August is a great time to enjoy the outdoors, and it’s also the best time to spot the invasive Asian longhorn beetle as adults emerge from trees. That’s why the U.S. Department of Agriculture is declaring August as “Tree Check Month.” Checking trees for the beetle and the damage it causes is one way you can protect trees and help the USDA’s efforts to eliminate this beetle from … [Read more...] about Asian Longhorn Beetle Invasion
Gardening
Exiling Deer from your Garden
Whether you want to keep the deer from eating all your garden vegetables and flowers or whether you’re interested in ways to help wildlife during a hot, dry summer, here are a few things you should know. Any limited availability of food and water can lead to a reduced number of newborn fawns and fewer fawns that survive their first year. Such harsh conditions can also reduce … [Read more...] about Exiling Deer from your Garden
Indiana: Aerial Btk Treatments Completed for Spongy Moth
Aerial Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk) treatments conducted by Indiana DNR divisions of Forestry and Entomology & Plant Pathology to slow the spread of gypsy moth, now called spongy moth, have been completed for 2022. Spongy moth is one of North America's most devastating invasive forest pests and has caused thousands of acres of defoliation across the eastern … [Read more...] about Indiana: Aerial Btk Treatments Completed for Spongy Moth
Help Protect Bears This Spring
It's that time of year: Black bears soon will leave their dens and become active. Though they'll primarily forage on green vegetation, bears will eat from bird feeders, outdoor pet foods and garbage cans, if available. Taking simple steps now can keep bears safely at a distance and prevent conflicts this spring and summer: Remove bird feeders or replace feeders with … [Read more...] about Help Protect Bears This Spring
Oak Wilt and Pruning
If you live anywhere in the Midwestern or Eastern United States, its time to stop pruning your oak trees for the year. Why, you ask? With the onset of spring, the worry of oak wilt grows anew. Caused by a fungus, oak wilt has existed in the aforementioned regions of the United States for some time. Red, black and pin oak are most susceptible to oak wilt, though white and bur … [Read more...] about Oak Wilt and Pruning