July 07, 2008 09:01 am
—
Adult Japanese beetles are attacking Southwest Missouri.
They can defoliate more than 300 different types of ornamental landscape plants, said Pat Byers, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist at Springfield. They prefer roses, crepe myrtle, grapes and Japanese maple.
The adult beetles are a brilliant, metallic green, generally oval, 3/8 of an inch long and a quarter-inch wide. Wings are copper-brown and the abdomen has a row of five tufts of white hair on each side.
Control them by handpicking when a few are first seen, but be ready to use traps or insecticides such as Sevin and malathion, he said.
Questions answered at county extension centers:
Q: How much time is needed between moving cattle off endophyte-infected fescue before turning them on fescue without the endophyte?
A: About four or five days to assure any contaminated fescue seed passes through the animal to block it from invading the improved forage.
Q: Is the Missouri Department of Transportation doing anything to control knapweed?
A: Yes, maps are being prepared to list locations of the weed and spraying to kill the noxious weed is to follow along state highways. Some weevils that eat knapweed could be introduced in Southwest Missouri.
Q: Where can I get information on building solar panels?
A: Your county extension center.
Q: What should I do about bore insects in firewood?
A: Keep the wood away from your house or get rid of it. Do not use insecticides that could produce toxic fumes when burned.
Q: What can I do about mold in my house?
A: Contact a local mold remediation company.
Q: What is causing leaf blight and other fungus problems on my tomatoes and other plants?
A: Wet weather.
Q: Are many cattle being killed by lightning?
A: Yes, recently a farmer near Miller had 23 killed when the animals were under a tree when lightning hit. Another farm had 10 adult cattle killed by one lightning bolt.
Q: How many square feet in an acre?
A: 43,560.
Q: Do goats not pass weed seeds in their manure?
A: They probably distribute fewer weed seeds than cattle because they eat more immature plants.
Telephone numbers of area county extension centers:
Barton (417) 682-3579
Cherokee (620) 429-3849
Crawford (620) 724-8233
Jasper (417) 358-2158
Lawrence (417) 466-3102
McDonald (417) 223-4775
Newton (417) 455-9500
Ottawa (918) 542-1688
Vernon (417) 448-2560
Address correspondence to Mike Surbrugg, c/o The Joplin Globe, P.O. Box 7, Joplin, Mo. 64802 or e-mail msurbrugg@joplinglobe.com.
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