Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Abstract

Not since City Hall has a tall building truly addressed the issue of creating an iconic skyline for Los Angeles. The Wilshire Grand Tower is a building of our time; a contemporary contrast to a generation of flat top buildings composed of granite and inset windows. Fulfilling a design vision of glass in L.A.s seismic Zone 4 environment will be examined in this manuscript.

Offering views never seen before in downtown Los Angeles, large format glass clads the tower to maximize visible light and openness. Factors that influenced the glass selection and stack joint design will be reviewed.

Reminiscent of Yosemites Half Dome, the 73-story tower rises above a solid podium base. Bridging between these forms is a lyrical double curved skylight that provides the enclosure for the central Atrium. The challenges and innovative solutions involved in achieving this parametric building feature will be explored.

Finally, the design of the iconic Crown will be investigated. The signature top rises 10-stories above the towers observation deck. Wrapped in glass, the Crown completes the architectural parti while responding to G4 forces.

In the heart of downtown Los Angeles, at the site formerly occupied by the Stadler Hotel, rises the new tallest building west of the Mississippi, the Wilshire Grand Center. It was Korean Airs vision to create a single, iconic tower a symbol of the friendship between South Korea and the United States, an investment in Los Angeles the city that hosts the second largest Korean population, next to Korea itself. The Wilshire Grand Center is comprised of a 900-room, four-star hotel that sits atop eighteen leasable office floors.

Its podium includes hotel convention spaces ballrooms, meeting rooms, break-out areas, along with a health club, retail spaces and restaurants. Five underground parking levels are provided to meet local requirements and serve the guests and tenants of the Center.

There were five big design ideas set forth by the architects and designers at AC Martin. The first big idea was to change the Skyline of downtown Los Angeles, as shown in Figure 1. Acknowledging that the Wilshire Grand Center would be the first significant tower to be built in Los Angeles in over twenty years, the AC Martin team sought to create a building of our time.

The downtown Los Angeles skyline is characterized by a generation of high-rise buildings with truncated flat tops, responding to the Los Angeles Fire Departments 1974 Ordinance requiring helipads for high-rise buildings. Taking into consideration lessons learned in the past 20-25 years, coupled with advances in fire suppression systems and exiting strategies, negotiations were successful with the Fire Department and project team to gain relief from the 1974 Ordinance.

The second big design idea was to create an accessible Sky Lobby. By locating the hotels lobby at the top of the tower, all hotel guests would be treated to the never-seen-before views of downtown Los Angeles that could be experienced at the 70th floor. High speed, double-deck elevators transport guests at1600 feet per minute from the ground floor to the 70th floor, facilitating high-volume vertical transportation.

Considering the fact that the project site is located in southern California, the next big idea was to take advantage of the temperate climate in Los Angeles. With average temperatures in the 70s (Fahrenheit), the building was programmed to maximize the use of outdoor spaces. Ballrooms have operable walls that open onto covered outdoor spaces. The hotels porte cochere is a covered outdoor space that drives through the center of the site. A generous pool deck facilitates recreation and relaxation, while flanked by cabanas for more private gatherings.

Taking advantage of the Urban Context was the fourth big idea. The Wilshire Grands site is located at the confluence of two major axes in downtown. The Figueroa corridor runs in the north-south direction. With L.A. Live to the south, the Wilshire Grand Center becomes the northern anchor to the rise of major building developments along the corridor. In the east-west direction, 7th Street has experienced a renaissance of restaurant and retail developments that lands at the front door of the Wilshire Grand Center.

The fifth big idea was to optimize efficiencies wherever possible. From the design of the mechanical systems for the tower to theutilization of prefabricated restroom units throughout the hotel, the designers were challenged to be efficient while not sacrificing quality. The philosophy of efficient design is a backbone of Korean Airs success for generations, and the design team was highly encouraged to employ these principals in the design of the Wilshire Grand Center.

The journey toward creating a towering icon involved poetry and practicality. The beauty of the form was derived from an array of architectural and artistic tools that spanned several generations. From the fluidity of water color paintings, to spastic collections of computer generated Rhino model forms, to 3-D printed models, to basic paper models, each tool contributed to the sculpting of the Wilshire Grands aqueous forms. Viewing the building from various vantage points, the shape of the tower is sometimes reminiscent of Half Dome in Yosemite, and sometimes it is reminiscent of an airplane wing, a literal metaphor to Korean Airs aviation business.

The tower is a glassy expression of our time with a high performance skin, a departure from the granite inset windows characteristic of most buildings in downtown Los Angeles, as shown in Figure 2. The curtain wall was designed to maximize views and ceiling heights for the office and hotel uses.

Employing large size glass panels, kiss mullions were provided to set a datum for finished ceilings. The composition of the towers form wasrationalized into measurable geometries, facilitating the use of repeatable units for constructability and to meet the projects cost parameters.

The rectangular, slender tower form challenged the structural engineers from Thornton Tomasetti and Brandow & Johnston to develop a structure that would not tip over, while responding to the inevitability of ground motion in a seismic zone four location, a seismic hot zone.

The structural design involved a 17.5 feet deep mat foundation with over 6.6 million pounds of densely woven rebar and 21,200 cubic yards of concrete to set the stage for breaking a Guiness World Record for the largest continuous concrete pour in the world on February 16, 2014.

Rising from the foundations is a concrete core with massive four feet thick walls, ascending and tapering to two feet thick walls at the top. At three strategic locations over the height of the tower, outriggers extend from the concrete core to capture the perimeter box columns.

The outriggers are composed of bucking restrained braces (BRBs) that act as shock absorbers, resisting vertical and lateral forces. At the top and bottom outrigger locations, belt trusses of steel wide flange members encircle the floor plate to resist torsional movement.

The design of the curtain wall panels considered eight sources of structural movements [2]:1 - Interstory drifts (lateral displacements) under lateral load conditions2 - Vertical movements of horizontal framing members under live load3 - Column shortening from construction load after panel installation4 - Column shortening from imposed compatibility with concrete core creep and shrinkage5 - Differential gravity and lateral movements at terminated columns near sloping columns6 - Differential gravity movements at floor extensions at building ends7 - Main tower column shortening and lengthening from lateral loads8 - Thermal strains

Taking into account the largest of the anticipated movements, the stack joints of the unitized curtain wall system were designed for an open position of +7/8 and a closed position of -1 5/16. The profile of the stack joints was designed with a gentle curve to create a shadow line for visual depth.

Nestled between the 73-story tower and the solid podium base is the river that runs through it, a lyrical doubly curved skylight, as seen in Figure 3. Providing a glass roof enclosure for the hotels central Atrium, the skylight stretches from one end of the property into the public plaza, as shown in Figure 4. It covers a volume that is 80 feet tall at its peak and 30 feet tall at its valley. Balconies from the hotels convention floors look onto the Atrium. The light-filled space is the heart of the property, the central nucleus of circulation and wayfinding.

The poetic idea was one thing. Making it real was another thing. The design development process involved tackling major challenges, including cost, constructability and seismic movement. It was clear from the onset that the project could not support the cost and schedule implications of curved glass. The skylight was perpetually on the development managers value engineering chopping block. If the skylight was to become a reality, it would take a great deal of persistence and innovation.

The first challenge was to simplify the form while maintaining the larger design idea and aesthetic expression, the River of Glass. The complex geometries were rationalized into simple forms with manageable constraints, using Rhino and Grasshopper definitions.

The use of flat glass was fundamental to the design. The glass size was limited to 5-0 x 5-0 maximum, a constructible size parameter provided by the glazing contractor, Benson Industries. Next, the maximum allowable warpage of the specified glass from Viracon was considered and constrained to a deflection value of L/100. Through the manipulations of the Grasshopper definitions the worstperforming panel ultimately had a deflection value of L/120.

Placing a delicate glass element between two massive building forms in a seismic hot zone was seemingly illogical. However, the notion became achievable when equally motivated professionals were teamed together to make it happen. The skylight was organized into clear components to identify layers of primary structure, the skylights structure, and the glazing system.

Seismic movements between the Tower and Podium were calculated and defined by Brandow & Johnston, the Structural Engineer of Record. Within the skylights enclosure, it was necessary to consider the combined movements of the tower and podium in the x and y directions. The movements ranged from 13 inches at the 7th floor to 3 inches at the 1st floor.

The skylight would be fixed to the podium side, and seismic motion would be addressed on the Tower side. To accommodate the range of movements between intersecting floors, slide bearings were designed to move within the constraints of keeper plates, attached to the Towers perimeter box columns. Movements in the z direction, primarily for wind uplift, were addressed through the addition of steel tubes, welded to the towers box columns that lock the skylight in place.

Next, the structure of the skylight itself was addressed. Catena Engineers, structural engineers from Portland, Oregon analyzed the skylights form and maintained the aesthetic by introducing drift joints and V-braces into the skylights structural system of trusses and purlins. Large full-scale mockups of the skylights frame were created by Columbia Wire & Iron, steel craftsmen also from Portland, Oregon, to ensure that the framing sections could be installed seamlessly, sequentially and without complications. The construction of the Atrium Skylight has since been completed and is a recognized captivating form in the City of Los Angeles, unlike anything that has preceded it in Downtown.

Taking into account the lessons learned through the design development of the tower and the skylight, the Crown was the final piece to be considered. The Crown is also referred to as a Sail because of its gentle curvilinear form, as shown in Figure 5. Its south-facing side curves both in plan and in section. Its north, west and east sides are both orthogonal and sloping planes. The signature top of the Tower rises 100 feet above the observation deck.

It is open at the top and is a functional screen to conceal the building maintenance units, elevator machine rooms and mechanical equipment that reside within its enclosure. By utilizing Grasshopper definitions again,the doubly curved forms were rationalized to minimize warpage, allowing the unitized curtain wall panels to cover the glass screen, a visual extension of the Towers fenestration.

The structure of the Crown was first envisioned to be light and lacy. It was about joinery and beauty, the iconic top to redefine the skyline of downtown Los Angeles, ultimately accented by a Spire that rises another 173 feet above the peak of the Crown. Upon further analysis by the structural engineers, it became apparent that an earthquake could produce 4G forces of acceleration at the top of the Tower.

Gone was the notion of laciness and filigree. The Crowns structure became a statement of brute force. Paired vertical trusses were replaced by robust sized wide flange steel members and massive gusset plates. Despite the functional realities of the seismic forces and their implications on the structural design, the design team persisted to ensure that all beauty was not lost. The structure was organized and engaged with the overall design of the Crown.

The Wilshire Grand Center will open for business in June 2017. The original design objectives will have been implemented: Skyline, Sky Lobby, Climate, Urban Context and Efficiency. The original building forms remain intact. Through the perseverance of the design, engineering and contracting team, beauty plays well with the beast.

[1] Wilshire Grand Center construction photo by Gary Leonard[2] Thornton Tomasetti Memorandum to Brandow & Johnston, Structural Movements for Faade, June 18, 2013

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Beauty and the Beast - Glass on Web

We live in three places simultaneously: in the body, in the built world and on this earth. Increasingly, the second body (the built world), is the one that controls us the most. In devising a habitus in relation to a habitat, we reinforce through habit modes of behaviour that both protect and alienate us from the immediate life of the body and the cosmic life of the planet.

Antony Gormley (2020)

Thaddeaus Ropac Paris Marais gallery reopens this week on Tuesday 12th May, in accordance with French government guidelines.

They will be carefully monitoring entry to the gallerys exhibition rooms to assist with maintaining the guidelines on social distancing and protection.

In Habit is an exhibition of new sculptures and drawings by Antony Gormley, centred around a space activating installation. Run II is a singular, continuous, square aluminium tube that fills the space of the main gallery in snaking 90-degree turns, the horizontal sections recalling heights familiar to us in our built environment: chair or table, worktop or shelf, door or ceiling. It uses the simplest means to activate and energise space, to create awareness of the way we move about in our constructed habitat.

Run II runs freely through the gallery and, by stepping through the work, our bodies can recognise and be liberated from the effects of what the Japanese call the culture of the chair. Run II is, in Antony Gormleys words, a zone of reflexivity in which light, air, volume and your displaced biomass are all tuned by the orthogonal yet free play. By encouraging you to be a figure in a ground, you become the viewed for other viewers and, in doing so, can use the space of art as an emergent field. Gormley invites us to pause and consider our dependency on this second habitat the body of architecture and to create an awareness of the ground itself, to earth you.

Alongside this new large-scale, site-specific work are several life-size cast iron Liners: single open lines, multiple lines and endless lines without beginning or end, that explore the internal volume of the human body, rather like the London Underground map. Like Run II, these works are seen by Gormley as diagnostic instruments that attempt to re-locate you in your first habitat your body. I do not want to illustrate emotion or sensation, but these rusty maps might be helped by your projection of what it feels like to do a shoulder stand Fill; lie on your side Level; balance on your bottom while lifting your head and feet Float; feel your relationship to the earth while balancing on your feet and clasping your legs as tight to the body as possible Nest. Presented in the lower ground floor gallery, a delicate Framer entitled Rest, alludes to body space as architecture, and is accompanied by a selection of spatial drawings. Gormley believes that sculpture in the digital age has a unique ability to return us to first-hand experience and to become a ground on which our forgotten internal perceptions of being in the world might return us to being in touch with ourselves and our home planet.

Mark Westall is the Founder and Editor of FAD magazineFounder and co-publisher Art of Conversation and founder of the platform @worldoffad

Link:
Antony Gormley exhibition In Habit re-opening this week at Thaddeaus Ropac Paris - FAD magazine

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic can be felt across the chemical industry. The growing inability in the production and manufacturing processes, in the light of the self-quarantined workforce has caused a major disruption in the supply chain across the sector. Restrictions encouraged by this pandemic are obstructing the production of essentials such as life-saving drugs.

The nature of operation in chemical plants that cannot be easily stopped and started, makes the operational restrictions in these plants a serious concern for the industry leaders. Restricted and delayed shipments from China have created a price hike in the raw materials, affecting the core of the chemicals industry.

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The slacking demand from different impacted industries such as automotive is negatively influencing the growth of the chemical industry. In light of the current crisis, the market leaders are focused to become self-reliant which is expected to benefit the economic growth of different economies in the longer term. Companies are triggering events to restructure and recover from the losses incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ship Decorative Panels Market: Introduction

Ship decorative panels are durable and luxurious finish materials used as a floor or ceiling covering in a ship. Ship decorative panels are usually made of wood, aluminum, steel or other metals. It ensures easy and fast installation and high standard. Certain ship decorative panels offers fire resistance property and acoustic insulations. Apart from a basic scope of ceiling and floor panels, ship decorative panels are also designed for wet areas.

Ship Decorative Panels Market:Drivers and Challenges

Among the various types of ship decorative panels materials, luxury vinyl panels are the trending luxury grade flooring with better quality and overall value. Also, Ship decorative panels are available in wide varieties such as inlaid or printed types. Inlaid type panels are those which maintain their color even when damaged or scratched as the inlaid pattern extends through the depth of the flooring. This gives the flooring a deeper and attractive look as gravel or concrete are embedded into it. Printed type panels are manufactured using 3D pattern or normal pattern printing on a material. Thereby, contributing towards the ship decorative panels demand significantly.

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Further, interior decoration is a worldwide passion with lifestyle trends and needs in areas, such as design, architecture, and technology guiding consumers with contemporary decoration. A wide array of ship decorative panels are available and they are easy to install, maintain and clean. Moreover, most of the ship decorative panels are inherently waterproof, making it the preferred choice for marine application. Also, ship decorative panels is considered to be a decorative product owing to the recent innovations, such as resemblance to ceramic or other contemporary looks. Also, it is preferred cruise ships as it is durable, trendy and available with built-in adhesives. Increasing sea-tourism is expected to drive the ship owners towards decorated or attractive cruises, thus driving the demand of ship decorative panels market.

Furthermore, ongoing activities related to current initiatives, such as One Belt, One Road, initiative for expansion of Suez and Panama Canal, is estimated to potentially affect the global seaborne trade. Growing technological advancement and e-commerce, thus the freight forwarding, coupled with industrial revolution in emerging countries, has the prospectus of reshaping the marine industry and in turn driving the demand for ship decorative panels market.

Moreover, the increasing fleet of ships is expected to drive the demand of ship decorative panels over the projected period of time. Furthermore, shipping of goods via cargos is comparatively economical than shipping via air, hence cargo shipping is witnessing significant demand in recent past. This, in turn, will augment the growth of the ship decorative panels market over the forecast period. However, high installation cost could hinder the growth of the ship decorative panels market.

Global Ship Decorative Panels: Market Segmentation

On the basis ofmaterial type, the global ship decorative panels market has been segmented as:

Ship Decorative Panels Market: Regional Overview

As the ship decorative panels market is expected to be fragmented, various market players across the globe are focusing on strengthening their partnerships with local companies, and they are strategically deploying prime distributors in emerging regions. The key players of ship decorative panels are also involved in marking their direct presence in the local markets through mergers and acquisitions with regional players across the emerging regions. Thus, regions, such as China, India, and South East Asia Pacific are expected to expand at a significant rate in terms of manufacturing base of ship decorative panels. North America is anticipated to register significant growth in the ship decorative panel market, after Asia Pacific as a result of the regions increasing export and import business, and passenger traffic, which in turn will drive the regional ship decorative panels market share of the ship decorative panels. Expanding import and export of oil and gas in Middle East Africa via sea-cargos, is stipulated increase the trade of ship decorative panels in coming years.

Global Ship Decorative Panels Market: Key Players

Ship decorative panels market is expected to be fairly fragmented market, owing to a vast number of local as well as global manufacturers. Examples of some of the market participants in the global ship decorative panels market identified across the value chain include:

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Ship Decorative Panels Market Development, Key Opportunity and Analysis of Leading Players to 2018 - 2028 - The Canton Independent Sentinel

07.05.20

Audio and video have combined to create On Air, which recreates a realistic tv game show experience in Sweden. Paul Milligan looks at how it was done.

Game shows have been one of the most popular genres of programmes across the world since television began in the 1950s. No matter what the format, audiences have been gripped at the change to win big prizes or a large amount of money. Yet the vast majority of us will never actually take part in a tv quiz. That is until now. On Air opened its first venue in Stockholm with the aim of recreating the feel of being on a real game show but surrounded by your friends or colleagues in a relaxed atmosphere. The concept was quickly successful and a second On Air opened in Gothenburg. The Swedish city of rebo is home to the third On Air venue, which is also the first franchise for the brand.

Hosted inside Pitchers, a multi-activity entertainments hub features a number of attractions including bowling, shuffleboard, arcades and a casino. This project came about as Pitchers had a VR attraction that wasnt really working in the way it wanted it too, so was looking for something else to fill the space. Pitchers was contacted by On Air in Stockholm, and the collaboration then began.

The opening of On Air has seen part of its extensive ground floor area built to resemble a TV studio game show set. The On Air experience includes a 90 minute game show (with two short breaks). Visitors compete in a team with friends or family against other groups in the studio, each team consists of 2 to 6 people, and the room can accommodate up to 9 teams at once in the studio. Every team is placed behind a team podium equipped with a buzzer used to answer questions (in English) on a variety of subjects.

Tasked with making sure it looked and felt and performed as the existing two venues do was Anders Neldin, head technician and Christopher Gothnier technical manager from On Air. The plan from the owners was clear, as highlighted by head of sales, Patrick Haginge, to make sure every technical and aesthetic aspect of the studio was of the highest standard. When we started On Air here, we said if were going to do this, it must be perfect. To create a total experience we needed everything to be right - thats why people keep coming back. Its just so, so much fun because of the way that every element works together.

Were Neldin and Gothnier able to use some of the designs from the previous two projects on the rebo project, or did they have to start from scratch? The owners (of On Air) came with a design with how everything should look, how they want LED lights to work and how the all the wooden panels should look, gave us suggestions and then we made the technical installations, says Neldin.

You should get the feeling you are going into a TV studio and its a real TV show, everything has to be nice and tight and look proper and work together seamlessly. There should be specific lights and music when people enter, when they push a button everything should just work with their system and their lightning programme.

To make the game show as realistic as possible the host (actually one of four different actors/comedians) acts just as a typical TV game show host does, they are micd up with a MiPro headset, and there are handheld mics for when contestants are called up to interact with the host for various games. The whole feeling is very TV show-y. All we needed to do was to glue everything together, says Gothnier.

Either side of the presenter are a 75-in Samsung LCD display on which questions or text or video are used for the quiz. Behind the presenter are different things the presenter can pull down, like an old map which can be used for some games. Audio is a huge element of the experience. When guests arrive they go into a bar/waiting area in the basement with some Audac speakers placed around the area to play music from the main room. Audio there is handled by 12 Pioneer Pro Audio CM-C56T-K ceiling speakers, driven by a Powersoft Quattrocanali 1204 DSP+D amplifier in a mono 100volt configuration. Both brands were favorites of the installation teams from previous jobs. There are nine seating areas for contestants, each with a single speaker above and a further three at the front above the host so everyone receives a uniform experience. This was the first European installation of the CM-C56T, Gothnier describes the decision to go with Pioneer: The closed back of the 6-in speakers gives a warmer sound than some of the 8-in competitor brands that we have used in other parts of the complex, and from an installation point of view the engineering behind the units has been closely considered from a practical as well as a sonic point of view.

The reason to go with Powersoft was twofold says Neldin, We put in Powersoft amps because we know with Powersoft amps any speaker you use with them will sound great. We also want to be able to control the audio via Armonia (software), so we can give each different every section its own volume level. We have the people on the floor who are further from the ceiling so it's a little bit louder there, and for the people on the top its a little bit softer, having this system makes it easy to use Powersoft and to run 100v systems, so we put in some extra money on that and we took out the money on some other stuff to meet the budget.

All audio is run locally through a Behringer X Air XR12 mixer, just to make it very simple for the staff, adds Neldin. There is a rack room just outside of the main room, and everything is run from there.

Fitting was in less than three weeks from start to finish, icluding the installation of bespoke wooden desks. The most difficult aspect with the installation was the LED installation which was a hassle because everything is run on square damping mats, and the electricity was kind of iffy in some places, which made the LEDs behave strangely, says Neldin.

Day-to-day AV support is provided by an on-site technician, but if there's a problem, like a more technical audio or lightning problem, they contact me, says Neldin. That's one of the one of the benefits with running Powersoft because I can maintain a lot of that from distance. Everything is in quite close quarters and we talk to each other every day. So if there's a problem, they just call us or email us.

KIT LIST

Audio

Audac loudspeakersBehringer X Air XR12 mixerLectret HE-747 stage headsetMiPro ACT-32HC wireless mic, ACT-32T bodypack transmitter Powersoft Quattro1204DNT amplifierPioneer Pro Audio CM-C56T-K ceiling loudspeakers

Light

Chauvet DJ Datastream 4 (DMX Splitter)Ledj LP600RGB, FLS-RGB60BL flexible colour strip, LedjFTP3 DMX driverLedux Lumere Pilote-60, Lumere Pilote-100Showtec Shark Zoom Wash One

Video

Samsung 75in LCD displays

Here is the original post:
Time to play at On Air - InAVate

whats-on, music-theatre-arts,

In March this year, Warumungu/Luritja woman Kelli Cole, a curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Special Projects at the National Gallery of Australia, joined the Tjanpi Desert Weavers, an award winning, Indigenous governed and directed social enterprise of the Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Women's Council (NPYWC). The women artists were working on a commission for the Know My Name project, an initiative of the National Gallery of Australia to celebrate the significant contributions of Australian women artists. Next year, the Tjanpi Desert Weavers commission will become part of the national collection, which includes the largest collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art in the world. As the sun sets and the heat abates, the Tjanpi Desert Weavers are still working, the campground alive with laughter. Being on Country gives the woman the energy to continue the flow of weaving, replaced by inma (cultural song and dance) once night falls. Having spent numerous weeks working side by side collecting, gathering and hunting, the women draw on their experience and cultural knowledge as they work on the large Kungkarangkalpa (Seven Sisters) installation. I watch as their hands move without much thought, as if they retain the muscle memory embedded in the past. Tjanpi Desert Weavers (Tjanpi meaning 'wild grass' in Pitjantjatjara language) was first conceived in 1995 when a passionate NPYWC employee, Thisbe Purich, decided to introduce a basket weaving workshop in Papulankutja (Blackstone), Western Australia. The NPYWC had been formed during land rights struggles of the 1970s when Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara women felt their voices were not being heard and the Tjanpi Desert Weavers was a response to NPYWC members advocating for cultural appropriate ways for women to earn an income. Anangu women had always worked with natural fibres to make manguri, a traditional head accessory composed of a circular ring to carry their carved piti, wirra, mirtulpa or karnilypa (wooden bowls). For 25 years, the women artists of Tjanpi Desert Weavers have developed and mastered their skills, weaving beautiful baskets and creating ambitious collaborative fibre art installations using the desert grasses that have sustained them for thousands of years. Displaying "endless creativity and inventiveness", these whimsical works generate awareness and insight into culture and Country alongside their focus of creating income and employment for women on their homelands so they can provide for their families and community. Now representing over 400 women artists, the Tjanpi Desert Weavers' remit is vast, covering approximately 350,000 square kilometres and encompassing 26 remote communities across the Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia. Aboriginal people in Australia have had a continuous connection to their land for over 65,000 years. The relationship between Anangu and Country is vital to their wellbeing and centred upon respect and care for the land. A key part of caring for Country is the continuation of cultural practices, visiting significant sites and performing inma. By doing so, people believe that the land will continue to sustain them. Life on Country revolves around the Tjukurpa, stories that are passed down from one generation to the next. To understand the humble beginnings of the Tjanpi Desert Weavers, you must meet the women who have shaped it and understand the history which has influenced contemporary practices. Due to many government policies of the time, the 1950s and 1960s represented a period of displacement and relocation for many Aboriginal people as they were moved off their ceremonial lands. The first church-run Mission was set up at Mt Margaret Mission in 1921, where Yarnangu women were first taught craft. By 1937 the Presbyterian Board of Missions established a mission at Pukatja (Ernabella), South Australia, and by 1948 it had grown into a settlement with thousands of sheep roaming the country. Anangu women were taught to spin the sheep's wool on large spinning wheels and to weave with it. Having used human hair to make string for millennia, the new medium of wool was easily integrated into cultural practice by the women. During March, as the heat rose and the wind rolled across the Rawlinson Ranges, fibre artists from the Tjanpi Desert Weavers came together to create their most ambitious collaborative work to date, Kungkarangkalpa (Seven Sisters). The Seven Sisters is an epic ancestral story that has an important underlying teaching element. It follows the journey of seven sisters as they are pursued across Country by Wati Nyiru/Yurla, the male ancestral being, who is chasing the eldest sister. The sisters constantly try to evade their pursuer leaving traces of their journey in the landscape. In an attempt to escape, they eventually launch themselves into the sky, transforming into the stars that form the Pleiades. Wati Nyiru follows and becomes the Orion constellation. The retelling and depiction of this story relays the impact of transgressive behaviour and water resources necessary for survival in the desert. Drawing on this story, Kungkarangkalpa (Seven Sisters) is a large-scale ceiling and floor installation with seven woven figures representing the sisters placed on the floor of the gallery. Floating above from the ceiling is a large woven form with small lights blinking from within, referencing the Pleiades star cluster.

https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/9gmjQxX8MpSQh6J68NHMnY/9a88bc8f-91d3-438b-a9f4-f167e494ebfb.jpg/r3_530_5182_3456_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg

In March this year, Warumungu/Luritja woman Kelli Cole, a curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Special Projects at the National Gallery of Australia, joined the Tjanpi Desert Weavers, an award winning, Indigenous governed and directed social enterprise of the Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Women's Council (NPYWC). The women artists were working on a commission for the Know My Name project, an initiative of the National Gallery of Australia to celebrate the significant contributions of Australian women artists. Next year, the Tjanpi Desert Weavers commission will become part of the national collection, which includes the largest collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art in the world.

As the sun sets and the heat abates, the Tjanpi Desert Weavers are still working, the campground alive with laughter.

Being on Country gives the woman the energy to continue the flow of weaving, replaced by inma (cultural song and dance) once night falls. Having spent numerous weeks working side by side collecting, gathering and hunting, the women draw on their experience and cultural knowledge as they work on the large Kungkarangkalpa (Seven Sisters) installation.

I watch as their hands move without much thought, as if they retain the muscle memory embedded in the past.

Tjanpi Desert Weavers (Tjanpi meaning 'wild grass' in Pitjantjatjara language) was first conceived in 1995 when a passionate NPYWC employee, Thisbe Purich, decided to introduce a basket weaving workshop in Papulankutja (Blackstone), Western Australia.

The NPYWC had been formed during land rights struggles of the 1970s when Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara women felt their voices were not being heard and the Tjanpi Desert Weavers was a response to NPYWC members advocating for cultural appropriate ways for women to earn an income.

Anangu women had always worked with natural fibres to make manguri, a traditional head accessory composed of a circular ring to carry their carved piti, wirra, mirtulpa or karnilypa (wooden bowls).

For 25 years, the women artists of Tjanpi Desert Weavers have developed and mastered their skills, weaving beautiful baskets and creating ambitious collaborative fibre art installations using the desert grasses that have sustained them for thousands of years.

Displaying "endless creativity and inventiveness", these whimsical works generate awareness and insight into culture and Country alongside their focus of creating income and employment for women on their homelands so they can provide for their families and community.

Now representing over 400 women artists, the Tjanpi Desert Weavers' remit is vast, covering approximately 350,000 square kilometres and encompassing 26 remote communities across the Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia.

Cynthia Burke with her dog Tiny from Warakurna (WA) out collecting Minarri grass, 2017. Picture: Rhett Hammerton

Aboriginal people in Australia have had a continuous connection to their land for over 65,000 years. The relationship between Anangu and Country is vital to their wellbeing and centred upon respect and care for the land.

A key part of caring for Country is the continuation of cultural practices, visiting significant sites and performing inma. By doing so, people believe that the land will continue to sustain them. Life on Country revolves around the Tjukurpa, stories that are passed down from one generation to the next.

To understand the humble beginnings of the Tjanpi Desert Weavers, you must meet the women who have shaped it and understand the history which has influenced contemporary practices.

Due to many government policies of the time, the 1950s and 1960s represented a period of displacement and relocation for many Aboriginal people as they were moved off their ceremonial lands.

The first church-run Mission was set up at Mt Margaret Mission in 1921, where Yarnangu women were first taught craft. By 1937 the Presbyterian Board of Missions established a mission at Pukatja (Ernabella), South Australia, and by 1948 it had grown into a settlement with thousands of sheep roaming the country.

Anangu women were taught to spin the sheep's wool on large spinning wheels and to weave with it. Having used human hair to make string for millennia, the new medium of wool was easily integrated into cultural practice by the women.

During March, as the heat rose and the wind rolled across the Rawlinson Ranges, fibre artists from the Tjanpi Desert Weavers came together to create their most ambitious collaborative work to date, Kungkarangkalpa (Seven Sisters).

The Seven Sisters is an epic ancestral story that has an important underlying teaching element. It follows the journey of seven sisters as they are pursued across Country by Wati Nyiru/Yurla, the male ancestral being, who is chasing the eldest sister.

The sisters constantly try to evade their pursuer leaving traces of their journey in the landscape. In an attempt to escape, they eventually launch themselves into the sky, transforming into the stars that form the Pleiades.

Wati Nyiru follows and becomes the Orion constellation.

The retelling and depiction of this story relays the impact of transgressive behaviour and water resources necessary for survival in the desert.

Drawing on this story, Kungkarangkalpa (Seven Sisters) is a large-scale ceiling and floor installation with seven woven figures representing the sisters placed on the floor of the gallery.

Floating above from the ceiling is a large woven form with small lights blinking from within, referencing the Pleiades star cluster.

More:
The Tjanpi Desert Weavers are working on a major commission for the National Gallery of Australia - The Canberra Times

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Moreover, the Insect Pest Control report offers a detailed analysis of the competitive landscape in terms of regions and the major service providers are also highlighted along with attributes of the market overview, business strategies, financials, developments pertaining as well as the product portfolio of the Insect Pest Control market. Likewise, this report comprises significant data about market segmentation on the basis of type, application, and regional landscape. The Insect Pest Control market report also provides a brief analysis of the market opportunities and challenges faced by the leading service provides. This report is specially designed to know accurate market insights and market status.

By Regions:

* North America (The US, Canada, and Mexico)

* Europe (Germany, France, the UK, and Rest of the World)

* Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, and Rest of Asia Pacific)

* Latin America (Brazil and Rest of Latin America.)

* Middle East & Africa (Saudi Arabia, the UAE, , South Africa, and Rest of Middle East & Africa)

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Table of Content

1 Introduction of Insect Pest Control Market

1.1 Overview of the Market1.2 Scope of Report1.3 Assumptions

2 Executive Summary

3 Research Methodology

3.1 Data Mining3.2 Validation3.3 Primary Interviews3.4 List of Data Sources

4 Insect Pest Control Market Outlook

4.1 Overview4.2 Market Dynamics4.2.1 Drivers4.2.2 Restraints4.2.3 Opportunities4.3 Porters Five Force Model4.4 Value Chain Analysis

5 Insect Pest Control Market, By Deployment Model

5.1 Overview

6 Insect Pest Control Market, By Solution

6.1 Overview

7 Insect Pest Control Market, By Vertical

7.1 Overview

8 Insect Pest Control Market, By Geography

8.1 Overview8.2 North America8.2.1 U.S.8.2.2 Canada8.2.3 Mexico8.3 Europe8.3.1 Germany8.3.2 U.K.8.3.3 France8.3.4 Rest of Europe8.4 Asia Pacific8.4.1 China8.4.2 Japan8.4.3 India8.4.4 Rest of Asia Pacific8.5 Rest of the World8.5.1 Latin America8.5.2 Middle East

9 Insect Pest Control Market Competitive Landscape

9.1 Overview9.2 Company Market Ranking9.3 Key Development Strategies

10 Company Profiles

10.1.1 Overview10.1.2 Financial Performance10.1.3 Product Outlook10.1.4 Key Developments

11 Appendix

11.1 Related Research

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Insect Pest Control Market Growth by Top Companies, Trends by Types and Application, Forecast to 2026 - Cole of Duty

The following insect pests bear special mention for early-season scouting in cranberry bogs:

Blackheaded fireworm Blackheaded fireworm eggs overwinter on the bed and usually hatch by around mid-May. It is important to catch the first generation, if possible, because the second generation occurs during bloom and is typically much more destructive. Blackheaded fireworm larvae can be detected by sweep net sampling and it is a good idea to look along the edges of beds where vines first begin to grow. Remember: blackheaded fireworm is much easier to control if detected during the early part of the season.

Spotted fireworm This insect overwinters as a 2nd instar larva. They complete two generations a year. Larvae feed between uprights they have webbed together. First-generation larvae injure the foliage causing it to turn brown as if burned. In New Jersey, first generation adult moths emerge the first week of June, followed by a second-generation of adult emergence in early August. Eggs are laid in masses on weedy hosts. Larvae from second-generation adults emerge in mid-August, and may feed on fruit. Populations of spotted fireworm are regulated by their natural enemies, in particular Trichogramma wasps that parasitize the eggs.

Sparganothis fruitworm This insect is a serious pest in most cranber

Blackheaded fireworm Larva (Photo by D. Schiffhauer)

ry-growing states. Sparganothis fruitworm completes two generations a year and overwinters as an early-instar larva. Larvae from the 1st generation feed on foliage. In New Jersey, first generation adult moths emerge from mid-June through the first weeks in July; pheromone traps are commonly used to monitor adult flight and population size. Second-generation eggs are laid on cranberry leaves, and larvae will feed on fruit.

Cranberry blossomworm Adults lay their eggs in October in cranberry beds. The eggs overwinter and hatch over a period of several weeks. Early instars can be found during the first week of May. Larvae go through 6 instars to complete development.

Because the first instars feed during the day (and also at night), scouting can be done during the

Spotted Fireworm Larva

daytime using sweep nets to estimate larval abundance. Larvae turn nocturnal during the later instars. At this time, night sweeping (9 pm 1 am) is recommended for sampling. Larvae complete their development by June-July. Older instars are very voracious and capable of destroying 100 blossoms within a 3-week period. There is a pre-pupal that lasts until the end of August and a pupal stage that lasts until October. Adults emerge from end of August to end of October.

Lepidopteran Pests Monitoring and

Sparganothis fruitworm Larva (Photo by D. Schiffhauer

Control Use sweep netting for monitoring early lepidopteran pests (pre-bloom). A sweep set consists of 25 sweeps and 1 sweep set is recommended per acre (this may vary depending the size of bogs). The action threshold for false armyworm, blossomworm, other cutworms, and gypsy moth (we use a combined threshold from adding all these caterpillars per sweep) is an average of 4.5 caterpillars in sets of 25 sweeps. For brown and green spanworms is an average of 18 per sweep set. The action threshold for blackheaded fireworm and Sparganothis fruitworm is an average of 1 to 2 per sweep set. We recommend the use of the reduced-risk materials Intrepid, Delegate, Altacor or Exirel if populations exceed action thresholds. Exirel is a newly-registered insecticide in cranberries. These are reduced-risk, softer insecticides that are very effective against lepidopteran pests. More information on these (and other) lepidopteran pests will be provided as the season progresses.

Leafhoppers There is concern among New Jersey cranberry growers of a potential increase in leafhopper populations because of recent changes in pest management strategies (e.g., adoption of new reduced-risk products and decreased applications of broad-spectrum insecticides). Blunt-nosed leafhopper is of particular concern because

Cranberry blossomworm Larva

they can transmit cranberry false blossom disease. This leafhopper has one generation a year. Adults are found in highest numbers during July, although nymphs or adults may be found from the end of May until October. Eggs are laid in August-September. The eggs overwinter and hatch in May or June. The nymphs go through 5 instars to complete development.

Leafhopper Monitoring and Control: Leafhopper nymphs can be sampled using sweep nets (as described above for lepidopteran pests). Nymphs before bloom are small; thus, you may need to freeze the samples (to kill them), and then count the number of nymphs under a microscope or using a magnifying lens. There is no threshold based on sweep net counts, so decisions should be made based by comparing current numbers with prior infestation history and/or incidence of false blossom disease on those beds.In cases of high numbers of blunt-nosed leafhopper nymphs, we recommend application of a broad-spectrum insecticide, such as Diazinon (no aerial applications allowed) or Lorsban (only pre-bloom applications allowed for Ocean Spray growers). Broad-

Blunt-nosed leafhopper Nymph (Photo by D. Schiffhauer)

spectrum insecticides will disrupt biological control particularly the natural enemies (predators and parasitoids) of Sparganothis fruitworm, so their use should be restricted only to areas of high leafhopper populations.

Read more:
Early-Season Insect Pests of Cranberries - Rutgers Today

For eight hours a day, from March until May, research biologist Will Hawkes surveys huge swarms of insects landing on the Karpaz Peninsula on the north-east corner of Cyprus. This place is a migratory hotspot for millions of painted lady butterflies, drone fly hoverflies, seven-spot ladybirds and vagrant emperor dragonflies its like nothing Ive ever seen before, says Hawkes, a PhD student at the University of Exeters Genetics of Migration lab who first studied the phenomenon here a year ago.

This island is a pit stop for millions of insects that fly at high altitudes over the sea then come to land to rest as they migrate, possibly thousands of kilometres from the Middle East to western Europe. Its just astonishing that these creatures migrate such long distances and in such vast numbers in order to find the right food to eat and to reproduce in environments at particular temperatures, he says.

One grass fly we found at Cyprus is just 2mm long, so, for their body size, these migrations are quite incredible. Most of the time theyre completely invisible to us, adds Hawkes, who explains that the distances travelled by insects flying via Cyprus are as yet unknown. The furthest insect migration recorded is the 18,000km journey of the 4cm-long globe skimmer dragonfly between India and Africa.

Hawkess PhD supervisor, Dr Karl Wotton, describes his research at Karpaz as significant. Migration hotspots like this are a window into processes that normally go on unseen, high above our heads, as huge amounts of insects make seasonal movements, says Wotton. This Cyprus hotspot shows how distant ecosystems can nevertheless be connected. Its part of an emerging global picture of insects on the move.

Hawkes collects insects flying along a gully using a butterfly net in a Victorian-style study, then puts them into an insect cage to identify the species before releasing them. He also sets up tiny cameras to record insects flying past for timed periods at set intervals back in the UK, he spends weeks manually counting the numbers in every shot, frame by frame.

We can record thousands of insects flying past per minute its a big challenge, says Hawkes who, by returning annually, is building a long-term data set to let scientists observe trends and patterns over time. Some butterfly, dragonfly and hoverfly migrations have previously been studied but very few studies look at the bigger picture of insect migration. There are huge gaps in our knowledge; were genuinely at the very beginning of understanding these insect migrations.

Radar studies show that 3.5 trillion insects (3,200 tons of biomass) migrate annually above southern Britain alone, as published in the journal Science. Many of these insects are key pollinators and play a major role in pest control, so theyre absolutely vital to agriculture simply due to their sheer numbers, says Hawkes. Flies are the most numerous migrants and they have such an enormous impact on the biodiversity of our ecosystems and pollination of crops and plants.

In July 2019, Wotton, a senior lecturer at Exeter, revealed in the journal Current Biology that 1-4 billion hoverflies migrate into and out of southern Britain each year. As larvae, these hoverflies consume 3-10 trillion aphids, a species that would otherwise be damaging to crops. As adults, hoverflies eat nectar and pollen and are second only to bees in terms of their importance as pollinators.

Wotton recorded that migrant hoverflies each carry on average 10 grains of pollen, flying up to 100 miles a day. By transferring pollen between different populations of plants as they travel, migratory insects help maintain a diverse gene pool for wild plants and crops, increasing resilience to changes in environmental conditions and the effects of climate change.

Remarkably, insects are multigenerational migrants one full circuit involves between three and six generations of adults moving north from springtime to late summer, followed by one generation travelling back south during the autumn migration. The adults die once eggs are laid, before larvae hatch, so these long-distance migrations are not learned behaviours. These migrations are purely genetic. Insects use the sun as their compass and only migrate on days when the winds are favourable, says Hawkes, who also surveys insects flying along the valleys in the Pyrenees mountains on their autumn migration south. Its also likely that when a huge volume of adults dies at the end of each leg of the journey, their biomass provides a seasonal input of nutrients in each location which could be a key food source for other species.

But with plummeting insect populations, conserving biodiversity has never been more crucial. A global review published in the journal Biological Conservation found that more than 40% of insect species are declining and a third are endangered.

Insects are crucial to the health of functioning ecosystems that are vital for food production and security. Pollinators like bees get a lot of attention because three quarters of crops producing fruit and seeds for human consumption depend on them, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization. Other types of insects include herbivores, detritivores, parasitoids and predators that are crucial to ecosystems humans rely on to survive, acting as pest controllers, recycling nutrients and performing other tasks.

How do humans harm insects?Habitat loss and fragmentation, pollution, invasive species, the climate crisis and over-harvesting are all human-caused issues that put pressure on insects, say experts. The heavy use of synthetic pesticides and fertilisers is the primary driver of harm to insects by humans, according to the first global scientific review of the literature in 2019.

How bad is it?Bad. Insect populations around the world are plummeting, with 40% of species declining and a third endangered, according to the same literature review. On average, insect biomass on Earth has fallen 2.5% a year for the last three decades or so, which could mean they vanish within the next 100 years.

What happens if insects become extinct? The survival of mankind would be at stake. With no insects to pollinate the crops humans rely on to eat or perform vital functions in ecosystems, humans would be in trouble.

What can we do about it?Insect experts have devised a roadmap for conservation and recovery. In the short term, humans must phase out pesticide use, prioritise nature-based farming methods and reduce light, noise and water pollution. In the long term, scientists have called for an international body to monitor the health of insect populations and action taken to help them.

Migratory insects are vulnerable to habitat loss beyond the boundaries of one country, and climate breakdown could affect the migration routes and ranges of these insect species so we need to take a more global, holistic view of conservation, says Hawkes, who believes farmers can make an enormous difference by reducing the use of pesticides and leaving field margins to grow wild.

Its easy to see the difference in numbers of insect types between a patch of wildflowers at the edge of a field and the middle of a crop we need to move away from monoculture towards agro-ecology.

Matt Shardlow, chief executive of invertebrate conservation charity Buglife, warns that spray drift and soil transport of pesticides into field margins pose a risk and that wildflower-rich habitats should be prioritised in urban areas, on road verges and railways, away from crops sprayed with pesticides.

Were restoring wildflower grassland to increase the availability of pollen and nectar for dispersing wild insects along a network of insect pathways called B-Lines throughout the British countryside and towns, says Shardlow, who is keen to persuade the authorities and EU partners to roll the network out across Europe.

These B-Lines will enable better dispersal of migrants and enable more species to start dispersing north again something thats prevented by increasingly fragmented habitats and the polluted nature of intervening land.

On an international scale, further research is required before the science of this Cyprus migration hotspot can influence policy and conservation management. We need further understanding of the biology of the species involved, natural variation in numbers and the routes taken before any strong recommendations can be made, Wotton says.

Conservation of entire migratory tracks takes collaboration between farmers, conservationists and politicians, Hawkes adds. We need to think beyond borders and consider how habitats link together along these migratory routes.

At an international level, we need politicians to realise that insects are playing a vital role so that governments create consistent policies that protect the diversity of insects and the plants they rely on.

Find more age of extinction coverage here, and follow biodiversity reporters Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield on Twitter for all the latest news and features

Link:
Its like nothing else: insect swarms on Cyprus reveal incredible journeys - The Guardian

Stinging caterpillar species include the buck moth caterpillar, spiny oak slug caterpillar, hickory tussock moth caterpillar, saddleback caterpillar and Io moth caterpillar.

Getty Images

As the weather warms up and people begin spending more time in their yards, parks and forests, more people will be coming home with a rash or bug bite.

However,Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Serviceexperts say before you blame a flying insect or a poisonous plant for a skin ailment, you may need to consider another culprit stinging caterpillars.

Spring foliage has brought on an abundance of caterpillars, a few of whom carry irritating or even venomous hairs, said Janet Hurley, AgriLife Extension integrated pest management for schools statewide specialist, Dallas.

We normally havefact sheetsavailable for schools this time of year, but with most children out of school due to COVID-19, we wanted to make sure parents are aware that there are stinging caterpillars in Texas, what they look like, and how to avoid them, she said.

Stinging caterpillar speciesinclude the buck moth caterpillar, spiny oak slug caterpillar, hickory tussock moth caterpillar, saddleback caterpillar and Io moth caterpillar.

Perhaps the most painful caterpillar in Texas is the southern flannel moth caterpillar, also known as the asp or puss caterpillar. An encounter with apuss caterpillaris very painful and may even require a trip to the hospital, according to AgriLife Extension experts.

Hurley said she recently received her first tussock moth caterpillar question confirming that just about every species of stinging caterpillar has now been spotted in our state.

A good rule of thumb is if a caterpillar looks fuzzy dont touch it, said Molly Keck, AgriLife Extension specialist in integrated pest management and entomologist, Bexar County.

Although many fuzzy caterpillars are not dangerous, do not pick up a caterpillar unless you are sure it is not of the stinging variety. The puss caterpillar, for example, looks deceptively soft and can be especially tempting for children to want to pick up or pet.

Theseteardrop shaped caterpillars look touchable, but they are not, said Wizzie Brown, AgriLife Extension specialist in integrated pest management for Travis County. Asps have spines attached to venom glands that can lead to a nasty sting, rash and other issues.

The southern flannel moth caterpillar, also known as the asp or puss caterpillar, is perhaps the most painful stinging caterpillar one might encounter in Texas.

Getty Images

Sincethese caterpillarstend to hide, you may not even know youve encountered one until you feel the sting, Hurley said.

If you are stung, you may feel immediate pain and reddish colored spots may appear where spines entered the skin. Some people may not feel pain until several minutes after they are stung, while others can experience intense throbbing or radiating pain. Other people may not feel much discomfort, and a red rash may be the only telltale sign.

Brown said different people respond to caterpillar toxin differently. Some people may have a more severe reaction than others, and where on your body you are stung and the thickness of that skin can affect your reaction too.

If the caterpillar is still on you, immediately brush it off if possible and then use tape to remove the spines that may still be in your skin, Brown said.

Washing the area with soap and water and applying an ice pack to the sting may offer some relief, and an oral antihistamine may help to relieve itching. Over-the-counter insect sting and bite relief products can also help.

The pain often goes away within an hour, said Mike Merchant, AgriLife Extension urban entomologist, Dallas.

Other symptoms after a sting can include nausea, vomiting, headaches, respiratory stress or shock. Since reactions to the toxins from stinging caterpillars can vary, seek medical advice or treatment immediately or go to an emergency room if you are concerned. Merchant also stressed that any contact with eyes or an allergic reaction to a sting requires immediate medical attention.

You are more likely to encounter stinging caterpillars when they leave their host plant in search of a spot to pupate, which is currently happening with many caterpillars, Keck said. They arent aggressive and wont come after you, but they can drop from trees.

Keck has reported sightings of both buck moth caterpillars and tussock moth caterpillars in the Bexar County area already this spring. Texans statewide need to be on the alert and keep an eye on trees and shrubs for caterpillar development, which typically occurs now into the fall.

Some common tree hosts are apple, basswood, cherry, dogwood, elm, maple, plum and oak, which is a favorite of the buck moth caterpillar. Some stinging caterpillars may even be found on crops such as corn.

Adult puss moths emerge in late spring or early summer to lay several hundred eggs on favored host trees, Merchant said. Caterpillars may also be seen feeding on dwarf yaupon and other shrubs. One to two generations occur each year, though southern flannel moth caterpillars tend to be more common in the fall.

Avoid stinging caterpillars by not sitting under trees and wearing long sleeves and pants outdoors, although even that is no guarantee of protection.

I had the misfortune of getting an eastern buck moth caterpillar on my pants the other day and accidentally brought it inside, Keck said. When I rested my hand on my leg, I encountered the hairs/barbs and it didnt feel good. It itched and left an uncomfortable feeling on my thumb for a couple hours.

Keck said there isnt much you can do about managing these caterpillars until they all pupate and go away. You dont need to worry about harm to your garden however, as stinging caterpillars typically do not do enough feeding to harm plants.

If you have large populations of stinging caterpillars and decide you need to try tomanage them, you can tryBacillus thuringiensisvar.kurstaki, BTK. However, this will also kill all the non-stinging or good caterpillars, which are an important food source for songbirds. You may also look for a pesticide with active ingredients such as spinosad or azadirachtin, which are naturally derived products.

Merchant saidpuss moth caterpillarscan also be controlled when they become abundant by spraying with a residual pesticide such aspermethrin, cyfluthrin or similar sprayslabeled for control of caterpillars on ornamental plants.

The best solution to dealing with stinging caterpillars may just be educating adults and children on what these caterpillars are, what they look like, and the importance of not touching them with bare hands, Merchant said.

Read more from the original source:
Stinging Caterpillar Season Has Arrived in Texas - Texas A&M University Today

NEW ALBANY A street closure could take effect as early as Monday to continue improvements on Slate Run Road.

Sidewalks are being added and stormwater upgrades are being made in the area.

City Engineer Larry Summers told the New Albany Board of Public Works and Safety on Tuesday that the contractors work on Garretson Lane last week in association with the project was delayed due to the weather. If the contractor can get back on schedule this week, Summers anticipated the road closure for Slate Run Road could begin Monday and last until Thursday. The roadway will be closed between Slate Run Elementary School and Lochwood Apartments for a pipe to be installed.

Thats going to be the last major stormwater thing theyll have to do. Theyre still working on sidewalks and driveways, Summers said.

The initial schedule called for the project to be completed by late July. The major goal of the effort is to improve walkability in the area.

This helps tie the school system with the sidewalks and its also, of course, going to have new asphalt and stormwater system, said Summers referencing curb and gutter upgrades.

Summers added that the city is in talks with Duke Energy about improving street lighting along the corridor.

Signs will be posted at Charlestown Road and Old Ford Road warning of the closure. Summers said drivers will be directed to take Old Ford Road as a detour.

In other action, the 2020 paving effort for the city moved forward Tuesday with the selection of a contractor.

Contingent upon legal and engineering review, the board of works unanimously approved Libs Paving for the project. Libs submitted the lowest of five bids for the paving plan at $2,081,879.99.

Link:
Portion of Slate Run Road to close for construction; paving contract awarded - Evening News and Tribune