Dirt "Tunnels" in Your Lawn?

A Ryan Lawn & Tree turf manager points out vole damage in Kansas City.

We have gotten quite a few calls from homeowners in the area who have bare "tunnels" in their lawns.

Most likely, this is vole damage. Voles, closely related to field mice, cause more damage in winters where there is snow on the ground a lot of the time (we've discussed the snow that never seemed to end this year).

During these chilly, wet winters, the voles create meandering tunnels in the snow, on top of the lawn. Because it takes a lot of energy to build these snow tunnels, the voles run the same path over, and over, and over. As a result, they wear a path in the lawn and kill the grass.

Take a look around the hard surfaces in your landscape - next to a sidewalk or driveway. Voles will make their nest beneath these surfaces. If you want to rid yourself of these pests, stick a bait station under your driveway in the vole nest (if you can find it). (Be careful, these bait stations can be harmful to pets.)

If you have some bluegrass in your lawn, the bare areas should fill in this April or May. You can also seed this bare spots sometime in the next few weeks.

*The difference between mole and vole damage? Moles actually tunnel beneath the grass creating raised mounds. Voles travel on top of the grass, creating worn paths.

Oak Trees Dying at the Tips

If you have an oak tree that is brown at the ends of the branches, Kermes scale may be the culprit. Not yet a perennial problem in our area, the scale has been more prevalent in recent years. This summer's outbreak is particularly widespread.

Pin oaks specifically are suffering from twig dieback as the result of this pest. Look at the twigs between the leaves, you will be able to see the scale if it is indeed the cause of the damage.

If you wish to treat, call a local tree care company. They should have a product to take care of the scale. To request an estimate from Ryan Lawn & Tree, visit www.ryanlawn.com/estimate.

As trees get larger, it is more difficult for homeowners to treat themselves. (Proper coverage is essential to most treatments.) However, if you want to give it a try, your local garden center should have a product to take care of the scale.

Locust Borer Update

If you follow this blog, you may remember my post from July 30th on locust borer (Revisit it by clicking here). I thought the borer looked about full size, so we kept it in the office to see what would happen. Last week it became a pupa. I took this picture a few minutes ago to share. I am hoping that it will complete the process and become a beetle soon. We'll keep you updated on what happens!

Yellow Necked Caterpillar

My final pest of the week is the yellow necked caterpillar. Birch, pin oak, crabapple and service berry are typically affected by this insect pest in our area.

Yellow necked caterpillar eggs hatched a few weeks ago. Small larvae (pictured above) often feed unnoticed until they gain size; then damage can be extensive. Larva feed as a group for about six weeks before they drop to the ground for winter. By the time these caterpillars are typically noticed, the feeding stage is mostly completed. Larger caterpillars are pictured below.

Defoliation late in the season does little to harm the tree; however, the insect can be spot sprayed with plant protection products if found in the early stages. Contact a tree company, like Ryan Lawn & Tree, for assistance.

Locust Borer

Today's insect pest is one you may not physically see very often in its larval stage. One of our ISA Certified Arborists brought this into the office, so I took a picture to share with you. This is a locust borer. (Locust borers are a type of longhorned beetle.) The larval stage tunnels in the wood of black locust trees (and any cultivars). You can see the tunnels created in the wood by the larva as it feeds. (This is a cross-section of a branch removed from a globe locust).

This larva is almost mature; it should pupate soon. If it was still inside the tree, it would emerge as an adult beetle. Adults are black with yellow stripes. They feed on pollen (specifically goldenrod pollen). Females then deposit eggs in the bark of the tree. The eggs hatch and the new larva bore into the inner wood to spend the winter. In the spring, the larva will bore further into the tree and the cycle will repeat itself.

An expert tree company, like Ryan Lawn & Tree, can protect your locusts by applying plant protection products to prevent the new larva from entering susceptible trees before the winter season.

Spider Mites

I've decided to devote this week to landscape pests. The pest that I've chosen for today is the spider mite. Mites feed on many plants; the most affected plants in our area are burning bush, spruce and junipers.

Mites damage plants by sucking out plant juices with their piercing, sucking mouth parts. They often feed on the underside of the leaf, protected from direct sunlight. You can recognize mite damage by looking for stippling (pictured above). Stippling is the lighter green speckles that result from chlorophyll being sucked out of the leaf.

If infestations become too heavy, the entire plant may become bleached (above) and premature leaf drop may occur. Regular monitoring of susceptible plants can prevent this damage from occurring. If you need assistance controlling spider mites, give a tree company (like Ryan Lawn & Tree) a call.

Fall Webworm

Now is the time that we are seeing a lot of fall webworm on trees in our area. We are seeing the second generation of webworms; the first generation was small and unnoticed. Unlike tent caterpillars, webworms eat inside their webs. As food is consumed, they enlarge their nest. I snapped this picture (above) of webworm on crabapple. If you open the nest, you will see the webworm larvae (pictured below).

Since damage occurs so late in the season, control is optional. High populations can completely defoliate host plants, but plants typically recover. In some cases, host plants can become stressed leading to other problems if webworms are not controlled.

The easiest method of control is to remove and destroy infested portions of branches while webs are small. If you want to control populations of webworms using plant protection products, apply them when webs are small (before much foliage has been destroyed). A tree company (like Ryan Lawn and Tree) can assist you with chemical control if necessary.

Bagworm Update

You may think I am obsessed with bagworms. I'll be honest - maybe you are right. I've known about them for some time, but I've never paid much attention to them during the season (I've only seen the bags that they overwinter in). That was until this year. I'm totally fascinated with them!

I was walking with my family yesterday and we walked by the large cedar near my house that is infested with bagworms. The bagworms are getting quite large now; most people notice them on their landscape plants at this size. It has been fun to observe these insects in action with my kids. I snapped this picture yesterday. Look closely at the picture above - you can see the bagworm emerged from it's bag while it is feeding on the foliage.

My husband removed the bag from one of them. In case you were wondering what the insect looks like without the protective bag, I thought to share this picture.

If you need help controlling bagworms on your property, contact a tree company (like Ryan Lawn & Tree) for assistance.

Bagworms are Growing

If you follow this blog at all, you will remember I've written about bagworms before. (Read my post from when they first hatched here.)

I was walking by a cedar a few weeks ago where I had seen the bags hanging from last year's infestation of bagworms, so I stopped for a closer look. Sure enough, I saw little bagworms all over it. I took a piece of the plant home with me so I could take a picture (above).

I've never actually seen the actual bagworm insect, so I gently squeezed on one of the bags. If you look closely at the bagworm inside the red circle above, you can see the insect sticking out of it. I'm totally fascinated. I'll keep monitoring the tree and the bags as they grow. If I get another picture as the insects mature, I'll share it!

Brown Spots in Lawns!

Brown spots become more common as the summer wears on, especially in the transition zone.

There are several causes of brown spots in summer lawns. Three of the most common causes are drought, grub damage and disease.

Drought:This is perhaps the most common cause of brown grass in the summer. If you want your lawn to stay nice and green, you must ensure your lawn gets one to two inches of water per week. Using a rain gauge will help you determine when your lawn has received enough water. Another guideline is to water when the lawn starts to take on a bluish tinge, or when you can see
your footprints in the grass after you have walked across the lawn. Drought damage will cause all or part of your lawn to turn tan to brown. If enough time passes without enough water, all or part of your lawn will die and need to be reseeded in the fall.

Grub Damage:Another common cause of brown spots in our area is grub damage. The easiest way to identify grub damage is to get down and examine the brown spots. If you the affected area pulls up easily, like a carpet, then grubs are the likely culprit. You may even catch some grubs still feeding in the area. Your local garden center will have products to prevent and control grubs.

Disease: Lawn disease can also cause brown spots in lawns. Most lawn diseases are caused by our hot, humid summer days and nights. The most common disease active in our area is Brown Patch. The first signs of Brown Patch are thin patches of light brown grass that are roughly circular in shape. Other times, the disease skips the circular phase and large areas of the lawn will turn thin and brown. Once again, your local garden center will have products to control disease, although the products with the longest protection period are only available to commercial pesticide applicators.

If you decide not to treat, the grass may grow out of the problem. However, this is risky as just as often the grass will die and need to be reseeded in the fall. If your lawn was planted last fall (2008) I strongly recommend treating, as these young seedlings are hit hardest by disease.

Brown spots are ubiquitous in the summer, but what are YOUR lawn concerns? Leave a comment below if you have questions and I will get an answer for you.

Hatched Bagworms

I wrote about bagworms a few weeks ago. I've never seen them when they first hatched. (The only ones that I have seen are after they had become larger or even when they've prepared to spend the winter in their sack that has been tied off from the outside world.)

For those of you who are not familiar with bagworms, they are a caterpillar that constructs a bag around itself as it feeds to help camouflage and protect it from enemies. Careful monitoring of landscape plants is important because as the insect (and bags) grow, control is more difficult. Large infestations of bagworms can devastate plants.

I wanted to share this picture with you. One of the arborists here at Ryan Lawn and Tree brought this sample in to me because he knew I hadn't seen small bagworms before. Bagworms have hatched, so monitor your landscape plants (especially evergreens) for this insect pest! Call a tree company, like Ryan Lawn and Tree, for control.

Aphids!

Looking at the calendar, I see it is May already. It seems like it is too soon for garden insect pests because it has been so cold and wet. Over the weekend, I found out differently! I was walking past the three rose bushes by my front door and I noticed aphids all over them! I quickly grabbed my camera to snap this picture. Then I grabbed my garden hose. (Aphids can be dislodged by a strong stream of water). It appears my roses are safe – at least for now!

This reinforces the fact that regular monitoring of insect pests is very important to protect prized garden and landscape plants from damage. Let the diligent monitoring begin!

Oak Worms and Miscellany

Today, I read a couple of great lawn and garden posts.

The first, is about the tiny worms that are as I type dropping out of pin oaks. Well, not all pin oaks, but enough pin oaks that I felt it was a good idea to post about this creature: gall midge larvae.

These tiny worms are not harmful to their hosts, so it the best approach is just to wait them out. Read Dennis Patton's explanation here.

Secondly, one of our route managers recently posted the answer to some lawn and garden questions on her blog Trophy Wife: Ask Lawn Boy. *Most* of the questions are germane to our topic, so feel free to check out her blog if you are interested in:

Planting Easter Lilies Outside
Keeping Weeds Out of Your Lawn or
Putting Miracle Grow around your Shrubs

Along these lines feel free to post questions in the comments section of any post and we will be sure to respond!

Easter Lily. You can plant them outside.

Does Mulch Attract Termites?

This is a mulched border in my backyard. The little tree in the center
is a crabapple we planted last summer. It had a few tiny blooms this year!

Many homeowners worry that if they put mulch around the foundation of their home, they will attract termites to their home.

Iowa State University has a great article about mulch and termites here.

The short version: While mulch will not DRAW termites to your home, mulch is a great environment for mulch and other insects. If you are going to mulch around your foundation, leave a few inches between the end of the mulch and your home.

In general, mulch is great for your landscape. It retains moisture and helps define landscape areas. It can also help regulate soil temperatures.

Bunnies 1, Tara 0

I have been trying to plant a lot of new things this season: Ranunculus, Anemones, Sweet Peas

So far, none of these experiments is going particularly well. I was so excited when I noticed my first sweet peas (pictured above) starting to germinate. Then I started to worry why none of the other sweet peas had begun to poke their heads through...

I am sorry to say, I think the rabbits got most of my crop.

Easter is over. The Bunny is no longer welcome in my yard!

Watch Out For Grubs

Photo from: http://forages.oregonstate.edu/index.cfm

Grubs can devastate your lawn. These little, white larvae feed on grass roots, and, in large numbers can do a lot of damage.

Signs of grub damage aren't unique--you'll notice a brown spot in your lawn. However, it is important to take a closer look. If you can pull up the grass like a piece of carpet, you have grub damage. (The presence of birds or other small animals digging in your lawn may also indicate a grub problem.)

Grubs are fairly easy to control with a lawn protection product available at your local garden center.

Letting them run their course is risky, because you will likely end up reseeding much of your lawn. (A very labor-intensive, and sometimes costly, process.)

Getting Antsy?

Photo from: http://www.ent.uga.edu/

Carpenter ants are frequently seen crawling in and out of trees (Pin Oaks seem to be a favorite).

These little critters are fairly difficult to treat. You have to kill the Queen in order to entirely rid yourself of an infestation. Using ant bait, available at local hardware stores, is a good place to start. The idea is that ants are attracted to the bait, and then carry it back to their friends in the tree.

Carpenter ants are a secondary tree problem, as they only eat dead wood and do not damage the tree. However, the presence of the ants warrants a closer look at your tree for a more serious (primary) problem.

There is a chance that the ants will migrate to your house (again eating dead, rotting wood), so it is better to manage the problem than to let it go.

Moles

Photo from www.fcps.k12.va.us/index.shtml

Moles and the tunnels they dig are an unsightly nuisance. Unfortunately, removal of moles from your property can be difficult.

To get rid of moles, you can try using caster oil on the mounds. The oil is supposed to drive the moles out of their tunnels. A few lawn pros I know swear by this method.

Another alternative to get rid of moles is through trapping. There are three excellent mole traps on the market. Each of these, if handled properly, will give you good results. All of these traps depend on the same mechanism for releasing the spring. The brand name for these traps are Harpoon, Out O'Sight and Nash.

Local pet control companies may be able to help you get moles under control as well.

There are few things you can do to keep moles out of your lawn. However, moles are attracted to water sources. If you have areas of your lawn that pool water, try to correct the grade and install a drainage tile if needed. This may help keep these pesky rodents off your property and out of your lawn.

Budworms!

Photo from: http://ag.utah.gov/

I am on a worm kick this week. (Maybe because I am planning a little fishing this weekend.)

At any rate, not only do worms hang from trees, they hideout in our petunias and geraniums. I love petunias for a bright splash of color in the yard. This year, I am paying especially close attention to them, because I am on the look out for tobacco budworms.

If your petunias or geraniums aren't blooming like they should, tobacco budworms may be spending some time around your house. Budworms settle into the buds of these pretty plants before they fully develop. Hence, the first sign of an infestation is a failure to bloom. If the buds do open, they will appear ragged and chewed.

How do you find these little guys? Check the buds of the plants for small holes. Also, keep an eye on them at night, when budworms are most active. If you are more of a day hunter, check out the base of the plants, where the budworms like to hide.

If you find them, you can treat the plant with a product containing a synthetic pyrethroid, such as bifenthrin and permethrin. You could also try your luck with new plants in another area of your landscape. Just tell neighbors that you are sponsoring a budworm hotel in the case of the first plants.

Down the road, I am hoping for cultivars that are resistant to this uninvited guest. In the mean time, ivy geraniums appear less susceptible than traditional types and there are some petunias that are less susceptible as well.

Bagworms

I grew up in the country, and our junipers were just covered in bagworms. My skin crawled every time I walked by the trees. Bagworms are not something I would put up with today.

Bagworms attack and defoliate most evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs. However, they are particularly destructive to arborvitae, cedar, juniper and other ornamental evergreens.

You can take care of light bagworm infestations, particularly on shrubs and small trees, by picking the bags off. If you have taller trees, you may have to enlist the help of a tree care company.

Even if you can get over the creepiness of worms hanging off your trees, heavy infestations of bagworms are not good for your trees, so it is better to get rid of them.