 Asian ladybugs, millipedes, boxelder bugs, ants and termites are
just some of the things that can "bug" you. The only one in the
short list that can do real damage is the termite. If you have a
termite problem, it is recommended to consult a professional to
handle the matter for you. For the other pests, a nuisance is
what they are.If you've already removed the resting places
such as leaf piles, firewood stacks and similar places, we are
probably ready for the foundation spray. Foundation sprays of
permethrin or bifenthrin are the standbys. Simply spray the
foundation of the house and the adjacent foot of soil. In severe
cases, you may need to expand the soil treatment area. The
larger the barrier, the more effective it is.
I mentioned ants and termites earlier. Swarming time for both
insects is about the same, and they are really looking to start
new colonies because they have outgrown their old ones. This is
the reason for the winged insects. The wings allow the ants or
termites to cover larger areas to start their new colonies.
The differences between ants and termites are several.
Termites are always blackish in color, while ants may be black
or other colors. If you have winged insects that are not black,
you don't have termites. Next, look at the body shape. Ants have
a constricted "waist," while termites don't have that classic
hourglass figure. Antennae and wings are the other two body
parts to look at. Antennae on ants are elbowed, basically in an
"L" shape, and those on termites are straight. Both ants and
termites have pairs of wings, but termite wings on the same side
will be of equal length, while ant wings are of different
lengths on the same side.
Ants can be controlled on the outside of the house with the
foundation treatment mentioned. Inside the house, bait stations
that don't immediately kill the ants (allowing them to take the
bait back to the colony) are effective. However, you have to
wait about a week before you do anything else. Inside the house,
it is only recommended to use aerosol cans or pre-mixed spray
bottles labeled for indoor use. If you use the bait stations,
wait the week before any spraying.
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Oak galls
One group of problems showing up is galls. Galls are swelling of
leaves, twigs or other plant parts. Most are caused by mites or
wasps. They damage the plant parts, and the plant responds with a
gall. In the case of leaves, the swelling is actually leaf tissue.
This is something I like to refer to as similar to you getting a
mosquito bite. The damage comes in and a swelling occurs. There is
no way to get rid of it without tearing a small hole in the leaf.
The maple leaf bladder gall will be easily spotted on silver
maples in the area shortly, as will oak leaves in the red oak group.
Probably the shingle oak has taken the honors for most galls this
year. Oak trees probably have more galls than any other group of
trees. Several samples have also been brought in of the stem types
of galls.
Fortunately, the oak galls are usually not the type to kill
tissue beyond them. However, the galls aren't the most pleasant
things to look at. That is the main thing -- they are unsightly.
There is no cure for galls, as they are caused by insects before
you see the swellings. The timing would be impossible to try to
prevent the insects.
Gardening reminders
-
We are on the
early end of the time period (April 25 to May 10) for planting
tender vegetables such as snap beans, sweet corn, New Zealand
spinach and tomato plants
-
May 10 begins the time for planting
warm-loving vegetables such as squash, melons, cucumbers and
sweet potato slips. This is also a "more assured" date for
planting annual flowers.
[By
JOHN FULTON,
University of Illinois Extension]
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