Skunks!

There is no other creature like it. It strikes fear and terror in your mind. Rarely, but memorably, may have crossed paths with one. There are two easy ways to know if the dreaded Mephitis mephitis, is in your neighborhood one, its plain but distinct black body and white stripes.  The odor permeates everything, and its powerful enough to wake you up.

The striped skunk can occupy your yard, and you may not even know it until it is too late. They live in dens that may be found in vacant buildings, under house porches, culverts, brush piles, tree stumps, or woodchuck burrows. Generally, they are nocturnal so they are not often seen during the day. The exception is during mating season. The males tend to move slowly, and stubborn to flee do to their strong defensive scent. If you come across a skunk, the animal will usually stick his tail straight, up and stomp his front feet as a warning before spraying.  They can spray ten to twenty feet so back away slowly and quietly.

Frequently skunks dig up the lawn or garden looking for grubs. The signs for skunk damage around the home are small cone shaped holes about three to four inches in diameter. While other animals such as dogs or squirrels dig too, they do not make circular holes. Treat your lawn with a grub control product if this is evident and excessive.

Fencing areas is the first step in keeping skunks out of areas prone to a den such as under decks or sheds. As these creatures are prone to digging, burying the first foot of wire mesh fence with about six inches bent away from the structure is a hindrance. Cover basement windows with mesh or plastic domes.

Food sources will attract skunks too. Keep trash cans sealed and secure. If you suspect a skunk is visiting your house, discontinue feeding your pets outside. Plus skunks are attracted to rodents. Garages, barns, and sheds are common places for them to live, as a result a rodent control program might be necessary.

Finding a skunk living around your home is not a welcome sight. They are nocturnal animals so they may have been there for years without anyone noticing. And while they cause problems for the nose and nosey pets, they can be beneficial. If a skunk is problematic, consider a professional wildlife removal expert.  For more help with skunks, contact the Penn State Master Gardener Helpline at 570-963-6842  or email LackawannMG@psu.edu and request a free publication “Striped Skunks.”

Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension - Lackawanna County

Bedbugs!

Reservations are made, the suitcases are packed, and so is the car. Anticipation fills the mind with thoughts of rest, relaxation, and soon-to-be made memories. Whether you are travelling far or only a tankful of gas away, you will finally enjoy the summer vacation. It seems it is over too fast. You will bring back a beach full of sand in your bathing suits, sunburns, souvenir t- shirts, and some photographs.

With the increase of travel comes the potential of another unwanted souvenir: bedbugs. They are successful hitchhikers, finding their way around in clothing, bedding, luggage, and boxes. You or your visitors can bring them into your home without knowing it.

First, if you suspect bedbugs, make certain that is what you have. There are other biting insects, and many pantry pests are confused with bedbugs. The Penn State master gardeners can help identify a possible bedbug, or there are many helpful tools on the internet. Proper identification of the pest problem is the first and only way to a solution.

If you travel this holiday season here are a few tips:
* Use luggage racks to unpack and pack, instead of placing your luggage directly on the floor.
* Check the headboard and mattresses before sleeping.
* When you are home, unpack directly into the washing machine and inspect your luggage.

If you suspect infestation in your home:
* Wash and heat-dry all bedding and clothes lying on the floor. It is better to use a plastic bag, and only once, for this laundry to prevent bedbugs from moving through the home.
* A cluttered home provides more places for bed bugs to hide and makes locating and treating them harder. If bed bugs are in your mattress, using special bed bug covers (encasements) on your mattress and box springs makes it harder for bed bugs to get to you while you sleep. Leave the encasements on for a year. Be sure to buy a product that has been tested for bed bugs and is strong enough to last for the full year without tearing.
* Don’t pass them along to others. If you throw out a mattress or furniture that has bed bugs in it, you should slash or in some way destroy it so that no one else takes it and gets bed bugs.
* Thorough vacuuming can get rid of some of your bed bugs. Carefully vacuum rugs, floors, upholstered furniture, bed frames, under beds, around bed legs, and all cracks and crevices around the room. Change the bag after each use so the bed bugs can’t escape. Place the used bag in a tightly sealed plastic bag and in an outside garbage bin.

The EPA has a helpful website with information on homeowner pest-management tools. Included on this site, http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/bedbugs/index.html,  are certain pesticides you can apply yourself. These have been tested by the agency and shown to be effective, when used according to the labeled directions. If you decide to call a professional, make sure they are licensed to apply pesticides for bedbugs. The applicator should do a thorough inspection of your home and give you a comprehensive plan to control bedbugs.  Be certain to ask for the active ingredient in the products in case of adverse reactions, especially on children, and if it is registered for use on bedbugs.  Also, inquire about precautions for pets too.

For more information on bedbugs, the Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County have an information packet on them. Contact us at 570-963-6842 or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu and request a free copy.

Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Extension 
Lackawanna County

Earwigs

There are many superstitions; some are amusing if we give them thought. Like: a rabbits foot will bring good luck, but not if you are the bunny. And who hasn’t thought about the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Some superstitions are curious, but most people won’t tempt fate. How many people take an elevator to the thirteenth floor? And who hasn’t seen that famous TV host/cook throw salt over her shoulder when she is in the kitchen prepping a meal?

Superstitions have led to the naming of a common insect found in the garden, and even your house, the earwig. The widespread lore of this bug is that it was thought to crawl into the ear of sleeping people, then bore into the brain. The name Earwig means “ear creature” coming from this superstition.

The most distinguishing physical feature of the earwig is the claw-like forceps on the end of the abdomen. Earwigs use their forceps mainly as protective weapons, but they also use them to capture prey. These pincers are straight on the female, and curved on the male insects.

While they are not brain invaders, they will enter the home by hitching a ride on laundry baskets, cut flowers and plants, newspapers, and fruits and vegetables. They will migrate indoors to find protection from prolonged heat and drought.

Prevention is the best and first line of defense to keep the earwig out of the home. They are attracted to lights, so minimizing the use of exterior lighting, if feasible, is a good way to start. Earwigs need, and are very attracted to, moisture. These scavengers are nocturnal, so they may be hard to notice during the day but are present around foundations, in mulch, under boards, etc. Be sure to eliminate damp, moist conditions around the house, such as under faucets and air conditioning units and around the foundation. Use caulking and weather stripping around doors, windows, pipes and other entry sites. Gravel or ornamental stones can be used to make a dry border, and act as an attractive barrier against earwigs. These steps will serve as an inhibitor to the earwig as well as other pests.

If pesticides are used, please read and follow all the directions. Be certain to choose a product labeled for use on earwigs. For more information on earwigs please contact the Penn State Master Gardner Helpline at 570-963-6842 or email: LackawannaMG@psu.edu to request a copy of our fact sheet on this insect.

Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator

Carpenter Ants

With the level of rain exceeding normal limits and the limits of a gardener’s patience, comes concerns about the vitality of the home landscape. Too much water brings disease and decay which in turn may attract pests, such as the black carpenter ant.

In nature, they aid in the decomposition of dead, decaying trees and nest in logs, stumps, and hollow trees. These insects are useful outside for that purpose, but are a nuisance and a sign of potential problems if seen in the home.

They often invade homes in search of food. These ants seldom tunnel into dry, sound wood, but are attracted to moisture-damaged wood, and other soft materials, such as foamed insulation board, to make satellite nests. Rarely will the expansion of a nest into a building’s wooden timbers cause structural damage. Homes built in wooded areas are especially subject to infestation. Attention should be given to the suspect areas for pest control and structural issues as well.

The first sign of an infestation is the presence of large wingless, dark-colored ants inside a home. However, this does not necessarily mean that a nest is present indoors rather the ants may be in search of food and water. To check, from about 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., take a flashlight and look for the carpenter ants in the attic, garage, and basement, and follow them. They may lead you back to the nest inside or outside your home. If numerous winged, reproductive ants are found at windows inside the house, they probably came from an indoor nest.

The indoor nest may have originated from one or more parent colonies outside the home. The parent colony is often located in a tree, log, or waste wood within 100 yards of the house. Workers travel between the satellite and parent colonies.

Common indoor nest locations include porch pillars and supporting timbers, sills, girders, joists, wall studs, window and door casings, and under insulation between ceiling joists or wall studs. Check areas where the wood may be wet or damp because of poor ventilation, a leaking roof, defective flashing, overflowing or leaking gutters and downspouts, condensation from water pipes, or leaking bathtubs, showers, and appliances. In homes, the ants typically do not excavate wood for nest construction, but make their nests in hollow areas of ceilings, walls, or floors. They will tunnel through sound structural timbers to gain access to a void on the other side, but this has little effect on the structural integrity of the timber.

The first line of defense is to remove stumps, logs, and waste wood within 100 yards of the building. Do not allow vegetation, especially evergreen shrubs and trees, to be in contact with the house. Store firewood away from the house and off of the ground, and bring it into the house only when needed. Keep wooden parts of the house and other structures dry by making necessary repairs to roofs, flashing, gutters, and downspouts. Replace any water-damaged, decaying wood.

To control carpenter ants, the parent and satellite colonies must be destroyed or the ants will reappear in a few days or weeks. Products that are not toxic to mammals are preferred for use by homeowners in and around the home, for example dust formulations of boric acid have low toxicity and may be blown into nests and cavities to kill the ants. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that the satellite colony can be eliminated without the help of a professional pest management company.

If you are using any of the dusts, sprays, or powders, labeled for use with carpenter ants, please read and follow the directions and safety precautions.

For more information, contact the Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County at 570-963-6842 or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu and request a free copy of the carpenter ant fact sheet.


Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Lackawanna County

Skunk Control

The lushness of the seasons is finally upon us. The trees gently shading us with their green canopies. The rhododendrons are in full bloom, whites, subtle purples, and the reds of the related azaleas welcome us home. Even the dandelions tease us with a cheery carpet of yellow. Two colors though, should serve as a warning: black and white. A dangerous combination, more often “scented” than seen, the mephitis mephitis, the striped skunk is a common visitor to our yard.

Frequently skunks dig up the lawn or garden looking for grubs. The signs for skunk damage around the home are small cone shaped holes about three to four inches in diameter. While other animals such as dogs or squirrels dig too, they do not make circular holes. Treat your lawn with a grub control product if these are evident and excessive.

Fencing areas is the first step in keeping skunks out of areas prone to a den such as under decks or sheds. As these creatures are prone to digging, burying the first foot of wire mesh fence with about six inches bent away from the structure is a hindrance. Cover basement windows with mesh or plastic domes.

Food sources will attract skunks too. Keep trash cans sealed and secure. If you suspect a skunk is visiting your house, discontinue feeding your pets outside. Plus skunks are attracted to rodents. Garages, barns, and sheds are common places for them to live; as a result a rodent control program might be necessary.

Finding a skunk living around your home is not a welcome sight. They are nocturnal animals so they may have been there for years without anyone noticing. And while they cause problems for the nose and nosey pets, they can be beneficial. If a skunk is problematic, consider a professional wildlife removal expert. For more help with skunks, contact the Penn State Master Gardener Helpline at 570-963-6842 or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu and request a free copy of our Skunks Wildlife Control publication.


Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County

New Year's Resolutions for Gardeners

I know, making New Year’s resolutions is so two weeks ago … but hey, there’s still time to make some resolutions that will give you a healthier garden, help protect your family and the environment, and (without having to make another resolution) probably help you lose a few pounds along the way!

Here are 12 resolutions for the coming year, adapted from a list developed by Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension Professor from the University of Vermont.

1. Start a compost pile for leaves, plant residues, and kitchen scraps to be mixed in your soil as compost or around your plants as mulch to enrich your garden and improve plant growth.
2. Use biological controls whenever feasible for insects and diseases in the garden, starting with planting pest-resistant varieties.
3. Apply pesticides (whether conventional or organic) only as a last resort and always use them safely and prudently.
4. Store all garden chemicals (pesticides, fertilizers, etc.) in their original containers, out of reach of children and pets, and preferably in a locked storage area.
5. Use fertilizers only as indicated by soil tests, and use organic forms whenever possible.
6. Mow properly (often, not too high or low), and set up your mower to “leave grass clippings lay” (or compost them) so they will recycle organic matter and nutrients back into the soil.
7. Conserve water by mulching, using efficient watering methods such as drip irrigation systems, and selecting drought-resistant ornamental plants.
8. Develop a landscape plan that works with the environment, for example, ground covers on steep banks to prevent soil erosion and shade trees on the sunny side of a home to act as a natural air conditioner. Landscaping also can help reduce temperature extremes, filter out air pollutants, and stop noise.
9. Create natural wildlife habitats by planting trees and shrubs that provide food or cover or by leaving brush and undergrowth in certain areas for birds, rabbits, and other small animals to use as a protective haven.
10. Provide food and water for the birds and to continue to feed them once they have come to depend on you.
11. Establish and maintain pollinator-friendly plantings and use gardening methods that protect and nurture both “wild” and managed pollinators.
12. Encourage others, whenever possible, to do all they can to help preserve the environment and our natural resources.

If you have questions, contact your local extension office. In Lackawanna County call our garden help line at 963-6842 ext. 1377 or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu.

Terry Schettini, Extension Educator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County

Bed Bug Prevention

Don’t wait for the bed bug to bite! Here are some tips from the Pennsylvania Integrated Pest Management Program on steps you can take now to keep them out of your bed.

Bed bugs cannot fly so they infest homes by being transported in clothing, backpacks, suitcases, mattresses or other furniture. They can also walk in from adjacent apartments or rooms through cracks or conduits for electrical wiring or plumbing. They search for a sleeping human by moving up walls, bed linens, bed legs or anything touching the bed.

Prevent bed bugs from gaining a foothold in your home!

• Carefully inspect clothing and baggage after you have travelled. Place clothes in sealed plastic bags until they can be laundered.
• Avoid acquiring used furniture and mattresses – these may be infested.
• Remove clutter from the home, especially the bedrooms where bed bugs can find added places to hide. A bed bug infestation is NOT a sign of lack of cleanliness. It just means that they found a way to enter and hide in your home.
• Seal cracks and crevices, especially those that lead to other rooms/floors.
• Keep beds clear above and below. Do not pile coats or “foreign” clothing on beds
• Use solid, light-colored sheets – these make early detection of bed bugs easier.
• If you live in an apartment building and are concerned about bed bugs, keep them from climbing up the bed by pulling the bed away from the walls, making sure no bedding touches the floor. Around each bed leg, spread a thick layer of petroleum jelly (e.g. Vaseline®) in a band at least 2 inches wide and about 6 inches off the floor. Bed bugs cannot crawl through this barrier. You can also use small, nested dishes of soapy water (in the outer dish) under each leg, or commercial devices such as the CLIMBUP® Insect Interceptor.

For the latest tips on bed bug control visit PA IPM’s newly created bed bug resources section at http://extension.psu.edu/ipm/resources/bedbug

If you have any gardening questions please call your county extension office. In Lackawanna County call our garden help line at 963-6842 ext. 1377 or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu

Terry Schettini, Extension Educator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County

Pantry Pests

Recently, two insects have been grabbing the headlines as their presence has been noticed: bedbugs and stinkbugs, and deservedly so. However, they have lots of company. With the nicer weather coming to a close, you will be spending more time indoors. You may start to see “flyers and crawlers” all sorts of other insects in your house. The most common are grouped together and called pantry pests.

Two important steps should be taken to manage them. First, don’t panic. What you see may not be as serious of a threat as bedbugs. Plus they are not always associated with unsanitary conditions. Most of these insects have hitched a ride in packaging material, boxes, and containers. Secondly, in order to solve the problem, the insect must be identified correctly. Please do not spray an insecticide as a first response. They are poisonous, and anything sprayed indiscriminately can contaminate food, containers, preparation surfaces, and pet areas. There may be safer ways to control pantry pests.

The most common insect pantry pest in Pennsylvania is the Indian meal moth. It prefers such foods as chocolate, dried fruits, bird feed, and dry dog food. A common flour, pasta and cereal pest is the saw-toothed grain beetle. Various other species of beetles are also common pantry pests and infest a wide variety of food items. Cigarette beetles and drugstore beetles are occasional pests, but they prefer dried plant materials such as herbs and spices. You may also come across carpet beetles, which feed on lint, hair, leather, and animal products. Larder beetles live on other dead insects, corn meal, and dry pet food.

The key to successful control is to find the source of infestation. Unless this is found, you will continue to see the insects. Finding insects in one area of the home does not mean the infestation is in that area. Many cereal pests can fly; therefore, you may see them in places distant from their breeding site. Pantry or stored product insects can feed on anything edible: cereals, various grains, crackers, spices, macaroni, dried fruit, chocolate, candy, nuts, dried peas or beans. Don't overlook pet foods such as bird seed, fish food, dog food and cat food.

Once you locate and eliminate all infested foods, the number of pests should decrease rapidly. Those you see will be adult beetles or moths looking for another food source in which to deposit their eggs. Store all pantry items in air-tight, hard plastic containers, jars, etc. Be sure to check cake mixes and other unopened items because they might also be infested. Thoroughly vacuum and wash cupboards, pantry shelves, floors, etc. to remove any spilled food stuffs. Insecticide sprays are of little value in controlling pantry pests when infested materials are removed and cracks and crevices are cleaned.

We have two publications to help manage pantry pests, ‘Identifying Common Household Pests’ and ‘Cereal and Pantry Pests’. Contact the Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County at 570-963-6842 or LackawannaMG@psu.edu for a copy.


Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County

Emerald Ash Borer Moving toward NE PA

Forty-three counties are now under a quarantine intended to prevent the spread of the invasive, tree-killing Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). The PA Dept. of Agriculture’s quarantine area stretches from the Ohio border to Columbia, Lycoming, Northumberland, and Tioga counties in the northern half of the state and Cumberland, Franklin, and Perry farther south. To our east, the pest is in New York’s Hudson River Valley. Emerald Ash Borer beetles can kill an ash tree within three years and so they pose a serious threat to Pennsylvania’s nation-leading hardwoods industry, which contributes nearly $25 billion to the state’s economy.

We all are asked not to move ash nursery, green lumber, and any other ash material, including logs, stumps, roots and branches, from the quarantine area. Because it is difficult to distinguish between species of hardwood firewood, all hardwood firewood and wood chips—including ash, oak, maple and hickory—are considered quarantined. Here are some simple every day ways that you can help protect our urban, suburban, and forested areas:

• Buy and burn only locally cut firewood (within 50 miles of its source).
• Already have firewood from another area? BURN IT. Do not leave it. Do not take it with you.
• Keep an eye out for EAB in your area.

Emerald Ash Borer adults are dark green, one-half inch in length and one-eighth inch wide, and fly only from early May until September. 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.

People who suspect they have seen Emerald Ash Borer should call the department’s toll-free pest hotline at 1-866-253-7189. For more information, visit Penn State’s EAB website at http://ento.psu.edu/extension/trees-shrubs/emerald-ash-borer; the National EAB website at http://www.emeraldashborer.info/; or contact your local cooperative extension office. In Lackawanna County ask for the Garden Help line at 963-6842 or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu


Terry Schettini, Extension Educator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County

Garden Slugs, Yuck!!

If you prefer avoiding insecticides, and do not mind putting in early morning work time, you can trap slugs. Place scrap boards on the soil under plants and between garden rows. Each morning collect slugs from under the boards and put in a bucket containing soapy water. The slugs will drown and can be disposed of later. (Don't put slugs into your compost pile as they will become smelly.)

Yeasty odors attract slugs. Use yeast and water, or beer, as an attractant for slug traps. One trap design uses a coffee can in which a hole has been cut about one-third of the way up from the bottom. The can is buried so the hole is at ground level. Place about 2 inches of beer or yeast and water into the trap. Cover with the plastic lid to reduce evaporation and to keep out thirsty pets! Check and remove dead slugs daily, and replace the attractant every 4 days.

You can find answers to many gardening questions at our consumer horticulture web site: http://consumerhorticulture.psu.edu/, or contact your local cooperative extension office. In Lackawanna County ask for the Garden Help line at 963-6842 or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu


Terry Schettini, Extension Educator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County

Mosquitoes

The signs of the season are upon us: the smell of charcoal grills, the new or refreshed lawn furniture, tiki torches, convertibles, short shorts, and tank tops. These are in addition to the buds and blooms forming on the landscape and filling the air with colors. We all know those long, hazy days have returned. Another telltale sign, that no one wants to see, is the ubiquitous mosquito. These pests stick their pointed “noses” all over us to remind us summer is back.

Worldwide, there are 3,000 species of mosquitoes, 200 in the United State, and about 60 in Pennsylvania. Beyond their annoying bites, the mosquito is a carrier of several diseases such as West Nile virus and encephalitis. The mosquito even puts our dogs at risk by transmitting canine heartworm disease. The mosquito most often discovered in urban areas of Pennsylvania is the northern house mosquito, Culex pipiens.

Adult female mosquitoes require a blood meal in order to produce viable eggs. While feeding, the females inject saliva-containing anticoagulants that prevent the blood from clotting. Because mosquitoes take numerous blood meals, they can acquire disease organisms from an infected host and later transmit those organisms to previously uninfected hosts.

With this in mind, it is important for the homeowner to take these steps to manage the effects mosquitoes can have on the quality of life:

Encourage indoor activities: The northern house mosquito is most active at dusk to dawn. Pennsylvanians with immune system deficiencies should try to limit outside activities to daylight hours. Likewise, parents of young children and infants should keep children inside during these same hours.

Eliminate standing water: This will reduce the number of potential mosquito breeding sites.
• Remove old tires, cans, buckets, pots, and similar items that can trap rainwater.
• Position tarps and boat covers to allow rain runoff and limit ‘ponding.’
• Turn plastic wading pools and wheelbarrows upside-down when not in use.
• Keep swimming pools chlorinated.

Exclusion: All doors and windows should fit tightly and remain closed during the peak mosquito activity. Replace screening that has holes or tears.

Effective Repellents: Materials containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) are effective in repelling mosquitoes. For more information on the safe use of insect and tick repellents, or other horticultural issues, contact the Penn State Master Gardner Helpline at 570-963-6842 or email: LackawnnaMG@psu.edu


Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County
Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce

Groundhogs

Is it Punxsutawney Phil, the famous furry barometer, or maybe Gus the second most famous groundhog, you see scurry across your yard? Probably not, but as common as this long tailed rodent is seen, it would seem that Ground Hog’s Day happens seven days a week, all year long.

Marmota monax, the groundhog, also known as the woodchuck, is a chunky creature weighing up to 10 lbs. Its length ranges sixteen to twenty inches plus the tail, four to seven inches. While open farm land is their first choice, the groundhog has made a comfortable home in the suburban landscape where plenty of food and shelter make life easy for them. Often a groundhog will construct its burrow along stone walls, at the base of trees and even along a foundation.

Groundhog burrows can be identified by the large mound of excavated earth at the main entrance. On this mound, which is constantly renewed by debris from within, the groundhog frequently sits to look for danger. The entranceway is 10 to 12 inches in diameter, and they also have secondary entrances. These tend to be hidden and dug from below so mounds are not seen.

The groundhog can be the bane of most homeowners. The animal’s feeding and burrowing hab¬its conflict with human interests. Damage often occurs on farms, in home gardens, orchards, nurseries, around build¬ings. Damage to crops such as alfalfa, soybeans, beans, squash, tomatoes, and peas can be costly and extensive. A homeowner may lose his or her entire tomato patch. Fruit trees and ornamental shrubs may be damaged by groundhog as they gnaw on woody vegetation. Mounds of earth from the excavated burrow systems and holes formed at burrow entrances present a hazard to farm equipment, animals and humans. On occasion, burrowing can building foundations.

In Pennsylvania, groundhogs are classified as game ani¬mals. Game protection is removed when they damage personal property. In that case, groundhogs can be controlled by the property owner using the lawful means. If a homeowner does not feel comfortable with any means of control, there are many wildlife pest control companies who can do this for you.

If the area is small, poultry wire or two inch woven mesh fencing can be installed. With three foot minimum above ground, the fence should have twelve inches buried in the ground, with six inches bent in an L shape pointing away.

Scarecrows can provide temporary relief from groundhog damage. Move them regularly and incorporate a high level of human activity in the susceptible area.

There are no repellents or toxicants that are for use on groundhogs. There are other products such as fumigants and gas cartridges available at home and garden centers which are labeled for use on groundhogs. Please carefully follow the directions as these are dangerous products.

There are live traps the homeowners can use as well. Place the trap near fresh damage or at the main entrance of the burrow. Use fresh bait such as apple slices, carrots, and lettuce. Be careful once the animal is trapped. Give some thought to a relocation area at least ten miles away and here the groundhog will not be the pest he was to you.

For more information on groundhogs or any other home horticulture topic, please contact the Penn State Master Gardener Helpline at (570) 963-6842 or email: LackawannaMG@psu.edu


Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County
Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce

Uninvited Guests: Squirrels

With winter fading away (we hope!) now is a good time to implement some of the squirrel management methods described below so you will be ready for next winter … and deal with any current squirrel issues!

During the cold winter months, wildlife such as tree squirrels sometimes find their way into buildings and homes through loose siding or ventilation screens, looking for a place to nest. Once inside, they can damage walls, insulation, and tendency to chew. In most cases, these squirrels can be managed using IPM tactics that are safe and effective.

Step 1 Pest Identification
The first step in wildlife pest management is identifying what type of squirrel is causing damage to your property. The eastern gray squirrel can range in color from black to silver with a white belly. They are 16 to 24 inches in length. Gray squirrels can be found in any area that has nuts and seeds, including urban backyards. Flying squirrels are smaller than other tree squirrels, between 8 and 10 inches in length. They vary in color from gray to brown, and have broad webs of skin connecting the fore and hind legs at the wrists and a flattened tail that allows them to glide from tree to tree. Squirrels can be found anywhere there is an ample supply of nuts and seeds.

Step 2 Prevention
There are many ways to prevent squirrel damage:

• Make your property less hospitable to wildlife pests by keeping the property clean and maintained.
• Trim trees and limbs to 6 to 8 feet away from buildings to prevent squirrels from jumping onto roofs.
• Exclude squirrels from inside buildings by using caulking or mesh to seal up holes where small animals could gain entry.
• Install fences around plants, trees and gardens to reduce their source of food.
  Place birdfeeders 15 to 30 feet from buildings.
• Consider removing birdfeeders if squirrels are a problem.
  

Step 3 Controlling Squirrels Safely
There are very few repellants currently available for use on squirrels and have a very limited success rate. In addition, there are no fumigants or toxicants federally registered for use on squirrels. Try these IPM methods instead:

• Frightening – Frighten squirrels by using loud noises or lights in attics or closets where they are nesting.
• Trapping – Use wire-cage and box traps to capture squirrels alive, baiting the traps with orange or apple slices, walnuts and pecans removed from the shell, or peanut butter. Check the traps twice a day and release the squirrel once exclusion tactics are used to secure the building.

For more information on squirrels and other wildlife pests, go the PA IPM Program Problem Solver at http://paipm.cas.psu.edu/441.htm. Or contact your local cooperative extension office. In Lackawanna County ask for the Garden Help line at 963-6842 or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu.

Terry Schettini, Extension Educator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County
Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce.

Can't Stand Ants!

Even though winter is slow in leaving NEPA, the days are warming up. You may notice some unwelcome guests in and around your kitchen. Ants, like other insects, are cold blooded; so as the temperatures rise, so does their activity.

Ants infesting homes are ‘social’ insects, meaning they live in colonies. Colonies consist of thousands of ‘workers’ and one or more ‘queens’. The queens produce all the eggs in the nest. Eggs hatch into hungry larvae, which in turn become the wingless, worker females. These are the ants we see running around in our houses. The worker ants’ job is to go collect food for the other ants. When ants find a good source of food, they ‘tell’ their sisters in the colony by leaving a chemical trail for them to follow. This is why one or two ants quickly become a swarm.

SO if you can’t stand ants, here are some hints to manage them:

• Follow the ants’ trail to see to the food source and clean it up
• Follow the ants’ trail to see and plug the entry point in your house
• Ants leave a chemical trail so other worker ants can find the food source. Wipe up their path with soap and water or vinegar and water. Without the trail the ants will be lost
• Vacuum any worker ants stranded in the house
• If a chemical is necessary, use only enclosed bait traps. Look for ones containing borax or abamectin. Please read and follow the directions; remember, they are poison. Also do not use a spray to kill the ants. Air and food contamination are very likely.

While this information deals with the small nuisance ants, there are more serious species, such as carpenter ants and even termites. They need more aggressive attention. If you can’t stand ants, please contact the Penn State Master Gardener Helpline at (570) 963-6842 or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu.



Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County
Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce

Spiders... Friends or Foe?

There are many things that come across the Penn Master Gardener’s desk, pest or insect identification is one of the more unpredictable. Some are easy to identify, some have lots of legs and eyes and wings and segmented body parts, and some are just plain scary. One of the more misunderstood varieties is the spider. Are they really all that bad? Depends on whom you ask. It is important that any understanding must come from research based information.

As scary as these eight-legged creatures are, they are beneficial to us, our homes, and our gardens. In and around the house, spiders consume large amounts of other pests long before the human residents see them. Spiders are not a sign of poor housekeeping.

Most spiders indigenous to Pennsylvania will enter the home. Found often in crawl spaces and basements, the common house spider, Achaearanea tepidariorum, is known to cause grief. It frequently abandons one web to build a new one nearby and produces many webs in a short period of time.

Even though spiders can be helpful, it is unsettling to see them around. Consider preventative measures before reaching for the can of insecticide. Sprays are rarely effective in controlling the population, and are harmful indoors. Except in the rare occasion of a black widow or brown recluse (contact a registered insect control company or us about these two), there are easy steps you can take to manage these eight-footers.

• Vacuum - Instead of spraying vacuum both the webs and the spiders. The dust inside the bag will suffocate the spiders.
• Get rid of the web - If you can tolerate the idea of sharing your home with these beneficial bugs, you can just vacuum the web and leave the spiders to do their pest control work.
• Reduce their food supply – This time of year, most often fruit flies are the spiders’ meal. Keep fruit in a closed paper bag.
• Transplant – If you come across a spider, give it a change of scenery. Capture the spider in a container and release it outside.

Often misunderstood and intimidating, the spider is a good neighbor to have around. With some low impact management practices, we can have them working for us. For more information on spiders, contact the Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County at (570) 963-6842 and request “Commonly Encountered Pennsylvania Spiders.” This publication is also available in PDF format, email us at LackawannaMG@psu.edu and we can send it electronically.


Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County
Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce.

Mice Control

The weather outside is getting colder, and pests like house mice are looking for a warm place with food and water to hole up for the winter. Guess what? Your house may be looking like a five-star resort to these unwanted house guests. They may look cute on TV or the comic strip but mice can carry Salmonella, a bacteria that causes food poisoning. Mice can also transmit other nasty parasites such as ringworm, mites, tapeworms, and ticks. In addition, they urinate over several thousand times a day.

You are likely to spot them in the fall when they are looking for the things mice need to survive, such as food, water and shelter. They can wiggle their way into the tiniest of openings around windows, doors, roofs, piping, and air ducts. Any hole you can stick a pencil in is an entry way for a mouse.

So to deter these unwanted guests here are some tips:

• Make sure they are mice and from where they are entering. Look for holes in walls that are ringed with a dirty, oily rubbing both inside and outside your home.
• Make sure they don’t have what they need. Mice are looking for shelter but also food and water. Inside, clean up food scraps and store foods appropriately to prevent easy access to food. All pet foods should be stored off the floor and in sealed hard containers with tight-fitting lids. Outside, dead plantings and grass offer protection as mice try to find a way inside. Seal up small holes and cracks. Keep in mind mice can jump up twelve inches and can run along wires.
• Make sure they are trapped. It is not recommended to use baits as the rodents consume this poison and can die inside a wall or other hidden areas. Wooden traps, although unsightly are highly effective. Set a group of them, and if nothing is found, move to another location.
• Make sure they are removed quickly and the area is sanitized. Always wear rubber gloves, and spray the area, the droppings, and even the rodent with a bleach/water solution. Dispose of everything in a sealed plastic bag.

For more information on mice control or any other home pest, please contact the Penn State Master Gardener Helpline at (570)963-6842.

Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County

Ladybugs!

By the looks of things right now, you would think polka dots are all the rage. Or maybe contemplate a game of connect the dots, and the chain would go on and on. Orange and black are the colors of the season anyway but most homeowners don’t want that palette crawling around their house. How are we to cope with the migration of the ladybug?

As the season changes from summer into fall, insects adapt to prepare for the winter. Ladybugs are no exception. They are searching for a place to hibernate. Most often this is noticeable after a cold snap in the warmth of the afternoon sun. Most people know they are beneficial insects outside, and they are a good gardening partner. But they are a nuisance if they want to be “roomies”.

It is important to remember that although the ladybug is not the homeowner’s choice of accessorizing, they do not carry diseases, feed or reproduce inside, nor do any structural damage. Use of any kind of insecticides is to be avoided. Aerosols can create air quality concerns and do not prevent new ladybugs from entering the home. So here are a few spot on tips to help manage this uninvited guest:

• Be careful in handling the insects as they give off a defensive chemical which does have an offensive odor to it. Remember to wash your hands afterwards as well.
• Prevent the ladybugs from entering your house by making sure windows are sealed well, all damaged screens are repaired, cracks in siding and trim are sealed with caulk, and vents are covered with number 20 or smaller screen mesh.
• Sticky fly paper can be used to trap the beetles and then thrown away.
• Use a vacuum to collect them and change the bag after every use.
• To help the ladybug you can gently sweep them up and put them outside in a rock or wood pile to hibernate over the winter. For those up to the challenge, they can be collected in a paper bag, and stored in the refrigerator until spring. Then they can be moved outside to your garden and be the beneficial insect they are supposed to be.

For more information, the Penn State Master Gardeners have a fact sheet on the ladybug so please call 570-963-6842 to request it or send your request to our email address: LackawannaMG@psu.edu.


Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County

Fall Webworm

The next expected but unwelcome visitor to your landscape may be the Hyphantria Cunea (Drury) or fall webworm. This native pest feeds on about 90 deciduous trees from hickory to crabapple. Though often confused with the eastern tent caterpillar, the fall webworm constructs its nest over the ends of branches whereas the eastern tent caterpillar makes its home in the tree crotches. These webs contain caterpillars, dead and partially eaten leaves, and droppings.

The fall webworm overwinters in the soil as pupa with adults appearing in mid-June. As the new generation grows so does the spinning as their conspicuous webs enclose more and more foliage. Nests of two or three feet are not uncommon. It is the larval stage that does most the damage as they skeletonize and consume the leaves inside their web, as they grow so does their nest.

While they may defoliate a tree occasionally they rarely kill a tree. Most damage reduces its ornamental value but does not injure the tree. With that in mind, here are the recommended control measures:

• Mechanical Control: Removal of Nests - Small nests can be pruned out of small to medium trees. Do not burn or torch the nests while in trees as this may do additional damage to the tree.
• Biological Control: Encourage Predators and Parasites - Various species of natural enemies help manage this pest - birds, parasitic flies, and some wasps will help you manage the fall webworm. Apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) - The bacterial insecticideis quite effective against fall webworms if it is applied when the larvae are small.
• Chemical Control: Standard Insecticide Sprays - Apply a registered insecticide when webs and larvae are small. Generally this is done in July. Remember, all pesticides are poisonous so follow all labeled directions.

For more information on the fall webworm or other timely gardening issue please contact the Penn State Master Gardener Helpline at 570-963-6842 or email at LackawannaMG@psu.edu

Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County

Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce