Agriculture and Natural Resource
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Black Bear Mange in Virginia
Black bear sightings and human encounters are on the rise across Virginia. To better understand bear populations and the spread of sarcoptic mange, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is asking for your help.
Mange is a contagious skin disease affecting Virginia’s black bears, caused primarily by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei. It leads to intense itching, hair loss, and skin damage, and can severely impact bear health. The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is actively monitoring mange cases, researching its spread, and promoting public awareness. Residents can help prevent transmission by avoiding wildlife feeding and securing trash. Mange can also affect humans and pets through direct contact. Your reports will support long-term efforts to monitor and manage black bears statewide.
If you see a bear with mange, report it to the Wildlife Conflict Helpline at (855) 571-9003.
For more info on mange, see the DWR brochure. (link to PDF brochure attached)
The services available through this office include:
Homeowners and farmers can submit insect samples for identification by bringing a live or dead insect sample (well preserved) to the Chesapeake Extension Office. Bring sample in a zip lock plastic bag. Master Gardener volunteers or Extension Agents will try to identify and make a recommendation if insect is a pest. If we are not able to identify, we will mail your insect sample to the Insect ID lab at Virginia Tech. You should have an answer in about 10-days.
Homeowners and farmers can submit plant samples for disease identification by bringing a plant sample with root intact in a ziplock bag with one pint of moist soil to the Chesapeake Extension Office. If Extension Agents or Master Gardeners are not available or able to identify disease, we will mail to the Plant Disease Laboratory at Virginia Tech. You should have an answer in about 10-days.
Homeowners and farmers can submit weed samples for identification by bringing freshly dug weed with root wrapped in a moist paper towel inside a ziplock bag to the Chesapeake Extension Office. If Extension Agents or Master Gardeners are not available or able to identify weed, we will mail to the Weed ID Laboratory at Virginia Tech. You should have an answer in about 10-days.
Homeowners and farmers can submit soil samples to the Soil Testing Laboratory at Virginia Tech by picking up soil sample boxes at the Chesapeake Extension Office. We will provide you with the application form and instructions for taking the soil sample and mailing to the lab. A report will be mailed to you from the Soil Testing Lab with recommendations for the plant/crop you plan to grow. Soil samples generally take two weeks to receive a report back in the mail.
Forage producers and livestock and horse owners may submit hay or silage samples for nutritional analysis or mold counts. We recommend using Cumberland Valley Analytical Services, Inc. in Hagerstown, MD. Chesapeake Extension Office has the forms and plastic bags necessary for submitting samples by mail. The lab charges a reasonable fee for this service.
Livestock and horse owners may submit hay samples for determining levels of endophyte fungus in fescue samples. Brood mares in their last trimester of pregnancy are at most risk for this endophyte fungus. We recommend using the School of Veterinary Medicine at University of Missouri or Auburn Fescue Laboratory at Auburn University. These labs run analysis for the ergovaline toxin produced by the endophyte fungus. The endophyte does not always produce a toxic concentration of the toxin. Contact Chesapeake Extension Office for details.
Livestock owners may submit feed or forage samples to the VA-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech. The Toxicology Laboratory has the capability to conduct analyses for heavy metals, minerals (deficiencies and poisonings), Vitamins A and E, pesticides, rodenticides, mycotoxins, nitrate, and cyanide. The majority of samples submitted to the laboratory deal with forage and feed analyses for mycotoxins, nitrate, and cyanide. Mycotoxins are typically not a problem in hay or haylage. Individuals unsure of the appropriateness of a sample should contact the toxicologist before sending the sample (540)231-4587. A representative sample of at least one pound is adequate for feed and forage tests. A history, including feed type, type of animals, and clinical signs should be submitted with each sample. Sample bags and forms are available at the Chesapeake Extension Office.