In late spring, a gardener walks out to their vegetable garden ready to collect a harvest, only to discover shot holes through kale and bites taken out of cabbages – even the tomatoes suffered, with many plants nursing broken stems. As the gardener returns to the kitchen, excitement for the morning...
Roadsides and ditches are drawing the eye of humans and butterflies alike as common milkweed plants (Asclepias syriaca) return to the summer scenery. While this plant proves unpopular for its weedy habit, it is a necessity for the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) as the sole...
As the winter chill thaws, gardeners erupt with excitement for the big botanical blitz that is spring.
We scan the aftermath of winter and spot the evidence of last year’s gardening efforts in our brown landscapes: dried plant stems, partially mulched leaves, and hints of green - our emerging...
Don’t fret over whitefly infestations on flowers as these latecomers to the landscape most likely don’t require control because they won’t make it through the Illinois winter. Only plants that make the journey back inside should be monitored and or treated for these insect pests.
Clouds of...
The larvae of a moth may be wreaking havoc on your lawns right now and could be exacerbated by the lack of rain leaving behind lots of dead grass in its wake. Recent sightings of large fall armyworm infestations of turf have been reported in Bloomington Normal this week.
Fall armyworm (Spodoptera...
They are annoying, pesky, and won’t leave you alone. They look like little bees. Most people think they are sweat bees because of their black and yellow stripes but they don’t sting despite their extremely offensive behavior during the latter part of the summer. Regardless of their interactions...
The summer nights of Illinois stir the senses with the illuminating performance of lightning bug and the concerts of the cicada. The annual cicadas have begun to sing their song, and along with them comes the emergence of their natural predator, the cicada killer wasp.
Cicadas are imperative in...
Summer is officially here, and it’s time to get out to your favorite walking or hiking spot! That may entail walking through tall grass and woodland brush, depending on where you go. Protect yourself from Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain fever by following tick prevention advice of forest...
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The state insect, the monarch butterfly, is facing a crisis. Each May, Illinoisans celebrate the monarch butterfly, but University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator Kelly Allsup says that Illinois residents should be worried.
The yearly count of monarchs decreased by...
Originally published by Kelly Allsup on May 24, 2021.
They are crawling on my windows, walls, and houseplants newly rescued from the lower night temperatures of the fall and creeping me out. They could be hanging out on your dishes, doing a balancing act on your toothbrush, resting in...
A recent study tracking butterfly abundance in Ohio over the last 20 years has discovered a 33% decline. We can only assume that in Illinois we have similar patterns in decline in our butterfly populations. Scientists...
A new invasive species in Illinois may prevent vigilant gardeners from sharing divided perennials. Jumping worms, also called crazy worms or snake worms, are species of earthworms that deplete nutrients in the soil which in turn affects plant growth. Jumping worms are being reported in several ...
With everything going virtual this year, Illinois’ Master Gardener conference followed suit, hosting only one speaker. So she must have been good.
Recipient of the National Medal of Science in 2014, May Berenbaum is department head of...
Originally published by Kelly Allsup on October 23, 2020.
You have likely spied upon, or even befriended, praying mantises in your garden this growing season. Although most adults die out during the late fall and early winter, they likely left behind a foamy garden ornament in your...
Females can start laying eggs as soon as you see adults. Once the adult flies are discovered, management decisions should be made. Adult flies are tan with red eyes and a tiny 2-3mm-long (up to a one-eighth of an inch). Males have characteristic dark spots on their wings that can easily be seen...
Ants are thriving in my kitchen, my bathroom, and at my office. They usually enter buildings after heavy rains and persist as long as the environment is to their liking. In the kitchen, they are seeking out sweet treats, and are attracted to the moisture in the bathroom. Despite ants not causing...
Originally published by Kelly Allsup on June 21, 2016.
Did you know that with minimal investment, you can open a hotel? Insect hotels offer places for beneficial insects and pollinators to survive winter's chill and to nest in spring and summer. You can use them to employ garden warriors...
