Each year the Robeson County Crop Promotion Association sponsors the Linwood Singletary Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is funded partially by the association and partially by the Singletary estate.

The scholarship is presented in the memory of Linwood Singletary, a prominent farmer and agribusinessman in Robeson County until his death in 1992. He established and operated Carolina Grain. The large grain elevators are still visible from Fayetteville Road although they are no longer used. The feed and supply store is still in operation under different ownership but is now located adjacent to the original store.

The recipient of this year's scholarship is Melissa Chavis, a sophomore at UNC-Pembroke majoring in Biology with a concentration in Zoology. She is a member and past president of the National Honor Society and is a member of the Health Careers Club and Gamma Beta Phi.

Last summer, Ms. Chavis worked in Tennessee as part of a United States Department of Agriculture program related to the care of large animals. She worked with veterinarians in that area to learn more about horses, swine, and cattle. She is currently working at the Pembroke Veterinary Hospital to gain even more experience with animals.

Chavis plans to continue her education at one of the Veterinarian Colleges in the south when she completes school at Pembroke. Her goal is to return to Robeson County and operate her own veterinarian hospital, specializing in large animals.

This scholarship, as well as the William Dial Memorial Scholarship which is presented each year by the Robeson County Livestock Association, is available for local youth who want to continue their education beyond high school and seek a career related to agriculture. High school seniors planning on attending college and current college students are encouraged to apply for these scholarships.

Mosquitoes have become a major problem for residents in virtually all areas of the county. Recent storms accompanied by heavy rainfall have provided ideal breeding sites for mosquitoes, and we are now paying the price.

All mosquitoes have one common requirement - they need water in order to complete their life cycle. Some mosquitoes lay individual eggs in discarded containers or in depressions in the ground that will hold water. These eggs can lay dormant for several years. Some eggs will hatch when they are flooded by rainfall, but many times, several flooding and drying cycles are required for all of the eggs to hatch that are laid by a particular female mosquito.

Other mosquitoes lay eggs directly on the surface of water. Sometimes eggs are attached to each other to form a raft, and other times, individual eggs float on top of the water. These eggs hatch in 24 - 48 hours releasing larvae that are commonly called "wrigglers," because they can be seen wriggling up and down in the water.

Generally, larvae feed on microorganisms and organic material in the water, but certain species of mosquitoes prey on the larvae of other mosquitoes. When this happens, these mosquitoes are considered to be beneficial.

About 7 - 10 days after the eggs hatch, larvae change to the pupal or "tumbler" stage in preparation for adult life. Several days after emerging from water, female mosquitoes begin to seek an animal to feed on. They need a blood meal in order to reproduce. Male mosquitoes mate with females 1 - 2 days after the females emerge. Males do not bite, but they do feed on plant juices.

Most people calling our office are requesting assistance with their mosquito problems. Although mosquito spray programs offer temporary results in relatively small areas, like urban subdivisions, they are almost totally ineffective in large rural areas with an abundance of plant growth and standing water. In addition, the cost of treating large areas would be extremely expensive.

Although it will be virtually impossible to eliminate all mosquitoes from a neighborhood, the most effective strategy is to do everything possible to eliminate breeding sites. Clogged drainage ditches along roads should be opened up since they can become productive mosquito breeding sites. Around the home, natural tree holes and man-made objects, such as birdbaths, boats, canoes, discarded tires, and plant pots, collect rainwater and allow mosquitoes to breed literally right in our own backyard. Stagnant water in unused swimming pools becomes an ideal breeding site.

Homeowners can easily treat small areas, such as garden pools, drainage ditches, and small bodies of water, using products formulated as "donuts" ("dunks") or as granules that contain the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis or "Bti." This bacterium kills mosquitoes but does not harm fish, birds, or other wildlife. The "dunk" versions are well suited for small breeding sites and will control mosquito larvae for about 30 days.

For the time being, the best strategy is to remain indoors. If you or your children must be outdoors where mosquitoes may be a nuisance, insect repellants containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) may be used. Repeated use of repellents over a short period of time is not recommended, especially for children and pregnant women.

For more information about mosquito control.

E-mail address: Everett_Davis@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 10/15/08