DeSoto County Research Articles

OCCURRENCE OF THE CALANOID COPEPOD EURYTEMORA AFFINIS (POPPE) IN THE OHIO RIVER AT LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY

ABSTRACT Eurytemoraaffinis is reported from the Ohio River at Louisville, Kentucky, about 2,960 river miles upstream from the Gulf of Mexico. This is about 2,254 river miles beyond the farthest penetration up the Mississippi River previously known: Horn Lake, De Soto County, Mississippi.

An early intervention program for children with physical and developmental disabilities: a therapeutic‐educational collaboration model program

The Early Intervention Program at the Easter Seal Society of DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota Counties (Florida) is a therapeutic‐educational program for parents and children from birth to 3 years who are “at risk” delayed or handicapped. The Early Intervention Program consists of a multidisciplinary team of: early childhood specialists, a pediatric neurologist, a clinical social worker, physical, occupational and speech therapists, and an audiologist. When necessary a pediatrician and/or psychologist are included as well. The program utilizes a therapeutic‐educational curriculum which allows each child to follow a prescribed program designed specifically for his/her strengths and weaknesses. The curriculum augments the therapist's treatment and provides input for parents. This paper is a general description of the early intervention program for children with physical and developmental disabilities.

Distribution, Abundance, and Habitat of the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow

In the early 1900's, the population of Florida grasshopper sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum floridanus) was reportedly large and widespread in Florida; however, surveys between 1980 and 1982 revealed only 93 sparrows at seven sites. The sparrow was found at only one of its former locations, suggesting a reduction in both abundance and occupied range. Although the subspecies prefers stunted oaks (Quercus sp.) and saw palmettos (Serenoa sp.), its ecological requirements seem liberal enough to enable it to persist in some managed cattle pastures. Compared with the habitat of the eastern grasshopper sparrow (A. s. pratensis), habitat used by floridanus has lower values for variables pertaining to vegetation height, vertical density, litter depth, and litter cover, but much higher values for percentage shrub cover and bare ground. Habitat loss or alteration due to pasture management is the greatest threat to the subspecies. A low growth of palmettos and woody shrubs should be maintained in areas where the sparrow occurs. Federal listing of the Florida grasshopper sparrow as threatened or endangered may be appropriate due to its probable low numbers, restricted distribution, and loss of habitat. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 49(3):626-631 The grasshopper sparrow occurs throughout most of temperate North America, but is confined to low to medium height grassland plant communities (Smith 1963). The Florida subspecies is geographically isolated from the eastern race by at least 500 km (Am. Ornithol. Union 1982) and appears to be limited in distribution to the prairie region of south-central Florida. The lack of distributional information precludes a precise delineation of the historical range, and early accounts provide no documented records of abundance. Although specific habitat requirements for floridanus are not known, preliminary investigations suggest they are atypical of the species (Howell 1932, Nicholson 1936). Because of an apparent population decline, the Florida grasshopper sparrow was classified as endangered by the State of Florida (Kale 1978). Much of the native prairie habitat has been converted to improved pasture (Davis 1980), which may have caused the extirpation of the subspecies from some of its former range. Recent observations, however, indicate th' the subspecies may be adapting to some managed pastures (Stevenson 1978). Surveys of the known range of the Florida grasshopper sparrow and potential habitat outside that range were conducted during the breeding season (Apr-Jul) from 1980-82 to gather information on its present distribution and abundance. Vegetation variables were measured at territories of male grasshopper sparrows to provide a quantitative description of habitat for possible use in management of the subspecies. This research was supported by the Fed. Aid to Endangered Species Program, Fla. Endangered Species Proj. E-1. R. L. Barker and S. A. Martin participated in the survey and assisted in locating survey areas. R. P. Wunderlin assisted with plant identification. C. L. Abercrombie provided statistical advice. J. Bart, T. C. Hines, D. S. Maehr, and L. E. Williams, Jr., reviewed earlier drafts of this manuscript and provided many useful suggestions. Special appreciation is extended to A. L. Adams, III, P. Clemons, D. W. Delargey, W. C. Funk, C. E. Lough, and P. T. Wilson, who provided access to their properties. STUDY AREAS AND METHODS Surveys were conducted in the dry prairie region of south-central Florida. Most of this habitat is located within the Kissimmee River Basin and west of Lake Okeechobee in parts of Glades, Hendry, Charlotte and Desoto counties (Davis 1980). In Florida, dry prairie grasslands are extensive treeless plains that often separate freshwater marshes and forested uplands. Seldom flooded, these grasslands are maintained in early successional stages by frequent fires. The vegetation is dominated by pineland threeawn

Epilampra maya Rehn, a Central American Cockroach Newly Established in the United States (Blattodea; Blaberidae; Epilamprinae)

With the exceptions of the native species Parcoblatta pensylvanica (De Geer) and Eurycotus floridana (Walker), which are minor pests locally, all species of pest cockroaches in the United States have been introduced through international commerce. In fact, the most economically destructive species-Periplaneta americana (L.), Blatta orientalis L., Blattella germanica (L.), and Supella longipalpa (F.)-have become nearly worldwide in distribution through commerce. Because of the potential for newly introduced species to become pests, strong measures are taken to ensure against unwanted introductions, including laws to restrict the transport of plants and animals across international borders. In spite of such precautions, however, foreign species of insects manage to enter this country. Recently, 2 species of cockroaches, Ectobius sylvestris (Poda) (Hoebeke and Nickle 1981) and Blatta lateralis Walker (Gurney 1978), were reported as newly established. One of these, B. lateralis, has already become a pest problem in El Paso, Texas and San Francisco, California (Spencer et al. 1979). We report here the probable introduction of yet another foreign species of cockroach, Epilampra maya Rehn. On 30 August 1982 2 adult cockroaches were collected by Wes Young, Branch Manager, and Bruce Sibson, Technical Manager of Rentokil Inc. The specimens were forwarded for positive identification to David Nickle, Systematic Entomology Laboratory, IIBIII, USDA. Young had noticed the cockroaches during a routine inspection for wood infesting insects of a home in Arcadia, De Soto County, Florida. He found live adults outside the house, under the roof overhang, and in the carport. Additional live cockroaches and fecal droppings were located indoors in the kitchen and storage areas. A second site inspection by Young and Sibson on 19 October 1982 uncovered several dead specimens under the perimeter of the roof overhangs. Access to the interior of the house for inspection was not available. However, the resident next-door reported frequent indoor sightings of this species in his house over the past 2 years. Although no specimens were found in his house, live males, females, and 3 different stages of nymphs were collected in the area surrounding his house. The specimens were collected along the bank of the slow moving stream bordering his property and were found beneath the soil surface and in leaf litter and humus. All stages were

RADIUM ‐ 226 IN GROUND WATER OF WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA1

ABSTRACT: Principal U.S. phosphate production is from central Florida where mining, processing, and waste disposal practices intimately associate the industry with water resouces. Available radium‐226 data from 1966 and from 1973–1976 in mined and unmined mincralized areas and nonmineralized areas in the primary study area in Polk, Hardee, Hillsborough, Manatee, and De Soto counties were studied using log‐normal probability plots and nonparametric statistical tests for significant difference as functions of time, depth, and location. Plots of radium in the water table and Floridan aquifers for mineralized and nonmineralized areas indicate that neither phosphate mineralization nor the industry is a probable factor. For the Lower Floridan aquifer, three separate radium populations are indicated with geometric means of 0.7, 3, and 10 pCi/1. Geometric mean radium‐226 content of the water table aquifer is 0.17 pCi/1. Radium in the Floridan aquifer in Manatee and Sarasota Counties is elevated relative to that in the water table and in other areas of Florida. For Sarasota County, geometric mean radium content of the water table is 15 pCi/l versus 7.5 pCi/l in the Floridan. Potential sources include shallow phosphate sediments and monazite sands and possibly crystalline basement rocks or other strata unrelated to phosphatic zones of current economic interest.The existing radium‐226 data base is rather marginal in terms of number and spatial distribution of analyses, particularly for the water table and Upper Floridan aquifer. Existing radium data do not substantiate widespread contamination of ground water as a result of the phosphate industry. However, local contamination associated with specific operations has occurred.

A Large-Scale Field Evaluation of Boll Weevil Diapause Control in Mississippi12

In field experiments conducted in DeSoto County, Mississippi, in 1961-62, selected procedures were evaluated for effectiveness in preventing the boll weevil,Anthonomus grandis Boheman, from entering diapause. Methyl parathion spray (0.5 lb/acre) was applied at 7- to 9-day intervals in the fall of 1961, when the first boll weevils were found in diapause. A desiccant, pentachlorophenol, was used to terminate plant growth in mid-October. Control measures reduced both fall and spring weevil populations, but these reductions were not large enough to substantially reduce the number of insecticide applications needed for boll weevil control in the next crop season. Population pressure in September decreased effectiveness of methyl parathion in October, and an abundance of food (squares, flowers, and bolls) for surviving boll weevils in treated fields contributed to the less-than-desired effectiveness of the control program.

Some New Pompilid Prey Records from Southern Florida (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae)

This paper, a continuation of previous studies (Kurczewski, 1961 and 1962) on the prey and prey transportation of spider wasps of eastern United States, presents several new host relationships made in June and July, 1962, in Highlands and DeSoto Counties, Florida. The prey records for Cryptocheilus i. idoneum Banks and Anoplius (Arachnophroctonus) americanus trifasciatus (Beauvois) are the first for these subspecies in North America. Ageniella (Ageniella) partita Banks using prey without having amputated any of its legs is of interest. Priocnemis (Priocnemis) cornica (Say) and Episyron posterus (Fox) have not been studied biologically in Florida and new prey records for these species are included. As with previous prey, spiders are filed with the number in parenthesis following the specific determination2; these specimens have been deposited in the American Museum of Natural History. I am grateful to Wilton Ivie for identifying the prey spiders, to Richard Archbold for providing the research facilities of the Archbold Biological Station, Lake Placid, Florida, and to Dr. William T. Keeton for reading the manuscript critically. Funds, in part, for this study were provided by a Sigma Xi RESA Grant-in-Aid of Research. SUBFAMILY PEPSINAE

Society News.

<h3>El Paso County Medical Society.</h3> —This society was organized last October and was the first organized in El Paso, Texas, that has held its own. It has a membership of twenty. The officers are: President, F. W. Gallagher; vice-president, M. O. Wright; treasurer, Howard Thompson; secretary, Junius A. Rawlings. <h3>Jackson County Medical Society.</h3> —Dr. Kyger read a paper on "Dietetics, as taught in the Medical Colleges," before this society, at a recent meeting in Kansas City, Mo. He recommended having a chair on dietetics in every medical college, and said that physicians at the time of their graduation have no knowledge of the proper kinds of food necessary for patients. <h3>De Soto County Medical Association.</h3> —This association met in Hernando, Miss., March 13. The secretary-treasurer presented his eighteenth annual report, and Dr. Watson presented, for diagnosis and advice as to treatment, a case of chronic tuberculosis of the knee-joint. Dr.