The past few weeks have been “fun” with pest challenges in our garden and home. In the kitchen we battled ant infestations and pantry moths. In the yard the milkweed plants have been covered with oleander aphids, the California lilac (Ceanothus) was attacked by mealybugs accompanied by ants, and paper wasps (Polistes) have been trying to build a nest on the front porch.

How to tackle each of these issues? UC IPM (University of California Integrated Pest Management) Pest Notes and Quick Tips is my go-to for all these issues.

Inside the House:

Pantry Moths

The Indian meal moth (Pyralidae) is the most common moth found on food products in the home. When you see these small moths flying around your home, the larva is likely already in your food. We have had infestations in the past, but food they may get into is now in tightly sealed containers. We also keep pantry moth traps in several areas of the house as a preventative measure.  When we started seeing the moths flying around, we checked the traps and discovered 1-2 dozen moths in all of them. It is possible that we bought some food that had moths, though we could not find an infestation in any of our containers. To be safe, unopened boxes were put in the freezer for a couple of weeks. We also took everything out of the pantry, washed everything down and vacuumed around the kitchen (which also helps with ants). We replaced the moth traps and have not seen any since. https://ipm.ucanr.edu/QT/pantrypestscard.html

Ants 

Ants are beneficial insects who recycle nutrients and aerate the soil, but they are irritating to have in the house! They came in several times during a period of a couple weeks. We used soap and water to mop them up and to wash off their scent trail.  We tried to locate where they came from. In the kitchen they initially appeared along a counter. Later they seem to be coming in from the dishwasher area into the compost bucket under the sink. We pulled out the dishwasher to determine if they were coming from behind it and did not see an entry source. We also pulled everything out from under the sink and cleaned that area. We believe the compost pail was attracting the ants, so are now being vigilant in emptying it each day. We also vacuum and mop the floor daily. Ant baits have been set up in hidden spots (because we have a cat who thinks the baits are toys to play with). Baits are a longer-term strategy, so for now we continue to keep an eye out for scouts and wipe them up as we see them. Since we put the bait traps out, we have not seen any more, so fingers are crossed. https://ipm.ucanr.edu/QT/antscard.html 

Oleander aphids on milkweed plant, author photo.

In the garden:

Milkweed and oleander aphids (Aphis nerii)

I hoped I had escaped getting the detested orange oleander aphids this year, since in recent years they usually showed up earlier in the summer, but ultimately, they appeared. Most established plants can tolerate some aphids, but all aphids produce honeydew, which can attract ants and sooty mold. Since milkweed is the sole food source for the Monarch butterfly caterpillar, pesticides are not recommended. Thus, using strong sprays of water every couple of days helps manage them. Based on previous experience, I know they will reach the end of their life and ultimately disappear. https://ipm.ucanr.edu/QT/aphidscard.html

Mealybugs (Pseudococcidae)

While pruning my Ceanothus (California lilac) bush, I came across several branches covered with mealybugs and ants crawling all over them.   Mealybugs can affect the health of the plant by sucking the sap from the leaves and branches. They excrete honeydew, which is often accompanied by blackish sooty mold growth and ants. Ants protect the bugs and farm the honeydew as a food source. Natural enemies provide superb control of mealybugs, unless the infestation is heavy or disrupted by insecticides (which can kill the beneficial insects). I used the same management method here as I did with the oleander aphids – a strong stream of water to wash off the scale, honeydew, and ants, which I will repeat if needed. I also pruned the most heavily infested branches. https://ipm.ucanr.edu/QT/mealybugscard.html

Paper wasps (Polistes gallicus)

Unlike yellow jacket wasps (Genera Vespula) which are very aggressive, paper wasps rarely sting humans, unless they feel threatened. Paper wasps generally avoid areas of human activity, but exceptions are when their nests are located near doors, windows, or other high-traffic areas. We have had paper wasps previously build nests in out-of-the-way areas of our house and yard, where they have not been a problem. But this nest was under the eaves of our front porch near our front door. So, we knocked out the nest, hoping they would move to a different area of our house or yard. However, they returned 2-3 times – each time we knocked out the nest. They finally appear to have moved on. https://ipm.ucanr.edu/QT/yellowjacketscard.html 

 

Thanks to UC IPM, which provides information on garden issues and pests, along with giving scientifically researched options on how to deal with them, I have managed to either control or eliminate these pesky pests.

UC IPM Resources:

The above links are to Quick Tips, short, to-the-point cards on each topic. They are available for free at local UC Cooperative Extension offices. The references below are for Pest Notes, which may have multiple pages and offer more detailed information about each topic.

Ants: https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7411.html 

Pantry Pests: https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7452.html

Aphids: https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7404.html; https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7410.html

Mealybugs: https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74174.html

Wasps: https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7450.html 

 

Denise Godbout-Avant has been a UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener with Stanislaus County since 2020.

Fly free; fly high.

Wings wafted upward by gentle breeze.

Soar above the land.

Wings buffeted by gusty wind.

Survey the land below.

Seek forage from land, sea and sky.

Toil under the sun splendid creatures resplendently garbed.

Find rest in night's stillness and quietude.

The flock enjoys its lot and is happy in its work.

Forge ahead.

Create parallel V formations with masterly precision.

Exchange positions seamlessly between flight commander and avian crew.

A one minded community.

I watch below, beguiled, straining to see whirls of graceful fluidity.

Birds hover and swoosh upward to join swirling comrades.

Birds of a feather flock together in reverence and one in purpose.

Fly away; fly away.

Unearthly creatures.

Winged angels of the sky.

We hope to see you at one of our presentation's on Backyard Birds at a local library near you! Read our post to see dates and times: https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=57966  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Martha Martin has been a UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener in Stanislaus County since 2022.

As the long, hot days of summer slide into cooler, shorter days of autumn, seasonal changes are occurring in my garden. Not as many plants are blooming, the leaves on deciduous trees and plants are becoming drier and starting to change color. Some plants are producing autumn berries that will sustain many birds as insects, another source of food, begin to disappear.

Quite a few butterflies have been showing up in my garden to take advantage of flowers that are still blooming. Butterflies I have been seeing include painted ladies (Vanessa cardui), common buckeyes (Junonia coenia), fiery skippers (Hylephila phyleus)and cabbage whites (Pieris rapae).

With the advent of winter, butterflies disappear since they cannot tolerate temperatures below 55°F or rainy weather. So, what happens to butterflies in the winter???

Like all insects, butterflies undergo metamorphosis during their life cycle. Stages are from egg to larva/caterpillar to pupa (in chrysalis/cocoon) to adult. Different species have different winter survival strategies, during different phases of their life cycles.

Some Butterflies Migrate

Some butterfly adults migrate south, overwintering in warmer climates.

Monarch butterflies are known for their astonishingly long spring and fall migrations. Both the eastern monarchs and western monarchs began their southern migrations in late August or early September from southern Canada/northern USA to their overwintering sites. The eastern variety generally heads to the oyamel fir forests in the mountains of central Mexico, whereas the western Pacific species have a shorter journey to California's coastline. You may see some western monarchs this fall resting or feeding on flowers in your garden as they fly through the Central Valley on their way their overwintering sites in coastal areas such as Santa Cruz, Pacific Grove, Pismo Beach, and San Diego.

However, monarch butterflies are not the only butterfly species that migrate south. Like monarchs, painted ladies, common buckeyes, cloudless sulphurs (Phoebis sennae) and gulf fritillaries (Dione vanillae) are currently heading to their winter ranges, which are in southern California or western Mexico (including Baja California). However, these butterflies have a much shorter journey than monarchs since they do not journey as far north during the summer.

Other Winter Strategies

Most butterflies spend winter in the same area they spent summer.

Some lay their eggs in autumn on, or close to, their specific host plants with the eggs hatching the following spring. The common hairstreak (Satyrium californica) eggs are laid attached to twigs of oaks with the caterpillars feeding on newly emerged spring leaves.

Some species' caterpillars go into hibernation during the winter season. Duskywing butterflies such as the mournful duskywing (Erynnis tritis) generally have three generations each year with the third generation hibernating as a caterpillar within a tubular retreat formed of rolled leaves tied together with silk strands, sheltering themselves in protected tree nooks and crannies, or leaf litter, and pupating in the early spring.

Some butterflies weather the cold as pupa within a chrysalis in a sheltered spot. During this time, the pupa will enter diapause (where development stops). An antifreeze chemical in their blood allows them to survive cold temperatures. Once the days lengthen, it will resume its transformation, emerging as an adult just as in time for blooming flowers that provide nectar.   The tiger swallowtail's chrysalis (Papilio rutulus) will take refuge in deep shrubbery. The anise swallowtails (Papilio zelicaon) and cabbage whites also generally overwinter as a pupa in their chrysalis. Fiery skippers usually overwinter as pupae buried in leaves, but some adults will migrate to southern California.

Mourning cloaks (Nymphalis antiopa)go into dormancy as an adult. Their blood also contains an anti-freeze. They tuck themselves into cracks and crevices of rocks and trees.

Leaving the Leaves

You can help local butterflies survive winter no matter how they do it by:

• Learn which butterflies live in your area and grow native plants for those specific species.
• Offer nectar plants in the fall and spring months for butterflies that are migrating, emerging from overwintering, or getting ready to go into winter dormancy/hibernation. 
• Skip raking the leaves in your garden in autumn and leave standing plants alone until midspring, so overwintering butterfly larvae, pupae and adults have a place to hide. If leaving the leaves on your lawn is too messy for you, consider not disturbing the leaves in your planters. 
• If you find what looks like a dead chrysalis (many resemble dead leaves) in your yard, garage, shed, do not disturb it. A butterfly may well emerge in the spring.
• Avoid using pesticides as much as possible.

As is happening to other species, climate change, habitat loss, and pesticides are causing these important pollinators of many native plant species to be in trouble. Helping butterflies get through the winter months and the rest of the year will aid their survival and allow them to continue to bring us joy in our gardens with their beauty.

Resources

• Art Shapiro's Butterfly Site: https://butterfly.ucdavis.edu/butterflies
• Butterflies in Your Garden, Publication from UCCE Stanislaus County :https://ucanr.edu/sites/CEStanislausCo/files/345791.pdf
• Xerces Society - Pollinator Plants: Central Valley of California: https://xerces.org/publications/plant-lists/ppbi-california-central-valley 
• California Native Plant Society: https://www.cnps.org/ 
• UC Davis Arboretum – Larval Hosts for Butterflies: https://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/blog/larval-host-plants-butterflies

 Denise Godbout-Avant has been a UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener in Stanislaus County since 2020. 

Hello, our UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners hope to see you this coming Saturday, October 7, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. for a workshop that will help you exchange your traditional landscape for one that invites in pollinators, birds, friends, and neighbors wanting to be a part of it! Please register online or call the office so we know you are coming, as we may not have enough supplies for you if you don't. 

Where: Ag Center, Harvest Hall rooms D&E, 3800 Cornucopia Way, Modesto, 95358.  
When: Saturday, October 7, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Cost: $10
Questions? (209) 525-6800
Sign Up: https://ucanr.edu/new/front/yard

Instructors: UC Cooperative Extension, Stanislaus County Master Gardeners - Heidi Aufdermaur, Tim Long, Rhonda Allen, Doone Cockrell, and Bobbie Green.