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Now is the Time to Prepare Landscape for Summer Storms
Pine Colaspis Beetle and Pine Needle Scale
Africanized Honey Bees
Vegetables to plant in June
Now is the Time to Prepare Landscape for Summer Storms
As the hurricane season has officially begun, now is a good time to take a good look at your trees around your home and business.
I have developed nine fact sheets that are on our website at www.lsuagcenter.com/Terrebonne under the Agriculture and Urban Forestry section that can help you make decisions about your trees before and after a storm.
Pre-storm activities include:
- Check all trees for root system vigor (if you have mushrooms growing from the root flairs, you have a problem).
- Thin dense canopy trees to reduce wind load.
- Remove all trees weakened by construction damage.
- Remove all limbs overhanging utilities rooflines and within “drop diameter” of structures. Call utility company to get them to prune around power lines.
- Trees that show significant decay and are near structures should probably be removed.
- Consider staking newly planted trees.
- For large trees, pruning branches and areas that are of significant size, it is best to have a professional – a licensed arborist – who has the training and tools to do it right and safely. You can find the licensed arborist for your area on the Louisiana Dept. of Agriculture and Forestry’s Web site.
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Pine Colaspis Beetle and Pine Needle Scale
I have seen some insect damage on young pine trees in the last two weeks. The culprits have been Colaspis beetles and scales.
Both of these insects can be controlled on young trees with malathion. Read and follow label directions.
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Africanized Honey Bees
As I stated in my last column, I would discuss more about the “killer bees." I want to go over a few terms dealing with bees.
Swarm: When a honey bee colony grows in numbers, it will split and about 60% of the bees will leave in search of a suitable site. This process is called swarming. Most people use the term “swarming” to refer to dangerous bee activity or just flying around. A swarm is a condensed body of bees concentrated in a specific area or moving from its previous colony to a holding area until they find a new home. Bees in swarms are generally docile and not defensive unless provoked.
Feral Colony: A nest of bees, in the wild, that poses a threat to the public and should be removed.
PCO: Pest Control Operator - professional pest management company.
Now some precautions:
- Look for bees entering or leaving an area, indicating a feral colony or swarm.
- Examine area prior to using noisy power equipment (lawn mowers, blowers, chain saws, etc.).
- Never disturb a swarm or colony of bees.
- If allergic to bee stings, obtain an emergency sting kit.
If a feral colony or swarm is found:
- Do not disturb it – stay away.
- Contact a PCO or bee keeper to eradicate the bees.
- Do not attempt to remove it.
- Do not spray anything on the bees.
If bees become defensive:
- Get away from the bees as quickly as possible.
- Cover face and eyes.
- Take shelter in enclosed area indoors.
- Do not hide in bushes or jump in the water.
- Do not stand still.
- Do not swat the bees – rapid movement will cause bees to sting.
- Contact PCO or emergency personnel.
If someone is stung:
- Scrape (do not pluck) stinger out in a sideways motion with a fingernail or edge of a credit card as soon as possible (this stops release of venom).
- Wash sting area with soap and water, apply ice to reduce swelling.
- If allergic reaction occurs (difficulty breathing, hives, dizziness), contact emergency personnel immediately and employ emergency sting kit (if available).
Other sting information:
- A honey bee stings only once, then it dies.
- For a fatality to occur from venom toxicity it normally would take about 10 stings per pound of body weight.
- Honey bees are attracted to hair and dark colors (e.g. eyes, open mouth, nostrils).
- If disturbed, European honey bees may pursue for about half the length of a football field.
- Africanized Honey Bees pursue three times that length.
Don’t take chances with bees. Stay away.
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Vegetables to plant in June
Transplant heat-set tomatoes for fruit production August-October. Plant collards, cucumbers, melons, cantaloupes, okra, southern peas, pumpkins and summer squash. Transplant eggplants, all the pepper and sweet potato slips. Start seed of fall tomatoes and bell pepper.
Question – What is a maypop and can it be eaten?
Answer – The purple passion flower, which also goes by the common name of maypop because of the way the fruits “pop” when squashed, is a fast growing vine with beautiful showy purple flowers that bloom from June to September. The fruit is edible and is very good when fully ripe.
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