Yesterday’s sunny warm fall weather led to large congregations of ladybugs, order Coleoptera, family Coccinellidae (and the official bug of Massachusetts), on businessess and homes in eastern Massachusetts. This activity is likely to continue over the next few weeks continuing to drive calls to pest control companies and news stories like this one on WCVB-TV […]
In small urban lots, it can be difficult, but try to compost as many leaves as possible. Two primary ways to compost is either pile composting at a composter or for leaves on the lawn area, mow the leaves every few days to keep up with them and mulch the leaves into the lawn. This […]
As you clean out your garden this fall, inspect your hemlocks for signs of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, an insect that causes severe damage to hemlocks. Signs of infestation include woolly masses around the base of the needles. These obvious indicators are combined with a loss of needle foliage in the hemlock.
Use a soil test to determine what deficiencies may exist in the soil. Soil is made up of a combination of sand, silt, clay, air, water and organic matter. Organic matter is the universal soil improver, helping the soil hold moisture and nutrients. Key results we look at are the soil pH, the ratio of […]
Fall brings rodents coming back in during cooler weather and longer nights. Inspect the outside of garage and basement doors for worn seals and replace or repair. Exclusion is the single most effective tool in combating rodent infestations and the foundation of an integrated pest management plan for mice.-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
Powderpost beetles. These destructive pests show evidence of their presence by the small exit holes, compare to a push pin hole, and by the presence of frass, or a powdery like sawdust falling from a hole or void. These beetles can occur in new or old homes, but are most commonly found in older homes […]
Aerations are underway at many customer lawns. If you are considering aerating your lawn, make sure you also overseed at the same time. An additional step that can vastly improve your lawn is the addition of soil conditioner. A soil conditioner can be many different types, and is used to improve drainage while improving water […]
On rainy days like today, my thoughts go to rainwater harvesting. A roof will collect around a gallon of water per square foot of area during a one inch rainstorm. The metro Boston area receives 40 to 55 inches of rain annually, with around 30 to 40 inches occurring during the catchment time of year […]
In late summer spider populations can become noticeable and may aggravate some people with their presence in and around structures. Integrated pest management is critical to spider control. After identifying the type of spider causing the problem through an inspection, steps should be taken to prevent spiders from entering. That includes sealing entry holes, caulking […]
Recently Sean was interviewed by the Lowell Sun as part of the Green Column written by Hiroko Sato. You can link directly to the column in the Lowell Sun here. It discusses integrated pest management, the employment of cultural, mechanical, physical as well as chemical strategies to manage pest populations.www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact […]