Every year, right around the peak of spring, we do a whole bunch of yard clean up work in our front yard. It’s usually in that period around Mothers day when we pick up a few trays of annuals at our local nursery and it usually takes the good part of a weekend to do. This year was no exception in that regard.

An interesting thing happened this year when I got to this part of the garden though. It’s one of my favorite places because it's all Columbines that self seed and get bigger every year. As I was cleaning up, I was wondering why the flowers didn't look quite right this year. So I looked a little closer.

Holy Crap! Infestation! The aphids were here and they were here in force!

Now it's not uncommon for me to get some aphids. Not even uncommon to find them out in force from time to time and I deal with the problems as they arise. This was by far the earliest and most intense infestation that I've ever had though.

At first glance I found that almost all the columbines on this side of the garden were under siege. In fact, I was about to break into the organic pesticide. I rarely ever do that, but this just seemed overwhelming. Before I did, I luckily looked a little closer and found something incredible. An ecosystem had developed right there.

Because of the abundant food supply, the ladybugs (Yes I know they're not bugs, they're beetles. That's the name I grew up with so that's what I call ’em OK?) had moved in and were reproducing like rabbits. They are natural predators to the aphid, so I thought it best to let them do their work. Also, I'm willing to sacrifice a few flowers in order to foster a healthy population of these beneficial insects for the rest of the season.

In that vein I decided to remove all the flower stalks from the plants and place them upside down in a bucket, then off to the trash. They were the most infested part of the plant so I wanted to give the beetles a head start on clearing them up. Aphids generally don’t have wings, although they can develop them for purposes of relocating when the food source is endangered or depleted, so I wasn’t worried about them coming out of the trash and returning. Don't worry, there were plenty left for the bugs to feed on.

WARNING ... EXPLICIT photos follow ...

Ok, they’re not really “explicit”, but I did find a regular lady bug love fest happening on some of the under story branches as I was pruning them.

I kind of felt a little peeping Tom-ish for taking these, but in the interest of education I'm willing to go the extra mile for you.

And this is "The act." If you look closely you'll see the two bodies of the beetles protruding from under their wing covers. And that kids, is how the birds and the beetles goes... MMMM K?

Here you can see the collection of yellow egg sacks lain neatly under a leaf and Mom heading off to eat more aphids no doubt.

So then, who’s this handsome little guy? Well, he is the larvae form of the Ladybird beetle. From this phase it'll go through a pupa phase and then emerge as the lady bug that we're all familiar with. So, if you see these guys crawling around the garden, they are your friend!

In the Short term, I had to make a concession to the aphids in that I gave up my flowers for this year. I have others. The bigger point is found in the long term view however. In that perspective I've helped to foster a natural ecosystem and life cycle that will benefit me and my garden later this year.

If the problem had persisted, I’d have had to go to the next step which, to me, would be to entirely cut off all green growth and let the plant try again. I’m happy to say however that this battle seems to have gone in my favor. The aphids have moved on to other plants where the battle continues but are in no where near the same numbers. And as for the lady bugs, well, I’ve seen more this year so far that I think I have in quite a few springs. So far so good I’d say!

All the best.

Paul~

You can reach Paul Gardener by email, or check his personal blog at A posse ad esse 

I have written about the annual invasion of Asian multi-colored lady beetles a number of times. Remember these are the lady bugs that bite … well, pinch anyway. The introduced aphid fighters do good work during the growing season, but they don’t like to spend North American winters outside. And no matter how well you think your house is sealed, when the cool weather comes, you will find several to vast numbers of these orange, black and cream colored beetles on your ceilings, walls, floors, lights, curtains and virtually every other beetle-friendly place in the house. Although they are little more than a nuisance, if you disturb Asian multi-colored lady beetles they emit an unpleasant-odor-producing liquid that also stains. If you just squash them, they leave a mark on your lovely white walls and ceilings. What to do?

Until now, about the only thing you could use to fend off the Asian lady beetle invasion was a vacuum. I have already dumped several dust-buster-bin sized loads of beetles this year. But, thanks to Agriculture Research Service scientists, I can now add catnip to my limited invasion-fighting arsenal.

According to ARS scientists, catnip oil contains compounds that naturally repel the beetles without harm. In one extensive study, 95 percent of adult male and female lady beetles altered their course when they encountered filter paper impregnated with nepetalactone, one of many compounds found in catnip oil.

So, do you need to purify the nepetalactone, or at the very least extract catnip oil from your catnip to repel the Asian lady beetles this fall? ARS scientists haven’t yet made that jump, however since catnip is easy to grow and lovely to look at in the garden, why not harvest a short ton of the feline-frolic-inducing herb and place dried bundles of it inside your storm windows, and the other lady beetle landing zones that are truly hot? If dried catnip doesn’t work on the beetles, you can always toss the bundles to your feline friends and enjoy a good show.

Read more about the possibility of using plant secondary products to deter Asian multi-colored lady beetles here.

I just read a pest update article in The Michigan Landscape, a horticultural trade magazine, which states that the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) revised its Emerald Ash Borer quarantine to consolidate all 68 counties of the Lower Peninsula into one quarantine level effective immediately. The article is just another reminder of a nearly decade long battle we’ve been fighting in this state – a battle which we’ve seemingly lost.

If you think this might be a localized issue restricted only to Michigan, or have never heard of Emerald Ash Borer, I urge you to please read further.

Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is an insect native to Asia which was first discovered in the United States in the Detroit area in 2002. It’s thought this exotic pest gained entry into the country by hitching a ride on wood packing crates loaded on cargo ships and planes. Despite strict regulations and quarantines, the pest has spread to Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec, and most recently was discovered last summer in Wisconsin, Missouri, and Virginia.

The death toll this pest has dealt our native ash species is staggering, (please note that mountain ash is not affected; it is a completely different genus). Since its discovery here less than ten years ago, EAB has killed or infested approximately 35 million ash trees in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula alone, and caused the death of 25 million more in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and other affected states. The effects of it spreading further will be an unfathomable amount of lost trees and money. Emerald Ash Borer has already cost government agencies, municipalities, property owners, nursery operators, and forest industries tens of millions of dollars.

The fatal damage is caused by the larva, which feeds under the bark of the ash trees, effectively girdling the tree, making it unable to take up water and nutrients. The trees die in three to four years. Because the larva feed unseen, damage usually remains undetected until the tree starts showing signs of stress, occurring first in the crown of the tree as it becomes deprived of nutrients.

Scientists at Michigan State University determined through tree core analysis that EAB may have been present in southeast Michigan over half a decade before it was found. It’s possible its range increased undetected for years. But this is not a fast moving insect – the natural dispersal range of EAB is only ½ to 2 miles annually. Because federal quarantine prohibited the sale or movement of nursery stock from infested areas since its discovery, it’s thought unlikely that Emerald Ash Borer will spread so quickly, nor will it spread further through the nursery trade.

So how did EAB continue to spread to nine states, and two Canadian provinces? Its range is greatly increased, and its spread accelerated when it catches a free ride from humans … and firewood is one of its favored modes of transportation.

Consider the following scenario: You help your cousin across state fall trees on his property; as a gesture of thanks, he offers you a cord of wood for your fireplace which you take home to your property. Meanwhile, hoping to make a little extra money, he places a sign out by the road, offering firewood for sale. A family from out-of-state camping in the area, purchases some, and not burning it all ‘round the campfire, takes the remainder home with them for use in their own fireplace. A new pest has just been introduced into previously non-infested areas. Sound like an alarmist’s far-fetched nightmare? Not so.

Ken Rausher, MDA’s Pesticide and Plant Pest Management Division Director confirms the transportation of firewood as a major issue in the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer, stating, “Hardwood firewood is (still) prohibited from leaving the Lower Peninsula as it is the leading cause of spreading EAB and other invasives.”

Parks and Recreation Chief for the Michigan DNR, Ron Olson says, “Campers and hunters are reminded to purchase firewood locally when visiting state parks, recreation areas and state forest campgrounds. Bringing ash firewood into state forests, state parks, recreation areas and state forest campgrounds violates state land use rules.”

Interstate and intrastate ash product movement, to include firewood, has been prohibited for years in Michigan; violators face fines of up to $250, 000 and jail sentences up to five years. All other states infected with EAB have instituted similar restrictions prohibiting the movement of all hardwood firewood, ash nursery stock, green lumber, and other material living, dead, cut, or fallen, including logs, stumps, roots, branches, and composted and uncomposted chips of the genus Fraxinus (all ash species). The quarantines include all hardwood species of firewood because when dried, it’s difficult to identify the tree species.

Millions of dead ash trees and the threat posed to millions more, as the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ website states, “serve as a stark reminder of how firewood can harbor many different kinds of invasive pests and diseases ... both in forest and urban settings. Gypsy moth, oak wilt, and the emerald ash borer are just a few examples of pests and diseases that hitch hike on firewood, making their way easily into previously unaffected, healthy areas.”

To learn more about firewood restrictions and EAB in your state, or what to do if you suspect EAB in your area, visit www.emeraldashborer.info – a site maintained in a multi-state effort by Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, dedicated to providing the most up-to-date information about Emerald Ash Borer.

(photos 1 and 2 courtesy of www.emeraldashborer.info; photo 3 courtesy of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources)

It is so easy to get caught up in all the craziness around us today! It seems to come at us from all angles. The economy is not good right now, which affects our everyday lives in so many ways. We have to worry about our job stability, making payments on loans, and how we are going to pay insurance and taxes, not to mention our light bill, phone bill, and putting food on the table for our families. We have to decide how we are going to take this child here, while another needs to be at another place at the same time! And going on right in the middle of all this is a presidential election. We constantly hear and see ads everywhere we turn, trying to convince us why we should vote this way or that. It is enough to make my head spin.

One of the best ways I’ve found to forget all this, if only for a short time, is to get into nature. Try to make time to get outside and go for a walk. Go to the park, go to the woods, and go find a hiking trail. It doesn’t matter where, just get outside!

Wipe all of the worries from your mind, and pay attention to what surrounds you!

Pretend you are a child again, exploring for treasures. Look up and down, and notice the little things. Listen for the sounds of the birds chirping and singing. It’s music that soothes the soul!

Watch for all those little crawling critters, the many kinds of bugs and caterpillars with their amazing diversity.

Notice their shapes and colors. Perhaps you will see a moth and notice how very fuzzy they are when you get a close look.

Watch for all the many kinds of mushrooms. Imagine that maybe a fairy might sit on the cap to rest her wings.

Take note of all the different kinds of wild berries. Do not eat them if you don’t know what they are, but look at their colors and shapes. Are they round, or oblong? Do they grow on a bush, or are they on the ground? If you have any identification guides, take them with you and see if you can identify the things you see.

Notice the plant life and how it differs from the smallest plant that grows right next to the ground, to the tallest trees!

Watch for wildlife. Maybe you will see a chipmunk run in front of you and here it scolding because you are near.

Listen for the rustle of leaves that could be a squirrel jumping from treetop to treetop looking for nuts.

Maybe you will catch a glimpse of a deer as it moves through the trees looking for acorns that have fallen to the ground!

Oh, can you hear it, the sound of water as it flows over rocks in a woodland stream. Large rocks, covered with moss. Imagine a pixie sitting on one of those mossy rocks dipping her toes in the cool flowing water!

When you get back to your real life, things will not seem so bad and you will find yourself renewed with a feeling that you will be able to deal with whatever comes your way!