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...

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...

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...

They are crawling on the windows, walls, and houseplants, newly rescued from the lower night temperatures of the fall. They could be hanging out on your dishes, doing a balancing act on your toothbrush, resting in your clothing or hair, or be a rather interesting ornament on your Christmas...

 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...

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...