Or What are these red bugs on my patio? Clover mites are small red plant feeders that are active when temperatures above freezing. Easy to spot moving on dark surfaces. They will be on foundation walls, and can end up inside, but do not reproduce or feed indoors. A lush landscape with fertilized lawn and […]
Using integrated approaches to deal with rats will lead to successful population management. This technique is known as integrated pest management. It involves not relying on one approach, but instead using multiple approaches to deal with rats. Every location will have site specific opportunities. For example a dumpster area needs attention by people to avoid […]
A treatment for subterranean termites will cost between $500 and $3200 dollars. There are four primary factors which impact pricing. They are location of service, size of structure treated, type of material used, and the complexity of the application. Where work is performed impacts price. Termite pricing varies by region. In New England termite pricing […]
The hot, humid weather we had over the past weekend drove up carpenter ant activity. Especially at dusk and into humid nights, ant are very active foraging for food, maintain the nest and defending the colony. This video shows heavy carpenter ant activity in a Norway maple with center rot.
Spring seeding is not something we normally do. It is a common request, homeowners love to seed in the spring and professionals want to seed in August. The reason is in our area summer annual weeds like crabgrass will outcompete the cool season grasses we have in our area. To reduce crabgrass we apply a […]
Yesterday I read Dr. Pat Vittum update on turf insects about the two common invasive craneflies that can damage turf. By around noon I was in Wellesley looking a Hemlock woolly adelgid in a very large and mature hedge that bordered a brook. Resting on the trunk of on hemlock next to the brook was […]
We use snap traps in pairs. We normally set them in cardboard boxes. The boxes are inviting to rodents and lead to more trapped rodents. They also contain the trapped rodents to protect sensitive eyes from seeing the trapped rodents. This post contains images of trapped rodents if you are sensitive to those images. This […]
Sebum stains are used to identify mice activity. Sebum is oil from the sebaceous glands. Think about what is know as “ring around the collar.” That is a discoloration to a shirt collar from sebum. Sebum from rodent fur is left on runways. The more the runway is used, the more sebum builds up. This […]
What is causing the yellow and brown spots in my lawn? It is unusual in eastern Massachusetts to see turf injury in November. My initial reaction was a fungal disease. Looking at the margins of the injured areas the blades show symptoms similar to a disease, but without any characteristics to identify the disease. This […]
Soil testing is an important step for growing great lawns and ornamental plants. You can do a soil test anytime of year, but fall is a great time. First, the laboratory is a little slower than in the spring when they are inundated with soil samples to test. Second, the soil tends to have more […]