Poinsettia are holiday decorations in public and personal spaces. No holiday décor is complete without at least one. However, numerous plant diseases can act as a Grinch to steal holiday cheer. Proper plant selection and maintenance are important for a…
Blog Archives
Insects in Livestock Feed and Hay
Insects show great promise AS sustainable food sources for fish, poultry, and swine. Some species can efficiently convert organic waste to nutritional supplements while significantly reducing its mass and making it unsuitable as a breeding site for pests. However, insects…
Posted in Livestock Pests
Black Rot of Crucifers (PPFS-VG-01)
Black rot is a common and destructive disease that affects plants in the crucifer family (cole crops) at any growth stage. Black rot has also been referred to as bacterial blight, black stem, black vein, stem rot, or stump rot.…
Posted in Featured Publications
From Tree Thief to Holiday Tradition: The Story of Mistletoe
Once autumn leaves have fallen, mistletoe becomes highly visible on large trees throughout Kentucky. Phoradendron, the scientific name for Kentucky’s most common type of this parasitic plant, means tree thief. These small leafy plants are commonly found on twigs and…
Posted in Forest Trees, Landscape Trees & Shrubs
Blacklegged Tick Adults Active during Winter
Adult blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) search for blood meals during the winter months (November through March). These cold-hardy ticks can be active whenever the temperature is above freezing. The female has long mouthparts and a distinctive orange-red body with a…
Posted in Human Pests
Sucking and Biting Lice
Lice are small, wingless, flat-bodied insects with legs modified for grasping hair shafts. They are generally host-specific. For example, cattle lice will not survive for long on swine. They are obligate parasites because they must have blood meals to develop…
Posted in Livestock Pests
When White Pines Turn Brown…Common Problems of White Pines in Kentucky (PPFS-OR-W-22)
Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) is a popular conifer in many Kentucky landscapes; however, this species is subject to browning as a result of various environmental and disease problems. In Kentucky, brown needles on white pine are often caused by…
Posted in Featured Publications
