Flowers, Fruits, and Frass

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Blue Dasher Dragon Fly

July 30, 2014

Blue Dasher adult male dragonflies are territorial, often perching on pond-edge vegetation where they use their huge green eyes to watch for female mates and to chase off male competitors. Immature Blue Dashers have reddish-brown eyes and keep carefulwatch for adults and and other predators whomay...

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Invasive Callery pears by Rhonda Feree and Sandy Mason

July 26, 2014

Although ornamental flowering pears are beautiful in the spring, they have several severe problems. Below is a portion of an article written by Sandy Mason, Extension Educator in horticulture based in Champaign, IL. Since this article was published in 2005, ornamental pear problems have...

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Conifer Sawflies by Phil Nixon

July 23, 2014

The most common sawfly that attacks needled evergreens in Illinois is the European pine sawfly, which is present as damaging larvae in the spring. Because this sawfly finishes larval feeding at candle emergence, only second- and third-year needles are consumed. The result is that the emerging...

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Cicada Killers and European hornets by Phil Nixon and Kelly Allsup

July 20, 2014

We have been receiving reports of large wasps in recent weeks that some people have "identified" by using the Internet as Asian giant hornet. This is confounded by several news stories, including some in Illinois, on supposed sightings of the Asian giant hornet. From what I can tell, there have...

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Black Knot on Cherry by Travis Cleveland-Diagnosed in McLean County

July 19, 2014

Black knot is a common fungal disease that affects at least 25 Prunus species, both edible and ornamental. The disease is caused by the pathogen, Dibotryon morbosum, which infects the new twigs, branches, and fruit spurs during the spring. Trunks also can become diseased. Most...

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Click Beetles

July 18, 2014

Top 5 Facts: The Eyed Click Beetle: Good Bug Alaus oculatus Picture taken by Tony Dorley of Normal 1. Picture Taken In suburban Washington DC in May (Range Eastern United States to Texas) 2. White Spots are “false eyes” and considered...

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Tomato Cracks

July 17, 2014

Excessive Moisture can cause Tomato cracking in Blooomington NormalPicture by Missouri Botanical Garden

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Tomato Fungal Diseases Revisted

July 16, 2014

Fungal Diseases of Tomatoes Pictures Missouri Botanical Garden Septoria Leaf Blight (Leaf Spot) Septoria leaf spot is the most co

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Finding the Good Guys

July 15, 2014

If you invite me to your garden for a tour, I probably won't be looking at your flowers, but rather start turning over leaves or inspecting holes, looking for the insects that may reside there. Several clues will prompt me to inspect a plant, like frass (insect poop), holes in the leaves, yellowing...

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Cicadas and the Wasps that kill them

July 6, 2014

Cicada eggs laid 17 years ago are now emerging in northwestern Illinois. University of Illinois Extension entomologist Phil Nixon said this is the Iowa brood that covers portions of western Illinois, northern edge of Missouri and most of the southern two-thirds of Iowa. The Illinois area...

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