Have you been startled by a flurry of little flying beasts bursting out of the container of flour or corn meal you planned to use? If so, you’ve met one of the nasty “pantry pests.” Meal moths and pantry beetles are unwanted visitors to your food and dry goods stash. They can crawl through cracks, […]
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Many people associate pesticides with those things you see at the nursery or big box stores in the gardening isle like weed killer, insecticides, and mouse traps. But there are MANY items in your home that are pesticides that you might use daily without even thinking about it. Some examples: According to the U.S. Environmental
Know What’s Lurking under the Sink? Read More »
Ticks are sucking insects that can live all year round in our mild climate. If you’re planning to do some hiking around the holidays, learn how to protect yourself from having one hitch a ride on you. If you do get bitten, here’s how to properly remove the tick. These insects are not only a
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With the first real rains of the season, weeds are sprouting all over. Since Nature doesn’t like bare soil, weeds will fill in any available space including pots, raised beds, or anywhere space and soil are available. Prevent weeds by planning ahead for new planting areas and using a combination of competitive plants, mulches, and
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Fall is a great time to spruce up your yard with some new plants. Consider adding plants that attract and support natural enemies that can help manage pest populations. And try some natives! You can introduce more biodiversity that helps your yard be more resilient to pests and diseases, while conserving water. Because they evolved
Fall is for Planting Natives! Read More »
One of the easiest insect pests to recognize is the whitefly. You might notice them sitting on the underside of an infested leaf or see them flutter off as you water or handle the plant, looking like tiny white moths. They’re easily disturbed but fly only a short distance before they quickly return to the
Are those Whiteflies? Read More »
With the cooler weather, gardening tasks may be slowing down some, but there are still plenty of things to do in the garden and landscape in the fall and winter months. Here are a few things to think about as you head into the next planting season. Follow the list to reduce future pest problems
Fall is a busy time for tree squirrels as they comb their environment for food to store for the winter. While they can be fun to watch, they can also be a real nuisance for bird feeders and the garden in general. They feed on a variety of fruits, nuts, and other crops and plants,
Squirrels making you nutty? Read More »
Just as you bite into that big, juicy apple, fresh off your tree, you catch sight of something that shouldn’t be there; that worm in the apple is no cute cartoon. Most likely it’s the larvae of the codling moth, a serious pest of apples that also attacks pears and walnuts. This insect pest can
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Seeing leaves on your fruit trees rolled up like a sandwich wrap? Could be leafrollers, a family of insects that attack the leaves of fruit trees like apples, pears, and peaches. They also target some ornamental trees like ash, poplar, and oak. Leafroller larvae feed on tender, new leaves, giving them a ragged appearance; they
What’s bugging your fruit trees? Read More »
