Our
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
4-H at the Avery Fair
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
National 4-H Week
Taking the Lead
National 4-H Week
October 3-9, 2010
Look at your local 4-H, and you will find young people taking the lead in addressing today’s challenges. 4-H is where young people explore, learn and discover in a safe environment. In 4-H, youth find their true passions, gain confidence and give back to their community.
Celebrate 4-H as youth step up and take responsibility for their futures- and ours.
For more information, contact Robbie Potter, 4-H Agent or Kim Slotnick, 4-H Program Assistant at (828)688-4811.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Thousand Cankers Disease
Another new pest could be coming our way. Thousand Cankers Disease has be identified in Tennessee. Thousand Cankers Disease (TCD)is a disease of Black Walnut. TCD poses a serious problem to the health of the black walnut tree. Walnut trees are important because of their nut crop and the desired wood for various products. TCD is a progressive disease that kills a tree within two to three years after initial infection. The disease-causing fungus, Geosmithia, is transmitted by the walnut twig beetle. Branches and trunk tissue are killed by repeated infections by the fungus, as the beetles carry the fungus into new bark cambium tissue.
The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has issued a quarantine of all plants or plant part of the genus Juglans coming into the state from Tennessee and many other western states that already have Thousand Cankers Disease established.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Scoliid Wasp
I have recently had some calls and have seen Scoliid Wasp flying around in peoples yards. Below is a description of the wasp and why it is swarming around the yard. The important thing is that they are not aggressive and shouldn't sting you.
Scoliid wasps are dark in color, often metalic, relatively large, robust, slightly hairy insects with light yellow spots or other markings. One of the most common Scoliid wasps in North Carolina is Scolia dubia. It is sometimes referred to as the blue-winged wasp. The adult is over one-half inch long with black antennae and a shiny black head, thorax and fore abdomen. About midway along the abdomen are two yellow spots (one on each side). These may appear as a band across the abdomen when the wasp is flying. The latter portion of the abdomen is brownish and somewhat fuzzy. The wings are dark blue.
Biology
Scoliid wasps are usually considered beneficial insects because they help control green June beetle and other grubs. Scoliid wasps are present in North Carolina from June to October. However, they are most abundant during August. The female wasp flies low across the soil in search of grubs. When it detects one, it digs through the soil burrowing its own tunnel or following one made by the grub. Once locating a grub, she stings it on the throat and paralyzes it. The grub at first appears to be dead but after a day or so it can feebly move its legs. Such paralyzed grubs can live for a considerable time. The female wasp then lays an egg transversely on the third segment of the grub. The paralyzed grub provides a fresh food supply for the wasp larva after it hatches from the egg. Once a grub has been stung, it never recovers.
These wasps, therefore, are very important natural agents in the control of green June beetle grubs in the soil. Adult Scoliid wasps feed on nectar and pollen of flowers. They will not sting unless greatly aggravated or captured in the hands. In early August, the wasps often rest on plants but later they burrow into the soil to spend the night. Scoliid wasps are often noticed flying just a few inches above lawns infested with grubs in a loose figure-eight pattern. Sometimes these wasps are quite abundant and conspicuous as they fly their mating dances. After mating, females spend more time digging for grubs and flying wasps are not as noticeable.
Control
Since there is no record of anyone having been stung by Scoliid wasps, no control measures seem needed. Their presence, however, means that grubs are present. A little monitoring for an infestation may be appropriate. If grubs have been a problem, see Ornamentals and Turf Insect Note No. 67, White Grubs in Turf.
Scoliid wasps are dark in color, often metalic, relatively large, robust, slightly hairy insects with light yellow spots or other markings. One of the most common Scoliid wasps in North Carolina is Scolia dubia. It is sometimes referred to as the blue-winged wasp. The adult is over one-half inch long with black antennae and a shiny black head, thorax and fore abdomen. About midway along the abdomen are two yellow spots (one on each side). These may appear as a band across the abdomen when the wasp is flying. The latter portion of the abdomen is brownish and somewhat fuzzy. The wings are dark blue.
Biology
Scoliid wasps are usually considered beneficial insects because they help control green June beetle and other grubs. Scoliid wasps are present in North Carolina from June to October. However, they are most abundant during August. The female wasp flies low across the soil in search of grubs. When it detects one, it digs through the soil burrowing its own tunnel or following one made by the grub. Once locating a grub, she stings it on the throat and paralyzes it. The grub at first appears to be dead but after a day or so it can feebly move its legs. Such paralyzed grubs can live for a considerable time. The female wasp then lays an egg transversely on the third segment of the grub. The paralyzed grub provides a fresh food supply for the wasp larva after it hatches from the egg. Once a grub has been stung, it never recovers.
These wasps, therefore, are very important natural agents in the control of green June beetle grubs in the soil. Adult Scoliid wasps feed on nectar and pollen of flowers. They will not sting unless greatly aggravated or captured in the hands. In early August, the wasps often rest on plants but later they burrow into the soil to spend the night. Scoliid wasps are often noticed flying just a few inches above lawns infested with grubs in a loose figure-eight pattern. Sometimes these wasps are quite abundant and conspicuous as they fly their mating dances. After mating, females spend more time digging for grubs and flying wasps are not as noticeable.
Control
Since there is no record of anyone having been stung by Scoliid wasps, no control measures seem needed. Their presence, however, means that grubs are present. A little monitoring for an infestation may be appropriate. If grubs have been a problem, see Ornamentals and Turf Insect Note No. 67, White Grubs in Turf.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Invasive Weed
Plant protection specialist with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services have identified the invasive Mile-A-Minute weed in Western Alleghany County. The following link gives details about the weed and information on identifying it. If you were to identify the weed on properties you are managing then contact Rob Baldwin, NCDA&CS Plant Protection Specialist, 336-466-0478.
http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/pepe1.htm
Friday, August 20, 2010
McDowell Livestock Show
Our Mitchell County 4-H’ers have successfully shown their knowledge of livestock at a recent Livestock Show held in McDowell County on August 7, bringing home rosettes and ribbons. Five youth represented Mitchell County, showing heifers, sheep, and goats. All these kids placed well in their Showmanship classes. Look for more updates as these youth represent us at the Avery County Fair, in Newland and at the Mountain State Fair, in Fletcher.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Fall Webworms
You may not want to think of fall during July and August, but the signs of fall are already here. From mid-July through the end of August you will see an increase in the number of long web like structures on the tips of tree branches. This problem is caused by an insect called fall webworm.
Fall webworms emerge as early as the beginning of June, although they generally don’t reach their peak until August. The silken webs spun by fall webworm often contain leaf litter, casts of immature insects, and hundreds of white, hairy caterpillars. The webs will enlarge to lengths of up to 3 feet by the end of the season. After several weeks of feeding, the caterpillars will emerge from the webs, crawl down to the soil, and spin cocoons. Depending on the weather there can be as many as three given generations per year. They will over winter in cocoons and emerge the following year to lay eggs in the tree. Each caterpillar can lay between 300-900 eggs.
Although the webs found in trees are unsightly and cause much concern for homeowners, fall webworms will rarely cause much longterm damage to a tree. They will cause the tree to partially defoliate, however it is rare for the damage to be extensive enough in one year or even in several consecutive years to cause severe damage or death to the tree.
Homeowners who wish to control fall webworms face a few challenges, most notably how to reach the webs on very tall trees. Most of the time, this is difficult or impossible. Those webs that can be reached can be removed with a stick or by hand, and caterpillars inside the webs can be removed with a stick or otherwise disposed of. Pesticides such as Orthene or Bacillus thuringiensis (Dipel) can be sprayed, but again, reaching the higher webs will be difficult for most homeowners. In addition to these options, any leaves or other plant material that falls to the ground below an infected tree in the fall should be raked up and disposed of, as this will likely decrease the amount of webworms present the following year.
All in all, fall webworms are a problem that looks much worse than it is. While no one enjoys the site of multiple webs covering their favorite tree, they pose little longterm threat to the tree and are more of a visual nuisance than a truly damaging pest.
Fall webworms emerge as early as the beginning of June, although they generally don’t reach their peak until August. The silken webs spun by fall webworm often contain leaf litter, casts of immature insects, and hundreds of white, hairy caterpillars. The webs will enlarge to lengths of up to 3 feet by the end of the season. After several weeks of feeding, the caterpillars will emerge from the webs, crawl down to the soil, and spin cocoons. Depending on the weather there can be as many as three given generations per year. They will over winter in cocoons and emerge the following year to lay eggs in the tree. Each caterpillar can lay between 300-900 eggs.
Although the webs found in trees are unsightly and cause much concern for homeowners, fall webworms will rarely cause much longterm damage to a tree. They will cause the tree to partially defoliate, however it is rare for the damage to be extensive enough in one year or even in several consecutive years to cause severe damage or death to the tree.
Homeowners who wish to control fall webworms face a few challenges, most notably how to reach the webs on very tall trees. Most of the time, this is difficult or impossible. Those webs that can be reached can be removed with a stick or by hand, and caterpillars inside the webs can be removed with a stick or otherwise disposed of. Pesticides such as Orthene or Bacillus thuringiensis (Dipel) can be sprayed, but again, reaching the higher webs will be difficult for most homeowners. In addition to these options, any leaves or other plant material that falls to the ground below an infected tree in the fall should be raked up and disposed of, as this will likely decrease the amount of webworms present the following year.
All in all, fall webworms are a problem that looks much worse than it is. While no one enjoys the site of multiple webs covering their favorite tree, they pose little longterm threat to the tree and are more of a visual nuisance than a truly damaging pest.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Mitchell County 4-H Youth Compete
Eight Mitchell County youths attended the 4-H District Activity Day held in Cullowhee, NC on June 24, 2010. Five of these youth participated in public speaking competition by doing a demonstrated talk and public speaking on various topics. Each of the kids that participated placed in the competition. There was a gold medal winner, Jeremiah Vance, 13; three silver medal winners, Justin McMahan, 13, Chelsea Phillips, 16, and Kellyn Slotnick, 14; and a bronze medal winner, Jamie Slotnick 13. Three of the kids were the winners at the 4-H Talent Show held in April and they participated in the Entertains portion of the competition. Hayden Brewer, 14, performed a guitar solo and Tori Riddle, 10 and Courtney Thomas, 11 performed a dance act. These kids received a blue ribbon and both acts were video taped and sent to Raleigh for possible inclusion in other 4-H activities.
The gold and silver medal winners went on to compete at the 4-H Congress held in Raleigh, NC on July 20. Congress is an annual gathering of 4-Her’s from across the state. The kids participate in competitions, workshops and entertainment at NCSU. These kids worked hard and did a great job of representing the youth of our county.
The gold and silver medal winners went on to compete at the 4-H Congress held in Raleigh, NC on July 20. Congress is an annual gathering of 4-Her’s from across the state. The kids participate in competitions, workshops and entertainment at NCSU. These kids worked hard and did a great job of representing the youth of our county.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
2010 Summer Day Camps
We had a small but great group of kids at our Summer Day Camps. We played in the creek and talked about water quality while investigating what organisms live in our creeks. We did some orienteering, learning to use a compass and a set of instructions to find a destination. We also discovered bugs in the garden, which ones were good and which were bad. We learned to make pizza and fruit smoothies and ate what we made too.We sat in on a DUI court session and learned first hand what kind of loop holes our legal system must deal with. We spent a day horseback riding and took a hayride. Lastly we fished and fished and fished.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Emerald Ash Borer
This week the Tennessee Department of Agriculture announced that emerald ash borer has been found in Knox and Loudon counties. This places it very close to Swain and Graham counties in North Carolina. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture and USDA’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service are expected to issue quarantine measures on the movement of firewood, ash nursery stock and ash timber.
Emerald ash borer beetles can kill an ash tree within three years of the initial infestation. Adults are dark green, one-half inch in length and one-eighth inch wide, and fly from April until September, depending on the climate of the area (probably more like May to August in North Carolina). Larvae spend the rest of the year beneath the bark of ash trees. When they emerge as adults, they leave D-shaped holes in the bark about one-eighth inch wide.
For more information, see the USDA Forest Service’s Pest Alert on the emerald ash borer at http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/pest_al/eab/eab.pdf. If you want help identifying an ash tree, go to http://www.anr.msu.edu/robertsd/ash/ashtree_id.html.
From: Steve Bambara and Steve Frank, Extension Entomologists
Emerald ash borer beetles can kill an ash tree within three years of the initial infestation. Adults are dark green, one-half inch in length and one-eighth inch wide, and fly from April until September, depending on the climate of the area (probably more like May to August in North Carolina). Larvae spend the rest of the year beneath the bark of ash trees. When they emerge as adults, they leave D-shaped holes in the bark about one-eighth inch wide.
For more information, see the USDA Forest Service’s Pest Alert on the emerald ash borer at http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/pest_al/eab/eab.pdf. If you want help identifying an ash tree, go to http://www.anr.msu.edu/robertsd/ash/ashtree_id.html.
From: Steve Bambara and Steve Frank, Extension Entomologists
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