The Georgia Poison Control Center said it got sixteen calls about black widow spider bites in October. But there were probably many more people bitten because we put our hands and fingers in the wrong places. Will Hudson, an entomologist with the University of Georgia Extension Service, says the warmer the weather the more active the spiders, since the insects are cold blooded. He adds black widow spiders are not hiding in the dark waiting on someone to attack. "They really almost have to be cornered in order to bite a human. They'll try to get away but they're not very agile either, so they're not going to run back into the woodpile very fast," says Will Hudson with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, who adds black widow spiders can live almost anywhere: in woods, bricks, or flower pots. To protect yourself, wear gloves this winter when you go to a woodpile to bring in fire wood, or work with flower pots or bricks. Even light weight cotton gloves are thick enough to keep the jaws of a black widow spider from getting through and giving you a bite you will remember a long time John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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In October, several university scientists were invited by government leaders to come to the Democratic Peoples Republic of North Korea. The trip was part of an agricultural exchange between North Korea and the University of Georgia. Around two years ago scientists from North Korea visited the university. Dr. Gale Buchanan, Dean and Director of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, who led the college delegation, says during the four days they were in North Korea, they discussed agricultural issues both countries have in common. "But it was a very productive discussion in talking about areas in which we have some mutual interest, focusing on crops and commodities that are particularly important to them, namely poultry and sweet potatoes and white potatoes," says Dr. Gale Buchanan with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, who adds the discussions with the North Koreans were positive, and the scientists are hopeful the dialogue will continue. Before leaving, Buchanan and the other ag scientists extended an invitation to North Korean scientists to make another trip to the University of Georgia in the spring of 2001. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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With drought conditions holding tight during the fall, Georgians are hoping the rains will return this winter, along with a normal weather pattern. David Stooksbury, the state climatologist and professor of engineering at the University of Georgia, says the state will not be under the effects of La Nina or El Nino this winter. So it's hard to get an accurate picture on what to expect from the weather this winter. "We don't have a good indication of what to expect. This winter therefore could be below normal, it could be near normal, or it could be above normal precipitation wise and the same holds true for the temperature," says David Stooksbury with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, who believes the state has now returned to a more normal climate pattern, with greater year to year variability. This means the state should experience more years in the future that are extremely wet, and more years that are extremely dry. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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Rains that fell over Georgia back in September kept harvesters out of the fields, and reduced the quality of the crop. But the rains moved out in late-September and dry, open weather returned and stayed around thru October and early November. Steve Brown, an agronomist with the University of Georgia Extension Service, says the sunny, dry weather provided a needed lift to the crop. "The cotton that's opened a little later since the 20th or so of September, that cotton has opened under perfect conditions and it is much brighter, much whiter, color is much better and so our grades have improved significantly since what we harvested the latter part of September," says Steve Brown with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. As of mid-November 80 percent of Georgia's cotton crop has been harvested. Farmers that still have cotton in the fields should get it harvested as soon as possible, since a cold snap with frost could reduce the quality of cotton that has not been harvested. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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Many of the state's cattlemen have used whole cottonseed as a feed source for their cows. Since the late-‘90s university scientists have been conducting research with cottonseeds treated with corn starch before they are fed to cattle. John Bernard, a scientist with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, says the treated cottonseed is easier to handle. "Whereby you take corn starch and cook it and then spray it on the seed and dry it back down and that process basically causes the lent to stick to the seed coat, and when that happens the product then is very flowable, handles more like corn," says John Bernard with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Results from the research has shown cottonseed treated with corn starch could improve milk production. Bernard plans more research looking for several additives they can put in that coating that will increase the digestibility of the starch. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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