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Showing posts from July, 2007

Why are bed bugs returning?

Bed bugs are small (~1/4"), reddish-brown, oval, and wingless insects that bite to get a meal of blood much like a female mosquito. Unlike mosquitoes, all stages of bed bug, except the egg, feed on blood. Immature and adult bed bugs are similar in appearance, except of course for size. We humans are the bed bug's favorite host. Bed bugs bite their sleeping hosts at night. Bed bug bites are painless at first but soon a red, swollen area develops that resembles a really bad mosquito bite . Unlike mosquitoes, b ed bugs don't transmit any diseases but the bites can result in both itchy lesions and secondary skin infections. In recent years bed bugs have started popping up in places where they had not been seen in decades. People staying at otherwise clean, well-managed hotels and motels are reporting bed bug bites. What's going on here? A little bed bug history Bed bugs and people have been together for a long time. A closely related species called the bat bug fee

What's eating my rose bush?

Roses are one of the most popular cultivated plants for both gardeners and plant pests alike! Pests as different as aphids , black spot fungi and Japanese beetles conspire to steal this beauty from our landscapes. You may decide to just let nature take its course in which case your roses will suffer some damage and may be weaker next year. Some gardeners, however, will decide to help nature along with a little gentle intervention. Here are suggestions for limiting pest damage while not resorting to harsh chemicals. What you'll need: 1 gallon garden sprayer ; a smaller capacity sprayer will do if you have only a few rose bushes fresh insecticidal soap concentrate; not household liquid soap! neem oi l or EcoPCO WPX botanical insecticide Milky Spore microbial insecticide for soil dwelling white grubs a fungicide that contains copper or sulfur, which may or may not be combined with soap Use the garden sprayer to apply all of the garden chemicals. Ins