- (Focus Area) Yard & Garden
- Author: Lauren Fordyce
The multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis, has a bad reputation. There is a common myth online that this lady beetle (ladybug) is invasive and aggressive, which can sometimes lead to people killing these beetles.
While this species of lady beetle was introduced to California from Asia in the 1990s to control aphid pests, it is not considered invasive. For an organism to be considered invasive it must be nonnative and cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health. Fortunately, the multicolored Asian lady beetle does not cause harm. Like many native lady beetle species, it feeds on pest insects like psyllids, scales, and especially aphids.
In the fall, multicolored Asian lady beetles can become a nuisance when they enter homes seeking shelter to overwinter. If you experience this problem, you can vacuum or sweep them up. Make sure windows, doors, and other openings to the outside are properly sealed to prevent the lady beetles and other insects from coming indoors. In the garden, adults may be attracted to ripening fruit when pest populations are low. In general, there is no need to control these lady beetles with pesticides.
Find out more about these predators and other beneficial insects in the UC IPM Natural Enemies Gallery.
- Author: Alison Collin
Amsonia, a plant native to the Northeastern USA, seems to be little known in the West. They are commonly known as bluestars on account of the shape and color of their flowers. I have never found it in local nurseries, but I have always been curious to find out how it would do in the Eastern Sierra since it is said to be hardy in USDA zones 3-11.
They like well draining soil and regular water, but are somewhat drought tolerant once established. They need partial shade in the hottest areas. Rabbits and deer tend to avoid eating it unless forage is scarce.
There are several different species of Amsonia, but Amsonia hubrichtii is considered to be one of the best bluestars which has needle like but soft foliage, sky-blue flowers and a bright gold autumn foliage color.
I planted an Amsonia hybrid “Blue Ice” about three years ago in a pollinator garden with sandy soil which I amended by the addition of a little compost, and it has performed very well. It makes a neat clump of foliage about 2 feet tall, with sturdy green stems which are black near the tips. The star-shaped, sky-blue flowers erupt in mid-April. The foliage has good fall color, after which the stems die down completely for the winter. It is not at all invasive, and the single clump has gradually increased in size.
They are relatives of Nerium oleander, and they contain a milky sap which can irritate skin. They are said to be hosts to swallowtail butterfly caterpillars.
One day recently, when the plant was in full flower, I was stunned to witness a frenzy of carpenter bees working the flowers! There were at least 23 bees — some massive — on the clump at the same time, together with 3 bumble bees, two other species of native bees that I could not identify, two different butterflies, and a ladybug! I have never seen a plant with so much pollinator activity at one time. Interestingly, these bees are all natives to our area, although the plant is not, and I have never seen a domestic bee on it.
I am pleased that I tried it.
Further information can be found at:
https://www.chicagobotanic.org/sites/default/files/pdf/plantinfo/fg187_amsonia.pdf
- Author: Anne Schellman
Beetles are the most plentiful of all insects on the planet, so it's understandable to get a few of them confused. Let's compare photos and other details about each of these beetles, and also mention the green June beetle, a beetle that is commonly mistaken for the Japanese beetle.
Japanese Beetles
Japanese beetles do not have an established population in California. The California Department of Food and Agriculture* (CDFA) maintains traps for detecting this pest throughout the state. When Japanese beetles are found in California, they are targeted for eradication (complete elimination). Read more about this invasive species on the UC IPM website at https://ipm.ucanr.edu/Invasive-and-Exotic-Pests/Japanese-Beetle/
Green Fruit Beetles
Green fruit beetles are a dull green color and much larger than Japanese beetles. You may notice them in late spring and summer as they zoom around your garden. Fortunately, they are rarely a pest. https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FRUIT/PESTS/grfruitbeetle.html
Rose Chafer Beetles
The rose chafer beetle resembles the hoplia beetle, however, this pest is not found in California. You can read more about these beetles on this informational page from University of Minnesota https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/rose-chafers
Hoplia Beetles
Hoplia beetles are small, brown, and their undersides look like they've been dusted in gold. If you hold one in your hand, they will “play dead” and not move, making it easy to examine them.
You can read more details about managing hoplia beetles in the UC IPM Pest Notes: Hoplia Beetles.
*it's important that we help prevent invasive pests from taking hold in our communities and threatening agricultural crops. You can help by saying "yes" when trappers from the Agricultural Commissioner's Office ask if they can place traps in your landscape tree.
Anne Schellman is the Coordinator for the UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program.
This article was originally published on May 8, 2023.
/h3>/h3>/h3>/h3>- Author: Denise Godbout-Avant
Author: Hyacinthe Loyson
I love to wander among trees, to see and hear the leaves swaying in the breeze, observe birds darting about the branches, squirrels running up and down the trunk, and insects flitting about. I have spent many contented hours sitting under a tree reading a good book. Trees mark the seasons of our lives, blooming in the spring before producing green leaves, producing fruits or nuts in the summer, changing colors in the fall, standing bare and stark during the winter months. I particularly love the Valley Oak tree (Quercus lobata) with its distinctive lobed leaves, the acorns it yields, the fascinating oak galls produced by tiny wasps, and their historical importance to the original people of California as a staple food source.
Arbor Day
Along with 50 countries around the world, the USA celebrates trees on Arbor Day. The day is celebrated during the spring tree planting season. In the USA, the date is typically the last Friday of April, which this year was Friday, April 26. The date varies around the world depending on geography, weather, and if in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere.
But why do we commemorate trees and how did Arbor Day get started?
Benefits of Trees
- Trees help combat climate change – Trees absorb carbon dioxide (CO2), which is contributing to global warming. They remove the CO2 from the air and store the carbon. In one year, an acre of trees can absorb the same amount of CO2 produced when the average car is driven 26,000 miles.
- Trees clean the air – Trees absorb odors and pollutant gases such as nitrogen oxides, ammonia, sulfur dioxide and ozone and filter particulates out of the air by trapping them on their leaves and bark.
- Trees provide habitat for wildlife – Sycamores and oaks are among numerous trees that provide homes for many species of birds, mammals, insects, amphibians, and reptiles.
- Trees cool cities – Trees deflect the sunlight, cooling the air up to 10°F by shading our homes, buildings, and roads.
- Trees prevent soil erosion – Trees reduce water runoff by allowing the rainwater to flow down the trunk, onto the earth below. Their roots also slow runoff and hold the soil in place.
- Trees provide wood and paper – Trees help us build our homes and the paper we write on.
- Trees beautify urban spaces – Trees can mask unsightly concrete walls, parking lots, and unsightly views. They help muffle the sounds of the city and create eye-soothing canopies of green. They absorb dust and reduce glare.
- Trees provide personal and spiritual values – During our busy lives, trees can give us a piece of nature and moments of tranquility.
Arbor Day History
The tradition quickly spread and within 20 years the day was celebrated in every state but Delaware. On April 15, 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt, a conservation supporter, issued an “Arbor Day Proclamation to the School Children of the United States.” In 1970, Arbor Day became nationally recognized due to efforts by President Richard Nixon.
People can celebrate Arbor Day by planting a tree (which can be dedicated to a loved one) and spending time caring for the trees we have. Morton's words resonate strongly today as climate change becomes a serious threat: “Other holidays repose on the past: Arbor Day proposes for the future.”
How Can We Help?
- To reduce the demand for paper, check out books from your local Stanislaus County Library instead of purchasing new ones.
- Help protect existing forests – Encourage reduced cutting down of healthy forests by supporting sustainable reforestation.
- Afforestation – Support the planting of new forest plantations, which can enhance existing forest cover and help reduce global warming with carbon sequestration.
- Continue to water your tree, even during a drought. If you shut off lawn water, don't forget to deep water your tree! You can use a hose or soaker hose to water under the drip line.
- And, of course, plant a tree! You can volunteer for local organizations when they have tree planting days or plant a tree in your garden.
An excellent resource on care and selection of trees is Stanislaus County's Master Gardener “Trees in Your Home Garden,” https://ucanr.edu/sites/CEStanislausCo/files/341553.pdf
Additional resources include on how to plant a tree: https://ucanr.edu/sites/UrbanHort/files/80160.pdf, and on pruning trees: https://ucanr.edu/sites/UrbanHort/files/80116.pdf
Favorite Tree?
Do you have a favorite tree? Write in our comment section what your favorite tree is and why?!
Denise Godbout-Avant has been a UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener in Stanislaus County since 2020.
This article was originally published on April 25, 2022.
/h3>/h3>/h3>/h3>/h3>- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
Show me the honey? Show me the California Honey Festival.
The annual event, which emphasizes the importance of bees, and promotes honey and honey bees and their products, will take place from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, May 4 in downtown Woodland.
It's free and family friendly. It traditionally draws a crowd of some 40,000.
Amina Harris, who retired last June as director of the UC Davis Honey and Pollination Center, co-founded the honey festival in 2017 with the City of Woodland. She actually "retired" to the family business, Z Food Specialty and The HIVE, Woodland, where her title is "Queen bee."
The California Honey Festival continues to partner with the Honey and Pollination Center in presenting the festival.
The organizers promise "something for everyone." You can expect honey tastings, bee observation hives, kids' activities, cooking demonstrations, live music, vendors and much more. The UC Davis-based California Master Beekeeper Program, which uses science-base information to educate stewards and ambassadors for honey bees and beekeeping, will not be participating this year. But science-based information on bees will be provided by the California State Beekeepers Association and the Sacramento Area Beekeepers' Association.
Ask them questions! And remember you can sign up for classes with the California Master Beekeeper Program (CAMPB), founded (2016) and directed by Elina Lastro Niño, associate professor of UC Cooperative Extension, apiculture. She is a member of the faculty of the Department of Entomology and Nematology. As the CAMPB website indicates: The organization is "a continuous train-the-trainer effort. The CAMBP's vision is to certify Honey Bee Ambassador, Apprentice, Journey, and Master level beekeepers so they can effectively communicate the importance of honey bees and other pollinators within their communities, serve as mentors for other beekeepers, and become the informational conduit between the beekeeping communities throughout the state and UCCE staff. Explore the Certifications Page for more information."