Daily Archives: September 8, 2021

The gypsy moth has four distinct developmental stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Each life stage looks and behaves very differently from the other stages. Eggs and pupae appear lifeless, but undergo dramatic changes internally. Larvae eat and accumulate fat that is used when they are adults to find a mate and reproduce.

Eggs are laid in August and the embryo immediately starts developing during the warm days of summer. In a month, the tiny larva is fully formed and ready to hatch. At this point, however, the larva goes into diapause, shutting down metabolic activities and becoming insensitive to cold. In suspended animation, the larva passes the winter within the egg. As temperatures increase in early spring, the larva inside the egg slowly becomes more active. In mid-May, just as the leaves of trees are expanding, the larva chews through the egg shell and hatches.

Gypsy Moth Egg Mass on Tree Trunk

Before starting to feed, larvae, or caterpillars as they are commonly known, disperse throughout the forest in a behavior called ballooning. The larva climbs to the top of the tree on which it hatched, and dangles in the air on a silk thread. When a breeze catches the larva, the thread breaks and it is carried on the wind for up to 150 yards.

Once the larva has finished ballooning, it begins to feed. It will eat for five to six weeks depending on its sex. Females feed for an extra week to put on the fat necessary to produce eggs. About once a week the larva will grow too large for its exoskeleton and it will molt. The leftover exoskeletons can aggravate allergies in some people. The molts separate the larval period into five or six stages, called instars. Early in larval development, instars one through three, larvae feed during the day. Once they reach the fourth instar, however, they start to feed at night and climb down to hide under rough bark or in leaf litter during the day, possibly to avoid being eaten by birds. Gypsy moth larvae take on their characteristic look with the blue and red dots down their back at about the end of the first instar. Before that they look quite black. About 90% of the leaves consumed by a larva will be eaten in the last two instars. This is the reason it sometimes seems like trees are defoliated overnight!

Gypsy Moth Caterpillar

When the larva is fully grown (about 1-1/2 inches for males and 2-1/2 inches for females), it starts wandering around, looking for a safe place to pupate. They look for a protected place where they will be safe from enemies like mice, birds, and parasitic wasps. Typical hiding places include between ridges of bark, under flaps of loose bark, or in cracks of rock outcroppings. They can also be found in crevices on the undersides of vehicles, in firewood piles, on the underside of tree branches, or on outdoor furniture and play sets.

Once the larva has found a safe spot, it sheds its skin and its new skin hardens into a dark brown shell. The gypsy moth is immobile for most of the pupal stage while its entire body is rearranged within the pupal shell. After a week or two, the worm-like caterpillar has been transformed into the winged adult moth which then breaks free of the pupal shell.

Gypsy Moth Pupae

The gypsy moth adult male and female moths look very different from each other. Females are 1 1/2 inches long and are white with a black v shaped marking on their forewings. Female moths cannot fly and will fall to the ground if picked up. Male gypsy moths are mottled brown and gray and have large feathery antennae. They are similar in appearance to many native moths. They can be distinguished, however, by their behavior, as they fly in search of females in the late afternoon not at night.

The only function of the adult stage of the gypsy moth is to reproduce. Unlike many other moths and butterflies, the adult gypsy moth cannot feed. They have about 2 weeks to find a mate before they die. Once the male has found the female, they mate and the female lays all her eggs in a single teardrop-shaped mass 1 1.5 inches long and covers it with yellowish-tan colored hairs from her own body. Each female lays only one egg mass and each egg mass can hold up to 600-1000 eggs.

Gypsy Moth Adults

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Startup Orbit Fab has raised US$10 million following the successful demonstrations of its orbital refueling and resupply technology.

The San Francisco-based companys latest backers include Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin.

Orbit Fab co-founder Jeremy Schiel said, On-orbit refueling is a paradigm shift for the industry, pioneering reusable spacecraft and new flexible mission operations will allow for new business models.

Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin both see clear value in on-orbit refueling to create a bustling in-space economy. Its great to see two Aerospace and Defense leaders embracing this technology. Their investment will help drive the adoption of our on-orbit refueling services and allow us to support the growing satellite servicing industry.

Orbit Fab became the first private company to resupply the ISS with water in 2019, qualifying the companys feed systems and flex tank to NASA standards for crew rated systems in just six months.

In June 2021, Orbit Fab celebrated the launch of Tenzing, the worlds first on-orbit fuel depot.

Orbit Fabs Rapidly Attachable Fluid Transfer Interface (RAFTI), is a fueling port that enables satellites to be refueled in orbit which can be used as a drop-in replacement for existing satellite fill-and-drain valves.

The RAFTI fueling port was proven during its June 2021 flight on Tanker-001 Tenzing.

With technology moving so rapidly and creating new market entrants, were embracing opportunities to partner with emerging technology companies like Orbit Fab to accelerate innovation in new capabilities for our customers, said David Jacobs, vice president, corporate strategy at Northrop Grumman.

This follows the first docking of Northrop Grummans Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV-1) to a client satellite in graveyard orbit in early 2020 to provide life extension services, and the successful docking of the MEV-2 to an in-service client satellite in geostationary orbit earlier this year.

Chris Moran, vice president, executive director and general manager of Lockheed Martin Ventures said, Lockheed Martin has a long legacy of investing in and developing servicing capabilities and their enabling technologies. This includes for military and commercial, large and small space systems.

Our charter is to strategically invest in smaller technology companies focused on innovative technologies within our existing businesses, and Orbit Fab fits this criteria. We look forward to working with Orbit Fab and gaining access to their in-orbit refueling technology, an important component of space flight logistics that could help our customers address new and evolving threats.

Orbit Fabs architecture is a system of tankers and fuel shuttles in LEO, GEO, and cis- lunar space. Accessing fuel in-orbit will allow satellite operators to defer capital costs, increase asset utilization and lifetime, and create the opportunity for new, flexible business models. Orbit Fab expects this refueling infrastructure to underpin the emergence of a bustling in-space economy.

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Orbital refuelling startup Orbit Fab backed by Lockheed and Northrop following successful testing - Aerospace Testing International

(GAINESVILLE, FL/September 7, 2021) Andra Johnson, associate director of Penn State Extension, will be the next dean of UF/IFAS Extension and director of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, the University of Florida announced on Tuesday. Johnson will assume the role on November 1.

Johnson will lead UF/IFAS statewide network of more than 650 faculty educators and scientists, whose programs and expertise support economic, environmental and community health. These programs range from field days for new crops to youth leadership experiences.

Dr. Johnson brings energy and vitality to raising the profile of Extension. Our goal is to make an even greater impact on the millions of Floridians served by UF/IFAS outreach every year, said J. Scott Angle, UF vice president for agriculture and natural resources and leader of UF/IFAS.

His experience in administration, Extension, teaching, research and service, at both large land-grant and historically Black universities, his upbringing on a farm and his engagement in so many national coalitions have contributed to his development as an emerging national leader who will take UF/IFAS Extension to the next level, Angle said.

Elaine Turner, dean of the UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, led the nationwide search for the next dean of Extension.

Dr. Johnsons career has woven the three components of the land-grant mission teaching, research and Extension together. He brings a collaborative spirit and passion for service to UF/IFAS and our stakeholders across Florida, Turner said. In the college, we are especially excited about his ideas for engaging more undergraduate and graduate students in Extension and working together to meet the talent needs of Floridas agriculture and natural resource industries.

Johnson grew up on a farm in rural Louisiana. His family raised cattle and grew cotton, corn and wheat, and his aunt has worked for the USDA Forest Service for more than 30 years. Those early experiences motivated him to pursue a career in Extension where he could bring the knowledge of the land-grant university to families like his who produce our food, fuel and fiber.

Im extremely excited and humbled about the opportunity to work with the amazing faculty, staff and administrators here at UF/IFAS. This position is really about what we can do together to help improve the lives of all Floridians, Johnson said.

After earning a bachelors degree in urban forest management from Southern University and A&M College, and a masters degree and doctorate in forest resources from The Pennsylvania State University, Johnson worked his way up the ranks in academia to a tenured associate professor of urban forestry at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he conducted research and taught classes in urban forestry and natural resource management.

After more than a decade at Southern University, Johnson took on roles in university leadership, first as the assistant director of research and graduate research at Alcorn State University, then as Southern Universitys vice chancellor for research and technology development, and finally at Penn State as the associate director of Extension.

Johnson succeeds Nick Place, who served as UF/IFAS Extension dean from 2012 through 2020. Thomas Obreza has acted as interim dean and will return to his role as senior associate dean and associate director.

Nationwide, Extension is a partnership between state, federal and county governments to extend the scientific knowledge and expertise of land-grant universities to the public. The University of Florida, together with Florida A&M University, administers the Florida Cooperative Extension Service.

At UF, Extension is housed in the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), along with the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station.

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

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Andra Johnson Named Dean of UF/IFAS Extension and Director of Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Southeast AgNet

DUBLIN, September 06, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Global Dry Ice Market Outlook to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global dry ice market is expected to witness a significant growth rate during the forecast period. The market for dry ice is being driven by the rising demand in blast cleaning due to the ever-growing industrial sector and increasing use as a refrigerant for frozen food items, replacing water-based ice. However, the difficulty in handling the extremely cold dry ice that can cause burns and the government norms of eliminating it from food items are expected to hinder the growth of the market in the near future.

Dry ice is not only an excellent refrigerant in supermarkets and convenience stores for keeping perishable items such as seafood, meat and poultry, gourmet foods, baked goods, and dairy frozen but also a cost-effective and environmentally friendly option, making it vital in the efficient transportation of such goods during long and distance shipping.

GWP (global warming potential), an indicator of a gas' greenhouse effect, is a measure of the amount of energy absorbed by 1 ton of an emitted gas, relative to that absorbed by 1 ton of an emitted carbon dioxide (CO2).The lower the GWP value and the higher the cooling capacity, the better are the refrigerants. R744 (dry ice) is amongst the least threatening refrigerants, environmentally. Besides, it has higher cooling capacities compared to other refrigerants, making it cost-effective. The non-toxic nature and non-flammable nature add to the advantages, playing a major role in the growth of dry ice's application as a refrigerant. Dry ice, which had completely been out of the refrigerant race for over 50 years, is currently being employed as an environmentally benign, low-temperature refrigerant in supermarkets and as the low-temperature stage of large industrial freezing and cold storage systems. With the slow offset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the steady growth of dry ice as a refrigerant is imminent, as the much safer frozen food industry is expected to grow in the coming years.

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Modern-day manufacturing and processing of food involves highly complex automated machines, innovative technologies, and a safe environment. Sanitation is a vital element in food and beverage production. FDA, USDA, and EPA-approved dry ice blasting is the safest process to clean containers, mixers, conveyors, and ovens, leaving no harmful secondary waste behind. Microbial growth, lipid oxidation, physical and biochemical and enzymatic reactions are the major limiters to a food product's shelf life. Apart from sanitizing the processing equipment, dry ice also plays a significant role as a refrigerant and preservative in the food and beverage processing industry. Preserving food through non-cyclic refrigeration is, in fact, one of the most common applications of dry ice. Besides helping with the storage and shelf-life extension, dry ice is also commonly used in the packing and transportation sector of the food industry. Apart from sanitization, dry ice plays a significant role in the food and beverage processing industry as a refrigerant and preservative. Preserving food through non-cyclic refrigeration is, in fact, one of the most common applications of dry ice. Besides helping with the storage and shelf life extension, dry ice is also commonly used in the packing and transportation sector of the food industry. Food grade dry ice is a key ingredient in all the soft drinks we see, and small loose cubes of dry ice can also be used to safely chill bar beverages. The market for dry ice is likely to witness significant growth in the food and beverage processing sector during the forecast period.

The Global Dry ice Market report provides deep insight into the current and future state of the Dry ice Market across various regions. The report examines the market drivers and restraints, along with the impact of Covid-19 are influencing the market growth in detail. The study covers & includes emerging market trend, market developments, market growth opportunity, market SWOT analysis, market dynamics, dry ice market size, and challenges in the industry. This report also covers extensively researched competitive landscape sections with profiles of major companies including their market share and projects.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary

2. Research Scope and Methodology

3. Market Analysis

4. Industry Analysis

5. Market Segmentation & Forecast

6. Regional Market Analysis

7. Key Company Profiles

8. Competitive Landscape

9. Conclusions and Recommendations

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/txgo9s

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Global Dry Ice Market Outlook to 2026: Increased Demand for Blast Cleaning and Environmental Benefits of Dry Ice, Drive Market Growth -...

Recent survey by DNV and World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) reveals that circular economy is rising on corporate agendas across geographies. Despite the growing attention in the public, among legislators and companies, the shift to circular economy business models that design waste out of the system seems to progress slowly.

So far, growing stakeholder and regulatory pressures such as the EU Circular Economy Action Plan adopted in March 2020 do not seem to have impacted the transition speed significantly, says Luca Crisciotti, CEO in Supply Chain & Product Assurance in DNV. With only 5.9% of the companies indicating a leading approach coupled with the limited uptake of business model innovation, there is much left to be done before we reach a state of true circular economy required to shift from a linear take-make-waste industrial model to significantly impact our UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The ViewPoint Survey Circular Economy. How are companies transitioning shows that companies focus more on process and product innovation, such as resource recovery (30.3%) or product life extension (39.6%). Fewer have moved into more advanced business models innovations such as product as a service (17.6%) and sharing platforms (12.5%). Most companies experience cost savings (57.2%) as a main benefit, which is not surprising given the focus on existing processes and products.

While the private sectors commitment to circularity is clear, external communications for their efforts are inconsistent in scope and barometer used. As investors, customers and regulators increasingly request information on circular performance, those companies equipped to measure, monitor and improve their circularity stand to capture the most value and showcase their true leadership, says Brendan Edgerton, Circular Economy Director WBCSD.

The fact that only 24.7% determine initial level (baseline) of circularity before implementing initiatives, while 26.7% set specific goals and targets and 19.8% have identified performance indicators poses a significant barrier to progress. Identifying the successful initiatives to scale and communicating transparently on performance becomes infinitely harder without proper metrics. This is not aided by a total of 65.6% using their own circular measurement framework rather benchmarked frameworks designed by established organisations like the WBCSD and Ellen McArthur Foundation.

Customers and consumers increasingly require sustainability claims and performance to be well-founded and transparent. Results seem to indicate that performance communication and digital solution application is limited. Here we see is a huge potential to take advantage of existing solutions, building necessary stakeholder and consumer engagement and trust by combining verified metrics with blockchain-enabled track and trace applications, says Luca Crisciotti, CEO in Supply Chain & Product Assurance in DNV.

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Is the circular economy transition fast enough? - Oil and Gas Middle East

If you are a Twitch streamer looking to play Life is Strange: True Colors to your audience, perhaps you would like them to do some backseat gaming for you. Square Enix and developer Deck Nine has confirmed the game will launch alongside a Twitch Crowd Choice extension.

This extension will put decisions in the hands of the community on every major choice in the game. Streamers can choose to go with a Suggestions approach, where the community can vote for their preferred response which can be accepted or rejected. Alternatively, the Full Democracy mode puts your viewers in control of the entire story. This is what Square Enix had to say about the two:

Will you choose Full Democracy where the wisdom of the crowd automatically decides all major choices or Suggestion, where you can take the pulse of your viewers before deciding to do something completely different? Crowd Choice offers a great opportunity to replay narrative games likeLife is Strange: True Colorsin a fresh and unpredictable way.

To access this extension connect your Square Enix Members account to a supported game, likeLife is Strange: True Colors,start streaming, and turn on Crowd Choice mode from the Live Stream menu in the games Settings. You can install the extension right now by clicking HERE.

Life is Strange: True Colors is launching on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Google Stadia on 10 September 2021. A Nintendo Switch version is also scheduled for later this year.

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Life is Strange: True Colors to Receive Twitch Crowd Choice Extension | The Otaku's Study - The Otakus Study