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
In praise of messiness
PUBLISHED ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2017 | Courtesy Paul Hetzler, CCE St. Lawrence County KEMPTVILLE, ONTARIO. — On my twice-monthly drive on Highway 416 between Prescott and Ottawa, I pass the sign for Kemptville, a town of about 3,500 which lies roughly 40 km north of the St. Lawrence. It has a rich history, and no…Continue Reading In praise of messiness
It’s Hay Fever Season — and the Culprit Unmasked
[OK … so this isn’t strictly IPM. But it does shed light on a glorious native plant that gets a bad rap for making the allergy-prone among us miserable — and its weedy relative, found in city and country alike, that’s to blame. An IPM solution? Prevention, for one — education about weeding weedy city…Continue Reading It’s Hay Fever Season — and the Culprit Unmasked
35,500 western bean cutworms later, it’s a record year for IPM in corn
Got a sweet tooth for sweetcorn? You’re in good company. So should you hear rumors on the wind about wormy sweetcorn — or field corn or dry beans (the kind you put in your soup kettle) and you’re curious about what’s behind them, here’s the scoop: The western bean cutworm (just call it “WBC”), a…Continue Reading 35,500 western bean cutworms later, it’s a record year for IPM in corn
Getting ticked? Bummed about Lyme disease? You’re not alone
An NYS IPM Your NEWA Blog entry dropped into my inbox a couple of days ago — and since the entire conversation on my bus ride into work today was about ticks, a topic no one seemed to tire of, I just had to borrow from it for this post. Here’s how it begins: “Getting…Continue Reading Getting ticked? Bummed about Lyme disease? You’re not alone
Of pollinators and postage stamps — forever
Protect Pollinators. With these new Forever stamps, released on August 2nd, It’s all about the bees and the butterflies. Here, the monarch butterfly and western honey bee symbolize the thousands (yes, thousands) of native bees, hover and flower flies, beetles, wasps, butterflies, and moths at work throughout the Northeast, and across the continent on behalf…Continue Reading Of pollinators and postage stamps — forever
Invasives IPM Update: ALB and oak wilt stand-ins
Back in mid-July, during Invasive Species Awareness Species Week, we wrote a post using asian longhorns beetle (ALB) and oak wilt as stand-ins for the multitude of invasive species already here or knocking at our doorstep. And we promised we’d tell you what to do should you suspect these two big-time baddies might be in…Continue Reading Invasives IPM Update: ALB and oak wilt stand-ins
Abandoned fields: Weedy disaster or IPM opportunity?
Farmers across New York have been struggling with the overabundance of rain this year — meaning that some cornfields never got planted. The result? Weeds have really taken off. So what? If there’s no crop for weeds to compete with, what’s the danger? Weeds make seeds, lots of seeds, which could cause a disaster in…Continue Reading Abandoned fields: Weedy disaster or IPM opportunity?
Ants in your house? Throw them a party!
Not fond of ants in the kitchen? You are not alone. And even after you’ve cleaned them up, washed the countertop, swept away the crumbs and taken out the garbage — they just keep coming, looking for more. It’s this time of year when ants invade homes looking for food, water and shelter. Where are…Continue Reading Ants in your house? Throw them a party!