by Julie McConnell | Oct 23, 2017
Cypress twig galls on bald cypress leaves. Photo: J_McConnell, UF/IFAS
Bald cypress Taxodium distichum is a native tree that is commonly planted in landscapes because it is adaptable to many sites and grows quickly. It is an interesting tree because it has soft flat leaves that fall off in the winter like other deciduous shade trees; however, it belongs to the Cypress family which consists mostly of needled evergreens.
Like the other cypresses, bald cypress produces cones in the fall, which is a primary means of reproduction for the species in natural settings. During the same season that cones are maturing, you might also see what looks like cones forming at the tips of branches among the leaflets rather than along the stem. These mysterious growths are not cones but rather twig galls.
Bald cypress twig galls are abnormal growths of leaf bud tissue triggered by the attack of the cypress twig gall midge Taxodiomyia cupressiananassa. In late spring, adult midges lay eggs on new leaves of the bald cypress. As the eggs hatch and midge larvae start feeding on the bald cypress leaves the growth of a twig gall is induced. The larvae take advantage of this gall using it for food and shelter throughout the larval stage and into the pupal stage. After pupation, adults emerge from the galls, mate, and females lay an average of 120 eggs over a two-day lifespan as an adult. This first generation lays eggs on mature leaves which starts the cycle again. The galls formed by the second generation of the year fall off and overwinter on the ground.
The galls do not appear to affect the health of trees overall, although the weight of heavily infested branches may cause drooping. There are many natural enemies of the twig cypress gall midge, so applying insecticides are not recommended since they may cause harm to non-target insects. The simplest management option is to collect and destroy the galls in the spring and fall to reduce populations the following season.
To read more about bald cypress trees or the twig gall please see the following publications:
by Julie McConnell | Sep 18, 2017
A glass jar with the lid secured is one method of bringing a live insect sample to your local Extension Office. Photo: JMcConnell, UF/IFAS
One of the roles of a Horticulture Extension Agent is to help identify pests found in the landscape. Weeds are fairly easy for people to sample, simply take some pictures or dig it up and bring it into the office, but what about insects?
Slow moving insects may be easy to photograph and if their size, shape, and coloration is very distinctive that may be enough for a good identification. But sometimes a photo isn’t worth a thousand words and the best way to get accurate identification is to bring in a physical sample.
The quality of the sample is going to either help or hinder with identification, so here are some tips:
- Never leave samples in a hot car – insects desiccate and become brittle in intense heat. Some details such as number of antennae segments or tarsi on legs are used to positively identify insects; missing pieces can lead to misidentification.
- Bring a live sample if it can be done safely and securely. Small, disposable plastic containers, jars with tightly sealing lids, and reused food or medicine containers work well.
- Small insects such as ants can be collected using a paintbrush dipped in rubbing alcohol which can then be swirled to release the ants into a vial/jar containing a small amount of alcohol. Small soft bodied insects can be collected this way, but may lose their color which may impede identification.
- Crushed or otherwise damaged samples should not be submitted.
- Limit samples to landscape or household pests – your local Extension Office is not a medical facility and is not equipped to handle or process samples that contain bodily fluids, skin scrapings, or similar materials. Please consult a physician for suspected human parasites.
Other helpful information that can be used for identification is the location of the insect, behavior (active night/day), and food source if known.
If insects must be mailed, please follow packaging directions found in this publication Insect Identification Service.
by Julie McConnell | Jul 12, 2017
Coontie (Zamia floridana) planted at the same time but growing at different rates. Photo: J_McConnell, UF/IFAS
When designing landscapes, it is popular to create lines and masses of plants for high visual impacts. Plants are carefully selected to be similar in size and shape at the time of installation. They are all grouped together, so they must be getting the same care, but why do they look different years later? There are several factors to consider when we are trying to figure out why a perfectly matched set no longer looks like a uniform planting.
Although plants may be in the same bed, shadows cast at certain times of the day may reduce sunlight to some sections and not others. This can be caused by structures or trees that have grown over time and changed light patterns.
Supplemental irrigation may also be variable even with the best system design. Over time plants grow and may block sprinkler emitters from reaching some sections of landscape beds. Even if the landscape relies on natural rainfall, there can be still be dry/wet spots in the landscape due to drainage off of hard structures, low areas, or wind direction during storms.
It might be possible to adjust some lighting and watering issues, but there is one factor that many gardeners have not considered – genetics. If plants were grown from seed, than variation is not only possible, but likely. This might be displayed as differences in height and width, foliage color, flower color, speed of growth – all may be influenced by parentage despite best efforts to care for each plant similarly.
Many landscape plants are cultivars. This means they are grown from cuttings or divisions which make them identical to the original plant. When a plant is grown from seed, however, there is no guarantee it will have the same specific qualities as the mother plant.
To combat this phenomenon, landscapers should check sunlight and watering for irregular growth patterns and adjust if needed. If a landscape design requires uniform plants, use named cultivars rather than seedling grown plants in lines or masses.
by Julie McConnell | May 26, 2017
Blue Morpho Butterfly feeding on banana. Photo: J_McConnell, UF/IFAS
Have you been thinking about creating a butterfly garden but don’t know where to start?
Afraid it’s too much upkeep or has to look wild and untamed?
Red Admiral Butterfly. Photo: J_McConnell, UF/IFAS
Spend a Saturday morning with the UF/IFAS Master Gardeners of Bay County to see how to design, install, and maintain a colorful low maintenance butterfly garden.
Next Saturday, June 3rd, is the free Butterfly Gardening Workshop in Panama City at the UF/IFAS Extension Office at 2728 E. 14th Street. Come learn about butterfly gardening and see our vibrant garden.
Please register ahead of time so that we can supply enough materials for all attendees by calling 850-784-6105 or sign up online.
by Julie McConnell | May 1, 2017
American Dog Tick. Photo: L. Buss, UF/IFAS
You’ve probably heard some tips to prevent picking up ticks in the past, but did you ever wonder why some work and others don’t? Understanding the life cycle and behavior of common ticks can help you succeed with your prevention measures.
Life Cycle of American Dog Tick. Credit: Centers for Disease Control
A general life cycle for ticks includes four life stages: egg, larva, nymph, and adult. The egg hatches into larva which require a blood meal to molt into a nymph which again requires a blood meal before molting to an adult.
The adult female also requires blood feeding in order to produce eggs, which she lays in high numbers – some species lay up to 6,500 eggs!
Because blood is required for development, ticks have to be resourceful in finding hosts. Knowing this can help you understand why some tips work better than others.
Tick Tips
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Wear clothing that covers skin and avoid sitting on the ground or logs in brushy areas. Adult ticks exhibit a behavior called “questing” where they climb to the top of grasses and vegetation with their forelegs extended and wait for a host to come by. The American Dog Tick‘s primary host are dogs, but they will also target cattle, horses, and humans.
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Apply repellents to exposed skin and clothing (different products are labeled for where they are applied, follow all directions). These chemicals repel ticks and can reduce likelihood of tick attachment, but ticks have been known to crawl over treated areas to access untreated body parts.
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Keep grass and vegetation maintained and clean up debris that may harbor small mammals and rodents. Early in the tick life cycle it targets smaller animals for blood and they can
hide or shelter in debris piles and vegetation.
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Always shower and check yourself for ticks after being in areas where ticks may live, especially when temperatures are warm. Nymphs can be less than 1 mm long, so check carefully!
For instructions on how to properly remove a tick that has embedded, visit UF Health Tick Removal.
Female Lone Star tick that has not fed. Photo: L. Buss, UF/IFAS
Lone Star Tick female engorged on blood. Photo: L. Buss, UF/IFAS
