Recent News

Spring's Unwelcome Guests

The warmth of March and April is definitely welcome, but does have one unpleasant side effect for those of us who do not like insects wandering about the house.

Thousand Cankers Disease in Black Walnut Trees

Learn what to look for, how it spreads, and how to control it if you suspect your black walnut tree is ailed by thousand canker disease.

Iowa Farmers’ Market Surveys, 2009

The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Iowa Field Office released reports on November 30, 2009 detailing results from two surveys conducted at Iowa farmers' markets throughout th

Upcoming Horticultural Meetings, 2010

Perennial Catalogs

A hot bowl of chili is a great way to warm the body after spending time outdoors on a cold, winter day. A sure way to warm the spirits of gardeners on these gray, wintery days is to leaf through a stack of newly arrived garden catalogs.

Happy New Decade and New Year

Welcome to the 2010 edition of the ISU Horticulture and Home Pest Newsletter, our 24th year of publication!

Snow Fleas - Tiny Winter Jumpers

Next time you are outside on a sunny winter day take a close look at the snow, especially where it has melted a bit around the base of trees or house foundations, for a small insect called the snow

Keep Checking for Insects on Houseplants

Psocids Love a Damp Location

Psocids are one of the small, occasional pests you might encounter around the house (silent "P" -- pronounced "sew-sid").  Psocids are up to 3/16 inch in length and appear

Phomopsis Cane and Leaf Spot of Grape

Phomopsis cane and leaf spot of grape was diagnosed on a grape sample from Polk County after chemical injury was suspected. The disease is caused by the fungus Phomopsis viticola and is especially destructive if the weather following budbreak is wet for several days. It can weaken the vine, reduce yield, lower the quality of fruit for table use, and kill grafted and other nursery stock.

Cottony Grass Scale

The cottony grass scale is not a common problem in Iowa.

Mystery Item Under Plants Is Hornworm Pupa

The 2.5" long "thing" shown below was found under decayed straw around a potato plant in the garden.  This is a hornworm pupa, the intermediate, transformation stage of a t

Rooting Annuals in Late Summer

The lives of most annuals end with the first hard frost in fall. However, it is possible to save several annuals from year to year by taking and rooting cuttings in late summer. Annuals t

Dogwood Sawfly

Insect Population Predictions: Where Are All the Monarchs

One of the questions we have the hardest time answering is Where are all the (insert insect of interest) this year? The simple answer is – we don't know. The longer answer is that t

Home Demonstration Garden Field Days, 2009

Every year several ISU Research and Demonstration Farms host field days to showcase new and/or unusual vegetables and annual flowers. Each garden at the different locations is planted with the same types of plants in essentially the same layout.

Carpenter Ant Nest Exposed

Learning that you have a carpenter ant colony indoors is never pleasant, but then comes the difficult task of locating it.  Car

Spider Webs Make an Interesting Display

Jim Hill, Hancock County Extension Director forwarded the photos below that show the remnants of a night of spiders gone wild.

Tiny Stalk Borers are Big Garden Headache

The common stalk borer is a slender, purple and white striped caterpillar found tunneling inside the stems of a wide variety of plants.

Soldier Beetles Common on Blossoms Now

Soldier beetles are elongate-narrow, soft-bodied insects about ½ to ¾ inch in length. Colors vary from yellow to red with brown or black marks at the tips of the wings.