Asian Wooly Hackberry Aphids were accidentally brought into the United States around 2002 and have moved from California into Tennessee over the last 12 years. These chewing / sucking insects occur on hackberry, sugar berry trees and sometimes crepe myrtles – all common landscape and forest trees in Tennessee.
 
The insects are only 2 to 2.3 mm long, but shed large amounts of a bluish/white wax.  This give the illusion of ash in the air as it falls to the ground.

These aphids also produce large amounts of sticky “honeydew”. The tiny drops fall on leaves or anything below – outdoor furniture, cars, sidewalks, etc. Sooty mold fungi will then begin to grow on the sticky film. Leaves and bark will turn black. Leaves are not killed, but their ability to photosynthesis is reduced which add to tree stress if other negative conditions are present (drought, other insects, disease etc.)

2013 seems to be a banner year for these critters. Weather conditions have had a lot to do with it.  We can’t do anything about the aphids this year because the leaves will soon fall on
their own but if you want to avoid an infestation next year, there are some preventative steps you can take:
It’s next to impossible to spray a tree for insects since obtaining good coverage is difficult in the tall canopies.  However, there is an option for control: in late winter to early spring, drench the base of your tree(s) with Iimidacloprid (name brands: Merit or Bayer Advanced Tree & Shrub Insect Control).  The systemic insecticide will move up into the plant and to the leaves. Aphids are chewing / sucking insects and will ingest the control.

Imitacloprid is not considered toxic to bees or birds when used as a systemic treatment on non-flowering or fruiting trees.  Tests show the effect is negligible when used as a systemic treatment on flowering trees but long term implications are not conclusive.  Imitacloprid can also be used as a foliar spray, but the effect on pollinators if used on trees/shrubs when they are in flower could be toxic. (Cornell.edu). Treatment in early spring, just as leaves are appearing, before any flowering or fruiting takes place, seems to be the optimum time.

As always, when using any chemical treatment, follow label directions and use appropriate safety precautions.

For more information go to this Extension link: http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/trees/asian_hackberry.htm

blog entry by Linda Lindquist, CMG
sources: UT Extension / Dr. Frank A. Hale/ Cornell University Extension / University of Florida Extension
photos: Steve Wilson and L.J. Bass, University of Florida

You might become concerned, or possibly even grossed out, if you discover "large maggots" thriving in your compost pile. But, don't worry, you're just reaping the benefits of a valuable decomposer of organic matter, Soldier Fly larvae (or Black Soldier Fly larvae).
Soldier Fly larvae are about an inch long and are white-ish to dark brown in color. They are typically very active in the compost pile and thrive on moist nitrogen-rich materials such as vegetable and fruit scraps. If you have a large number of Soldier Fly larvae in your compost, listen closely and you can hear the chorus of their collective "munching".

The Soldier Fly larvae are harmless in your compost pile; again, they are very beneficial in turning organic matter into "black gold" compost that you can use in your garden or landscape. Plus, the mature Soldier Fly will NOT be a pest or nuisance to you. Soldier Flies look like a small wasp, only live a couple of days, do NOT bite or sting, and do not carry disease; it's likely that you will never notice them.

To read more about the Soldier Fly and Solider Fly larvae, see this article by Carol Savonen, from the Oregon State University Extension web site.

blog entry by Mark Murphy, CMG
photo by Reggie Reeves, CMG

At this month’s meeting of our local Master Gardener Association, we were fortunate to have George Bennett, proprietor of Bennett’s Nursery in Huntsville, Alabama, as our guest speaker. Mr. Bennett kindly shared some of his extensive knowledge of gardening, landscaping, and plants with our members; telling some great stories and also taking questions during his presentation.

Of the many plants reviewed, it caught my attention when Mr. Bennett shared his personal experience with Catmint (Nepeta)
as an effective deer repellent. In one of his large landscape beds that featured many roses and other plants that were often “grazed to the ground” by deer, Mr. Bennett reported that the deer no longer visited that area after he established the Catmint at various locations in the planting. The University of Vermont Extension reports similar findings… “Deer rely on their fine sense of smell as an early warning system of approaching danger. Mess
with this, using aromatic plants, and deer tend to stay clear. Some such fragrant plants that generally deter deer include catmint, chives, lavender, mint, sage, and thyme. Some gardeners plant these among more favored deer plants.”

Catmint is a perennial herb that is hardy in zones 3 through 8. Nepeta X faassenii is a hybrid variety with sterile flowers, so it will not self-sow and invade garden spaces. Several cultivars are available, ranging in heights from 1 to 6 feet. Mr. Bennett grows Catmint ‘Walkers Low’, which typically reaches 2 to 3 feet tall and blooms with small “lavender purple” flowers in mid-summer. This plant was named the 2007 Perennial of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association.

If you’ve been looking for a way to deter or repel deer from some of your prized garden or landscape areas, Catmint might be your herbal remedy.

Garden on!

blog entry by Mark Murphy, CMG
Photo courtesy of Colorado State University.
sources: Choosing Deer-resistant Landscape Plants, Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension Professor, University of Vermont. Catmint, National Gardening Association plant care guides. Catmint ‘Walker’s Low’ Named 2007 Perennial of the Year, Purdue University Yard & Garden News.
 

It never fails, as my last few tomatoes are slowly ripening on my counter, I will inadvertently have tiny fruit flies in my kitchen at some point.  So, as I was setting out my home-made remedy to catch the little critters this morning, I thought maybe I am not the only one to have this happen and that you might be interested in trying this too.  So, here is the recipe:

When people see a snake the first question they ask is 'Is it poisonous?'   Of the 44 species and sub-species of snakes in Tennessee, only five are venomous.  The five venomous snakes are two kinds of rattlesnakes, two kinds of copperheads and one cottonmouth. 

How do you know if it is a venomous snake?  All of Tennessee's venomous snakes are part of the pit viper family and can be easily identified by the following traits they all share:
->  Their head shape is triangular as compared to a more oval head in the non-venomous snake.
->  They have an elliptical pupil (like a cat) and a non-venomous one has a round one (button eyes).
->  They have a heat-sensing pit between the eyes and the nostrils, non-venomous snakes do not have a pit.  

Areas around your home that are considered attractive for snakes are:

• Firewood stacked directly on the ground or old lumber piles
• Junk piles
• Flower beds with heavy mulch and shrubbery growing alongside the house
  
• Gardens
  
• Basements, especially when cluttered with household items
• Barn lofts, especially where feed is stored, attracting rodents
• Attics in houses where there is a bird, rodent or bat problem
• Stream and pond banks
• Unmowed lawns and abandoned lots and fields

Source:  Tennessee Herpetological Society, "Snakes of Tennessee." www.tennsnakes.org
               UT Extension Publication: Tennessee Snakes and Their Control SP293E

By: Sabine Ehlers, CMG

First, let me promise you that I am not trying to turn this forum into a “spider blog”. However, just days after my last post, Jack Frost and the Writing Spider, I noticed this unusual (to me) green spider perched atop the leaf of a small fig tree that I planted earlier this year. With my curiosity peaked, I had to do some further
investigation, and discovered that this is a Green Lynx Spider (Peucetia viridans).

I found these facts about the Green Lynx Spider to be most interesting:
* The Green Lynx Spider is found throughout the southern United States, and is the largest lynx spider in North
America.
* It will aggressively attack prey, including bees! ... but rarely bites humans.
* Lynx spiders are an important predator of crop damaging insects. However, they also prey on other beneficial insects, including honeybees and wasps.
* They do not use a web to catch prey, preferring to move with swift precision by running and jumping across plants.

Green is my favorite color, so I really enjoyed viewing this spider. However, after getting really close to make some of the photos, I was relieved that it did not startle me with its ability to use “quick darting movements and sudden leaps”.

Garden on…

The Green Lynx Spider is a master of camouflage; can you spot her in the photo below?...

For many months, I’ve enjoyed trips to the garden to check on the colorful Writing Spider (Argiope aurantia) that made its home in the center of my compost bins. “Black and Yellow Garden Spider” is another common name, but "Writing Spider" always stuck with me because of the large zigzag or x-shaped pattern in the center of the web.

These spiders can be somewhat threatening looking, with their large bodies and pointed black legs. But, they are not harmful to (or aggressive toward) humans. In fact, the female is typically very easy to observe because she will stay motionless for long periods of time, facing head-down in the center of the web, waiting for the next meal (insect) to be snared in its web.

Unfortunately, the days are numbered for enjoying these beautiful creatures this year, as the arrival of frost signals their demise. But, the Writing Spider usually has 1,000+ offspring that can emerge the following spring; so maybe I will see a few of the “kids” next year.

Here are a few more interesting tidbits about Argiope aurantia:
* The female spends several hours consuming and then rebuilding its web every night.
* Spider’s silk is the strongest known fiber.
* The female Writing Spider is much larger (up to 3x) than the male.
* Writing Spiders are found throughout the USA (though not common in the Rocky Mountain range).
* They prefer sunny locations, often building their web between tall flowers or shrubs.
* Argiope is an orb-weaver, spinning large and intricate webs.

Blog entry and photos by Mark Murphy, CMG
source:The Biogeography of the Writing Spider, San Francisco State University, Charlotte Ely (student), edited by Barbara Holzman, PhD

The photo below was taken 9-1-2012; which was the only time I found the Writing Spider away from its usual "hangout" at the center of the web.

There are many beneficial insects to be found in a healthy garden, and it’s best to let them go about their business. But, when you’ve identified an insect pest that’s damaging your garden, removing it “by hand”can sometimes be an effective control. However, if you’ve tried to snag a bug or two, you know how elusive they can be.

Many bugs have a “stop, drop, and roll” defense mechanism, and they will fall off of the plant as you reach for them; and once they’re down in the interior of the plant or on the ground, they’ve escaped your grasp. You can use that natural behavior of the bug to your advantage, with a simple homemade bug catcher… what I like to call the Bug Catch-o-matic.

To make this simple “trap”, all you need is a milk jug (or similar plastic container), the plastic bag that you carried the milk home in (or similar), and a rubber band.

Step 1:  Cut the plastic container in half, just below the handle. As an option, you could just cut the bottom off of the jug if you want to have a deep catcher. However, I find that it’s easier to maneuver the bug catcher if it’s smaller.

Step 2: I like to trim the handles off of the plastic bag, so it’s a more uniform length.


Step 3: Remove the cap from the plastic jug (if it’s not already gone).

Step 4: Turn the jug upside-down, and use a rubber band to attach the opening of the plastic bag to the bottom of the jug (where the cap was).

That’s it! The plastic jug serves as a “bug funnel” with a convenient handle. Just position the Catch-o-matic under the
bug(s) you want to trap, give the stem a shake, and the bugs will usually fall in on their own. You can stroll through the garden and catch a sack full of pests, and simply discard the bag when you’re done. Reload your Bug Catch-o-matic with an empty bag, and you can reuse it as needed.

blog entry and photos by Mark Murphy, CMG

Inevitably with the warmer weather, we will see more and more critters with four, six, eight or even more legs in our gardens.  But wait!  Not all of them are bad!  Some insects and other animals are actually beneficial for your garden.  Some of them for example pollinate blossoms to help plants to grow fruits, seeds, and vegetables.  Some improve the soil by burrowing through the surface layers and others feed on pest insects or dead plant material that may become a threat to your plants. 

So before you go through the trouble and expense of trying to get rid of all the critters in your gardens, let’s take a look at some beneficials that we definitely want to make welcome in our gardens and hope they come back next year too.  Here are some that will help you to keep the bad ones in check: