Mountain Pine Beetle Spreads to Front Range

Photo Courtesy of University of Wyoming

The Denver Post reports that the mountain pine beetle has spread to Colorado's Front Range cities, but forestry experts and city arborists do not expect losses on the scale seen in Rocky Mountain forests.

Read the whole story here!

Aphids Abound by Carol King

Aphids

Aphid Honeydew on Ivy

 Sitting in my backyard has become an unpleasant experience.  I have lots of deciduous  trees and they all seem to have a large crop of aphids.  One evening as I looked toward the sun, I could see the aphid “honeydew”  (poop actually) pouring down like a gentle rain! When I come in from outside, I feel as if I am covered with aphids!  Is there a variety that feeds on humans?


We are also on an irrigation ditch which is host to dozens of lovely cottonwoods.  I like the cottonwood, but it is certainly the messiest tree ever.  This time of year, the cotton is flying and sticking to the aphid honeydew that covers everything.  Only a power washer can clean off the deck!

It seemed to me that the aphids are more numerous than previous years so I consulted Dr. Whitney Cranshaw, Entomology Professor and Extension Specialist at CSU, and he verified my suspicions.  Here’s what he had to say.

“The northern Front Range is seeing a surge of aphids, and has for a couple of weeks.

This is due to the cool spring, followed (most importantly) by the repeatedly rainfall events.  The former (cool temperatures) have the effective of retarding the activity of aphid natural enemies.  The latter (moisture) promotes the flush of new growth that is favored by many aphids.  And all manner of plants have had some aphid problems, each (pretty much) having their own species of aphid associate.  (There are over 350 species of aphids in CO.)

Lady Bug Larvae

  Things are turning the corner now I suspect with the warm weather.  We are seeing natural enemies ramping up in a big way and the warm weather promotes their activity.  Mostly lady beetles (larvae are everywhere).  Larvae of syphid flies and green lacewings are also important in the ultimate control of the aphids - as can be earwigs  Also there is usually a smattering of parasitic wasps (visible by the aphid mummies they produce).  I would guess that aphids will pretty much be history within two weeks.
 
That all this is going on so late is due to the cool spring.  I think the insects are at least 2 weeks, perhaps more, behind schedule this year.”

  Sure enough, last evening while my family sat on the deck, we saw numerous lady bug and lacewing larvae crawling on chair covers, (and us!)  While it is tempting to spray something, I will follow Dr. Cranshaw’s advice and let Mother Nature take her course.  It is, however, disconcerting  coming in from a day of gardening knowing that not only am I showering off a day’s worth of sweat and garden dirt, but also, the cycle of life from one insect’s perspective: aphids, aphid poop, and aphid predators!


Here’s a complete fact sheet on aphids.

Tomato Problems? Try Flea Beetles! by Stan Ames

• Do some of the leaves on your tomato plants have holes in the lower outside leaves and the leaves are turning yellow?
• What should you do?
• Any other symptoms?
• Large green worms been seen on the plant? No?
• How about little tiny white or gray little bugs (Aphids)? No again!
• Blackish spots on leaves and the edge turning yellow? No!
• Just lots of little tiny holes in the leaves and they leaves are turning yellow? Right!

All of the symptoms mentioned lead to the diagnosis of Flea beetles! These pests chew little holes in the leaves! Inspect the underside of the affected leaves and look for very shiny little brown or black beetles about the size of a straight pin head. However they may have their feast and moved on to the next plant before you noticed the damage.


Other common causes of tomato problems in Colorado are:

• Phosphorus deficiency
• Curly Top virus – leaves and stems become stiff
• Psyllids – stems may become distorted
• Flea Beetles – adults chew small holes in the leaves
• Tomato hornworms – voracious feeders, they strip leaves from the stems.
• Early blight – produces brown or black spots on older leaves
• Septoria leaf spot – white or gray spots on leaves
• Whiteflies and aphids Cucumber mosaic virus – leaves appear shiny and are sticky
• Fusarium wilt and Fusarium crown rot – leaves turn brown and wilt.

Here's a complete article on recognizing tomato problems .

Annual Miller Moth Migration from the Denver Post

The annual migration of miller moths from the Eastern Plains to the mountains is in full swing, confounding house cats and annoying humans trying to enjoy warm evenings outdoors.

Photo courtesy CSU

But this, too, shall pass — very quickly this time around. Entomologists say cold weather, with little snow cover to insulate soil on the plains, killed larvae and cut the population of the fluttering pests compared with years past.
"It's not going to be a year for the ages or anything," said Whitney Cranshaw, a professor and extension specialist in entomology at Colorado State University. "That's not to say there won't be problems, but it's not going to be an epic year."

Read more: Pesky Miller moths back — but not as many as in years past - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_18195880#ixzz1OLHwMtJS
Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse

Here's also a CSU Fact Sheet about the moths!

Millers on a Garden Hose:  CSU

My Poor Beloved Currant Bush by Nancy Szilagyi

I love my Black Currant bush (Ribes odoratum ‘Crandall’)!  I have had it for eight years, and I have reaped several abundant harvests.  I have sat under it on a hot day and picked off currants until my hands were purple.  I have made currant scones and given them away to many friends and fellow gardeners.  I have made three batches of Currant Liqueur (Crème de Cassis) which have all been wonderful, even heavenly!  These have also made popular, sought-after Christmas gifts, although it is hard to share very much. 

In spring I wait for it to leaf out. I wait for it to bloom with its lovely, yellow, clove-scented blossoms.  I watch the blossoms wither, and wait for the berries to form.  I have seen branches so heavy with clusters of the shiny black fruit that they are bent almost to the ground. 


It has yielded an average of 8 pounds of fruit each year after the first two summers.  I’ve been so pleased with the harvest, that I have recommended it to many people.

This year I watched it leaf out and I watched it bloom.  But, alas!  Soon, I watched some of the branches’ foliage pale in color (chlorosis) and crinkle inward (leaf curl).  What could be happening! In the rush of spring garden clean up and planting, and the frequently rainy weather this year, it was a few days before I got out there to inspect it.  I took out my magnifying glass, and, sure enough, currant aphids (Crytomyzus ribis)!  NOOO!

The next day that it wasn’t raining, I broke out the insecticidal soap.  I tenderly held each branch so that I could spray each cluster of leaves from all sides and directly into the cluster. My hands were covered with soap.  So was the spray bottle.  They were so slippery that I had to go in and rinse both several times before I was done.  My hands were so tired I had to keep switching from left to right. It felt like an acute case of tendonitis!  But, I was not going to let those aphids have my currant bush!

A couple of days have passed, and fortunately we did not have rain during that time to wash off the soap right away.  I have once again inspected the clusters of leaves.  I do not see any aphids that are moving.  I will not be lulled into a false sense of security, however.  The bush will have to undergo diligent and frequent inspections for a while, and probably more applications of insecticidal soap. 
I have high hopes of my beloved bush yielding its usual glorious harvest this fall.  I can already taste the scones.  Maybe even with a small glass of liqueur!

Cheers!

 

 

Jiminy Cricket! by Elaine Lockey

If you are one of the many of us who are torn between the childhood image of the adorable Walt Disney character of Jiminy Cricket and the not so handsome black bug sitting next to your toilet, you are not alone.  I’ve suffered from trying to reconcile these two images for years now.  I just can’t bring myself to harm crickets, I don’t care where they might be in my house.  

Field crickets that are commonly found in homes don’t really want to be hanging out in our bathroom.  But, they got lost somewhere along the way and would love to be escorted outside as they might have come in through a small crack due to bad weather or in search of food and can’t get back out. There are two main kinds commonly found to our dismay in our house that are both black and very similar but with different life cycles.  Both are the genus Gryllus spp. and both sing. 

You can impress your family with your identification skills, “Wow look at that Gryllus pennsylvanicus in the bathtub!” Whitney Cranshaw, CSU Extension Entomologist, differentiates these two by the time of year they predominate – G. veletis in spring and over-wintering as an adult and G. pennsylvanicus is our late summer species. Both species are approximately 22mm (.87 inch), males being black with dark brown or black appendages, females have more reddish legs.

Jiminy Cricket had his singing technique all wrong.  He rubbed his legs together but in actuality crickets make the familiar noise by rubbing together veins on their wings that are specific for this purpose.  Only male crickets can do this, females are mute.  The cricket songs are used to attract sexually responsive mates.  Female crickets are only responsive to songs of their own species.  

 Lefties are not common in the cricket world. 95% of crickets are “right winged” with the file used to produce sound on their right wing.  The file is an enlarged vein with many tiny raised points.  The other wing runs a scraper over the file which produces sound. The female hears the appealing call with her ears on her front legs - seems perfectly normal to me.  

wing of male cricket

Jim Mason of the Great Plains Nature Center in Wichita, Kansas helps us distinguish what the different calls mean, “Crickets make several different chirps.  The loud monotonous one we hear outside in the evening serves to attract a female.  Another is made when a male knows a female is near and is softer and quicker.  Yet another is made when two males encounter each other.  There is even a ‘Look out!’ chirp that warns all the others to be quiet because danger is nearby.  The careful listener can pick out these individual dramas by listening for the different songs.”

Crickets are omnivores eating decaying plant matter, fungi, small seedlings, other insects both dead and alive. They are generally considered beneficial in that they help break down organic matter contributing to decomposition similar to creatures like earthworms. They are also an important food source for other animals. They like to live under logs or damp places. 

On nights when I have insomnia I always thought it would be comforting to have a cricket around singing his song.  Since I don’t really want Jiminy Cricket hanging out with me, I found the next best thing, a phone app (there’s one for everything) that you can purchase to hear the cheerful song of crickets from all over the world.  The app’s description is a bit concerning however: “It’s also pretty useful in awkward situations or awkward silences.” I suppose that Jiminy Cricket would be proud to know that he’s a comfort to those in difficult social situations. 

 

Cartoon image of Jiminy Cricket courtesy of comicvine.com

Photo of cricket courtesy of tenerifeisland.org

Photo of cricket wing courtesy of somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com 

Did the Cold Kill the Pine Beetles?

The recent cold, cold temperatures has everyone talking and hoping that it was cold enough to kill the mountain pine beetle.  Sadly, the answer is no. "We need it to be sustained, at least two or three weeks" with temperatures of minus 20 or lower, U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Janelle Smith said. "These short cold snaps will not do the job."

On a positive note, if it had occurred to you to put your wool garments outside during the cold snap, it would have kill any moth egg larvae that might have been present!

Read the whole story here.


This fact sheet discusses Mountain Pine Beetle in detail.

Wow Caterpillars Whistle!

The next time, Dear Gardener,you are out and about in your garden and hear a wolf whistle, it just might be a caterpillar! Scientists have discovered that caterpillars apparently can whistle, letting out squeaks that can fend off attacking birds.

Read the whole story here.

Fruit Flies and Fungus Gnats by Carol King

Have you noticed  little black bugs flying around your house this winter? You probably have either have fungus gnats or fruit flies.  You need to look at your particular situation.  Did you get a new plant for Christmas?  Probably fungus gnats; check the plant soil. Did you just start to compost your garbage or receive a fruit basket?  Probably fruit flies; check the compost collector. Neither one of these are harmful so if you don’t mind gnats buzzing your head (a la B.O. Plenty) just ignore them.


If you want to minimize fungus gnat problems allow the potting soil to dry between watering, especially the top 1 to 2 inches.  Insecticides can also be useful; check at your local garden center and be sure to follow the directions. 

For fruit flies, you can purchase fruit fly traps at the hardware store or try making your won. Construct a trap by placing a paper funnel (rolled from a sheet of notebook paper) into a jar which is then baited with a few ounces of cider vinegar. Place the jar trap(s) next to your compost collector.

Don't Move Firewood by Carol King

It’s the time of year to curl up by the fire,  great book in hand,  a glass of your favorite wine by your side.  It’s also time to ask yourself “Where’s my firewood from?”  Did you move your firewood from another state or another area of the state?  Many agricultural and natural resources professionals believe that the movement of firewood is probably the biggest threat to our tree populations. So many people burn wood and so many people move wood without thinking. Many states have prohibitions against moving firewood from one county to another and federal regulations prohibit moving any ash logs out of quarantined areas. (Colorado does not have a prohibition.)
Our most recent tree tragedy directly related to firewood movement is thousand cankers disease that has devastated much of our black walnut population. In 2010, the disease swept east to black walnuts in North Park Hill and Washington Park and south to Harvey Park affecting at least twenty neighborhoods. It has devastated many walnuts in Jefferson County.

Thousand Cankers Disease in Walnut

In fact, much of the tree devastation that we have experienced across the county has been exacerbated by people moving firewood. Consider these:
• The emerald ash borer that has destroyed millions and millions, in fact, most of the ash trees in the Midwest and East was introduced through wood packing material carried in cargo planes or ships from Asia. It continues to be spread by firewood.
• The gypsy moth and oak wilt are spread by firewood movement.
• The beetle-borne fungus “thousand cankers disease” that is destroying all the walnuts in the metro area is suspected to have been brought from New Mexico on firewood.
• The Dutch elm disease came from a load of logs infected with the elm bark beetle that was moved from the Netherlands and has destroyed most of the American Elms in the USA.
• Other bugs that have moved into the Front Range from firewood are the Ips beetle that attacks pine and spruce and red turpentine beetles that attack native pine species. Asian longhorn beetle that attacks maples, poplar, willows and black locust;  Sirex woodwasp that attacks pines have destroyed trees in the Midwest through firewood movement.

Colorado State University Extension suggests asking these questions before buying or moving wood:

Where was this wood cut? Wood should NOT be brought in from other states. If the wood you plan to bring is infested with live mountain pine beetle larvae, you run the risk of bringing the beetle into the city. This could happen if you cut trees that are still somewhat alive. The wood from totally dead trees is ok; the beetles leave dead trees and move on to the living.


Is local wood available for purchase? Look for Colorado Forest Products logo which means 50% of wood is from Colorado forests.

Can I buy firewood at my camping/hunting destination?  Don’t take wood to your campsite. Buy your wood at your campground. Leave wood not burned in place. Don’t bring it back home.

Is this wood treated, kiln dried or de- barked?  Firewood should be dry and ready to burn. Bark should be peeled off easily and be removed from the wood.

What tree species is this wood? Ash is high risk because of Emerald Ash Borer; walnut because of thousand cankers disease.

Burn wood from local sources (“buy it where you burn it”).  Look to your conscience, dear gardener, if you decide to move firewood or bring beetle kill logs to your home. At the very least, check for bugs.

What do Beer and Slugs Have in Common? By Elaine Lockey

Hosta with Slug Damage

Beer and slugs is a partnership that gardeners have been promoting for ages. For some amazing reason, put out beer and slugs will come calling. Once they fall into the beer they won’t get back out - an effective and simple means to control what can be a very frustrating garden pest.

Beer in Lamium

A fellow gardener was having problems with something eating her hostas and lamium. In fact, the lamium was being destroyed and our best guess on the culprit was slugs due to the tell-tale sign of slime trails on the leaves and stems. We also found that smaller leaves were sometimes entirely consumed on the lamium. The hosta leaves had irregular chew holes on them. She happened to have some cheap tasteless beer in the fridge so we decided to donate it to science. I was somewhat skeptical of this practice because I had never tried it but was morbidly eager to check out the cups the next morning.

We put out 5 shallow cups, some plastic tubs, a saucer and some pans and filled them about 1 ½ ” deep with the beer although ¾-1” probably would have done the trick. It’s a rather dark practice to try to envision how deep the beer needs to be so that a slug will drown. I hoped that I wouldn’t end up having slug nightmares. The shallow cups were placed in amongst the plants. We placed them on the soil surface but ideally they should be sunk into the ground. The next morning all 5 had at least 1-2 slugs in them, with one having 4. We also found a lot of earwigs, pillbugs and spiders which made us sad; perhaps sinking the cups in the ground would reduce these casualties.

We changed out the beer and did this for the next week and each morning found more slugs. We later learned that you can usually use the same beer for several days. We couldn’t believe how many slugs there were over the next several days. It’s too soon to tell if the worst-off plants will recover and if this was enough to truly take care of the problem but it’s a hopeful sign.

Why do slugs like beer? They are attracted to the odor of fermenting materials. Sugar-water and yeast mixtures will also work (1t yeast to 3ozs water). When dealing with slug issues, you have to think like a slug. Okay, maybe that’s not wise, instead think scientifically about what a slug might like. An ideal slug world? It is one filled with all things moist. Slugs bodies are mostly water and are very susceptible to drying so they love organic mulches and lots of wet gardens.

Slugs and snails are both gastropods and the most obvious difference between the two is the lack of shell on the slug. These creatures are more closely related to clams and mussels than insects. Slugs are soft bodied, legless, generally brown or gray, with eye stalks and vary in size from ¼” to 2” or larger. Slugs have specialized mouthparts that use a rasping function to feed on delicate leaves and stems, leaving irregular holes in leaves. Their favorite food is young seedlings, especially those found in your vegetable garden! Later in the season they will feed on ripening fruits and veggies, especially fruits and vegetables with direct soil contact.

They feed mostly at night which is why you rarely see them but see their signs. During the day they hide under leaves, in soil cracks and other sheltered locations. Due to their love for humidity, using drip irrigation or only using overhead watering during the early morning to reduce night humidity can be effective practices. The use of nonorganic mulches and removing garden debris around plants can help as can providing more air movement by spacing out plants and using trellises.

What about natural predators doing the job? According to the University of Minnesota Extension, “There are many types of animals that feed on slugs, such as beetles (e.g. ground beetles, rove beetles, fireflies), toads, snakes, turtles, shrews, ducks, starlings and other birds. To maximize the effect of natural enemies, minimize the use of chemical pesticides. Reduce chemicals by spot treating small pest problems, using baits, and avoiding unnecessary pesticides applications.”
For other options on controlling slugs, go to CSU Extension’s Fact Sheet on Slugs:
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05515.html


Slug feeding on hosta (Courtesy University of Minnesota Extension)


Cicadas Sing for Love

 Don't you just love the sound of the cicadas singing this time of year?  They are such fascinating insects.  Here's an article by Boulder Extension Agent Carol O'Meara.  Seems it's all about sex. But then most things in the garden are!!


Colorado State University Extension - Cicadas sing for love

Hot Weather Garden Problems by Carol King and Donna Duffy

The Dog Days of summer are here. The Greeks and Romans believed the dog star Sirius, a prominent star in the August heavens,  was the cause of the hot, sultry weather. They considered this to be an evil time "when the seas boiled, wine turned sour, dogs grew mad, and all creatures became languid, causing to man burning fevers, hysterics, and phrensies" according to Brady’s Clavis Calendarium, 1813.

It’s also the time in the garden when hot weather causes all sorts of calamities as well and gives gardeners fevers, hysterics and phrensies!  Be on the lookout for these problems.

The lawn is getting brown! The lush green grass from spring is starting to dry up with the hot days. If your lawn is Kentucky bluegrass (very common in landscaping) this slowdown is a natural part of the life cycle. Tip #1: mow to a height of 2.5 to 3”, and return the mulched clippings back to the lawn. Tip #2: fertilization is typically not necessary from July to early August. Wait to fertilize until late fall while the grass is still green. Tip #3: when a lawn looks thirsty, a common mistake is to increase the watering time. When using a standard sprinkler system with pop-up heads, eight to ten minutes is about the optimal time any one turf zone should run so run-off doesn’t occur. The full cycle may need to be repeated two or more times depending upon rain, humidity, wind and heat in the environment.

Yikes! Spider mites! Spider mites are common pest problems on many plants around yards and gardens in Colorado. Damaged areas typically appear marked with many small, light flecks, giving the plant a somewhat speckled appearance. You might also see webbing. Tip: few insecticides are effective for spider mites and many even aggravate problems. Instead, try a periodic hosing of plants with a forceful jet of water to physically remove and kill mites, as well as remove the dust that collects on foliage and interferes with mite predators.

Leaf scorch. During the hot days of summer, many trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables develop dry, brown leaf margins. Once leaf scorch has occurred, there is no cure. The dehydrated portions of the leaf will not turn green again, but with proper water management, the plant may recover. Tip #1: during the growing season, water deeply and infrequently. Resist the urge to water more frequently. Tip #2: in the winter, give the plant a deep watering once a month when there is no snow cover. Tip 3: avoid overfertilizing. Fertilizer spikes, that deliver concentrated salts at specific sites, can burn roots and contribute to leaf scorch.

Pollination issues.  Many summer vegetables must be pollinated by insects such as bees to set fruit, During hot weather, pollen doesn’t remain viable very long. As a result there may be a drop in vegetable production for several days during and after hot spells even if bees are present. There may be more misshapen fruit as a result of poor pollination.

Blossom drop. Temperatures in the nineties cause many vegetables to drop their blossoms before fruit forms. Squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and beans are especially prone to this. Over fertilizing and under watering also contribute to blossom drop. Tip #1: To minimize blossom drop during a heat wave, keep your garden well watered by applying around 1” of water per week if it does not rain. Tip #2: avoid high nitrogen fertilizers.  Tip #3: Mulch the vegetables to conserve moisture and keep soils cool.

Blossom end rot. Another problem that is common in hot weather is blossom end rot (BER). This disorder occurs when there is not enough calcium available to developing fruit, resulting in the lower end of the fruit turning tan or black and failing to develop. BER is most common in tomatoes, but also occurs in eggplant, peppers, watermelons, and squash. The most common causes are uneven watering, over fertilization, extreme temperatures, and low soil pH (acid soil). Tip #1:  keep vegetables evenly moist. Do not allow them to dry out during dry spells. Tip #2: do not over fertilize with high nitrogen fertilizers.

If you have other “phrensies” in the garden, call the Jeffco CSU Extension Office at 303-271-6620.  We’ll get through this together!

Check Your Tomatoes! Psyllids Have Arrived by Mary Small

Better check your tomatoes!  Tomato/potato psyllids have arrived from the south and are wreaking havoc in area gardens. 

Psyllids are small sap-sucking insects. Their saliva is toxic to tomatoes and potatoes and can cause them serious damage.  Unless you know what you’re looking for and are checking regularly, the insects can go undetected until it’s too late. Here are some psyllid-detecting tips.


Examine the undersides of tomato and potato leaves; that’s where the bulk of psyllids hang out.  Eggs are small, orange-yellow and “ stalked” (held upright by a little pedestal).  See if you can find the yellowish nymphs (young). They look like tiny, plastic flying saucers. Following egg hatch, nymphs crawl around the leaf, looking for a place to settle.  When satisfied with their choice, they hunker down, feed and remain stationary. So they’re not going to jump or fly away while you’re looking for them.

Unfortunately as nymphs mature, they turn pale green, making them harder to detect. Fortunately, psyllids produce easily-seen “psyllid sugar” (a polite euphemism for their  poop).  So if you don’t see the beasts but find sugar on plant leaves, you know they’re around…and feeding!

Unchecked, these insects cause plant symptoms known as  “psyllid yellows”.   Upper leaves turn yellow with a purple tinge to veins and margins.  Leaves become stiff and leathery.  Tomato plants either produce an abundance of tasteless fruit or produce no fruit at all.  Potato plants develop lots of small, weirdly-shaped tubers that may actually sprout underground. Needless to say, the crop is ruined.

So what’s a gardener to do?  Check tomato and potato plants regularly.  Inspect eggplants and peppers, too.  Psyllids can feed on these plants, yet not cause significant damage. Apply insecticidal soaps, sulfur dust (if you can get it coated on the leaf undersides) or insecticides containing permethrin or esfenvalerate.  Always follow label directions when using any of these products.
See this Colorado State University extension fact sheet for more details:
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05540.html

Here's an article from the Boulder Daily Camera also.

Home Invasion! False Chinch Bugs by Mary Small

Hot dry weather can be a problem for our garden plants, trees and lawns.  But it can also create problems with insects known as false chinch bugs.  And in turn, they cause problems for humans!

False chinch bugs are small, grayish insects that feed on a variety of plants in Colorado including weeds and mustard family crops such as canola and radishes.  They suck sap from plants but are rarely destructive.  Most of the time, we don’t even know they’re around.


But when the weather is hot and dry, the insects move to cooler, moister locations.  They seek shelter in our homes and irrigated landscapes…sometimes thousands at a time!
 In the landscape, they seem to prefer plants that are flowering or going to seed.  Healthy plants can withstand a lot of feeding pressure.  Chemical controls are not recommended during an “invasion” sparked by hot dry weather.  Generally the insects disperse elsewhere in a short time.

Home invasions of false chinch bugs can be disconcerting, but they won’t be there for longer than a week.  Fortunately, they don’t bite or feed on anything indoors.  Suck them up with a vacuum cleaner, disposing of the bag immediately after vacuuming.

For more information on false chinch bugs, see this Colorado State University Extension fact sheet:
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05603.html

Bug News from Whitney Cranshaw

Locally, I have seen a sharp uptick in aphid populations on woody plants and ornamentals in the past week. Not surprising with the wet and generally cool spring conditions. Furthermore, I am not seeing alot of predator activity (lady beetles, lacewings, syrphid flies) so I suspect that the next couple of weeks will see them spiking, crashing when the predators finally catch up and the succulent new growth ceases.

(As a side note I was watching an ash sapling that had serious leafcurl ash aphid injury developing. However, when I checked them yesterday, most of the leaf curls had been cleaned out by earwigs. They completely consumed all the aphids in the curls where they had been harbored.)


However, this may just be a local deal, or at least in places that similarly have had cool wet weather. The situation in much of south east CO is alot different, with some areas in the SE being very dry. Furthermore, I do not see many aphids on the plants in the prairies and last year and several of these sustained particularly high aphid populations at this time in 2009. Particularly the sage, which were loaded with aphids and which subsequently produced most the the convergent lady beetles (Hippodamia convergens) that were in tremendous number in 2009 and moved into Pueblo and Colorado Springs early last summer. (Before settling in the high country for winter dormancy.)

I am also getting a fair number of questions about honeylocust looking odd. I think there are a couple of things involved in many of these. For one, in places where we had the mid-October freeze the trees looked strange all winter with the old leaves hanging on through winter, caught before they could abscise. And a very heavy flowering and seed set is occurring on many plants, likely the response to the freeze in spring 2009 that killed the flowers of honeylocust (and most everything else), causing them to boom more profusely this season.


Then there is the plant bugs, that distort and may kill back the new growth. Although in Fort Collins I am not seeing extraordinary amounts of injury, I would say it is average or even a bit below average here, I am getting reports of more serious damage elsewhere along the Front Range.


And though the plant bugs should now be on their last legs for the season I am bracing for the floodwater-type mosquitoes, which I suspect should come on strong this weekend in Fort Collins.


Ash borers continue to dribble into my pheromone traps. Miller moths (army cutworm) continue to dribble through town. Low numbers for both all year.



Whitney Cranshaw

Fort Collins

A Summer Bummer: Aphids in the Garden by MJ Lechner

You have a cup of coffee in your hand as you stroll through your garden in the early spring morning, enjoying all the new sights and smells.  As you approach the roses, you notice something is not quite right- large clusters of white are covering the new shoots…  what the devil?  Oh no!  APHIDS!
What are they?
Aphids, also known as plant lice or greenflies, are small plant-eating insects, and members of the superfamily Aphidoidea. Aphids are soft-bodied insects that use their piercing sucking mouthparts to feed on plant sap. They usually occur in colonies on the undersides of tender ‘terminal growth’ (at the ends of the leaves). Heavily-infested leaves can wilt or turn yellow because of excessive sap removal. While the plant may look bad, aphid feeding generally will not seriously harm healthy, established trees and shrubs.

 Aphids produce large amounts of a sugary liquid waste called "honeydew". The honeydew that drops from these insects can spot the windows and finish of cars parked under infested trees. A fungus called sooty mold can grow on honeydew deposits that accumulate on leaves and branches, turning them black. The appearance of sooty mold on plants may be the first time that an aphid infestation is noticed. The drops can attract other insects such as ants, that will feed on the sticky deposits.

HOW THE PROBLEM STARTS
Esteemed Colorado State entomologist, Whitney Cranshaw, notes that “Aphid populations often spike in springs when there is a prolonged period of cool, wet weather.”  Some reasons for this include yummy new plant growth, promoted by rains and favorable temperatures, provides perfect plant conditions for aphids thrive.  Cool temperatures slow down their predators quite a bit more than the aphid, so the aphid populations are safe and their numbers quickly soar.

“Aphids can occur on a very wide variety of plants - indeed it is hard to find any plant species that does not support one or more of the 350+ species of aphids that occur in Colorado.   Oaks, lindens, walnuts, poplars, Norway maple, and most ‘stone fruits’(like peaches and apricots) are among the trees that often support large numbers of aphids.  Spirea, roses, and many flowers can be common aphid hosts in spring.  Even weeds may now have large numbers of aphids, such as Canada thistle. “ according to Cranshaw.

CONTROL
So what’s a gardener to do? 
Non chemical: Wash off aphids with a steady stream of water. Avoid heavy applications of nitrogen fertilizer which can encourage succulent plant growth. Natural predators such as lady beetles and aphis lions feed on aphids but may not always provide adequate control. Don’t be lured into buying the bags of ladybugs on the nursery shelves.  The mature lady bugs/beetles are not all that interested in aphids as their youngsters are.  They may be amusing for the kids, but they will soon fly off and you will be left with the aphids.

Chemical: Aphid controls include pyrethrins, horticultural oils and soaps, permethrin, acephate and imidacloprid.  Check the label of products before using to ensure applications can be made to your affected plants. Some of these suggested controls may not be applied to food crops.  Contact the Jefferson County Extension at 303-271-6620 for more information.

WHAT HAPPENS IF NOTHING IS DONE?
Aphid control is most important for new plantings, where excessive sap removal is more likely to affect general plant health. Established and otherwise healthy plants can tolerate moderate to heavy aphid infestations, although affected leaves may wilt and turn yellow and there may be some premature drop.
 Good cultural practices, such as watering and fertilization, will help to reduce stress by these insects. Problems with honeydew and sooty mold may develop but tend to be temporary and disappear after the aphids are gone.
 A few aphid species produce cupped or distorted leaves; these plants may lose some of their esthetic appeal for the season. Once the distortion occurs, the leaves will remain cupped and twisted until they fall off. Usually, the infestation is not noticed until the injury has occurred. Insecticide applications often are less effective because the aphids are protected in the gnarled leaves.
  ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS FOR SAFE USE OF ANY PESTICIDE!

Garden Pests; Organically Controlling Insects

This video gives some great advice on how to identify real pests in the garden. Did you know that 80% of garden insects are beneficial? Watch this before heading for the insecticide!

True Cost of Colony Collapse Disorder to Beekeepers

 

Here's an interesting article on the monetary cost of colony collapse disorder to the nation's bee keepers.  It is enormous!

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Colony Collapse Disorder - True Cost of Colony Collapse Disorder to Beekeepers - thedailygreen.com

Officials: Pine beetle infestation has peaked

The pine beetle has just about eaten all the pines we have in the Colorado Mountains.  The infestation has peaked but the remaining millions of dead trees are causing a new hazard for us.


Officials: Pine beetle infestation has peaked - The Denver Post

There is also concern that the beetle is headed eastward toward our Front Range  mountain communities.

Read this.