2020 is proving to be a…ahem…wild year. The unusual, big eyed creatures we know as the PERIODICAL CICADA or CYCLICAL CICADA–particularly those known as Brood IX by U.S. Entomologists–made their debut in the late spring of 2020. Male cicadas make a lot of noise to attract a mate and in big brood years, that can…Continue Reading CICADAS and CICADA KILLERS… subtitled… “Is This A Murder Hornet?”
Announcing Updates to the Northeastern IPM Best Management Practices for Schools Website
northeastipm.org/schools// northeastipm.org/schools// Back in 2013, the Northeast School IPM Working Group (NESIWG) received a Partnership Grant from the Northeastern IPM Center to develop a Best Management Practices (BMP) website. Reducing pest and pesticide exposure is important for children, just as it is for district staff and visitors. But schools are especially challenging to manage because…Continue Reading Announcing Updates to the Northeastern IPM Best Management Practices for Schools Website
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
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
Dandelions? Wasps? Mice? For Every Season There Is a Purpose (But It’s Not Always Obvious)
It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want — oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! — Mark Twain For IPMers who answer homeowner questions, what many people want…Continue Reading Dandelions? Wasps? Mice? For Every Season There Is a Purpose (But It’s Not Always Obvious)
pollination potpourri: wasps, moths, flies, beetles, and oh yes … bees
Let’s start with a short pre-blog quiz: which of these native insects pollinate plants? bees moths beetles all of the above — plus flies, wasps, butterflies, moths The answer? #4. If you left out flies and wasps because they freak you out … well, just know there’s scads of different wasps and flies — not…Continue Reading pollination potpourri: wasps, moths, flies, beetles, and oh yes … bees
Inspect for Wasps and Avoid the Sting
Yellowjackets, bald-faced hornets and paper wasps are stinging insects that nest on or near structures. While colony sizes start small, the population of stinging insects in nests grows over time and can result in hundreds to thousands of individuals in the case of yellowjackets. Whereas management of large nests requires the assistance of a professional,…Continue Reading Inspect for Wasps and Avoid the Sting
Critters Can Do — Match the Pest and What It Does
Match the critter to what it does — or in one case, what natural force could kill it. (Answer key below.) critter can do mouse 1 eats pests of crops or pollinates them — or both cockroach 2 emerges from cocoon when it feels vibration of approaching host aphid 3 makes tunnels within leaves flea…Continue Reading Critters Can Do — Match the Pest and What It Does
Review Your Balance Sheet (aka Better Late Than … )
… Never. This post was slated to go live the same day Uncle Sam started surcharging tardy tax returns. Then — human error took over. You don’t have to step back in time, though, for this post to help you — it’s as relevant now as it was on April 15. And it’ll stay…Continue Reading Review Your Balance Sheet (aka Better Late Than … )