, and when Yandere tried to follow Orville stepped into his path.

Even with burning, crimson eyes, his gaze felt cold as ice. Yandere's breath grew a bit short. He wasn't supposed to get scared. "A... Aka-chan...." Those red eyes flashed, and Yandere was peeling off in a frightened run before Orville could even complete his intimidating step forward.

His eyes burned with the threat of tears. What was going on? As if this strange void space wasn't weird enough, everyone else was acting so cruel. Fear was one thing. Defensiveness was also something Yandere could maybe understand. But such outright hostility? The aggressiveness? The icy looks and glares and endless silence? It was slowly driving him mad. He had to find someone, anyone, who would just say a single word to him.

Yandere was in such a panic he almost ran headfirst into yet another ego. He recognized the trenchcoat immediately and sucked in a breath. Host. Host, certainly Host, with all of his calm and patience and understanding, would give him a moment of his time. At the very least, he couldn't pin Yandere down with his eyes and make him feel like a disgusting insect. "Benshi-"

"The Host will have nothing to do with Yandere or his words or actions. It would be in everyone's best interest if Yandere were to leave immediately. Leave, and never return. He is no longer wanted among the fold, and is not welcome here. Please, leave the Host be. He should not even be narrating to Yandere." The Host did, indeed, grace Yandere with words. But they were nothing Yandere could ever expect or prepare for, and immediately part of him wished the Host had remained as silent as all the rest.

He clenched his jaw and his fist for a moment, glowering up at the back of Host's head with tears forming in his eyes. "Iie! I won't leave! I won't leave until someone tells me what I did so wrong! Why do you all hate me?! What did I do?! Tell me!" Yandere screamed, reaching out to grasp at Host's trenchcoat and force him around.

It was only then he realized the Host wasn't wearing his bandages. His empty, bloodied eye sockets stared down at Yandere, through Yandere, and he swore it froze every last vein in his body. When Host spoke, it was with a reverberating echo that shook those frigid veins until Yandere feared they would all shatter and leave his body full of holes. "Yandere will leave. He will leave the Host alone, and he will disappear. Forever. He is no longer wanted here. Yandere turns around..."

Yandere whimpered as he felt the power grip his body, how it forced his feet to move. "Benshi, onegai...."

"...and walks away. Far away. Until he can no longer see the Host. He does not return, nor does he look back. He says not a single word until the Host will be unable to hear it." The words were a vicious rumble, low and cruel, and Yandere's feet were moving before the Host even completed his narration. He said no more after that, and Yandere didn't need to look to know the ego had stopped paying attention to his retreating form.

He sniffled, and he walked, and he waited.

Eventually, he must have gotten far enough away, as he was given back control over his body. Yandere drew in a ragged breath and released it in a sigh of relief. Never in his existence had he been so terrified. Never before had he felt so utterly helpless. He'd managed to stop crying, but that didn't repair the damage on the inside. His lips wobbled, and he pressed onward.

When he spied a familiar head of bubblegum pink, he thought his nightmare was finally over. The Host had let him down, but Wilford was different. Yandere knew Wilford. He knew, even if the reporter forgot to show he cared sometimes, or got too busy, he was always willing to speak to Yandere. He wasn't even doing much, simply talking to himself, so approaching Wilford shouldn't be a problem at all. Yet...

Still, Yandere found himself walking on eggshells. After all that had happened, after all the reactions the other egos had given him... if Wilford decided to turn hostile as well, he could easily turn Yandere inside-out. Or switch his arms and legs around. Or pop his head off with a mere wiggle of his mustache.

Wilford hadn't stopped muttering to himself or turned to glance at Yandere, so he must not have noticed him yet. It gave Yandere time to collect his thoughts; work up the nerve to speak and get the older ego's attention.

He licked anxiously at his lips, fingers twitching at his side as he stood stock still and near terrified behind the person he'd always considered to be a mentor of sorts. He couldn't bring himself to look up, just in case Wilford decided to glare at him too. Instead, Yandere stared at Wilford's shoes and hunched his shoulders. "Sensei...." He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, hearing the nonstop rambling grow quiet. "Onii-san." The word was the softest of breaths from his lips, almost a desperate whisper.

Slowly, Wilford turned to look at Yandere. The younger ego still wasn't looking up out of fear, but he didn't feel a glare focus on him. That had to be a good sign. For several long moments, there was silence, and Yandere feared Wilford might not speak to him either. He was prepared to turn and leave, defeated, when that drawl finally started up. "What is it? I'm busy."

Hope and relief bloomed simultaneously within Yandere's chest. Eyes widening slightly and regaining their light, he lifted his head to meet Wilford's gaze. The smile that had been forming on his lips quickly flickered out. The impatient, slightly agitated tone he'd been anticipating. The harsh, frigid gaze directed at him was new and breathtaking- not in the good way. The positive emotions withered and squeezed tight around Yandere's lungs. He wilted beneath that gaze; not angry or accusatory, but absolutely unkind. There was no hint of warmth or affection or even amusement in those brown depths.

Yandere shrunk, curling in towards himself. He tried not to panic and gathered up the words he'd so painstakingly chosen. "G... gomen, onii-san-"

"Don't call me that."

"I..."

"We're not brothers. Not by blood or by anything else, you silly boy. Just tell me what you want so you can go. I'm trying to practice my bit here and you're ruining my concentration."

Yandere hadn't thought it was possible for that drawl to come off as sinister or cruel, yet there it was. He felt his insides clench and had to swallow down a rising sob. This wasn't going how he'd hoped at all. Part of him wished Wilford would just attack him, or threaten him, instead of coldly indulging him like this. "G- gomenasai. I... I just..."

"You just what? Come on now, hurry up! I've got places to kill, people to be and sights to interview."

Yandere might have laughed, were he not so close to tears. He clenched his fist at his side and trembled. "I... I just... onegai, sensei. Please. Please. Tell me what I did wrong." He sniffled, unable to hold it back. "T-tell me why everyone h-hates me...."

"Why wouldn't they hate you?"

Yandere froze, and his red eyes widened some again in shock. Had he just...? But Wilford wasn't done.

"You frighten everyone away. You're dangerous. You attack and provoke without care and you're so damn selfish, you wiley little brat. No one can stand having you around. The only reason you're here is because you're one of Mark's egos. Otherwise, you'd be out on the street."

Yandere's breath hitched. "You don't... y-you don't mean that..."

"I mean everything I say. And I mean it when I say this: you're not wanted here. No one wants you here. Go skidaddle away now, before I get impatient. You know what happens when I get impatient."

Yandere didn't need to see the flash of Wilford's gun to move. He didn't need to hear the click of its hammer being pulled into place to run away. The ego's words had done enough, and the sobs racked at his body as he ran. Tears fell rapidly but still couldn't leave his eyes fast enough to prevent blurring his vision, making him even more blind than before. Not that there was anything to see. None of the egos wanted him. None of them would spare him another glance.

He was alone. When he fell, tripping on his own feet, no one was there to ask if he was alright. No one was there to offer him a hand. He sat there on his knees, crying and wailing the emotions he'd been trying to bottle up inside. Despair, regret, confusion, anger; all of it came pouring out while he swiped at his messy face with a hand.

It felt as if he'd been crying for hours and hours when at last something in the distance caught his red, puffy eyes. Yandere sniffled, scrubbing once more at his sticky face with his sleeve in an effort to better make the shape out. He tensed a little upon realizing it was another person, but gradually the details came through. A striped shirt, slacks, a little red scarf and a cute beret atop a head of messy black hair. Yandere's aching heart skipped a few beats. He knew that ego. He knew who it was. How could he have forgotten?

The one ego who always fought through his fear to be around him. The one ego who would indulge rambles about his crush and all of Yandere's insane plans. The one ego who would sit with him for hours, let Yandere lean on him for a nap, encourage Yandere with little works of art and support. The one with a tremble in his step, a far-off look in his red eyes and a shadow larger than himself.

"Biju-chan." Yandere whispered, scarcely able to believe it. Like a flower attempting to shake off the first frost, hope dared to peek out from the ruins of his chest. He took a breath and stumbled to his feet. "Biju-chan." His steps, slow and unsteady at first, became more rapid as he drew near the younger ego. Maybe, maybe now, maybe finally... "Biju-chan!"

Artiplier turned around, his eyes a bit wide with surprise. However, rather than narrow into a glare or close-off his expression, they softened to something pleasant and happy after landing on Yandere. A tiny smile flitted to his features. "Fleur rouge."

Yandere felt like crying again. At last, at last someone who didn't hate him. Who didn't see him as a nuisance. Who wasn't scared of him- at least, to the point they wanted nothing to do with him. His own face broke into a grin and he threw his arms out as his steps broke into a fullblown run. "Biju-chan!"

Artie opened up his arms, recognizing the signs Yandere was coming in for a grand tackle of a hug. He didn't back away or dodge to the side, and Yandere crashed into him with enough force to practically bowl him over. His arms fell around Yandere's heaving, shaking shoulders like they belonged there and he released a trembling breath of his own. "Eet ees alright, fleur. I am here now."

Yandere hiccuped. "Biju-chan...."

"I am always 'ere." Artie's voice sounded strained and watery.

It gave Yandere pause, and he blinked against his friend's shoulder. "Biju-chan?" He pulled back some, just enough to see Artie's face. When he realized blood was beginning to trickle from the corners of Artie's mouth, he gasped. "Biju-chan! You're hurt! What- what happened?!" The arm around Artie's shoulders tightened.

Artie wheezed, and the gurgle in it definitely indicated there was blood in his lungs. But how? He'd been just fine a minute ago! "Yandere..."

Something warm and wet dribbled onto Yandere's hand. He heard more than felt more droplets hit his shoe. His eyes widened again, and his breath became caught up in his throat. No. He didn't want to look down, but he had to know. He had to confirm his horrifying suspicions with his own two eyes. It took every last ounce of willpower he had, but eventually his gaze fell.

Blood. Warm, wet and red was spilling rapidly onto his hand, his wrist, down onto his socks and shoes. It was already soaking heavily through Artie's striped shirt. Yandere screamed. In his bloodied hand was the handle of a familiar knife, and the blade of that knife was lodged to the hilt in Artie's chest. When did he get a knife? When did he stab...? Yandere tried to think back, realizing he'd been completely oblivious to one of his hands the entire time. Oblivious to the object it held because the knife had practically become an extension of himself.

All those fearful looks. All that defensive posturing. Was it because of this? Because he'd been wielding a knife all along? Yandere tilted his head down further to spy not only fresh blood on his uniform, but dried spots of it as well. That meant... blood. He'd been running around spotted with blood too. No wonder no one wanted anything to do with him. No wonder they all hated him.

He was a murderer.

Yandere drew in a ragged breath at the same time as Artie, his head snapping back up to look the ego in the face. He could feel his eyes beginning to burn with the onset of fresh tears. Artie was pale, more blood spilling from his mouth and eyes slipping out of focus. Yandere had done this. He must have... it must have happened when they hugged. When he... oh god.

Oh god, he'd stabbed Artie in the chest. He'd at least punctured a lung, if not his heart. There was no coming back from that. Artie was dying. Artie was dying. The one ego to show him a shred of kindness, of acceptance, and he'd killed him.

Yandere screamed again, catching Artie as he fell, carefully lowering them both to the ground. He could murder people in a heartbeat, without batting an eyelash. But an ego? Artie? No. Never. He would never... and yet there Artie was, slowly fading away in his arms. Not in the way all egos feared, but instead caught up in the throes of a swift, painful death. Yandere choked on a dry sob. "Iie..." He pulled Artie a bit closer. "Iie biju-chan..."

He could tell Artie wanted to respond, but all that came up was a cough and more blood. He shuddered in Yandere's grasp, clinging weakly to Yandere's uniform as a weak smile formed on his red stained face. His eyes were dull, and he shook his head.

"Biju-chan, iie. Iie... you can't... you c-can't die. You can't die because of me. Biju-chan!" Artie wasn't moving. He'd stopped responding, even minutely, and the grip on Yandere's shirt was slack. He screamed, he sobbed. "BIJU-CHAN! BIJU-CHAN! Artie! Artie iie, iie, you can't. You can't, Artie, y-you can't... you can't..." Tears began to drip from Yandere's eyes, falling to mix with the red. "...leave me."

Yandere slowly leaned forward, letting his forehead come to rest against Artie's. It was one of the few spots on his upper body not coated with blood, and Yandere cried against him like that for a long time. Until the skin against his arms cooled, and blood on his clothes congealed. For so long, there was nothing but the silence and his sobs and the stench of Artie's blood.

Then, out of the darkness, footsteps. Yandere's breath hitched, and at long last he forced himself away from the body laying half across his lap. His face was sticky again with the residue of his tears, and the drying blood made his clothes stiff to move around in.

From the shadows emerged one final figure. Grey skin, blackened eyes and a crisp, dark suit. His hair was meticulously swept to the left side of his face, and his hands were primly clasped behind his back. He walked, undisturbed by the blood or the body or Yandere's emotional state, until his shiny black shoes reached the very edge of the puddle that had formed. He stared down at in with a glimmer of distaste for a moment, before those soulless eyes shifted to Yandere.

Yandere tensed, metaphorical hackles rising and back arching like a cat. He pulled Artie's corpse closer to his chest protectively and bared his teeth at Dark with all the fury he had left. It wasn't much, and they both knew it. Dark probably would have looked amused, if he showed that much emotion.

"So sorry. Am I... interrupting something?" That smooth voice rolled down Yandere's spine like cold oil and he shivered. However, he couldn't quite find his voice after everything, and Dark took his silence as permission to continue. "So you've stabbed him. Again. I wonder, will the others be quite so eager to pin it on me? Or will they realize the true threat you are. The monster you have become. This grave you have dug for yourself is so.. deep.. Yandere." Dark's eyes, though hard as stone and emotionless, still managed to glitter in the darkness.

Yandere's fingers clenched into Artie's body. He snarled, "It was an accident! I didn't mean to kill him! I'm not a monster, I would never-"

"Never what, Yandere? Stab one of your closest friends in cold blood? I suppose that's not your knife still lodged in his chest, then, is it?"

Yandere flinched, unable to stop himself from sparing the weapon a glance. He'd been so buried in his grief he'd forgotten to remove it. Not that it would have helped matters. Artie was doomed from the start. "I... I didn't mean..."

"You didn't mean to. Oh, but of course not, Yandere. Who ever means to murder a friend? I'm certain this is all just a big misunderstanding..." Yandere looked up at Dark once more, eyes laden with heavy bags and puffy redness. Dark provided zero solace for those exhausted eyes. "Yet, Artiplier is still dead. You can see that much for yourself. There's no taking it back. No fixing this... misunderstanding. It truly is unfortunate..."

Yandere's breath hitched again; the risk of a fresh sob. He stared down at Artie's prone, dead form with quivering lips. "Why are you doing this? Why are you here? J-just leave me be... go away, yami. I can torture myself enough without your help...." The words were thick with emotion and the aftermath of his tears, but Dark wasn't leaving.

"Perhaps... I could give you another chance. The opportunity to do things right. What do you say, Yandere? Care to take me up on my offer?"

Furious indignation sparked to life in Yandere's chest, and his head snapped back up to focus a glare on Dark. Except- Dark was no longer present. A blink, and Yandere was no longer on his knees. Artie's body was gone, but all of the blood remained. Frantic and confused, Yandere looked wildly around, attempting to put the pieces together. Was he going insane? Was Dark making him lose his mind? He hadn't accepted the offer, he hadn't-

"Fleur rouge."

Yandere's spine went rigid. Slowly, he turned to look towards the source of that soft voice. His lungs leaped up into his throat. "Bi... biju-chan...."

Artie smiled, clean of blood and free of injury. The color was back in his cheeks; the light in his red eyes. He opened his arms. "Fleur."

"Biju-chan." Yandere hesitated, clearly recalling the consequences of rushing in the last time. Still, he was drawn to those arms; to that embrace. He fell into it, into Artie, like a lost child.

"I am 'ere."

Blood.

"I am always 'ere."

Blood.

There was blood, and Artie was falling, and Yandere was catching him yet again. "Iie!" Not again. Not like this. Not again. "Iie, biju-chan!" He watched that renewed light fade once more, felt the breaths leave Artie's body and not return. He sobbed, and a voice appeared from the darkness.

"Care to try again?"

Refusal perched on the tip of Yandere's tongue, but the thought of losing his closest friend forever burned in his throat and in his chest. It made his jaw slow, and just like that the scenario was reset.

Artie, standing with arms wide open and the gentlest of smiles on his face. "Fleur."

Yandere, stood before him with clothes soaked in blood and knife gripped in hand. "Iie."

Dark, lying in wait, eager to show once Yandere was sitting broken and desperate on the floor with his corpse in hand. "Again."

And so they went, again and again, until all Yandere could smell was blood, and all Yandere could see was red.

[geralldhopp]

Biocontrol of Bemisia: 7 Things to Consider Before You Turn to Chemicals.

It’s that time of year again where it’s “do or die” time in Poinsettia: either your biocontrol program is on track, or it’s time to see if pesticides work.

Here’s what to look for in your crop to help you make the decision, including acceptable infestation levels and evidence of successful biocontrol.

This post also contains information on chemical options for Bemisia whitefly in 2019.

Previous posts and magazine articles have covered how to effectively scout for Bemisia and use of a cut-off rate based on percent infestation to help with Bemisia control decisions.

But infestation rate isn’t the only thing that matters.  At this point in time, it’s important to get more information from your crop before you think about abandoning biocontrol. (Remember, it’s a crap shoot each year if pesticides will actually work or not!  See this post).  Here are details on 7 things should look at before you decide to spray.

(And, as always, a big THANK YOU to the growers, consultants and owners that are willing to share what they’re seeing in the field so we all can benefit).

1.Which varieties are affected

It’s common to see more whitefly pressure in your colours (white, pinks) compared to your reds.  These hot spots can potentially trickle over into other poinsettia varieties, but may still be controllable with releases of Delphastus.  It’s certainly worth trying hot-spot releases of predators before turning to pesticides, which may leave you with no recourse but the pesticide treadmill from now until early December.

However, >20% plants infested in your main crop (reds) is generally cause for concern at this point.  But don’t let this be your only deciding factor.  (It’s only a rough guideline, after all). Make sure to take the rest of this list into consideration first.

Pink and white poinsettias seem to have higher levels of Bemisia whitefly than reds.  The reason may be related to whitefly variety preferences, and is an important consider in Poinsettia biocontrol programs.

2. Bemisia Life Stages Present

Are you seeing mostly adults flying around? This likely means that your whitefly egg predators (like Delphastus and A. swirskii) and parasitic wasps (that parasitize and host-feed on nymphs) are working.  Remaining adults may be from a previous generation, as whitefly adults can live over 30 days.  Conversely, lots of nymphs and pupae, along with adults, may mean your biocontrol program isn’t keeping up.

Make sure to make notes of things like this when you’re scouting each compartment/bay to help bring more decision-making power to your presence/absence sampling.

3. Bemisia numbers

Although I’ve been stressing using a quick-and-dirty presence/absence sampling in order to monitor your whole crop effectively, now’s the time to actually start recording some Bemisia numbers per plant.  This will help you get a picture of what “presence” actually means in your crop. Remember, the 20% infestation “cut off” is just a guideline.  It highly depends on WHAT that infestation looks like.

Are you seeing just one or two adult whitefly present per plant, and leaves with <10 immature stages here and there? Going into the period of poinsettia cooling, when whitefly development will slow down, this kind of pressure is acceptable.

But if you’re seeing LOTS of infested leaves, or leaves with LOTS of immatures (e.g. >25 nymphs/pupae), that’s cause for concern.

Low number of Bemisia whitefly nymphs/pupae per leaf, like pictured here, are not necessarily cause for concern when the Poinsettia crop is about to enter cool days.  Low temperatures will help slow down developing immatures, meaning your whitefly population shouldn’t spike.

4. Which pot sizes are affected

Because of the amount of plant material involved, seeing 2 or 3 adults (and possibly a few immature-infested leaves) per 8-inch plant is inevitable, and generally tolerated by buyers.  It is certainly less concerning than this same trend on 4 or 6 inch plants.  Expect higher percentages of “infested” plants using presence/absence sampling in 8 inch and larger pots, and spend more time characterizing the infestation.

You can also consider changing your presence/absence sampling to whitefly per stem (usually 3 per 8 inch pot), instead of per pot, as that may give you a better picture.

5. Evidence that Biocontrol is Working

The other critical thing to look for this time of year is successful parasitism or feeding on whitefly by the natural enemies you’ve released.

Specifically, you’re looking for at least 40-50% of the whitefly immatures you encounter to be either a) parasitized or b) fed on.  Many IPM scouts are trained to look at parasitism, but host feeding by both Encarsia and Eretmocerus on whitefly nymphs plays an equally important role, especially in bicontrol programs relying only on these parasitoids.

Here, I’ve taken pictures through a hand lens (15x) in the field to show you exactly what you should be seeing when examining leaves.

Evidence of host feeding:  Dead nymphs/pupae of whitefly resulting from host feeding by Encarsia/Eretmocerus appear yellowish brown and are dried-out looking.  The edges often curl up away from the leaves. Successfully hatched out whitefly pupae, on the other hand, leave clear pupal cases behind.

Host feeding of whitefly nymphs by parasitic wasps (Encarsia formosa and/or Eretmocerus eremicus).  Photo taken with an iphone 10 through a 15X hand lens.

Parasitism by Eretmocerus: As these tiny wasps are entirely yellow, their parasitized whitefly hosts also appear as yellow.  To me, they look sort of like aphid mummies: i.e. puffy yellow versions of whitefly pupae.  As with aphid mummies, you can easily see round exit holes once the Eretmocerus adults emerge.  Conversely, healthy whitefly pupae will be more white-yellow, less puffy and have red eyespots visible through the pupal case.

Bemisia whitefly parasitized by Eretmocerus eremicus.  Photo taken with an iphone 10 through a 15X hand lens.

Parasitism by Encarsia:  Although greenhouse whitefly parasitized by Encarsia appear black, Bemisia parasitised by Encarsia appear brown.  This is probably because Bemisia immatures are yellow, while greenhouse whitefly nymphs/puape are more clear/white. When they are ready to hatch out, you’ll  be able to see the more distinct yellow abdomen and black head/thorax of the wasps through the whitefly case (see below). As with Eretmocerus parasitism and host feeding, whitefly parasitized by Encarsia tend to occur in patches.

Bemisia whitefly parasitized by Encarsia formosa in a patch on poisettia leaves (left).  A close up of an Encarsia pupae is pictured right.

Because of their distinct brown colour, whitefly parasitized by Encarsia are also fairly distinguishable on whole leaves without a hand lens (see below).  You’ll definitely need to use a hand lens to figure out Eretmocerus parasitism rates, though.

A patch of Bemisia whitefly parasitized by Encarsia formosa on poinsettia.

If you’re not seeing these 3 things, or if parasitism rates appear low (<30%), then your bios may not be able to play catch up over this next month to prevent credits.

6.  Testing Pesticides in Hot Spots

You may remember this post on recent U.S. efficacy tests of pesticides against Bemisia whitefly in poinsettia.  Although efficacy studies can point us in the right direction, trials with Bemisia, specifically, need to be taken with a grain of salt.

This is because a) efficacy tests don’t always accurately represent the mix of B and Q Bemisia species we usually see in real life and b) pesticide results are going to vary year by year depending on what chemicals are used at the producer end (i.e. what your Bemisia have already been exposed to and how often they were exposed to it).

So, before you decide to apply something that has toxic effects on your whitefly parasitoids or Delphastus to your whole farm, the better bet is to trial it first in your bad areas now, while you still have enough time to play around before sale.  This could be in a specific compartment, a specific variety, or a specific bench or two that seem to be worse than others.

To see how the chemical performs, you’ll want to a) flag 5 plants with particularly bad whitefly issues and b) perform more accurate counts of whitefly numbers and life stages on these plants.  Compare numbers before and after application, giving at least a week for drench products to fully translocate through the plant under these temperatures before the “after” assessment. (Products like Beleaf and Versys, that work through feeding cessation in insects, may need up to 2 weeks to show results).  Products that kill through contact (instead of feeding) can be assessed 24-48 h after application.

Currently, there are few definitive reports of which pesticides are working (or not working) against Bemisia whitefly.   The general exception is Altus (flupyridifurone), since it’s reported to be more effective if applied earlier in the crop.  Not only did it perform poorly in U.S. efficacy trials, but it also doesn’t appear to be working for several Ontario growers this year either.  Older chemistries like Dynomite (pyridiben) and Avid (abamectin) also may not be working. Other newer chemistries, like Versys (afidopyripen) and/or Beleaf (flonicamid) may still provide control.

Use an indicator plant already infested with whitefly to help you figure out what percent kill you are getting with pesticide applications against Bemisia. A low kill rate (under 70%) suggests your population is already resistant to that chemical class.  Both B and Q biotype can develop significant resistance if enough chemicals are applied in at the producer end.

7. Looking at Whole Picture

Once you’ve done 1-6, you’ll want to put all the information together for your farm.  For example, you may see something like the following:

Varieties effected: 30% average infestation rate in colours across all sizes; ~20% in the reds.

Bemisia life stages present: Most infested plants with 1-2 adults (especially in 8 inch), but few plants with nymphs/pupae

Bemisia numbers: Infested leaves in reds generally <10 immature whitefly/leaf; some infested leaves in the colours with 20-30 immatures/leaf

Pot sizes affected: 80% infestation rate in 8 inch (but mostly 2-3 adults per plant); ~20% in 6 and 4 inch

Evidence of Biocontrol: ~40% parasitism/host feeding on heavily infested leaves

Pesticide trials: Small trial of colours demonstrated that Dynomite did not work; trying Beleaf next.

Although individual metrics may be concerning (i.e. general % infestation rates,  rates in the 8 inch), put together, there’s a lot of evidence that biocontrol is still working for this hypothetical grower (life stages present, parasitism rates).  In this case, I would still delay spraying.  Only by figuring out your own metrics will you be able to decide if spraying is right for you.

  Biocontrol of Bemisia: 7 Things to Consider Before You Turn to Chemicals. published first on https://yeuhoavn.tumblr.com/

[auburnfamilynews]

Five players with Alabama football roots are among the 102 modern-era nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2019, including one entering the Hall of Fame process for the first time.

The Class of 2019 nominees include former linebacker Takeo Spikes, whose 15-year, 219-game NFL career ended in 2012 with 1,425 tackles, the most for an Auburn alumnus in the NFL.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame released the list of modern-era nominees on Thursday. A player is considered modern era if he has been retired for at least five seasons and was active within the past 25 seasons.

The other Class of 2019 nominees from Alabama high schools and colleges are running back Shaun Alexander, offensive tackle Willie Anderson, linebacker Cornelius Bennett and offensive tackle Chris Samuels. All have previously appeared on the nomination list.

Spikes' top seasons came in 2003 and 2004 with the Buffalo Bills, when he earned Pro Bowl invitations. He also made first-team All-Pro in 2004.

Alexander (Alabama) went to the Pro Bowl in 2003, 2004 and 2005, when his career hit its peak. In 2005, Alexander won The Associated Press NFL MVP Award and the Bert Bell Award as the NFL Player of the Year as the league's leader in rushing yards. He set an NFL single-season record with 28 touchdowns and led the Seahawks to the Super Bowl in 2005. Alexander's 100 rushing touchdowns rank seventh in NFL history.

Anderson (Vigor, Auburn) became a fixture at right offensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals after joining the team as the 10th pick in the 1996 NFL Draft. Anderson started every Cincinnati game except for two from 1997 through 2006. From 2003 through 2006, he was on the AFC Pro Bowl team and, in 2004, 2005 and 2006, he made first-team All-Pro.

Bennett (Ensley, Alabama) was the second player picked in the 1996 NFL Draft. He played in four straight Super Bowls with the Bills and was a Pro Bowl selection in each of those seasons. He also was an All-Pro in 1988, played in 206 games and appeared in another Super Bowl with the Atlanta Falcons.

Samuels (Shaw, Alabama) was the third player picked in the 2000 NFL Draft. He went on to make the NFC Pro Bowl team six times from 2001 to 2008. Samuels spent 10 seasons with the Washington Redskins before spinal stenosis forced his retirement.

Fifteen men who played at Alabama high schools and colleges are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The state's Hall of Famers are Robert Brazile, Buck Buchanan, Frank Gatski, Kevin Greene, John Hannah, Don Hutson, Walter Jones, Joe Namath, Ozzie Newsome, Terrell Owens Ken Stabler, John Stallworth, Bart Starr, Dwight Stephenson and Derrick Thomas.

Players and coaches who predate the 25-year window for modern-era nominees are considered by the Senior Selection Committee, which has named Johnny Robinson as its finalist for the Class of 2019.

From the initial list of modern-era nominees, the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee will choose 25 semifinalists, who will be announced in late November. The semifinalists will be reduced to 15 finalists in early January. 

The Class of 2019 will be selected from the 15 modern-era finalists, the senior finalist and the contributor finalists, who are Pat Bowlen and Gil Brandt this year.

The voting for the Class of 2019 will be conducted at the 48-member Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee's annual meeting, which will be held in Atlanta on Feb. 2, the day before Super Bowl LIII. The results will be announced that night. The selection process bylaws provide that four to eight inductees will be selected. Finalists must receive 80 percent of the vote to be enshrined.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM'S COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

The list of modern-era nominees includes:

Quarterbacks: Randall Cunningham, Dave Krieg, Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb, Steve McNair.

Running backs: Shaun Alexander, Tiki Barber, Earnest Byner, Larry Centers, Corey Dillon, Eddie George, Edgerrin James, Darryl Johnston, Eric Metcalf, Clinton Portis, Fred Taylor, Herschel Walker (also KR), Chris Warren, Ricky Watters.

Wide receivers: Isaac Bruce, Gary Clark, Henry Ellard (also PR), Torry Holt, Chad Johnson, Sterling Sharpe, Rod Smith, Hines Ward.

Tight end: Mark Bavaro, Tony Gonzalez, Brent Jones, Jay Novacek.

Offensive linemen: Willie Anderson (T), Tony Boselli (T), Lomas Brown (T), Ray Donaldson (C), Alan Faneca (G), Chris Hinton (G/T), Kent Hull (C), Steve Hutchinson (G), Mike Kenn (T), Olin Kreutz (C), Kevin Mawae (C/G), Tom Nalen (C), Chris Samuels (T), Richmond Webb (T), Steve Wisniewski (G).

Defensive linemen: La'Roi Glover (DT/NT), Russell Maryland (DT), Leslie O'Neal (DE), Simeon Rice (DE), Richard Seymour (DT), Neil Smith (DE), Bryant Young (DT).

Linebackers: Carl Banks, Cornelius Bennett, Tedy Bruschi, London Fletcher, Seth Joyner, Wilber Marshall, Clay Matthews, Willie McGinest (also DE), Karl Mecklenburg, Sam Mills, Chris Spielman, Takeo Spikes,, Darryl Talley, Zach Thomas.

Defensive backs: Eric Allen (CB), Steve Atwater (S), Champ Bailey (CB), Ronde Barber (CB/S), Bill Bates (S), LeRoy Butler (S), Nick Collins (S), Thomas Everett (S), Rodney Harrison (S), Ty Law (CB), Albert Lewis (CB), John Lynch (S), Tim McDonald (S), Ed Reed (S), Dennis Smith (S), Troy Vincent (CB), Adrian Wilson (S), Darren Woodson (S).

Kickers/punters: Jason Elam (K), Jeff Feagles (P), Sean Landeta (P).

Special teams: Brian Mitchell (KR/PR also RB), Steve Tasker (ST also WR).

Coaches: Don Coryell, Bill Cowher, Tom Flores, Jim Hanifan, Mike Holmgren, Jimmy Johnson, Richie Petitbon, Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, Clark Shaughnessy, Dick Vermeil.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @AMarkG1.

from Auburn Sports Impact http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2018/09/5_players_with_alabama_roots_n.html

[geralldhopp]

Biocontrol of Bemisia: 7 Things to Consider Before You Turn to Chemicals.

It’s that time of year again where it’s “do or die” time in Poinsettia: either your biocontrol program is on track, or it’s time to see if pesticides work.

Here’s what to look for in your crop to help you make the decision, including acceptable infestation levels and evidence of successful biocontrol.

This post also contains information on chemical options for Bemisia whitefly in 2019.

Previous posts and magazine articles have covered how to effectively scout for Bemisia and use of a cut-off rate based on percent infestation to help with Bemisia control decisions.

But infestation rate isn’t the only thing that matters.  At this point in time, it’s important to get more information from your crop before you think about abandoning biocontrol. (Remember, it’s a crap shoot each year if pesticides will actually work or not!  See this post).  Here are details on 7 things should look at before you decide to spray.

(And, as always, a big THANK YOU to the growers, consultants and owners that are willing to share what they’re seeing in the field so we all can benefit).

1.Which varieties are affected

It’s common to see more whitefly pressure in your colours (white, pinks) compared to your reds.  These hot spots can potentially trickle over into other poinsettia varieties, but may still be controllable with releases of Delphastus.  It’s certainly worth trying hot-spot releases of predators before turning to pesticides, which may leave you with no recourse but the pesticide treadmill from now until early December.

However, >20% plants infested in your main crop (reds) is generally cause for concern at this point.  But don’t let this be your only deciding factor.  (It’s only a rough guideline, after all). Make sure to take the rest of this list into consideration first.

Pink and white poinsettias seem to have higher levels of Bemisia whitefly than reds.  The reason may be related to whitefly variety preferences, and is an important consider in Poinsettia biocontrol programs.

2. Bemisia Life Stages Present

Are you seeing mostly adults flying around? This likely means that your whitefly egg predators (like Delphastus and A. swirskii) and parasitic wasps (that parasitize and host-feed on nymphs) are working.  Remaining adults may be from a previous generation, as whitefly adults can live over 30 days.  Conversely, lots of nymphs and pupae, along with adults, may mean your biocontrol program isn’t keeping up.

Make sure to make notes of things like this when you’re scouting each compartment/bay to help bring more decision-making power to your presence/absence sampling.

3. Bemisia numbers

Although I’ve been stressing using a quick-and-dirty presence/absence sampling in order to monitor your whole crop effectively, now’s the time to actually start recording some Bemisia numbers per plant.  This will help you get a picture of what “presence” actually means in your crop. Remember, the 20% infestation “cut off” is just a guideline.  It highly depends on WHAT that infestation looks like.

Are you seeing just one or two adult whitefly present per plant, and leaves with <10 immature stages here and there? Going into the period of poinsettia cooling, when whitefly development will slow down, this kind of pressure is acceptable.

But if you’re seeing LOTS of infested leaves, or leaves with LOTS of immatures (e.g. >25 nymphs/pupae), that’s cause for concern.

Low number of Bemisia whitefly nymphs/pupae per leaf, like pictured here, are not necessarily cause for concern when the Poinsettia crop is about to enter cool days.  Low temperatures will help slow down developing immatures, meaning your whitefly population shouldn’t spike.

4. Which pot sizes are affected

Because of the amount of plant material involved, seeing 2 or 3 adults (and possibly a few immature-infested leaves) per 8-inch plant is inevitable, and generally tolerated by buyers.  It is certainly less concerning than this same trend on 4 or 6 inch plants.  Expect higher percentages of “infested” plants using presence/absence sampling in 8 inch and larger pots, and spend more time characterizing the infestation.

You can also consider changing your presence/absence sampling to whitefly per stem (usually 3 per 8 inch pot), instead of per pot, as that may give you a better picture.

5. Evidence that Biocontrol is Working

The other critical thing to look for this time of year is successful parasitism or feeding on whitefly by the natural enemies you’ve released.

Specifically, you’re looking for at least 40-50% of the whitefly immatures you encounter to be either a) parasitized or b) fed on.  Many IPM scouts are trained to look at parasitism, but host feeding by both Encarsia and Eretmocerus on whitefly nymphs plays an equally important role, especially in bicontrol programs relying only on these parasitoids.

Here, I’ve taken pictures through a hand lens (15x) in the field to show you exactly what you should be seeing when examining leaves.

Evidence of host feeding:  Dead nymphs/pupae of whitefly resulting from host feeding by Encarsia/Eretmocerus appear yellowish brown and are dried-out looking.  The edges often curl up away from the leaves. Successfully hatched out whitefly pupae, on the other hand, leave clear pupal cases behind.

Host feeding of whitefly nymphs by parasitic wasps (Encarsia formosa and/or Eretmocerus eremicus).  Photo taken with an iphone 10 through a 15X hand lens.

Parasitism by Eretmocerus: As these tiny wasps are entirely yellow, their parasitized whitefly hosts also appear as yellow.  To me, they look sort of like aphid mummies: i.e. puffy yellow versions of whitefly pupae.  As with aphid mummies, you can easily see round exit holes once the Eretmocerus adults emerge.  Conversely, healthy whitefly pupae will be more white-yellow, less puffy and have red eyespots visible through the pupal case.

Bemisia whitefly parasitized by Eretmocerus eremicus.  Photo taken with an iphone 10 through a 15X hand lens.

Parasitism by Encarsia:  Although greenhouse whitefly parasitized by Encarsia appear black, Bemisia parasitised by Encarsia appear brown.  This is probably because Bemisia immatures are yellow, while greenhouse whitefly nymphs/puape are more clear/white. When they are ready to hatch out, you’ll  be able to see the more distinct yellow abdomen and black head/thorax of the wasps through the whitefly case (see below). As with Eretmocerus parasitism and host feeding, whitefly parasitized by Encarsia tend to occur in patches.

Bemisia whitefly parasitized by Encarsia formosa in a patch on poisettia leaves (left).  A close up of an Encarsia pupae is pictured right.

Because of their distinct brown colour, whitefly parasitized by Encarsia are also fairly distinguishable on whole leaves without a hand lens (see below).  You’ll definitely need to use a hand lens to figure out Eretmocerus parasitism rates, though.

A patch of Bemisia whitefly parasitized by Encarsia formosa on poinsettia.

If you’re not seeing these 3 things, or if parasitism rates appear low (<30%), then your bios may not be able to play catch up over this next month to prevent credits.

6.  Testing Pesticides in Hot Spots

You may remember this post on recent U.S. efficacy tests of pesticides against Bemisia whitefly in poinsettia.  Although efficacy studies can point us in the right direction, trials with Bemisia, specifically, need to be taken with a grain of salt.

This is because a) efficacy tests don’t always accurately represent the mix of B and Q Bemisia species we usually see in real life and b) pesticide results are going to vary year by year depending on what chemicals are used at the producer end (i.e. what your Bemisia have already been exposed to and how often they were exposed to it).

So, before you decide to apply something that has toxic effects on your whitefly parasitoids or Delphastus to your whole farm, the better bet is to trial it first in your bad areas now, while you still have enough time to play around before sale.  This could be in a specific compartment, a specific variety, or a specific bench or two that seem to be worse than others.

To see how the chemical performs, you’ll want to a) flag 5 plants with particularly bad whitefly issues and b) perform more accurate counts of whitefly numbers and life stages on these plants.  Compare numbers before and after application, giving at least a week for drench products to fully translocate through the plant under these temperatures before the “after” assessment. (Products like Beleaf and Versys, that work through feeding cessation in insects, may need up to 2 weeks to show results).  Products that kill through contact (instead of feeding) can be assessed 24-48 h after application.

Currently, there are few definitive reports of which pesticides are working (or not working) against Bemisia whitefly.   The general exception is Altus (flupyridifurone), since it’s reported to be more effective if applied earlier in the crop.  Not only did it perform poorly in U.S. efficacy trials, but it also doesn’t appear to be working for several Ontario growers this year either.  Older chemistries like Dynomite (pyridiben) and Avid (abamectin) also may not be working. Other newer chemistries, like Versys (afidopyripen) and/or Beleaf (flonicamid) may still provide control.

Use an indicator plant already infested with whitefly to help you figure out what percent kill you are getting with pesticide applications against Bemisia. A low kill rate (under 70%) suggests your population is already resistant to that chemical class.  Both B and Q biotype can develop significant resistance if enough chemicals are applied in at the producer end.

7. Looking at Whole Picture

Once you’ve done 1-6, you’ll want to put all the information together for your farm.  For example, you may see something like the following:

Varieties effected: 30% average infestation rate in colours across all sizes; ~20% in the reds.

Bemisia life stages present: Most infested plants with 1-2 adults (especially in 8 inch), but few plants with nymphs/pupae

Bemisia numbers: Infested leaves in reds generally <10 immature whitefly/leaf; some infested leaves in the colours with 20-30 immatures/leaf

Pot sizes affected: 80% infestation rate in 8 inch (but mostly 2-3 adults per plant); ~20% in 6 and 4 inch

Evidence of Biocontrol: ~40% parasitism/host feeding on heavily infested leaves

Pesticide trials: Small trial of colours demonstrated that Dynomite did not work; trying Beleaf next.

Although individual metrics may be concerning (i.e. general % infestation rates,  rates in the 8 inch), put together, there’s a lot of evidence that biocontrol is still working for this hypothetical grower (life stages present, parasitism rates).  In this case, I would still delay spraying.  Only by figuring out your own metrics will you be able to decide if spraying is right for you.

  Biocontrol of Bemisia: 7 Things to Consider Before You Turn to Chemicals. published first on https://yeuhoavn.tumblr.com/

[geralldhopp]

Biocontrol of Bemisia: 7 Things to Consider Before You Turn to Chemicals.

It’s that time of year again where it’s “do or die” time in Poinsettia: either your biocontrol program is on track, or it’s time to see if pesticides work.

Here’s what to look for in your crop to help you make the decision, including acceptable infestation levels and evidence of successful biocontrol.

This post also contains information on chemical options for Bemisia whitefly in 2019.

Previous posts and magazine articles have covered how to effectively scout for Bemisia and use of a cut-off rate based on percent infestation to help with Bemisia control decisions.

But infestation rate isn’t the only thing that matters.  At this point in time, it’s important to get more information from your crop before you think about abandoning biocontrol. (Remember, it’s a crap shoot each year if pesticides will actually work or not!  See this post).  Here are details on 7 things should look at before you decide to spray.

(And, as always, a big THANK YOU to the growers, consultants and owners that are willing to share what they’re seeing in the field so we all can benefit).

1.Which varieties are affected

It’s common to see more whitefly pressure in your colours (white, pinks) compared to your reds.  These hot spots can potentially trickle over into other poinsettia varieties, but may still be controllable with releases of Delphastus.  It’s certainly worth trying hot-spot releases of predators before turning to pesticides, which may leave you with no recourse but the pesticide treadmill from now until early December.

However, >20% plants infested in your main crop (reds) is generally cause for concern at this point.  But don’t let this be your only deciding factor.  (It’s only a rough guideline, after all). Make sure to take the rest of this list into consideration first.

Pink and white poinsettias seem to have higher levels of Bemisia whitefly than reds.  The reason may be related to whitefly variety preferences, and is an important consider in Poinsettia biocontrol programs.

2. Bemisia Life Stages Present

Are you seeing mostly adults flying around? This likely means that your whitefly egg predators (like Delphastus and A. swirskii) and parasitic wasps (that parasitize and host-feed on nymphs) are working.  Remaining adults may be from a previous generation, as whitefly adults can live over 30 days.  Conversely, lots of nymphs and pupae, along with adults, may mean your biocontrol program isn’t keeping up.

Make sure to make notes of things like this when you’re scouting each compartment/bay to help bring more decision-making power to your presence/absence sampling.

3. Bemisia numbers

Although I’ve been stressing using a quick-and-dirty presence/absence sampling in order to monitor your whole crop effectively, now’s the time to actually start recording some Bemisia numbers per plant.  This will help you get a picture of what “presence” actually means in your crop. Remember, the 20% infestation “cut off” is just a guideline.  It highly depends on WHAT that infestation looks like.

Are you seeing just one or two adult whitefly present per plant, and leaves with <10 immature stages here and there? Going into the period of poinsettia cooling, when whitefly development will slow down, this kind of pressure is acceptable.

But if you’re seeing LOTS of infested leaves, or leaves with LOTS of immatures (e.g. >25 nymphs/pupae), that’s cause for concern.

Low number of Bemisia whitefly nymphs/pupae per leaf, like pictured here, are not necessarily cause for concern when the Poinsettia crop is about to enter cool days.  Low temperatures will help slow down developing immatures, meaning your whitefly population shouldn’t spike.

4. Which pot sizes are affected

Because of the amount of plant material involved, seeing 2 or 3 adults (and possibly a few immature-infested leaves) per 8-inch plant is inevitable, and generally tolerated by buyers.  It is certainly less concerning than this same trend on 4 or 6 inch plants.  Expect higher percentages of “infested” plants using presence/absence sampling in 8 inch and larger pots, and spend more time characterizing the infestation.

You can also consider changing your presence/absence sampling to whitefly per stem (usually 3 per 8 inch pot), instead of per pot, as that may give you a better picture.

5. Evidence that Biocontrol is Working

The other critical thing to look for this time of year is successful parasitism or feeding on whitefly by the natural enemies you’ve released.

Specifically, you’re looking for at least 40-50% of the whitefly immatures you encounter to be either a) parasitized or b) fed on.  Many IPM scouts are trained to look at parasitism, but host feeding by both Encarsia and Eretmocerus on whitefly nymphs plays an equally important role, especially in bicontrol programs relying only on these parasitoids.

Here, I’ve taken pictures through a hand lens (15x) in the field to show you exactly what you should be seeing when examining leaves.

Evidence of host feeding:  Dead nymphs/pupae of whitefly resulting from host feeding by Encarsia/Eretmocerus appear yellowish brown and are dried-out looking.  The edges often curl up away from the leaves. Successfully hatched out whitefly pupae, on the other hand, leave clear pupal cases behind.

Host feeding of whitefly nymphs by parasitic wasps (Encarsia formosa and/or Eretmocerus eremicus).  Photo taken with an iphone 10 through a 15X hand lens.

Parasitism by Eretmocerus: As these tiny wasps are entirely yellow, their parasitized whitefly hosts also appear as yellow.  To me, they look sort of like aphid mummies: i.e. puffy yellow versions of whitefly pupae.  As with aphid mummies, you can easily see round exit holes once the Eretmocerus adults emerge.  Conversely, healthy whitefly pupae will be more white-yellow, less puffy and have red eyespots visible through the pupal case.

Bemisia whitefly parasitized by Eretmocerus eremicus.  Photo taken with an iphone 10 through a 15X hand lens.

Parasitism by Encarsia:  Probably because the adult wasps are a combination of both yellow and black, whitefly parasitised by Encarsia appear brown. When they are ready to hatch out, you’ll  be able to see the more distinct yellow abdomen and black head/thorax of the wasps through the whitefly case (see below). As with Eretmocerus parasitism and host feeding, these tend to occur in patches.

Bemisia whitefly parasitized by Encarsia formosa in a patch on poisettia leaves (left).  A close up of an Encarsia pupae is pictured right. 

Because of their distinct brown colour, whitefly parasitized by Encarsia are also fairly distinguishable on whole leaves without a hand lens (see below).  You’ll definitely need to use a hand lens to figure out Eretmocerus parasitism rates, though.

A patch of Bemisia whitefly parasitized by Encarsia formosa on poinsettia.

If you’re not seeing these 3 things, or if parasitism rates appear low (<30%), then your bios may not be able to play catch up over this next month to prevent credits.

6.  Testing Pesticides in Hot Spots

You may remember this post on recent U.S. efficacy tests of pesticides against Bemisia whitefly in poinsettia.  Although efficacy studies can point us in the right direction, trials with Bemisia, specifically, need to be taken with a grain of salt.

This is because a) efficacy tests don’t always accurately represent the mix of B and Q Bemisia species we usually see in real life and b) pesticide results are going to vary year by year depending on what chemicals are used at the producer end (i.e. what your Bemisia have already been exposed to and how often they were exposed to it).

So, before you decide to apply something that has toxic effects on your whitefly parasitoids or Delphastus to your whole farm, the better bet is to trial it first in your bad areas now, while you still have enough time to play around before sale.  This could be in a specific compartment, a specific variety, or a specific bench or two that seem to be worse than others.

To see how the chemical performs, you’ll want to a) flag 5 plants with particularly bad whitefly issues and b) perform more accurate counts of whitefly numbers and life stages on these plants.  Compare numbers before and after application, giving at least a week for drench products to fully translocate through the plant under these temperatures before the “after” assessment. (Products like Beleaf and Versys, that work through feeding cessation in insects, may need up to 2 weeks to show results).  Products that kill through contact (instead of feeding) can be assessed 24-48 h after application.

Currently, there are few definitive reports of which pesticides are working (or not working) against Bemisia whitefly.   The general exception is Altus (flupyridifurone), since it’s reported to be more effective if applied earlier in the crop.  Not only did it perform poorly in U.S. efficacy trials, but it also doesn’t appear to be working for several Ontario growers this year either.  Older chemistries like Dynomite (pyridiben) and Avid (abamectin) also may not be working. Other newer chemistries, like Versys (afidopyripen) and/or Beleaf (flonicamid) may still provide control.

Use an indicator plant already infested with whitefly to help you figure out what percent kill you are getting with pesticide applications against Bemisia. A low kill rate (under 70%) suggests your population is already resistant to that chemical class.  Both B and Q biotype can develop significant resistance if enough chemicals are applied in at the producer end.

7. Looking at Whole Picture

Once you’ve done 1-6, you’ll want to put all the information together for your farm.  For example, you may see something like the following:

Varieties effected: 30% average infestation rate in colours across all sizes; ~20% in the reds.

Bemisia life stages present: Most infested plants with 1-2 adults (especially in 8 inch), but few plants with nymphs/pupae

Bemisia numbers: Infested leaves in reds generally <10 immature whitefly/leaf; some infested leaves in the colours with 20-30 immatures/leaf

Pot sizes affected: 80% infestation rate in 8 inch (but mostly 2-3 adults per plant); ~20% in 6 and 4 inch

Evidence of Biocontrol: ~40% parasitism/host feeding on heavily infested leaves

Pesticide trials: Small trial of colours demonstrated that Dynomite did not work; trying Beleaf next.

Although individual metrics may be concerning (i.e. general % infestation rates,  rates in the 8 inch), put together, there’s a lot of evidence that biocontrol is still working for this hypothetical grower (life stages present, parasitism rates).  In this case, I would still delay spraying.  Only by figuring out your own metrics will you be able to decide if spraying is right for you.

  Biocontrol of Bemisia: 7 Things to Consider Before You Turn to Chemicals. published first on https://yeuhoavn.tumblr.com/