Recent News

The following is a news release from the Federal Trade Commission, Washington D.C., dated May 3, 2001.

Dandelion, plantain, and white clover are common perennial broadleaf weeds in lawns. Broadleaf weeds in lawns can be removed manually by pulling and digging or destroyed with broadleaf herbicides.

While it may be hard to have a passion for anything outside during the heat and humidity of late summer in Iowa, I think fondly of the colors in my landscape.

The yellownecked caterpillar is a common pest on crab apple, pin oak and birch trees in Iowa. It is also known to feed on elm, linden, honeylocust, maple, and fruit trees. Adult moths lay clusters of eggs on the backside of leaves in July.

If we can invent a non-stick frying pan, why can't we invent an easy cure for grease ants!?!

False chinch bugs are not a common pest in Iowa. Outbreaks have been noticed only 3 times in the last 20 years. When outbreaks do occur, large numbers or "swarms" of these tiny insects are observed in yards, fields, fencerows and gardens.

Are you ready for the 2001 Home Demonstration Garden field day in your area? With 8 research farms participating, there is a garden within an easy drive of most Iowans. This year's themes run the gamut from the practical to the whimsical.

The common garden or zonal geranium is one of the most popular outdoor flowering plants. Not a true geranium, it actually belongs to the genus Pelargonium. There are more than 200 Pelargonium species, most native to South Africa.

Verticillium wilt is a common disease caused by the soil fungus, Verticillium dahliae.

Several woody plants can be affected such as:

Leaves have been falling from sycamore trees. This early loss of leaves can be alarming. A close look at the fallen leaves will reveal brown areas that typically follow along the veins of the leaves. These areas of browning are often V-shaped.

Hosta growers, vegetable gardeners and others had a tougher time than usual this spring with one of our less common pests, the variegated cutworm . The variegated cutworm is found in sites as varied as alfalfa fields to home gardens.

Want to buy some DDT? How about a World War II-era pesticide container? These are some of the things state and federal pesticide regulators have been spotting for sale over the Internet.

Reports of anthracnose on ash have been received from a number of counties across the state. The presence of this common springtime disease is usually noted when complaints are received that leaves are falling from ash trees.

Turf samples are making their way into the Iowa State University Plant Disease Clinic. To make good use of Clinic services send the best sample possible with complete information.

The weather experienced this past winter had damaging effects on a diverse group of garden plants. From snow mold on our lawns to the death of some of our prized trees and shrubs, it seems no one group of plants was spared.

By Joerg Schmidt-Bailey, Integrated Pest Management Educator, University of Illinois Extension Countryside Center

Reprinted from The Illinois Fruit and Vegetable News, Vol. 7, No. 6 April 25, 2001

Clover mites are very tiny arachnids that live and reproduce outdoors, but are frequently encountered as an accidental invader household pest in early summer and in the fall when they migrate into dwellings by mistake.