Consider the rat — the urban sort. Then consider our health, our food, and the damage rats do to our buildings. Yet despite the considerable impact they have, there’s not much science out there. Until recently, most of the research dates back to the mid-1900’s. Now, though, rodent researchers worldwide are taking a closer look…Continue Reading Rats! the latest research comes with surprises
Wasps in winter? the IPM do-nothing approach
You might live in a row house, an apartment house, a single-family dwelling. You might have a carport or outbuildings. You might be buttoning up a concession stand for the winter and moving the picnic benches under cover for the winter. And then … you see it. Feel it. A wasp or hornet nest, up…Continue Reading Wasps in winter? the IPM do-nothing approach
How to choose a healthy, happy Christmas tree
First things first, should you have heard the sudden flurry of news about thousands of bugs infesting your Christmas tree. Not true, not true at all. Stories like this are way overblown. Here in New York, Christmas tree growers use solid IPM practices to deal with pests — and “most insects aren’t hanging around this…Continue Reading How to choose a healthy, happy Christmas tree
Gray squirrels skittering around to keep up — their pantry or yours?
PUBLISHED ON November 11, 2017 | Courtesy Paul Hetzler, CCE St. Lawrence County “Squirrels have been criticized for hiding nuts in various places for future use and then forgetting the places. Well, squirrels do not bother with minor details like that. They have other things on their mind, such as hiding more nuts where they…Continue Reading Gray squirrels skittering around to keep up — their pantry or yours?
Sandbox or Litterbox – You Decide
We don’t have to go to wild places to find wildlife. A surprisingly wide range of species can be found in our sities and towns, from familiar animals like the raccoon to more exotic ones like the mountain lion. – Roger Tory Peterson When I was younger, raccoons were my favorite animal. It was hard…Continue Reading Sandbox or Litterbox – You Decide
Pollinators, awards — and IPM
Just one short week ago, we celebrated the College of Agriculture and Life Science at Cornell University’s Outstanding Accomplishments in Extension and Outreach Award. This award honors a team effort that benefits an important segment of the population or area of the state. New York, like the rest of the world, is highly dependent on the…Continue Reading Pollinators, awards — and IPM
It’s (still) tick season — and will be evermore
Sorry to bring up a sore subject, but it’s still tick season. And will be all year round. What … during winter? Really? Yes. But for starters here’s your pop quiz: A tick’s lifespan is three months ten months twenty-four months (that is, about two years) The best way to remove a tick is to…Continue Reading It’s (still) tick season — and will be evermore
Stink Bugs and Window Weeps
After a few splendid years of low stink bug populations, we find ourselves in the midst of an epic invasion. In the past few weeks, I have captured dozens of brown marmorated stink bugs (aka BMSB), which fly from surrounding trees and perform a smack-landing onto my screen windows. I do my best to capture…Continue Reading Stink Bugs and Window Weeps
Steer Clear of Ticks and the Diseases They Carry — the IPM Way
These days if you live near anything green — a suburban development, however humble or high-class; a neighborhood park where shrubs and meadow flowers grow — best you’d read up on ticks, be they black-legged ticks (aka deer ticks) or lone-star ticks (so named for the silvery white dot on the female’s back). While you’re…Continue Reading Steer Clear of Ticks and the Diseases They Carry — the IPM Way
Lyme Disease by the Numbers
By now, you’ve heard of Lyme disease. If you’re reading this in the Northeast, chances are you’ve had Lyme disease or know someone that does. And perhaps you know that Lyme disease is a topic entrenched in scientific and political controversy in terms of accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and access to insurance. Putting these larger…Continue Reading Lyme Disease by the Numbers