Pests

I have tried many things to get rid of the moles in our yard. The only thing that has worked is to pop them out of the ground with a shovel, but that is not a good solution to control them. What is the best way to get rid of them for good?

Question from Carla:

I found your website while looking for information about how to treat grubs in the KC Metro area. I live in Lee's Summit, and there are several areas in my grass where the grass is brown and the ground is really spongy. You can walk on the area and it feels like the ground is puffy and soft.

I have seen some white grubs while planting. What should I buy to control this problem? Thank you so much. I think your site has some great information.

CritterBulbs are like popcorn for a lot of garden pests, but there are defenses you can deploy. To read more, click here.

By Dean Fosdick
For The Associated Press
Bulbs are perfect, self-contained packages for gardeners. They’re equipped with everything necessary to make flowers grow and bloom.
Problem is, that makes them a prize for predators, too.
“The perfect lunch box,” said Leonard Perry, an extension professor with the University of Vermont. “Put them in the ground this fall and I guarantee you the plant pests will come.”

Dennis

are the entomologists reporting more hornet/wasp populations this year?

These are the smaller yellow hornet/wasps that one usually sees around trash cans at picnics/parks. Not the larger cicada killers I think are true yellow jackets.

I am in a "high risk" for insect bites with my work I realize. But in over 25 years I have been stung 5 times by bees/wasp/hornets. In the past 2 weeks I have been stung 3 times by those small yellow hornets.

I have either web worms or tent caterpillars in several of my trees. What should I do to get rid of them and when should I do it?

Thanks, Nancy

Do we have fire ants in this part of the country?

Groundhog Visits the Garden: A few weeks ago this friendly visitor was munching on the violets that had overtaken the perennial border. Warning: Groundhogs also known as woodchucks can be very unfriendly when cornered so keep your distance.

Japanese BeetleDennis Patton writes in his tip this week that the Japanese Beetles have finally arrived in this area after a long wait for them. To read more about the threat and how serious it is, click here.

Japanese BeetleWhen a horticulturist is asked, “Do we have Pest XYZ here?” many times they will reply, “Well, not yet, but it is only a matter of time.” With that thought in mind, I have been asked for years about the Japanese beetle.

I have a mealy bug infestation of epic proportions on the Live Oak in my front yard. The trunk is about 2 feet in diameter and the tree is probably 50 feet tall. The trunk is dotted with fuzzy white bugs and scaly, I don't know, eggs? But all the underbranches are completely white with eggs and bugs. They are also on the leaves. Despite this, the tree has new growth at the ends of branches and has had no significant leaf drop.

How do I address this infestation? My specific questions are 1) Will the mealy bugs spread to other trees? 2)Do I need to get rid of them, and if so, how?

If I apply a herbicide early in the morning when the temperature is below 70 degrees and the dew is still on the weeds, will it still be effective when the temps rise to 90 degrees in the afternoon?

White grubPretty ugly, huh? No one likes white grubs and now's the time to get rid of them, says Chelsey Wasem. To read her tips on how to do it, click here.

Summer is officially here, along with your lawn’s number one insect pest, GRUBS.
White grubs are destructive pests that feed on the roots of all commonly used turfgrass species and cultivars. Preventive treatment is applied at approximately the same time that adults are laying eggs in the soil. This is between mid-June to mid-July. So in the next week, apply grub control if you have not already.

Several of us in our neighborhood are plagued with moles right now. The hills are very large, at least a foot across and about 4-6" tall. The trails are clearly visible and run between three Austrian pines. Dennis, can you review the best ways to deal with them? We are considering getting traps and following the directions in one of the K-State publications, but it sure doesn't look easy! Thanks.

I have a problem with ground squirrels> I recently replaced a short section of sidewalk & the back steps of my house and they lived under that. Now in less than 2 weeks they are tunneling again. I've tried the poison smoke bombs 3 times, no luck. I've used rat traps with peanut butter with some success, but now I have a dog and he'd go right after that.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Last night a deer wandered through our neighborhood and chomped my new rudbeckia down to ground level. Pretty soon it will be hard to find perennials to replace it so should I just replace it now or is there a chance it could come back?

Striped cucumber beetleYou don't want to see this on your cucumbers or other vine crops. To check Chelsey Wasem's tip this week on how to keep cucumber beetles away, click here.

From Linda:

How can I go about ordering Deer Vic for my yard?

When is the best time to spray bag worms in this area? Does anyone have experience with the new mole gitter?