In this issue
Landscape and nursery
Neighborhood walk indicates early season damage
Winter damage to roses and boxwood
Downy mildew control on roses
Scouting for weeds: henbit and purple deadnettle
Turfgrass
Thinking about treating for grubs?
Miracle weed and tips for seeding turf
Christmas trees and forestry
Time to manage needle cast diseases of Douglas fir and spruce
Insects to scout for week of May 5
Christmas tree and forestry insect update
Update on gypsy moth spray window dates
Around the home
Pests of boxwood
Tick season arrived early this year!
What to do about moles
Other news
Ecological Restoration Field Day: June 15
Weather news

Neighborhood walk indicates early season damage
Dave Smitley, Entomology

On a walk around an East Lansing neighborhood at the beginning of the week, I was on the lookout for tree and shrub problems. It is early for most insects, but I could still find signs of insect injury from last year, and plenty of winter injury. I had only walked a block before I found the first dead birch tree. It was a European white birch that had grown to a height of about 20 feet before dying from bronze birch borer attack. We now know that native paper birch (Betula papyrifera) are completely resistant to bronze birch borer, while European and Asian species are susceptible and must be treated each spring with an imidacloprid basal soil injection or basal drench.

In several places on the nearby MSU campus, I saw lots of dead shoots on yews. On closer inspection, I could see that every dead shoot originated close to a pruning wound from last fall where a branch was removed. Apparently the pruned branch made these now dead shoots more susceptible to winter injury. The last thing I noticed was the salt injury to a variety of trees and shrubs located close to the road. In this case, juniper foliage closest to the curb died, while the rest of the shrub survived. In some places I saw white pine foliage turning brown on the side facing the road even when the trees were 30 feet or more away from a high-speed road where the salty water splashed and drifted a long ways.

Winter damage to roses and boxwood
Mary Wilson, MSU Extension Oakland County

As spring continues to advance, more woody plants are showing damage from this past winter. Several county offices have received an increasing number of inquiries about damage to roses and boxwood. While it’s not uncommon to see extensive dieback on hybrid tea roses, this year we’re also seeing damage to shrub roses, including hardy Canadian and Buck roses. Boxwood damage varies from a few branches to the whole plant. Even the newer, hardier hybrids out of Canada and Morton Arboretum (e.g. Green Velvet, Green Mountain, Glencoe) are damaged.

Why are these cold hardy plants affected?
While these plants tolerate our Zone 5 cold temperatures, it’s the swing in winter temperatures that caused the damage this past winter. When plants are subjected to long periods of warm weather in the winter, they are fooled into thinking it’s time to wake up and start growing. They start to lose their cold temperature tolerance. Then, when the cold temperatures return, these plants cannot withstand the cold temperatures they could before the warming period. Bottom line: plant tissue is damaged.

What can you do?
Many of these plants are pushing out new growth and should survive. Prune out the dead and damaged wood to maintain plant health and vigor. For pruning tips, refer to Tom Fernandez’s article in the April 13, 2007, Landscape Alert.

Downy mildew control on roses
Thomas Dudek, MSU Extension Ottawa County

Downy mildew, Peronospora sparsa is a serious disease that attacks all types of roses both in the greenhouse, nursery and the landscape from potted miniatures to landscape-size roses and even shrub roses. The disease can be quite severe under cool moist conditions and will defoliate rose plants within a day or two in the greenhouse or in a polyhouse. The optimal temperature for rose downy mildew is 64F with a relative humidity of 85% or greater. Making sure your humidity, especially overnight, is below 85% is effective at preventing the disease. Sudden temperature drops at dusk in greenhouses or polyhouses can significantly increase humidity around the plant and lead to conditions that favor downy mildew.

Look for purple to black spots on the stems and flower peduncles, first symptoms are on the leaves near the top of the plant (see photos). As the spots develop, the leaf may yellow and even look like a leaf burn that may be confused with pesticide toxicity.

No mycelia appear on the upper leaf surface as with powdery mildew. Downy mildew under very humid conditions will form mycelia on the underside of the leaf under the purple to black spots. As mentioned if you are forcing roses under plastic, keep the foliage dry to prevent this disease.

The following fungicides are labeled and effective for downy mildew control on roses: Heritage, Stature, Cygnus and Fen-stop. Read the label and follow directions as indicated. A severe infection cannot be arrested by fungicides. You should consider dumping severely infected rose plants.

Scouting for weeds: henbit and purple deadnettle
Steven Gower, MSU Diagnostic Services

Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule L.), family: Lamiaceae (Mint). (view images)

Life cycle: Square-stemmed winter annual.

Leaves: Cotyledons are oval in outline and notched at the base where the hairy petioles attach. Opposite, circular to heart-shaped, hairy leaves have rounded teeth along the margins. Prominent, palmately veined leaves give a crinkled leaf surface. Lower leaves are attached by long petioles; upper leaves lack petioles and encircle the stem.

Stems: Square, hairy, spreading stems with many ascending branches from the base can root at the lower nodes. Stems are up to 16 inches tall.

Flowers and fruit: Pink to purple flowers in a two-lipped tube form in whorls in the upper leaf axils. Each flower produces four egg-shaped, one-seeded, grayish brown and speckled nutlets.

Reproduction: Seeds.

Similar weed: Purple deadnettle (Lamium purpureum L.). Differs by having more triangle-shaped leaves, upper leaves with petioles and red to purple coloration.

Control: Henbit and purple deadnettle are winter annual plants that flower and produce seed in early spring. Typically, these seeds will emerge in the fall, overwinter and then resume growth in early spring. Control of henbit and purple deadnettle will depend upon location. Timely applications in the fall and/or preemergence products can work very well in landscape beds. Once in flower, however, herbicide applications are usually not recommended as seeds will quickly mature on the plants. For now, just enjoy their beautiful flowers.

Note: Identification information for more weeds is available in the new field guide An IPM Pocket Guide for Weed Identification in Nurseries and Landscapes. To order, call 517-353-6740 or visit: http://www.ipm.msu.edu/pdf/pocketGuidesLandsc07.pdf

Thinking about treating for grubs?
Dave Smitley Entomology

Lawn and landscape: no need to treat for grubs at this time
European chafer grubs are about done feeding this spring. If your lawn sustained some grub injury last fall or early this spring, it is better to wait and apply GrubEx, Season-long Grub Control or another product containing imidacloprid in July. This will protect your lawn against grubs in late summer and fall. Most areas of the state have good soil moisture now and the turf is growing fast. This will allow the turf to out-grow any late spring feeding damage from grubs.

Golf course treatments for grubs
Some golf course superintendents like to treat fairways, tees and greens with Merit or Arena in May, so they can get some spring and early summer help with Ataenius, Aphodius and ants, as well as adequate control of Japanese beetle in late summer and fall. This is fine for those that have an on-going Japanese beetle problem and want to get the most out of their grub treatments. However, for golf courses that have a problem with European chafer in the rough, you will get much better grub control if you wait until July to use the Merit or Arena in the rough.

Miracle weed and tips for seeding turf
Kevin Frank Crop & Soil Sciences

I’m a skeptic, it’s just my nature. When someone tells me about the latest miracle grass or secret lawn potion, I usually smile, listen, wish them luck, and tell them to call me when they have some research data that backs up their claim. Recently I stumbled across some interesting facts during an early morning Google episode on the web. Listen to this!

New miracle herb revealed! This herb will reportedly when eaten as part of your daily diet:

• Prevent or cure liver diseases.
• Cleanse your skin and eliminate acne (teenagers take note!).
• Lower blood pressure. ? Reduce acid indigestion (how do you spell relief?).
• Improve bowel function (no comment necessary…).
• Assist in weight reduction!!!!!!

The best part of this story is that you don’t even have to go to the local drug store to secure your supply. Just go outside and look at the sea Taraxacum officinale, that’s right dandelions. There may truly be gold in those dandelion fields. Just a reminder from last week’s issue, if you’re looking to control dandelions, the puff ball stage should be arriving soon and this is an effective time to try and suppress the dandelion population.

Tips for seeding turf now
The best time to seed turfgrass is in the autumn when temperatures are cool and rainfall is hopefully plentiful. However, in many situations turfgrass areas are now being seeded either to recover from some malady from last season or just to establish a new area. For any seeding project make sure to ensure good seed to soil contact, maintain adequate soil moisture during establishment, apply a starter fertilizer to supply nutrition to the young seedling, and avoid all herbicide applications until the turf has been mowed at least a couple times. Make sure to be careful when selecting fertilizers this time of year as there are many fertilizer herbicide combo products that contain either a preemergence or broadleaf herbicide.

Time to manage needle cast diseases of Douglas fir and spruce
Dennis Fulbright, Mursel Catal, Plant Pathology; and Jill O’Donnell, Christmas tree ICM educator

Now is the time to begin managing the two Douglas fir needle-casting diseases called Rhabdocline needle cast and Swiss needle cast and the needle-casting disease of spruce called Rhizosphaera. The fungi causing the needle-casting diseases of Douglas fir and spruce require free moisture and warm temperatures very typical of May and early June in Michigan. On trips this week to the western part of Michigan, we saw the beginning of spore release. Because of the requirement of free moisture, needle-casting diseases are generally more severe on the lower half of trees. This is due to the denser foliage, complex and therefore older branching patterns, and because this portion of the tree is located in the weed zone. Weeds can interfere with proper air flow in plantations leading to increased free moisture on the needles.

While monitoring spores of Rhabdocline in 2006, we saw the spores of Rhabdocline come in two distinct waves, early in May and later in early June. Therefore, it would be best to design your spray schedules to accommodate these times. At least two sprays should be applied to manage these two spray release waves. If you have planted the Douglas fir seed-source called Shuswap which is resistant to Rhabdocline needle cast, you should still determine the amount of Swiss needle cast infection the trees are carrying. Generally, sprays for Swiss on Shuswap, can be made two years prior to the potential harvest date.

To determine if your trees warrant chemical management, look for signs of the fungal fruiting bodies on the needles. These fruit bodies are producing the spores that will infect the new needles as they break bud. With a hand lens, scan the discolored needles. For Rhabdocline on Douglas fir, look for needles with elongated brown splotches and on the bottom side of the needle, look for areas where the outer portion of the needle’s epidermis (skin) appears raised. If you see these, then examine two-year-needles on 50 or more trees scattered throughout your plantation. If you find fruiting bodies on 20 percent or more of the trees, consider treating the plantation.

In the case of Swiss needle cast of Douglas fir and Rhizosphaeria of spruce, randomly select 20 or more trees scattered around the plantation, and remove three sample branches from each tree. Examine the white rows of stomata on 2-year-old needles and if half of the branches have fruiting bodies on more than 10 percent of the needles, considering treating the entire plantation. Two sprays are more effective than one.

If growing Douglas fir, consider planting the Rhabdocline resistant seed source Shuswap to reduce Rhabdocline needle cast problems.

Insects to scout for week of May 5
Jill O’Donnell, Christmas tree ICM educator

Southern Lower Peninsula
Gypsy moth - egg hatch
Cooley and Eastern Spruce Gall- first galls visible
Eastern pine shoot borer – first adult active
European pine sawfly – first larvae
Pine bark adelgid - egg hatch
Pine Needle Scale – first egg hatch
Spruce spider mite – egg hatch

Central Lower Peninsula
Balsam twig aphid – stem mothers present
Cooley spruce gall adelgid – first nymphs on Douglas fir
Gypsy moth- egg hatch
Eastern pine shoot borer – first adults active
European pine sawfly – first larvae
Spruce spider mite – egg hatch

Northern Lower Peninsula
Balsam gall midge – adults laying eggs
Balsam twig aphid – stem mothers present
Cooley spruce gall adelgid – first nymphs on Douglas-fir
Cooley and eastern spruce gall adelgids – first adults active

Upper Peninsula
White pine weevil – first adults
Zimmerman pine shoot moth – first larvae
Cooley and Eastern spruce gall adelgids

Christmas tree and forestry insect update
Jill O’Donnell, Christmas tree ICM educator

Balsam twig aphid
We are finding balsam twig aphids on Fraser and in the expanding buds of concolor fir in the Hart area. Once you find the aphids inside the expanding bud and they are well protected from insecticides. Spraying will not prevent damage to the current-year foliage. Late sprays will, however, harm beneficial predatory.

Cooley spruce gall adelgid on Douglas
The first cottony masses can be found on the underside of the needles of Douglas-fir. If you look closely you will find cream-colored adelgid eggs that will hatch in the spring, soon after buds break. The new nymphs will move onto the tender, succulent young needles. It often looks like someone has sprinkled black pepper on the new needles. If you need to apply an insecticide, this is a good time to do it. There is usually a second hatch of eggs later in the summer too. Looking at Douglas-fir in Greenville and Oceana County we are beginning to see the beginning of break bud. Growers will want to begin scouting trees.

Cold temperature injury
We are still seeing cold temperature injury to conifers appear in the last few weeks (view images). The concolor firs have been especially hard hit. The needles will appear reddish to bleached cream on the last year’s growth.

Update on gypsy moth spray window dates
Mike Bryan, Michigan Dept.Agriculture

Last week we introduced the new gypsy moth spray window zone map. Growers should note that spray windows dates have been identified for zone 2 – all compounds and zone 3 – Dimilin.

Background
Each year Michigan Department of Agriculture and MSU Extension evaluate the progress of gypsy moth egg hatch in order to set the opening and closing dates for the gypsy moth spray window. This year we have refined the process using historical degree day accumulation data available online through MSU IPM Resources at: http://www.ipm.msu.edu/landscapeipm/gddlandchart.htm . The state has been divided into five gypsy moth spray window zones that roughly correspond to historical degree day trends. These zones are comprised of the counties shown below.

2007 Gypsy moth spray window zones
Zone 1 - Includes the counties of Berrien, Cass and Monroe
Zone 2 - Includes the counties of Allegan, Barry, Branch, Calhoun, Clinton, Eaton, Genesee, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Ingham, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kent, Lapeer, Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Montcalm Oakland, Ottawa, Saginaw, Saint Clair, Saint Joseph, Sanilac Shiawassee, Tuscola, Van Buren, Washtenaw and Wayne.
Zone 3 - Includes the counties of Arenac, Bay, Benzie, Clare, Gladwin, Grand Traverse, Huron, Isabella, Lake, Leelanau, Manistee, Mason, Mecosta, Midland, Manistee, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola and Wexford.
Zone 4 - Includes the counties of Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Baraga, Crawford, Delta, Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Iosco, Kalkaska, Marquette, Menominee, Missaukee, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Ontonagon, Oscoda, Otsego and Roscommon.
Zone 5 - Includes the counties of Alger, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Chippewa, Emmet, Keweenaw, Luce, Mackinac, Presque Isle and Schoolcraft.

Gypsy moth spray window dates
The accompanying chart shows actual and projected open/close dates for application of the two groups of pesticides used for regulatory treatment of gypsy moth in nursery stock and Christmas trees.

* DD = Degree Days at base 50 degrees F.
** Projections are based on 30 year historical degree day data.

Since gypsy moth development will vary by location, you will need to monitor development around your farm. Weather conditions will affect caterpillar development and may effect end date of the spray windows. Growers should watch the Landscape CAT Alerts for additional announcements.

Pests of boxwood
Howard Russell, MSU Diagnostic Services

Boxwood, Buxus spp., is gaining popularity in Michigan landscapes. Both consumers and landscape professionals need to be aware of three important insect and mite pests that plague this shrub. These pests include the boxwood leafminer, the boxwood mite and the boxwood psyllid. (view images) If you are planting new boxwoods, then consider varieties that are insect and mite resistant.

Boxwood leafminer, Monarthropalpusi flavus (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) is the most serious insect pest of boxwoods. This small fly is native to Europe and widely distributed throughout the United States. The leafminer causes serious damage to boxwoods and heavily damaged plants will become quite unattractive. The larvae feed between the upper and lower leaves, which causes blistering and discoloration.

Both littleleaf boxwood, B. microphylla and common boxwood, B. sempervivens, are commonly attacked, but there is resistance found in individual varieties of both species. Common boxwood cultivars with reported resistance are ‘Handworthiensis’, ‘Pyramidalis’, ‘Suffruticosa’ and ‘Varder Valley’. Buxus microphylla var. japonica has also exhibited resistance to the boxwood leafminer.

The larvae are yellowish-white and a little over 1/8 inch long. The adult boxwood leafminer is an approximately 1/10 inch long, delicate, orange-yellow to red, gnat-like fly. The partly grown larvae overwinter within their mines within the leaves. The larvae grow rapidly as the weather begins to warm. In early to mid May, when weigela blooms, they turn into orange-colored pupae and emerge as a fly. After mating, the female inserts her eggs deep into the leaf tissue and the eggs hatch approximately three weeks later. The larvae grow slowly as they eat away inside the leaf. In Michigan, there is a single generation each year.
Control of the boxwood leafminer should begin with the selection of the more resistant varieties mentioned above. Pruning the foliage before adult emergence or after egg laying ends will help to reduce the overall population of egg laying adults. Chemical control is difficult because the application must be timed with the emergence of the adult flies. An application of an insecticide spray when the adult flies emerge (This corresponds to when weigela is in bloom.) can reduce populations. Insecticide sprays containing bifenthrin (Talstar), carbaryl (Sevin), cyfluthrin (Tempo or Bayer Advanced Garden Insect Control), or malathion are among the recommended materials that can be applied to control the adult flies. Imidacloprid, a systemic insecticide (Merit or Bayer Tree and Shrub Insect Control) will control the larvae inside the leaves and does not require precise timing. This product should be applied in mid to late April.

The boxwood mite, Eurytetranychus buxi, is a spider mite that feeds on the undersides of leaves and is difficult to see even with a hand lens. Infested leaves appear to be pin-pricked or stippled with tiny white or yellow marks. The boxwood mite is a pest of both European and American boxwood varieties. Japanese boxwood is less susceptible. The application of high nitrogen fertilizers may lead to higher numbers of this mite.

Like most other spider mites that plague Michigan landscapes, the boxwood mite overwinters as eggs on the undersides of leaves. These eggs are greenish, round and flat-topped. They generally hatch in May and complete a generation in two to three weeks. Since multiple generations occur each year, it is important to apply control measures early in the season on plants that show high levels of the mite feeding injury. This mite is more active in the spring and early summer. Adult mites are greenish brown. They may be found on the upper or lower surface of leaves. Heavy infestations may result in defoliation. Like other mite pests infestations are often worse during dry, dusty conditions.

Control of boxwood mites follows that of other spider mite pests. One can try washing mites from the foliage with a stream of water. Summer rates of horticultural oil is also effective. A more aggressive approach includes treating with abamectin (Avid), bifenthrin (Talstar), malathion, or oxythioquinox (Morestan) during the first two weeks in May.

The boxwood psyllid, Cacopsylla busi is a less serious pest that occurs wherever boxwoods are grown. It causes cupping of leaves and may affect twig growth, but the damage caused is purely aesthetic and not as destructive as other boxwood pests. The boxwood psyllid is a common pest of all boxwoods but the American boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) is most susceptible.
This insect overwinters as a tiny, orange egg deposited in the bud scales. The eggs hatch in the spring when the buds of the host plant open. The nymphs immediately begin to feed and develop white waxy strands over their bodies. Winged adults appear by early June. After mating, the female deposits her eggs between the bud scales of the host plant.There is one generation each year.

The nymph stage damages the host plant by feeding on newly developing foliage, causing the leaves to become cupped. This cupping conceals the psyllid, and provides protection while feeding; however, the damage to the host plant is purely aesthetic.
This minor pest can be controlled with many of the insecticides mentioned above for other boxwood pests. An application should be made when young psyllids are present, in early May.

Tick season arrived early this year!
Howard Russell MSU Diagnostic Services

It seems that in most years the lab starts getting in ticks toward the end of May. But this year, we received our first ticks before the first of May. The tick we see most often in the lab is the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Acari: Ixodidae). Also, we are seeing an increase in tick submissions from the mid-Michigan area. (view images)

 The American dog tick is the most commonly found tick in Michigan and can be distinguished from the deer tick and brown dog tick by the presence of white markings on the back. Dog tick bites rarely result in serious disease in Michigan, but like other wood ticks, it is a known carrier of Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia. The cases of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever reported in Michigan have been from primarily southern counties, particularly those located directly north of the Toledo Airport. Also, toxins injected with their bites cause itching, fever and in some cases tick paralysis. Be on alert for any rash, which is a primary symptom of both Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and tularemia, that develops after a tick bite.

Mice appear to be the preferred hosts of immature stages of the American dog tick while the adults prefer to feed on dogs and other large mammals. Dog ticks can live for over a year without food. These ticks are most likely to be encountered in the spring and early summer along animal paths in grassy, shrubby areas adjacent to woodlots and forests. Family members and pets should be inspected daily where ticks are known to be abundant. Insect repellents may help keep wood ticks from biting, also apply duck tape around pants cuffs to keep ticks from crawling up the legs. If an attached tick is found, it should be removed by placing tweezers near the head and gently pulling it off. Be careful not to squeeze the tick as this can inject more toxins into the wound. Keep in mind that ticks cannot feed immediately after attaching. They require several hours to imbed their mouthparts deep enough to take a bloodmeal. An unfed tick (unengorged) tick is quite small and flat, but a fully engorge tick looks like a small grape. Yuck! If you are unsure about the identity of your tick, save it in a vial of rubbing alcohol and sent it to the lab for identification.

What to do about moles

Editor’s note: This article is gleaned from a web site hosted by Jim Harding, wildlife specialist at the MSU Museum. For more information about various animals that can become pests around the home and yard, visit Jim’s site at: http://critterguy.museum.msu.edu/

Moles, along with their relatives the shrews, are members of the mammal order Insectivora, which literally (and appropriately) means "insect eater." Moles are specially adapted for a life underground—they have short thick fur (that can lie comfortably in any direction), tiny eyes, and ear openings that are hidden under the fur. Their bodies are rather narrow and compact, their snouts are pointed, and they have large claws on the toes of their powerful, shovel-like front feet. Under the right soil conditions, moles can tunnel at a speed of 15 feet per hour – No wonder it seems like they can ruin a lawn almost overnight!

There are two species of moles in southern Michigan: Eastern moles are by far the most common species in suburban yards, while star-nosed moles are found mostly in damp soils near ponds, marshes, or other wetlands, and sometimes even swim and feed underwater. The eastern has a short, almost naked tail, while the star-nosed has a longer, furry tail and (as the name implies) distinctive tentacle-like projections around its snout.

In warmer, damper weather, eastern moles make their well-known feeding tunnels just under the surface; they push up the soil to form the long, winding ridge that most annoys homeowners. In drier weather, and in winter, they create deeper tunnels, at times over 2 feet down; the excess soil may be pushed upward, forming the well-known "molehills." Both mole species can create surface-breaking tunnels and "spoil" hills and (contrary to popular belief) you cannot always discriminate between the species on the basis of the shape or size of these hills, though in general eastern moles tend to create larger, more irregular hills, while star-nosed moles create lower, more neatly rounded hills, at least in wetter soils.

Typically in May a female mole gives birth to 3 to 5 naked babies in a cozy nest usually in one of the deeper burrows. They grow quickly and leave the nest in about a month, and are independent and making their own burrows by late summer or fall. Eastern moles tend to be rather solitary animals, and possibly territorial. Though it may seem like your yard must be inhabited by hundreds of moles, it is more likely that the maze of tunnels criss-crossing your lawn was made by only a few moles, and quite possibly only one.

Moles have huge appetites, and may eat up to a third of their weight in food each day. The diet includes mostly earthworms and adult and larval insects, along with a few centipedes, spiders, slugs, snails and a bit of vegetable matter such as roots and seeds. Moles occasionally attack the underground nests of yellowjackets and other wasps.

All in all, moles are beneficial animals, consuming numbers of potential insect pests and aerating the soil. However, there is no doubt that they are highly attracted to the bounty to be found in well-watered and fertilized lawns, and here they become quite a nuisance. So how can you eliminate or at least discourage moles in the yard?

Options for discouraging moles in your yard
Repelling eastern moles from an area is often possible using one of the castor oil-based liquid products (such as Mole-Med® and Scoot-Mole®). These are sprayed on the lawn with a standard garden or hose-end sprayer (follow label directions). Noticeable results may occur after several days; heavy rains will dilute the effect and necessitate reapplication. These products are thought to be relatively non-toxic to people, pets, and wildlife when used as directed. Other repellent methods may also be effective in small garden areas, including devices (like "mole windmills") that vibrate the ground, and the dense planting of certain plants like "gopher purge" (Euphorbia), castor bean, marigold and Fritillaria.

 Some other often-suggested remedies are usually ineffective and often unsafe; these including placing human hair, "chewed" bubble gum, broken glass, engine oil or mothballs in the mole tunnels, or trying to flood out the moles with a garden hose.

 Cats and dogs sometimes learn to catch moles; cats are poor at digging and more often catch shrews on the surface. Certain dog breeds take great joy in digging out moles, but often cause considerable additional damage to the lawn in the process.
 Direct killing of moles will certainly help the problem, but catching them is not easy.

Sometimes by flattening mole tunnels and then patiently watching for active digging, you can locate the mole and quickly flip it out of its burrow with a shovel. Activity is usually greatest (or at least most observable) at dawn and after sunset.

Trapping is a bit tricky, but can be effective. There are several trap types on the market; the two most common styles are the "harpoon" trap (with several long, sharp metal spikes on the business end) and the "choker" type (which grabs the critter with a metal loop). Start by stamping down sample sections of the mole tunnels in your yard and noting which ones are quickly pushed back up each day; these are the ones to target. Follow the directions of the trap manufacturer. In hard, dry ground, the harpoon traps may not work unless the soil is loosened or the trap is staked down. Once the trap is set, place extra soil over any openings over the tunnel, as light shining in will scare the mole. Star-nosed moles can be trapped by digging into the tunnel below one of the mounds; refill the hole with loose dirt and set the trap over the hole.

Fumigation of mole tunnels using smoke cartridges is another option, but this tactic rarely achieves full control without frequent and time-consuming reapplication. Follow package instructions for cartridge placement and ignition, and keep children and pets away during use. A number of the cartridges must be introduced simultaneously into the active tunnels, perhaps every 5 to 10 feet, and tunnels must be re-sealed after ignition to prevent smoke from escaping.

Reducing the mole's food supply by using lawn insecticides may discourage moles by reducing the numbers of beetle grubs and other insects that attracted the moles to the area in the first place. However pesticides must be used judiciously and with due caution - nearly all involve certain risks, even when used as directed.

Other stronger, mole-control substances, including poison baits and toxic fumigants, may be available for use by licensed pest control companies, but are generally not available to the homeowner. Again, no poisonous substance is completely risk-free, and one should weigh carefully the choice of introducing these chemicals into the home environment to eliminate an annoying but otherwise harmless pest. It is always wise to start with the least risky control methods for any pest, and then gradually "escalate the battle" as necessary.

Ecological Restoration Field Day: June 15
Anna Fiedler Entomology

Did you know that southern Michigan oak savanna ecosystems are far more endangered than tropical rainforests? That globally rare plants and animals live within a few minutes of downtown Pontiac, Ann Arbor, Jackson and Kalamazoo? The retreating glaciers created a unique landscape in southern Michigan where prairies, oak savannas and prairie fen wetlands formed a landscape the pioneers called the "oak openings." While human activity and suppression of natural fires have altered this area, globally rare species and communities still exist in this stunning landscape.

On June 15 an on-site workshop will be held at the MSU MacCready Reserve, near Jackson, Michigan to demonstrate ecological restoration of oak savanna, prairie fen and hillside prairie communities. At this event, you will see examples of these unique habitats while learning how to protect, restore and manage them. Representatives from many Michigan conservation agencies will be present to answer your questions and provide information that can help you plan and conduct ecological restoration on your property. The morning will include talks by experts from Michigan Natural Features Inventory, The Nature Conservancy, The Stewardship Network, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Michigan State University. Tours of the MSU MacCready Reserve and hands-on demonstrations of invasive species management will take place in the afternoon.

This one-day event will be held at the MSU MacCready Reserve, located 15 minutes south of Jackson, near Liberty, MI. The event is targeted to landowners, educators, conservation agency personnel, master gardeners, natural areas stewards and native ecosystem enthusiasts.

Additional field day information and registration forms are available at: www.msue.msu.edu/jackson
For more information contact: Anna Fiedler, MSU Department of Entomology, fiedlera@msu.edu.

Weather news
Jeff Andresen, Agricultural Meteorology Geography

Upper air ridging and high pressure were entrenched across the Great Lakes region Friday (May 4) and will bring another day of mostly sunny skies and seasonable temperatures to Michigan. Remnants of a trough of low pressure currently over the middle Mississippi Valley will drift towards the state by late Friday into Saturday, bringing a temporary increase in cloudiness and a small chance for some light showers across far southern sections of the state. Otherwise, fair and dry weather is expected to continue. Look for daytime temperatures from the mid 60's to low 70's Thursday through Saturday, warming to the mid or upper 70's by Sunday and Monday. Daytime temperatures will remain several degrees cooler along the Lake Huron and Lake Erie shorelines due to steady easterly winds. Low temperatures will range from the 30's to the low 40's Friday and Saturday mornings, warming to the 40's to low 50's by Sunday. Given a very dry air mass in place across the region, some scattered frost is possible again on Saturday morning mainly in sheltered, low-lying areas in northern sections of the state should clear and calm conditions materialize. Most areas should remain well above freezing.

Medium range forecast guidance currently suggests an upper air troughing pattern across the western United States and ridging over the east, with southwesterly flow across the Midwest and Great Lakes regions. The official NOAA 6‑10 day and 8‑14 day outlooks (covering May 9-13 and 11-17 respectively) both call for above normal temperatures state‑ and regionwide. Total precipitation during the both time frames is forecast to generally range from near normal to above normal levels. Today=s model guidance is in lesser agreement than previous issuances, possibly suggesting another major upper air pattern change across North America at some point late in the second or third of May.

Further ahead, the new NOAA Climate Prediction Center 30-day outlook for May is consistent with the medium-range forecasts calling for warmer than normal temperatures statewide. The precipitation outlook is more uncertain, with Michigan expected to remain between forecast areas of above normal precipitation totals to our west and below normal precipitation totals to our east.