Category Archives: Insect pests

Pests and Parasites

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Randy Tindall

A very effective agent of biological pest control, this tiny wasp in our backyard is preparing to lay an egg on (or in) the little green aphid.. When the egg hatches, it will live inside the aphid, munching happily away, … Continue reading →

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Galls Galore

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Randy Tindall

Besides having some spectacular fall colors this year, another thing our drought didn’t seem to hurt was the prevalence of oak leaf galls.  I’m not sure why, but we seemed to have a bumper crop of them this year.

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A Bounty of Broom Moths

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Randy Tindall

Have your Baptisia been looking a little ragged lately?  Check for these little guys.  We are certainly having an outbreak in our yard, maybe due to the weirdness of the spring this year (?).  I expect the Indigos will survive, … Continue reading →

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A Lotta Damn Gall(s)

Posted on August 8, 2011 by Randy Tindall

  (NOTE: Full confession—I goofed!  The following article is partially incorrect! The apple-like galls are NOT caused by one of the generations of a cynipid wasp, but rather by Polystepha pilulae, a midge, a mere dipteran, not a noble hymenopteran.  The … Continue reading →

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