Federal collaboration on honey bees highlights research progress on CCD

Posted on May 2, 2013 by rhallberg

Shortly after news of severe bee declines were being reported in 2006, several federal agencies, including USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Office of Pest Management Policy (OPMP), the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) formed a CCD Steering Committee. The Steering Committee requested feedback from a broad range of experts in apiculture on how best to address the problem. The responses culminated in the CCD Action Plan, outlining the main priorities for research and outreach to characterize CCD and develop ways to mitigate losses.

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Great weekend for planting, but learn what you’re getting

Posted on June 15, 2012 by rhallberg

Often the plants that are the cheapest at the garden store are not always the easiest to maintain. According to the Wilmington Star, some residents in Wilmington are seeking an ordinance to prevent the planting of running bamboo, an attractive plant sold at garden stores. In the right conditions and not properly pruned, the plant can spill over into other yards, as a homeowner at Carolina Beach discovered after she returned from a long assignment out of town.

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Research study finds affordable tool for mosquito control—using repellent plants

Posted on January 4, 2012 by rhallberg

Mosquitoes are notoriously non-discriminate; they will take a blood meal wherever they can get one. They prefer areas that are marshy or full of puddles because they have ready-made places to lay eggs. A house that isn’t protected with pesticides means that entry and exit is easier.

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Does invasive always mean “bad”?

Posted on November 5, 2009 by jimvankirk

A post on Slate.com by Rebecca Tuhus-Dubrow might be a good starting point to consider a discussion of whether invasive species are always necessarily undesirable. Don’t Sweat the Invasion -Why foreign plants and animals may not be that bad (more…)

Filed under: Invasive plants | Tagged: , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Cogongrass: Another classic invader

Posted on November 3, 2009 by jimvankirk

USA Today‘s Marty Roney writes about cogongrass in today’s article Weeds threaten wildlife and create fire hazard in Deep South. Note the classic invasive species attributes of this story: introduced unwittingly, no natural controls in the new habitat, displacement and disruption.

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One Person’s Beautiful Plant; Another’s Invasive Nightmare

Posted on October 22, 2009 by rhallberg

Although the distinctive sweet scents of honeysuckle and wisteria have always assured me that spring is on its way, by midsummer I find myself battling them in my backyard. While some people welcome these plants, and others with similar growth habits, neither of the plants is native to the United States, and in most cases, are considered invasive pests.

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