MANHATTAN – Over the next few weeks many homes in Kansas – especially in rural areas – will be invaded by an intruder. What is it? Why is it here? Is it harmful and how can I stop it? The intruder is the multicolored Asian lady beetle.

“They are bright orange with spots, but they have kind of a dark black inverted W right behind the head on the thorax,” said Jeff Whitworth, entomologist with K-State Research and Extension. “If you see those things it is the multicolored Asian lady beetle.”

The beetles have mouthparts intended for chewing, but they can bite people and animals. People working in farm fields where aphids are present have a greater chance of being bitten.

“What we are seeing this year is something we haven’t seen for five or six years,” Whitworth said. “The last time there was an outbreak of soybean aphids in 2008 we saw a buildup of these multicolored Asian lady beetles at the same time because they are feeding on aphids.”

The beetles were originally imported into the United States by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a biological control. They are considered a beneficial insect, particularly in alfalfa, soybeans and sorghum where they feed on different aphids, which damage the crops.

“Last year and this year, we had a buildup of sugar cane aphids which has led to massive populations of the multicolored Asian lady beetle,” Whitworth said.

“The Asian lady beetle does not eat crops,” he added. “They only eat the bugs that eat the crops, especially aphids. Right now there are still a lot of them in sorghum fields because that is where the aphids are.”

As the aphids disappear and the days get shorter, the beetles will move to homes, sheds and garages in rural areas. Most often they can be seen gathering on the south and west side of the building.

“We have a lot of them accumulating in houses right now, but we have more to come as sorghum is cut and the sugar cane aphids die off or migrate,” Whitworth said. “They (Asian lady beetle) are beneficial for the most part but they can also be a nuisance.”

“I often get calls asking if there is anything that will eat these bugs,” Whitworth said, adding that ironically that dogs seem to like to eat them. They are not there to feed on the animal and they don’t carry any diseases. They are just a nuisance.

He recommends removing the insects and caulking over cracks. Make sure all screens fit to keep the beetles from entering homes and other buildings. If they do get in, they can be removed with a vacuum. If the vacuum does not kill them, they can be released outside.

The beetles aren’t on the label of a pesticide, Whitworth said, because they are not considered an agricultural pest. However, if you use any crack or crevice treatments for spiders and the residual is around, that will kill the lady beetles, too. If you remove them and put a crack and crevice treatment around your house it will help.

KDWPT

PRATT – Hunting prospects for the 2016-2017 upland bird seasons are better than they’ve been in years. After years of severe drought, precipitation over the last two years has restored habitat conditions and, in many areas, provided ideal nesting and brood-rearing conditions for pheasants and quail. Bird hunters ready to plan a hunting trip this fall should look no further than www.ksoutdoors.com, where they’ll find the official “2016 UplandBird Hunting Forecast,” the “2016 Kansas Hunting Atlas” and the “2016 Kansas Hunting and Furharvesting Regulations Summary.” All can be viewed online and/or downloaded. A printed version of the forecast is available at all KDWPT offices, and printed versions of the atlas and regulations summary can be found wherever licenses are sold.

Pheasant and quail numbers were much better last year than in previous years, but overall harvest was still below average. After reviewing data gathered through various field surveys this spring and summer, biologists are predicting this improving trend to continue. Bird numbers may be spotty due to low breeding bird numbers in some areas last spring and local weather conditions this summer, but overall, prospects are good.

Best pheasant hunting will be found in northwest and southwest regions of the state. The best quail hunting, which in some areas could be better than we’ve seen in many years, will be found in the southcentral and southwestern regions of the state. More specific information can be found in the complete forecast online at www.ksoutdoors.com, click on “Hunting” then click on “Reports and Forecasts.”

By clicking on “Where to Hunt,” hunters can view the 2016 Kansas Hunting Atlas, which shows locations of all state and federal public wildlife areas, as well as the more than 1 million acres enrolled in the Walk-in Hunting Access program.

All licenses and permits can also be purchased online by clicking on “Licenses and Permits,” and they are available over the counter at all KDWPT offices and more than 600 vendors across the state. Resident hunters age 16-74 are required to have a hunting license to hunt pheasants and quail, unless exempt by law. All nonresident hunters must have a nonresident hunting license, unless they are hunting on land they own.

The Kansas pheasant and quail seasons open Nov. 12, 2016 and close Jan. 31, 2017. The daily bag limit for pheasants is four roosters with a possession limit of 16. The daily bag limit on quail is 8 per day and the possession limit is 32. Start planning now because opening day will be here before you know it.

Today Sunny, with a high near 72. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 40. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north northeast after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.

Veterans Day Mostly sunny, with a high near 56. Northeast wind 10 to 13 mph.

Friday NightMostly clear, with a low around 30. Northeast wind 5 to 8 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.

SaturdaySunny, with a high near 58. Light southeast wind becoming south 6 to 11 mph in the morning.

Saturday NightMostly clear, with a low around 38.

SundaySunny, with a high near 65.

Sunday NightMostly clear, with a low around 38.

OSBORNE COUNTY – A Kansas man died in an accident just before 7p.m. on Wednesday in Osborne County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Chevy Silverado driven by Kendall E. Nichols, 74, Smith Center, was southbound on U.S. 24. one mile north of the U.S. 81 Junction.

The Silverado crossed the centerline and struck a northbound 1994 Ford F350 driven by Craig W. Hadley, 64, Osborne.

The Chevy came to rest facing northeast with disabling damage. The Ford entered the east ditch and overturned.

Nichols and Hadley were transported to the hospital in Osborne where Nichols died.

Hadley was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

Voter turnout during presidential years tend to outpace years without a presidential race and, once again, that was the case in Kansas and Ellis County.

According to the results from the Ellis County clerk’s office, of the 18,314 registered voters in Ellis County, 11,934 people cast their vote in Tuesday’s general election — a voter turnout of 65.16 percent.

That is slightly lower than the 65.4-percent turnout in 2012, the last presidential election. According records kept by the Kansas Secretary of State’s office, turnout in Ellis County in 2008 was 68.4 percent. In 2012 and in 2004, 78.9 percent of eligible voters cast ballots in Ellis County.

But in 2012, fewer than 10,000 people cast their ballot in the non-presidential election year for 55 percent voter turnout. In 2010, voter turnout in Ellis County was 51 percent.

Ellis County Election Official Donna Maskus, also county clerk, said turnout for advanced voting was 20 percent.

The Kansas Secretary of State’s office said there were 1,812,670 registered voted in Kansas and turnout has been estimated at more than 60.3 percent. That does not include write-in and provisional ballots.

In 2014, voter turnout was 50.8 percent. In the last presidential election – 2012 — voter turnout was 66.8 percent statewide.