Planning on pesto? Basil downy mildew can leave you with a pot of pasta and no sauce – and we have had reports of it in NY already this summer. Basil downy mildew is a disease that can survive on the seed and infect the plant as soon as it germinates. It can also travel…Continue Reading Bad news for basil
Paper Wasps: Friend or Foe?
Paper wasps are social, stinging insects that build open-comb nests. These nests are often found on the protected undersides of natural or man-made overhangs. Soft-bodied insects, nectar, and honeydew are important food sources for paper wasps. These insects can be a public health concern when they nest near human activity because of their potent sting….Continue Reading Paper Wasps: Friend or Foe?
Get Rid of Carpenter Bees? Yes, Please!
Carpenter bees are common spring and summer insects in the eastern United States. They first come to attention when males “buzz” or “dive bomb” people passing by and females are seen excavating holes in wooden structures. Like carpenter ants, carpenter bees do not eat wood, but rather use the substrate for nesting. They are important…Continue Reading Get Rid of Carpenter Bees? Yes, Please!
The Wannabe Bees
Who wants to be a bee? I don’t claim to know the deepest desires of insects that visit our gardens and farms, except that they want to survive, eat and reproduce. So why do so many mimic other insects that are dangerous, such as yellowjackets? The black and yellow stripes of a typical yellowjacket are easily…Continue Reading The Wannabe Bees
Fruit Flies of a Different (eye) Color
A common pest in homes is the red-eyed fruit fly: Drosophila melanogaster. Famous for use in genetic studies, and infamous for emerging from store-bought bananas, management of this fly rarely requires more than discarding infested items outside of the home. Management of this fly’s cousin, the dark-eyed fruit fly (Drosophila repleta), also requires elimination of…Continue Reading Fruit Flies of a Different (eye) Color
NYS IPM Program Participates in Forthcoming Launch of a Statewide School Environmental Health Program
On June 18, NYS IPM Program staff met with a diverse group of people and organizations to develop a comprehensive effort to ensure that every child and school employee in the state have safe and healthy learning and working environments. The last of four meetings over a two-year period, the interaction was organized by the…Continue Reading NYS IPM Program Participates in Forthcoming Launch of a Statewide School Environmental Health Program
Don’t Let Carpenter Ants Renovate Your Home!
Carpenter ants are the most common ant pest found in the Northeastern United States. They cause structural damage when they excavate wood for nest sites. Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not eat wood, but rather scavenge on dead insects and collect sugary secretions (“honeydew”) produced by other insects such as aphids. Carpenter ants are a…Continue Reading Don’t Let Carpenter Ants Renovate Your Home!
Pest-Strips: A Kitchen No-No!
Beginning in about the year 2000, nearly all organophosphate pesticides became unavailable for use in homes. This was done primarily to limit exposure of children to active ingredients that negatively affect their health and development. Despite this extensive cancellation of organophosphates for structural pest management, one holdover active ingredient from that era remains today: dichlorvos…Continue Reading Pest-Strips: A Kitchen No-No!
Lawn IPM – Preparing for Summer
“Sopping, and with no sign of stopping, either- then a breather. Warm again, storm again- what is the norm, again? It’s fine, it’s not, it’s suddenly hot: Boom, crash, lightning flash!” – ― Old Farmer’s Almanac What a spring it has been. After a spring drought, the grass is now recovering (or finally coming out…Continue Reading Lawn IPM – Preparing for Summer
Black Widow Spiders – Not Just a Southern Thang!
Every so often the local news reports that a dangerous spider was found in supermarket-bought fruits, such as grapes and bananas from South America. Black widow spiders have appeared in the Northern part of the United States where, presumably, these spiders do not belong! And it’s newsworthy. What many people do not know is that…Continue Reading Black Widow Spiders – Not Just a Southern Thang!