Mosquitos Are Here

Rain and warmer weather are closely followed by increases in mosquito activity particularly with Asian tiger mosquito. Most people still think of swamps, ponds, etc. as the source of the mosquitoes that show up in their yards. However, in most residential areas the source is more likely to be all of those small and inconspicuous water sources that are prime mosquito breeding sites. So, before people start planning a chemical assault on their yards as the solution to their mosquito problems, they should start with the simpler and more long-term approach of eliminating "collectibles". We don't mean souvenirs; we're talking about all of those objects that collect and retain rainwater.

- Bird baths - simply flush them out with a garden hose. The birds will also appreciate the fresh water.

- Old cans, tires, etc. - empty them and get rid of them.

- Outdoor flower pots - empty the water from the dishes/trays underneath them. Your plants have plenty of water without the overflow. This also helps reduce fungus gnat problems.

- Remove all of that built-up debris from your gutters. The water and decaying material attract mosquitoes

- Kids' pools - if they're not being used by kids, they're probably being used by the mosquitoes.

- Drainage ditches - they're meant to collect water *temporarily*. Keep them free of debris so that water flows out.

- Decorative fish ponds can be a source of mosquitoes if they contain a lot vegetation which provides hiding places for the mosquito larvae. 'Mosquito Dunks' are an option here.

- Tree holes - When limbs fall off trees, the remaining hole in the trunk can collect water. Flush that out or put a small piece of a mosquito dunk into it.

Many people ask about treating shrubs in their yard. Mosquitoes *may* be resting there during the day but whether it "controls" a mosquito problem is debatable. Similarly, people that use outdoor foggers will definitely kill mosquitoes but depending on the time of day/evening that they use it, they may be missing the peak activity.

One other point to remember - mosquitoes have no concept of property lines. Mosquito management takes a neighborhood effort to be truly effective.

We have information for you here.

From: Mike Waldvogel and Charles Apperson, Extension Entomology

Henderson County Master Gardeners Attend State Conference

Henderson County Master Gardeners attended the NC Master Gardener Conference in Raleigh this past week. The group will be hosting the 2012 conference in Asheville next May. They spent the week learning about gardening in North Carolina as well as promoting the upcoming event to their peers.

Predatory Ground Beetle Calosoma

Beetles in the genus Calosoma are called caterpillar hunters. They are among the largest in the Carabidae ground beetle family. Adults and larvae are active predators. Calosoma sycophanta is a large, metallic green beetle that was imported from Europe to New England for the biological control of the gypsy moth in 1905. The larva feeds day and night, consuming 50 caterpillars during its two-week developmental period. The adult will eat several hundred caterpillars during a life span of two to four years. There are also several native species of Calosoma. We have had several reports of these insects already this spring.
From Steve Bambara, NCSU Extension Entomologist

Bullington Center - Spring Plant Sale 2011

April 29-30, the Bullington Center will have its annual spring plant sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. We will offer for sale many varieties of perennials, herbs, heirloom and other vegetables, hard-to-find annuals, trees and shrubs. Call 698-6104 or visit www.bullingtoncenter.org for more information. All proceeds from the sale will go to support educational programs for children and adults at the center.

Pesticide Collection Day - Haywood County

North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, in cooperation with the Haywood County Cooperative Extension, will be offering a Pesticide Collection Day for residents in Haywood and surrounding counties. The local site manager will be Tim Mathews, Agricultural Extension Agent for Haywood County. Collection will be Wednesday, May 18, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Extension Center at 589 Raccoon Road in Waynesville. Nearly all pesticide products will be accepted. For liquid pesticide containers larger than 5 gal or for unlabeled pesticides, please contact the Cooperative Extension Office for information before bringing to the collection event. No gas cylinders are accepted at the event; however, assistance information can be provided. Contact the Cooperative Extension Office for more information. Don't miss this opportunity in Haywood County. For more information contact Tim Mathews at the Haywood County Extension Center at (828) 456-3575.

Garden Plugs Newsletter - May / June Edition

The May/June 2011 issue of the Garden Plugs Newsletter is available for your reading enjoyment at the link listed below. Just click on this link and your on your way (you must be able to view a PDF in order to open the link).

NCDA&CS Agricultural Tornado Assistance Program (AgTAP) - Hotline Information

Purpose: Farmers can call into the Department to get more information about assistance programs, have their concerns heard, and get answers to their questions. Websites are currently under development to assist farmers with sharing resources and finding volunteers. Farmers can call the Hot line to find out more information about ongoing Departmental and other agency efforts.
Phone: 1-866-506-6222
Hours of Operation: 7 am – 7 pm (Monday – Friday) Hot line is currently operational as of 4/20/11. During the holiday weekend, the Hot line will be available Friday 4/22/11 and Saturday 4/23/11 from 7 am – 2 pm. If calling after hours please leave a message. Messages will be frequently retrieved, and will be returned as soon as possible. The Hot line will be closed on Easter Sunday.

Also, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) has instituted the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) to allow farm operators to be reimbursed for the cost of debris removal and repair of fences due to damage from the recent tornadoes. Operators should contact their local FSA office to apply for this program. Generally the office will either visit the site or ask the operator to document the damage with photographs prior to clean up. Click here for a fact sheet detailing the program. Click here for contact information to your local FSA office.

Finally, farm operators can contact their county Extension agent and/or county Emergency Manager to ask that a resource request be submitted to North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM) for prison labor to remove debris from fields to allow normal cultural practices to resume. The owner/operator will need to sign a Right of Entry Agreement Waiver which will be provided by NCEM or the county Emergency Management office. Click here for contact information to your local Cooperative Extension Office.