Florida‘s State Tree. Palm Mostly Right

Quick! What is the official Florida state tree? If you answered “palm tree.” you’re mostly right. After all, Florida is synonymous with warm, sunny days; sultry evenings and, of course, palm trees. But there are 2,600 varieties of palm trees and the one Florida calls its “official” tree is the Sabal Palmetto Palm. Also called a cabbage palm because the central bud can be eaten raw or cooked, it isn’t a good idea to do either since damaging the bud will kill the tree.

20,000 Species of Ants and Counting

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There are nearly 13,000 named species of ants worldwide. Since many of the ant species found or studied in tropical areas have yet to be named, myrmecologists – those who study ants – estimate there may be as many as 20,000 or more species of ants. In Florida alone, there are over 200 recognized species.

And, sometimes it seems that all these near relatives to bees and wasps are marching through your home all at once. They just keep coming and coming and coming with no apparent end in sight. Later, I’ll give you the recipe for a simple, safe, inexpensive and natural ant killer. I can’t say yet whether or not it’s effective because I’ve only started to use it today.

Newspaper Reports on Spiral Whitefly Invasion

Last week, the Palm Beach Post ran a story on the Rugose spiraling whitefly invasion (Whiteflies hit Palm Beach County homeowners’ trees, plants, pools, Aug. 16, 2012). If you’re a regular reader of this blog, then you knew about the Rugose spiraling whitefly more than two weeks earlier (The Spiral Whitefly Invasion – A New Pest in Town, Aug. 1). We don’t want to brag about our timeliness; the Post certainly has more resources than us. But, it does beg the question (with apologies to Ghostbusters):

If there's somethin' strange in your yard
Who ya gonna call? (Insect Pest Control)
If it's somethin' weird an it don't look good
Who ya gonna call? (Insect Pest Control)

The Spiral Whitefly Invasion - A New Pest in Town

As if it isn’t bad enough that our ficus hedges have been under attack by the fig or ficus whitefly (see Whiteflies Leave Wide Path of Defoliation, Feb. 14, 2012), now we have to contend with a new whitefly to our area, the rugose spiraling whitefly. This newest of more than 75 whitefly species found in Florida is of particular concern in Palm Beach County because of their voracious appetite for your trees and plants. Well established along the eastern portions of the county, they are now making their way west.

Do You Have These in Your Landscape?

• Bird of Paradise
• Coconut Palm
• Bismark Palm
• Pygmy Date Palm (Roebelenii’s)
• Gumbo Limbo
• Pandanum (Screw-Pine Palm), to name a few

If so, this new spiral whitefly will attack all these palms, plants and more. It is completely different than the ficus whitefly found on shrubs. But before you panic, the University of Florida IFAS Extension says that unlike its cousin the ficus whitefly, the rugose spiraling whitefly hasn’t caused severe plant damage, such as plant death or severe branch die-back.

Climate Makes Citrus Susceptible to Many Diseases, Disorders

Florida’s citrus can fall prey to many diseases and disorders. Last time, we discussed Citrus Greening, which has already infected residential trees in Palm Beach and Martin counties, and learned that it has cost the state’s economy more than $3.6 billion in the last five years (The Greening of Florida Citrus, July 10, 2012). Because of Florida’s humid climate, fungi and germs multiply easily, which lead to citrus tree damage. The good news is that these predators don’t change very much and that by recognizing common symptoms, such as infections on tree leaves, including blemishes, roughness and damaged color patterns, gardeners can treat problems before more harm is done.

The Greening of Florida Citrus

When the Florida Dept. of Agriculture reported in 2005 that Citrus Greening had infected residential trees in Palm Beach and Martin counties, a University of Florida Extension Horticulture Agent commented that if on a scale of one to 10, Citrus Canker is a three, then Citrus Greening is an “imperfect” 10. Although the disease poses no threats to humans or animals, diseased trees can die within five to eight years and bear unusable fruit.

Many of us will recall the Citrus Canker eradication program begun in January 2000 when the state Dept. of Agriculture adopted a policy of removing all infected trees and all citrus trees within a 1,900 foot radius of an infected tree in both residential areas and commercial groves. By 2006, the program was suspended after the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture declared that eradication was not practical.

Lions, and Tigers, and Bears! Oh My!

Nearly everyone remembers the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. Before Dorothy and her friends Scarecrow and Tinman meet up with the Cowardly Lion on their way to Oz, they hear strange sounds coming from the forest. A frightened Dorothy asks if there are any wild animals in the woods. Scarecrow and Tinman tell her there are Lions, and Tigers, and Bears, which they all begin to chant and to which Dorothy adds, “Oh my!”

It’s unlikely that you’ll meet up with any of these creatures in your backyard, but because of its great diversity of habitat types, Florida is home to more wildlife species than most other states. So you may find some less exotic animals on your property creating a nuisance and understanding why they are there is key to resolving the problem.

Snakes

Florida has approximately 45 species of snakes of which only six are venomous. According to the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) at the University of Florida, snake bites related deaths have occurred at a rate of about one every four or five years in the state. IFAS goes on to say that mortality figures for lightning strikes and bee stings are much greater.

Snakes are actually beneficial to the environment. They eat insects, rats, mice, worms, toads, frogs, fish and some snakes even eat other snakes, including the venomous ones. You could just give them their space and leave them alone. They’re not aggressive and don’t chase after people. But if snakes are a problem for you, IFAS says their visits to your yard and home can be reduced by eliminating firewood stacks, debris, boards and other objects lying close to the ground. These create the cool, damp and dark shelter or prey habitat areas that snakes prefer.

There are no repellents, poisons or fumigants registered for snakes. They can be removed from inside buildings with the use of a glueboard or funneled minnow trap. Glueboards are sold at hardware stores while minnow traps are available at bait and tackle shops. Finally, a broom can also be used to sweep a snake into a trash can for removal outside.

Armadillos

Armadillos weren’t always present in Florida. They migrated from Texas into the Florida Panhandle and then over a 50 year period, from about 1920 to 1970, there were several introductions of armadillos into the Atlantic coast region of Florida. Soon, the Panhandle and the coastal populations merged, so that armadillos are now found in uplands throughout the state.

Poisonous Plants

She comes on like a rose but everybody knows
She'll get you in Dutch
You can look but you better not touch

Poison iv-y-y-y-y, poison iv-y-y-y-y
Late at night while you're sleepin' poison ivy comes a'creepin'
Arou-ou-ou-ou-ou-ound

The Coasters, Poison Ivy (Leiber & Stoller, 1959)

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The 1950’s were a more innocent time than today. In their 1959 hit Poison Ivy, The Coasters weren’t singing about poison ivy, the plant, but about another kind of poison, which wasn’t discussed much in public then. Today, however, we’ll stick with the plant and other plants used for beautification in and around Florida homes that are irritating if they come in contact with the skin, like poison ivy, and others that are toxic if eaten.

Poison Ivy

Poison ivy grows throughout most of North America, and is normally found in wooded areas. The plant is extremely common in suburban and exurban areas of New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and southeastern United States. It is not particularly sensitive to soil moisture, although it does not grow in desert or arid conditions. It grows in a wide variety of soil types. Poison ivy is dioecious; flowering occurs from May to July. The yellowish- or greenish-white flowers are typically inconspicuous and are located in clusters up to 8 cm (3.1 in) above the leaves. The berry-like fruit, a drupe, is mature by August to November with a grayish-white color.

Mighty Mite Is On Its Way to a Palm Near You

After devastating coconut palm trees in the Caribbean, the red palm mite made its way to Palm Beach County almost five years ago when it was discovered in Palm Beach Gardens. Today, these critters are known from 386 sites in five Florida counties, which includes 154 sites alone in Palm Beach County. The invasion of this species is the largest mite explosion ever observed in the Americas.

Sucks the Life Out

Bright red with a long, spatulate body, this “mighty mite” is known to feed and reproduce on at least 32 palm species, bananas, gingers and heliconias. This pest lives for about 26 days. It thrives on the underside of leaves and fronds and in high numbers causes yellowing of the leaves followed by death of plant tissue. They stick their sucking snouts into the stomata of leaves and feed directly from deep within the leaf. This causes mechanical damage to the stomata so that they are no longer able to close and the leaf dries out.

Mosquitoes Are Itching To Get You

Contrary to popular belief, neither Lemon Fresh Joy® nor Listerine® will keep mosquitos from bothering you. Neither will used dryer sheets stuffed in your pockets. In addition, there is no scientific evidence that eating garlic, vitamins, onions or any other food will make a person repellent to mosquitoes, or that wearing devices that emit sound will repeal mosquitoes. Keep reading to find out what does work.

For the Female Is More Deadly Than the Male

As adults, both male and female mosquitoes feed on sugars from plants and other insects that feed on plant sugars. This is the only source of nutrition for males; they do not feed on blood. The females use the sugar meals for energy and the blood meals for egg development. She doesn’t actually bite but stabs by piercing her proboscis, which is a tubular appendage, and drinks between 0.0001 and 0.01 milliliters. She’ll continue to bite and draw blood until her abdomen is full. If she’s interrupted before she’s finished, she’ll fly on to the next person. The bumps and itch left on your skin after a mosquito has bitten you are an allergic reaction to mosquito saliva. The reaction can vary from person to person, but usually lasts no more than 24 hours.

Real Bats Eat Bugs

Vampire bats latch on to people and suck their blood. Fact or fiction? Definitely not true. Unlike our friend above, Count Dracula, vampire bats do not latch on and suck blood, nor do they turn animals –

or people – into vampires. Nor, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, do most bats have rabies. Bats are, in fact quite timid and usually ignore humans.

There are 900-1,000 species of bats classified in about 200 genera and 17 families. They range in size from a wingspread of over 5 ft. to less than 2 in. Bats are the only mammals that can fly. The wing is actually a double membrane of skin stretched between the elongated bones of four fingers and extending along the body from the forelimbs to the hind limbs and from there to the tail.

What’s Behind Two Fleas?

A canine flea collar commercial currently running on television asks the question: What’s behind two fleas? Answer: The next generation. A female flea can lay hundreds of eggs on your pet, ensuring that its work will be carried on by generations to come.

One Flea 400 Bites

A single flea can bite your cat or dog more than 400 times. During the day, the flea can consume more than its body weight of your pet’s blood. While flea bites may be just a nuisance to some pets, they can be dangerous to others. They cause allergies and a pet’s constant scratching to rid itself of fleas can cause permanent hair loss and other skin problems. A pet can get a tapeworm if it eats a flea that has one. Fleas feasting on your pet’s blood can cause anemia and, in rare cases, death.

About 1/16^th of an inch, fleas are dark, reddish-brown, wingless insects. Their bodies are flattened side to side, which allows them easy movement through your pet’s coat. Their bodies are hard, polished and covered with many hairs and short spines directed backward. Their long legs give them the ability to jump seven or eight inches into the air.

Itsy Bitsy Spider Creepy and Crawly on the Kitchen Wally

De Spin/The Spider

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The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout
Down came the rain and washed the spider out
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
And the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again

The Tale of Little Miss Muffet

As if spiders didn’t frighten us enough as children when we heard how one chased Little Miss Muffet away as she tried to eat her curds and whey, our fear was heightened in 2001 with the grade B monster movie Arachnid in which a giant killer spider menaces the survivors of a plane crash. Fortunately for the survivors, the spider loses when it falls onto a stalagmite.

Spiders are arthropods called arachnids. There are some 34,000 species belonging to about 105 families, although some specialists in the study of arachnids estimate that only 20 percent of spider species have been described, which means that there may be as many as 170,000 spider species.

Not Even Mighty Mouse Can Save the Day If Your Home Is Home to Mice and Rats

Everyone over a certain age will remember Mighty Mouse. Beginning on television in 1955, and continuing for almost 12 years, Mr. Trouble never hung around when he heard this mighty sound. “Here I come to save the day! That means that Mighty Mouse is on the way.”

When rats and mice enter homes, farm buildings and warehouses, they’re not there to turn a “wrong to right.” They’re seeking food and shelter. They eat or contaminate large quantities of food and damage buildings, stored clothing and documents. They also serve as carriers of disease, including Rat-bite fever, Weil’s Disease, pox, plague, trichinosis, typhoid and a host of others.

Chinch Bugs #1 Enemy of St. Augustine Grass

Every weekend you’re out there tending to your lawn, weeding, watering and spending hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on food and fertilizer to make it the pride and the envy of the neighborhood only to one day discover the grass inexplicably turning yellow, then reddish-brown and finally dying. This is the foul work of the chinch bug. A complex of three different species within the same family, chinch bugs have piercing-sucking mouthparts and they feed on the sap of grass plants.

And Don’t Let The Bed Bugs Bite

When you were a child, and your parents sent you to bed, after they said, “Good night, sleep tight,” there’s a good chance that they added, “and don’t let the bed bugs bite.” As children, we thought this was a cute rhyme, and while some of us may actually have been frightened by our parents’ admonition, probably few of us were really bitten by bed bugs.

Eradicated 60 Years Ago

In fact, it was thought that bed bugs had been eradicated in the U.S. over 60 years ago. That is, until 2010, when New York City’s massive bed bug infestation made national headlines. These pests were found not only in hotels but also theaters, concert halls and retail stores, giving New York the dubious distinction of being the most bed bug infested city in the country. Bed bugs got so out of hand that in that same year five states asked the Defense Dept. for money to help get rid of bed bugs.

By Any Other Name a Cucaracha Is Still a Roach

Click to play. Kumbia Kings

Nearly everyone is familiar with the urban legend that cockroaches could survive a nuclear explosion. The Discovery Channel’s MythBusters team decided to put this rumor to the test and concluded that because of their simple bodies, it is possible that cockroaches could, in fact, continue to exist.

Another rumor is that the presence of cockroaches indicates a dirty home. Relax! Don’t grab the mop just yet. Your home can be meticulously clean but if there are cockroaches in the building, they will seek out food and water and your home or pantry may supply them with the small amount of food they need to survive. The presence of one cockroach may signal that the population is low because of a lack of food to maintain a community.

Weeds Are Plants Growing in the Wrong Place

Weeds are plants, too. They don’t get no respect, though, because they’re growing in the wrong place, such as your lawn, garden and even cracks in the pavement. If left untreated, weeds will spread to compete with the grass for space, food and light. In the end, they will ruin the look of your lawn.

Click to play

Basically, weeds come in three varieties: grassy, sedge and broadleaf. Some weeds are perennials, which means they can last for more than one growing season, while annuals germinate, flower and die all within one season. Broadleaf weeds, which are characterized by wide, flat leaves, are most common in lawns and gardens. Dandelion, plantain and other broadleaf weeds are among the most common and troublesome turf pest problems in plants.

Subterranean Termites Common in Our Area

Recently we discussed Drywood Termites. The “good” news was that these colonies are slow to develop and advised you not to panic but, nonetheless, to be vigilant in monitoring for infestations.

Subterranean Termites More Aggressive

Subterranean Termites, which live underground in the soil, come in several different flavors and are the most widespread and destructive group of termites in the U.S. They are most common in the South and Southeast. The Eastern Subterranean Termite is the dominant termite

Formosan Termite alates are attracted to and will swarm around sources of light. Video by Chris Dunaway for LSU Ag Center.

species in the eastern half of the country and the most economically important for the destruction it causes. The Formosan Subterranean Termite is the most destructive and is found occasionally in most Southeast states, including Florida.

Subterranean Termites are social insects that live in colonies consisting of many individuals. The colonies consist of workers, soldiers and reproductives. The workers are about 1/8 inch long and have no wings. They are white to cream colored and very numerous. Soldiers defend the colony against other insects.

Termites? No Need To Panic

In Florida, termites and wood decay cause up to $1 billion in property damage each year. Forty-five different species of termites live in the U.S. and a few other species not found in other states call Florida their home. These species fall into three types: subterranean, drywood and dampwood.

Drywood Termites

Today, we’ll look at drywood termites because they live in wood, such as the structural timber or hardwood floors of your home or dead trees around your property.

Late spring and summer months are the peak season for winged drywood termite swarming flights. These insects emerge in the evening and during the night and are attracted to lights or TV. This is just one sign of infestation.

Other signs of infestation include:

• Discarded wings that have accumulated around window sills or in spider webs.

Whiteflies Leave Wide Path of Defoliation

Don't let this happen to your landscaping investment

For the past five years, non-native ficus hedges and trees have been under attack by fig whiteflies. These nuisances, which are in the same family as aphids, scales and mealybugs, have left a wide path of defoliation along streets and property lines. According to researchers at the University of Florida, fig whiteflies injure plants by sucking juices from them that causes wilting, yellowing, stunting, leaf drop and even death.
Also known as the ficus whitefly, this insect resembles a small moth with a yellow body and white wings with a faint gray band in the middle of the wings. Although their lifecycle is only a month, they can cause extensive damage to your shrubbery. Eggs are laid on the underside of leaves and hatch into a crawler stage. The crawler wanders around the leaf until it begins to feed. From this point, until they become adults, they don’t move and remain in the same place on the plant.

Are Big Headed Ants at Home in Your Home?

More than 220 species of ants call Florida home. They inhabit a wide variety of nesting locations, including tree limbs and twigs, grass stems, rotten logs, dead leaves, soils of all kinds, tree bark … and your home.

Watch for Piles of Sand

Piles of sand and other debris indoors may signal big-headed ants. These small, light brown to reddish brown to nearly black, dull ants come in two sizes: major workers, which measure about 1/7th of an inch, and minor workers, which are about 1/10th of an inch. The major’s head is disproportionately larger than its body.

Searching for food in trails of a few up to hundreds of workers, outdoors they feed on live and dead insects, seeds and the honeydew of other insects. In your home, they prefer protein foods but will also dine on greases and sweets. Inside, they trail along baseboards and are found foraging under the edges of carpets. You should attempt to follow the workers back to the site where the colony is located and if they are entering and exiting from under a wall, an inspection of the foundation should be made for cracks and holes.