Penn State Ag Advisory Council Elects New Officers
UNIVERSITY PARK - The
Penn State Agricultural Advisory
Council elected Alfred S. Dugan of
Hershey as president at its fall
meeting. Dugan represents the
Pennsylvania Seedsmen’s
Association on the Council.
Also elected officers are Richard
E. Denison of Shiremanstown,
representing the Pennsylvania
Farmer’s Association, vice
president, and Robert Leslie, of the
Pennsylvania Forest Resources
Task Force, secretary-treasurer.
The Council was formed in 1961
to represent the agricultural in
terests within Pennsylvania and
serve as an official advisory board
to Penn State’s College of
Agriculture.
The Council meets twice yearly
with administrators, faculty and
staff of the College of Agriculture
to discuss programs, progress in
research, educational services,
and significant developments in
the College.
Council activities have included
an extensive review of the
academic prograr <s and priorities
in the College com ileted two years
ago. The results of that study are
included in a report containing
more than 200 recommendations
for action in animal science, plant
science and undergraduate
education.
The Council also has sponsored
symposia for educators and county
commissioners to help them more
fully understand agricultural
concerns in Pennsylvania. In
addition, the Council has helped
coordinate tours of agriculture
regions of the state for university
administrators.
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More recently, the Council co
sponsored the Future of Penn
sylvania Agriculture Conference
held in Harrisburg last spring.
NEWARK, Del. - People often
regard the spider as a sinister
presence that lurks in dark, cob
webby corners waiting to jump out
and bite. This prejudice, often
fostered by childhood fears, is
understandable, but it doesn’t do
the spider justice.
This much-maligned animal is
actually one of nature’s best pest
control agents, since its whole life
is spent capturing and gobbling up
insects. Because of the spider’s
fondness for houseflies, small
beetles, mosquitoes, thousand
leggers, cockroaches and other
troublesome insects, it’s definitely
on the beneficial list, says
University of Delaware extension
entomologist Mark Graustein. And
for the most part, it’s quite safe to
have around.
About 1,000 species of spiders
live in the U.S. With a few well
known exceptions - such as the
black widow, the tarantula and the
brown recluse - most are harmless
to humans. In fact, says Graustein,
the spider is very timid and prefers
to avoid all contact with people.
Spiders are such a familiar
presence that they’re usually
taken for granted - unless
More than 400 agricultural and
political leaders and educators
from around the state attended the
two-dav conference, which was
Spiders: Nature’s Pest Control Agents
someone has a special phobia
against them. But most people
know very little about them.
According to Graustein, spiders
belong to a class of animals called
arachnids. They are closely
related to ticks, mites and daddy
longlegs - all of which have eight
legs and two body sections. In
sects, on the other hand, have six
legs and three body sections.
Spiders have developed all sorts
of specialized mechanisms for
catching insects, the entomologist
says. Some swing from a long
strand of silk onto their prey as it
flies by. Jumping spiders can
pounce on a bug from several
inches away. Fishing spiders walk
on water and even dive below its
surface in pursuit of the aquatic
insects and small fish on which
they feed. Crab spiders are so well
camouflaged by their coloring that
they can just sit inside a flower
blossom and wait for unsuspecting
insects to enter. Some crab spiders
even have the ability to change
color to blend in better with their
plant surroundings.
Silk Stronger
Than Steel
All spiders have spinerettes, silk
moderated by Penn
President Bryce Jordan.
Outgoing president
spinning organs. But not all
species make webs. The silk for the
webs is secreted as a liquid which
hardens when exposed to air. For
its size, spider silk is stronger than
steel - in fact, during World War II
the silk from some spiders was
used for making the cross hairs in
gunsights. Spiders use their silk
not only to trap insects, but also to
line their nests and construct egg
sacs. Some tropical species use it
to make parachutes on which they
manage to travel great distances.
When it comes to webs, the orb
weavers are the great builders
among spiders, Graustein says.
These boldly marked black and
yellow arachnids grow to more
than an inch in diameter and
usually can be found hanging
upside down in the middle of their
outdoor webs. These webs are
easiest to see on foggy mornings
after their silken strands have
been beaded with dew.
“It’s unlikely that you’ll ever get
bitten by a spider,” says
Graustem, “unless you’re working
in a heavily infested area such as a
deserted building, an old well or an
abandoned pile of lumber. And in
that case, the spider’s probably
Council was Galen E. Dreibelbis of
State College, representing the
Pennsylvania Cattlemen’s
Association.
State
the
biting to protect itself.” With a
little extra care, he says the
problem can usually be avoided.
Though beneficial, indoors
spiders can sometimes become a
nuisance, festooning light fixtures
or ceiling comers with their webbs
in otherwise tidy rooms.
Sanitation is the most practical
way to deal with such problems,
the entomologist says. He suggests
using a vacuum cleaner, as
housecleaning with a cloth, dust
mop or broom is unlikely to
remove the spiders responsible for
webs. Take care to remove any
small egg sacs, too. Dispose of the
vacuum cleaner bag or its contents
immediately after cleaning -
otherwise the captured spiders
may escape to weave more webs.
Where vacuuming is impractical
or difficult, a chemical spray can
be used instead. Graustein says
many of the insecticide brands
available to homeowners will
control spiders.
For quick knock-down, check
product labels for materials
containing the active ingredients
dichlorvos, resmethrin, synergized
pyrethrins or tetramethnn.
(Turn to Page D 7)