Now that fall has arrived many people have begun collecting next year’s firewood and clearing their yards of brush and downed trees. This can be a great way to both tidy up your property and save some money but there are a few pitfalls to avoid. Already dead trees or dropped limbs can make easy…Read more about Spotted Lanternfly: Another Reason Not to Move Firewood.[Read More]

Wandering fall caterpillars promise the presence of pollinators, bird food, and flashes of fluttering color in your yard next spring, but overly enthusiastic yard cleanup can make you lose out on these benefits. These insects can provide your spring plants with pollination and migratory birds with a snack. You can help them by changing the…Read more about Hidden in the Leaf Pile: Luna moths, woolly bears, and swallowtails all need a safe place to “hibernate”[Read More]

The entire Midwest just experienced one the worst fall armyworm (Fig. 1) outbreaks in decades, but for turfgrass professionals and enthusiasts, it’s not over yet. These seasonal, but sporadic insects made their appearance at the end of August, decimating lawns and other managed turfgrass. But, now that the damage is done, our focus shifts from…Read more about Fall Armyworms: What next?[Read More]

Bright yellow or orange aphids covering a milkweed plant may look shocking, but they usually aren’t a cause for concern. These aphids become more noticeable in late summer or when plants are stressed. Some may find them unsightly, but, for the most part, they cause little to no harm to plants or beneficial insects on…Read more about Milkweed aphids are out in force this year! Should you try to manage them?[Read More]

Mimosa and fall webworms are especially abundant this year. Avoid problems on affected trees by planning for early season management next year.

Dead leaves covering trees (image 1) or on the ground beneath them (image 2) in July would normally be a worrying sign for tree health, but this year much of the damage can be blamed on 17-year cicadas. This damage is unlikely to cause serious trouble for healthy, large trees and management is relatively simple….Read more about Unexpected Dead Leaves? They might be the last sign of the 17-year cicada[Read More]

Whether it be a hail storm, late frost, or an early season pest, springtime is when Mother Nature tests the patience of even the most experienced gardeners. While many gardeners have learned the hard way not to plant during a warm spell two weeks before the frost-free date, many more are unable to resist the…Read more about Prevent Summer Pests With A Dose of Patience[Read More]

Are small, round holes appearing on your porch? Picnic tables? Fence posts? You may have carpenter bees!

Learn how to use and contribute to new tools that will help you better time pest control.

This past February was among the coldest and snowiest we had since 2014. Yet despite our discomfort, it won’t be an issue for most insect pests that attack landscape plants. Most species regularly survive winters that are far colder. Indeed, the snow cover probably protected many insects from freezing in this year’s winter weather. Insects…Read more about Will the February Freeze Kill This Summer’s Pests?[Read More]

If you notice insects in your house a few days after bringing in a load of firewood or setting up your Christmas tree, you may have picked up an insect hitchhiker. Don’t worry! These bugs are rare and almost always harmless. Learn how to deal with them here!

Drive out insect intruders before they drive you crazy.

As the fall weather starts you might be tempted to put away your bugspray along with your shorts and flipflops but hold up! You still might need it. Some ticks may still be active well into the fall and even in the winter. These tiny animals are more than just a nuisance. They often carry…Read more about The Cold Never Bothered Ticks Anyway (well, kinda)[Read More]

Most experienced gardeners will tell you that removing the dead foliage and stems of perennials and annuals in the fall is a great way to help next year’s garden get off to a good start. Removing the stubble and leaves can remove overwintering fungi and insects that can attack plants in the spring. It also…Read more about Protect Pollinators and Plants with a Balanced Fall Garden Cleanup Plan[Read More]

Have you noticed large, messy webs on trees? You may have seen a colony of fall webworms. These caterpillars hatch in mid-July but tend to become more noticeable as the summer progresses. They often eat branches bare of leaves but are they a threat to tree health?   What do they look like? Fall webworms…Read more about Fall webworms: Should you manage them?[Read More]

Remove dead and dying trees to prevent further decline of trees in a planting.

Found a tiny “pot” attached to a plant? Find out what it is and if you need to be concerned!