Advice for the Home Gardener from the
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program
of Contra Costa County
Request: We have lived in our house for 22 years in central County. Just the past few years we have been plagued by “no-see-ums” as the weather starts to warm. They are generally gone by the time it's hot.
Of course, the no-see-ums chase us indoors during the best time of year for gardening, socializing and enjoying the out-of-doors. Last year I spent time online researching how to prevent this pesky critter. I remember reading somewhere (?) a process for treating the yard to prevent their “hatch". Unfortunately, I can't find what I read, only how to prevent bites.
Can you help me with this? We have no lawn at the house, just trees and plants surrounded mostly by bark. I thought there was something you could spray or spread on the bark ground cover.
I will appreciate any advice you can share. Thank you in advance.
CCMG Help Desk Response: Thank you for contacting the UC Program Master Gardner Help Desk with your question concerning those pesky No-See-Ums you are battling. My childhood was spent in Vermont where these pesky flies breed in epic proportions in the summer, making life outdoors miserable. I sympathize with your frustration.
These minuscule flies are in the Ceratopogonidae family of flies commonly known as no-see-ums, also referred to as sand flies, gnats and biting midges. This family includes more than 5,000 species, distributed worldwide, with the exception being the Antarctic and the Arctic.
Like mosquitoes, No-See-Ums lay their eggs in moist areas. Both males and females consume nectar and other sweet juices for nourishment. Females, however, will also seek out a blood meal to fuel egg production. Female No-See-Ums will bite humans, pets, livestock, wild animals and birds. They breed and develop in moist wet areas. With her need for blood satisfied, the impregnated female will seek out an appropriate place to lay her eggs, which can include water-retaining hollows in trees, muddy water, wet sand, and other similar areas. About 28 days later, adult No-See-Ums emerge and the cycle begins again. No-See-Ums can be more difficult to get rid of than mosquitoes. They are smaller than mosquitoes and more agile fliers.
The research on control leans heavily to “exclusion” techniques as opposed to chemical treatment, misting and fogging. Chemical treatments have proven, in testing, to have little to no effect. If spraying or treating with chemicals is not effective there is little sense in spending your time and money in addition to adding the pollutant to your environment. While exclusion is the preferred control method you should look your property over and make sure you do not have “wet'” breeding sites.
Exclusion techniques appear to be the most effective method of control. These include wearing protective clothing, installing ultra-fine mesh screening (US 16 Standard Mesh) in-home screens and enclosing patio and porch areas with this same fine mesh screening. If you are really determined to be outside there are also pop-up tents designed with drop-down screening fine enough to block the No-See-Ums.
Topical sprays have proven to be only barely effective but might add a bit of protection while working in the garden. You could use a mosquito repellent with DEET, in addition to wearing protective clothing.
There is some information that refers to trapping as being moderately effective to highly effective, the trap tested is the CO2 mosquito trap. A home version is not too expensive and might be worth a try. No-See-Ums and mosquitos breed in the same conditions so you would be controlling any potential mosquito population as well, it might be a win-win.
The UC information on gnats was very limited. The Bug Squad from UC Davis provides some more detailed information at https://ucanr.edu/blogs/bugsquad/index.cfm?tagname=Valley%20Black%20Gnats. The best information I found was a link to research-based information from the University of Arizona. https://cals.arizona.edu/apmc/docs/No-See-Ums-IPMShort.pdf
I hope you will find some success by employing these methods. The best method may be the passage of time and the increase in temperature.
Please do not hesitate to call us with more questions …hopefully we will find some new information on the control of No-See-Ums.
Help Desk of the UC Program of Master Gardeners of Contra Costa County (BHD)
Notes: Contra Costa MG's Help Desk is available almost year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays (e.g., last 2 weeks December), we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 2380 Bisso Lane, Concord, CA 94520. We can also be reached via telephone: (925) 608-6683, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/. MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Biog.
Subject: Control of Anthracnose on Sycamore Trees
Advice for the Home Gardener from the Help Desk of the
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County
MGCC Help Desk Response to Sprays for Control of Anthracnose on Sycamores: Thank you for contacting the UC Master Gardener Program Help Desk with your question about treating anthracnose on Sycamore trees. You have done a lot of research on this problem, so I am not sure we can tell you anything you do not already know. Sycamore, full-grown in suburbia is a large tree, and were a common tree planted usually several decades ago, but smaller lots and today's suburbia limit their planting these days. While they are often prized for their majesty (and heigh 60-100') they can e a problem from dropping branches, debris from leaves and branches, and anthracnose, especially if planted to close to a house and other trees.
As you know, anthracnose is a fungal disease which can cause unsightly changes to Sycamore trees. The effects on the tree can be brown spots on infected leaves to distortion of branches, cankers and dieback. Unless signs consistently occur every year, trees are usually not seriously harmed; they just may not be aesthetically pleasing. The fungi survive over winter on infected leaves and twigs or dead leaf litter under the trees. Rain in the spring splashes the fungus onto new growth and starts the infection cycle again. Infections are worse in years with heavy spring rain than those with dry springs. The best management mechanism is to remove infected twigs, branches, nd leafs during the fall or winter to decrease the re-infection of the trees in the spring. If there is a wet spring, spraying new growth with fungicides can be protective: however, University of California does not recommend fungicide applications for trees other than ash. I believe you have already reviewed this document but the UC web link to the Integrative Pest Management (IPM) on anthracnose is below. http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7420.html
I reviewed the pesticide labels of the two products we discussed - Agri-Fos and Reliant. If there is a difference in the products, it was not apparent to me. It does appear that Agri-Fos is not labeled for use on sycamores for anthracnose and Reliant is allowed to be used as a foliar spray and as an injection into the tree trunk in sycamores for anthracnose. Why these products, with the same active ingredient in the same concentration, are labeled differently is not apparent to me. So, we forwarded this part of your question onto our local Urban IPM advisor to see if he can provide clarification on this…. And we heard back from our Urban IPM Coordinator. Here is his response:
“Product registrants can seek wide or narrow spectrum labels, depending on targeted markets, costs, and efficacy information. In this case, the manufacturers of Reliant have included sycamore anthracnose while the manufacturers of Agri-Fos have not. It seems that Reliant is an older product that is registered for use against a very wide range of agricultural pathogens, so maybe it was cost-effective to include anthracnose. It's also likely that the inert ingredients of these two products are different. Agri-Fos, for instance, is usually injected or otherwise introduced internally, while Reliant is sprayed.
The more important consideration here is that phosphonates (active ingredients in both these products) are not considered effective sprays as per the UC IPM 'Anthracnose'
Pest Note: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7420.html
I think the last paragraph is the most important for this discussion, that phosphonates are not considered effective sprays against anthracnose."
Finally, as we discussed on the phone, you may try consulting another certified arborist to see what their recommendations for management would be. We cannot recommend a specific company, but would recommend you find a certified arborist through the following website. https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist
Best of luck and we will let you know if we find out more Please do not hesitate to contact the Help Desk again if you have more questions.
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County (SEH/SES)
Notes: Contra Costa MG's Help Desk is available almost year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays (e.g., last 2 weeks December), we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 2380 Bisso Lane, Concord, CA 94520. We can also be reached via telephone: (925) 608-6683, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/. MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Blog.
Advice for the Home Gardener from the
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program
of Contra Costa County
Home Gardener's Request: Thank you for calling the UC Master Gardener Program Help Desk concerning moles in your lawn. I'm sending links (below) for the information that we promised.
Master Gardener Help Desk Response:
For Moles: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74115.html.
You mentioned that you have had grubs previously, and it may be that moles are still present because grubs are a food source for them. If you can eliminate the grubs, the moles may move on. The above 'pest note' link (above) suggests that trapping is the most dependable control method for moles, and it gives detailed information should you decide this is necessary.
For Grubs: The links following also provide some information on lawn grubs: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/TOOLS/TURF/PESTS/inchaf.html
This link gives more details about treatment: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7476.html
Turf Management: Finally, UC has an extensive website on general lawn management at:
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/TOOLS/TURF/
Most control methods for grubs are only effective while they are actively feeding and as we move into the colder part of the year, grubs are not so active. You can check your lawn by rolling back a bit of turf to see if grubs are present. If the mole damage is not too great, you might want to wait until spring to reassess the situation. Meanwhile, plan on giving your lawn the best care, with adequate irrigation and care and not to over-fertilize. This will give it the lawn its best chance to withstand pest damage.
If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Help Desk again.
Good luck with your lawn!
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County (SMW)
Notes: Contra Costa MG's Help Desk is available almost year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays (e.g., last 2 weeks December), we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 2380 Bisso Lane, Concord, CA 94520. We can also be reached via telephone: (925) 608-6683, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/. MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Biog.
Advice for the Home Gardener from the Help Desk of the
UC Master Gardener Program in Contra Costa County
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Bed Bug Facts: To refresh your memory about bed bugs, here are some bed bug facts:
- The Help Desk has (formerly real live) bed bugs encased in a mount for close-up viewing.
Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs are not microscopic. While small, you can see all life stages with the naked eye. - Both nymphs (immatures) and adults only feed on blood and must have a blood meal in order to develop and survive.
- Bed bugs do not jump or fly but they are good hitchhikers.
- Bed bugs generally feed at night and typically hide in dark cracks and crevices during the day.
- Common hiding places are typically located within 6 feet from areas where humans sleep or rest including box springs, along mattress seams, behind headboards, or inside furniture and upholstery.
- There are several ways to prevent bed bug infestations in your home.
- When traveling, check for bed bugs in your hotel room. Inspect your luggage before leaving, and wash and dry all your clothing when you get home.
- If you purchase second-hand furniture, thoroughly inspect the item for bed bugs before bringing it into your home.
Here are some UC IPM web resources on bed bugs that you might also find of interest: - Pest Notes: Bed Bugs
- Bed Bugs Quick Tip Card (English) and Chinches de Cama (Spanish)
YouTube videos - Don't bring bed bugs home when you travel
- How to use a bed bug detector
- How to inspect for bed bugs
YouTube videos Spanish versions: - Cómo saber si tiene chinches de cama
- No traiga chinches a casa al volver de viaje
- Cómo usar un detector de chinches de cama
If you have more questions, please contact us via our Help Desk or at our “Ask a Master Gardener” tables at Farmers Markets and other events. (see addresses below)
Help Desk of the UC Master Garden Program of Contra Costa County
Notes: Contra Costa MG's Help Desk is available almost year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays (e.g., last 2 weeks December), we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 2380 Bisso Lane, Concord, CA 94520. We can also be reached via telephone: (925) 608-6683, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/. MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Biog.
Help for the Home Gardener from the Help Desk of the
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County
Gardener's Request: Thank you for contacting the UC Master Gardener Program Help Desk about the ant pests in your recently installed raised bed vegetable garden. First off, welcome to the community of backyard vegetable gardeners. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
You've raised two questions—how to get rid of the ants which have moved into your garden bed and what to do about the ants that are crawling all over the Swiss chard where small black insect pests are also present… I'll start with the question about eliminating the ant colony from the garden bed and will then address the question relating to your Swiss chard.
MGCC Help Desk Response:
Eliminating the Ant Colony: It's not surprising that the ants have taken up residency in your garden bed. I'll bet you made it a fairly hospitable locale for ant colonies when you readied it for planting winter vegetables and herbs. It's a good idea to try to get the ants under control now before the colony expands further. Here's a link to a University of California website that has a significant amount of information about ants and how to manage them: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7411.html.
For your vegetable garden, I suggest that you focus on the use of bait stations. To find information on the use of baits in the referenced UC website, scroll down the page until you come to the section heading “MANAGEMENT” and then scroll a bit further to find the heading “Baits”. The bait stations contain a pesticide that attracts the ants because they consider it a food source. The ants carry the bait back to their nest where other ants also feed on it. The bait doesn't immediately kill the ants, but over a few days, the ants that consume the baits will die, eventually wiping out the colony.
As noted in the referenced Pestnote on ants, the baits can be purchased in several forms. The easiest ones to find are the small plastic bait traps or ant stakes sold at nurseries and hardware/home supply stores. But as noted in the Pestnote, using a refillable bait trap filled with liquid bait may be more effective, particularly when you will need to use the bait long enough to wipe out an entire colony. You may need to use an online source to purchase the refillable bait station and the liquid bait to fill it.
For the vegetable garden, you will probably want to use boric acid (borate or various forms of sodium borate) as the bait. Boric acid is effective to kill most kinds of ants. The Pestnote referenced above includes a table listing products by their brand names that contain boric acid or other forms of borate as the active ingredient.
- As noted in this UC website, the risks to the environment, water quality, honey bees and people and other mammals that are associated with the use of borate products are all fairly low, which would make it a good choice to use in the vegetable garden. http://ipm.ucanr.edu/TOOLS/PNAI/pnaishow.php?id=16.
- Be careful when you fill and place the bait trap so that you don't spill the liquid baits on growing vegetables and plants. But with such care, it should be fine to use in your garden.
The Swiss Chard Problem. You mentioned that the ants are galloping up and down the stems of the chard and that you have also noticed some type of insect pest that looks like small black dots on the chard. We believe that the small black insect pests that you are noticing on the chard are likely aphids. Aphids feed on plants by piercing the leaves with a piercing mouthpart and sucking sugary plant fluids from the leaves. As they feed, the aphids exude a sticky, sweet substance known as honeydew. Ants love to feed on the honeydew and that is likely what has attracted the ants to the Swiss chard.
Here's a link to UC's Pestnote about aphids: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7404.html. As you'll see in the Pestnote, a number of beneficial insects such as the lady beetle and various types of parasitic wasps can be a big help in controlling aphid populations. Because the ants want to protect the honeydew food source, they are known to attack the beneficial insects to prevent them have destroying the aphids. So, to get rid of the aphids, you'll need to get rid of the ants. As you'll see, for garden plants such as yours, the aphids Pestnote recommends the use of ant baits to manage the ant problem.
Since it will take a while to eliminate that ant colony using baits, in the meantime you may want to use some water sprays to wash the aphids, ants and honeydew off the Swiss chard. As noted in the aphids Pestnote, most dislodged aphids won't be able to return to the plant, and their honeydew will be washed off as well. Use a spray bottle or a spray attachment attached to a hose and use a strong enough blast of water to dislodge the aphids. Using water sprays early in the day allows plants to dry off during the warmer daytime hours which will make them less susceptible to fungal diseases.
We hope that this information is helpful and that you're able to enjoy a good crop of winter veggies and get rid of the ant colony before it's time to plant your next crops. You're welcome to contact us again if you have further questions.
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County (TKL)
Notes: Contra Costa MG's Help Desk is available almost year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays (e.g., last 2 weeks December), we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 2380 Bisso Lane, Concord, CA 94520. We can also be reached via telephone: (925) 608-6683, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/. MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Biog.
