Posts Tagged ‘Insects’

Boxelder Bugs - Adult and Nymph Stages

I’m sure you have seen these little critters around your house this time of year. They certainly are considered a nuisance climbing around inside and outside of your home looking for places to overwinter.

These little cuties feed primarily on boxelder trees, but will also feed on maple, ash, cherry, apple, grape, peach and strawberries.

There are two generations of Boxelder bugs per year — the 2nd generation of adults overwinter in protected sites. Which is why in the fall they search for sheltered places, such as between walls or indoors. You will see them again in the spring when they return to trees to feed and lay eggs. On a warm, sunny fall day, Boxelder bugs can be seen in huge numbers on south- and west-facing walls of your house.

The good news is, they do not reproduce or feed indoors; although, they can leave excretal trails that stain curtains, fabric, and walls. If you are fed up with these fall visitors, suck them up with a vacuum cleaner but do not crush them–they will stain surfaces.

Walkabout to Talk About Urban Forests with Tree Expert R. Bruce Allison

Madison arborist and author R. Bruce Allison will lead an hour-long walkabout through the natural areas at Troy Gardens on Sunday, October 3 at 10:00 a.m. Dr. Allison will share tree stories, encourage stewardship of natural resources and discuss threats to our forests such as Emerald Ash borer (EAB). Emerald Ash Borer is a deadly pest insect affecting all ash trees and is moving toward our area. Homeowners and community members are encouraged to learn about trees, support urban forests and discuss EAB strategies.

Dr. Allison holds a master’s of science in forestry and a PhD in land resources from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the author of several books and articles about trees, the most recent being a revision of “Wisconsin’s Champion Trees: A Tree Hunter’s Guide” and “Every Root an Anchor: Wisconsin’s Famous and Historic Trees.”

Please gather at the yellow shed at Troy Gardens, along the 500 block of Troy Drive.  All ages are welcome. Coffee and treats will be provided.

The Troy Gardens Walkabout is sponsored by Community GroundWorks and is funded in part by an urban forestry grant from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forestry Program.

For further information, visit http://www.communitygroundworks.org/

About Community GroundWorks, Inc.

Community GroundWorks is a nonprofit organization that connects diverse communities to nature and local, healthful food. Through hands-on education, children and adults learn gardening, urban farming, healthy eating, and natural areas restoration. Organized in 2001 as The Friends of Troy Gardens―in Madison, Wisconsin―Community GroundWorks serves communities and schools across the region. For more information, visit www.communitygroundworks.org or call (608) 240-0409.

Where: West Madison Agricultural Trial Gardens on Mineral Point Road (just past Steve’s Liquor and the cemetery) on the right.

When: Tuesday, July 13th at 6:30 p.m.

WEST MADISON, Wis.

An evening garden walk focusing on the insects lurking your backyard will be held at 6:30 p.m. on July 13 at the West Madison Agricultural Research Station. Come learn about common insects and how to deal with the pests your yard or garden. If you have questions about an unknown bug, this is your chance to bring a critter in and have an entomologist help you identify it! This tour will be led by Extension Specialist in Entomology Phil Pellitteri, and is open to the public (donation requested). For complete details about this and other garden walks, please visit www.cals.wisc.edu/westmad/garden/.

Check out these dates for some nature walks at the Benedictine Life Foundation at Holy Wisdom Monastery (see dates, times and location below).

This evening, Tuesday, June 1, 2010, will be the first in a series of nature walks for all ages at Holy Wisdom Monastery led by conservation biologist Susan Foote-Martin and other guest guides.

Come for one or more of the walks. The first walk will focus on invasive species. Future walks include:

Invasive Species: Susan Foote-Martin on Tuesday, June 1

Kid’s Walk: Frogs, Bugs and More on July 13

Prairies in Bloom on August 17;

Indian Mounds, Geology and History on September 7

Fall is in the Air on October 5.

The walks begin at 6:00pm and finish by 7:30pm. Meet at the new monastery building entrance, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, to begin the walk. Walks are canceled in the event of heavy of heavy rain or dangerous weather.

For more information, click here to download a flyer or contact jlottig@benedictinewomen.org, or (608) 836-1631, ext. 123. There are no costs for these walks, but donations are always welcome.

Keep your eyes open for the European Pine Sawfly—The European pine sawfly (EPS), Neodiprion sertifer, is a common sight on certain pines in the spring in Wisconsin.  It is a very small greenish-gray worm, somewhat hard to see, but very quick to denude your plant.  Check your Mugo pines, especially.  If found, you can treat by mid to late May with liquid Sevin, or horticultural oils and  soaps that effectively control the soft-bodied sawfly larvae, or call a professional like us.