Ash borer in two Ohio counties
By
John Grimes-
I find it hard to believe that August has ended. This is an indicator of several different things: school is back in session, daylight hours are getting shorter, football season is nearing, and the Highland County Fair is here. Where has summer gone?
Emerald ash borer
Ohio’s Emerald Ash Borer quarantine was expanded this week by the Ohio Department of Agriculture to include Pike and Scioto counties. The quarantine helps slow the spread of the ash tree-killing insect by prohibiting the movement of all hardwood firewood and ash tree materials.
Specimens confirmed by U.S. Department of Agriculture officials mark the first known infestations in both counties. The Pike County specimen was taken from a purple trap in Mifflin Township, and the Scioto County specimen was taken from a purple trap in Clay Township. Purple traps are detection tools set and monitored by Ohio Department of Agriculture employees.
Since the borer was first discovered in Ohio in 2003, the department has placed 52 counties under quarantine. The quarantine makes it illegal to transport ash trees, parts of ash trees, and all hardwood firewood from any quarantined county into a non-quarantined county without a compliance agreement from the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
Violation of this quarantine could result in fines up to $4,000. Firewood dealers, businesses, or woodlot owners interested in marketing and transporting ash trees or firewood from quarantined areas can do so only with a department-approved compliance agreement. These agreements stipulate handling practices that mitigate the artificial spread of the emerald ash borer. Ash trees infested typically die within five years. The pest belongs to a group of metallic wood-boring beetles. For more information visit www.agri.ohio.gov or call (888) OHIO-EAB.
Are birth weights
affected by calving season?
Occasionally, coffee shop wisdom can lead a cow/calf producer to a wrong conclusion. Such is the case with the situation of birth weights that can be expected of fall calving cows. The spring calving cows that have lost condition throughout the winter are nearly always thinner in February and March, than their counterparts that calve in September and October. Many producers may think that because the fall calving cows are in excellent body condition, that they will automatically have larger birth weight calves than similar cows calving in the spring.
Oklahoma State University researchers used five years of data from the North Lake Carl Blackwell range to answer the question of birth weight differences by seasons. Records of 414 gestations and live births (242 spring and 172 fall) from cows of five crossbred cow groups were analyzed for differences in gestation length and birth weight. The cows ranged in age from 4 to 7 years old. Cows were bred artificially to either Salers or Limousin bulls. Birth weights were taken within 24 hours of birth. Fall calving cows delivered smaller birth weight calves (77.7 pounds) than did spring calving cows (82.2 pounds).
As producers select replacements, especially potential herd sires, they want to take into account the influence that season of the year may have on average birth weights. The reason that fall calving cows have lighter birth weights is generally attributed to the fact that the cows are gestating in hot weather.
Opening up a hornet’s nest
Reports of yellow jackets and hornets nests have swarmed into Extension offices around the state. At this time of year, the colony is teaming with workers and food is more difficult to access. Yellow jackets especially seek more sweets and carbohydrates in the fall. Hot weather adds to their tenacious attitude.
Ohio has several species of hornets including the smaller ground-dwelling yellowjackets. All species of hornets are beneficial as they are great predators of common garden pests such as cutworms and other soft bodied insects (except for the cicada killer), however at times they build their nests in buildings or where people play, eat or walk. In these situations, treatment may be required. The best control for nests in the ground or other accessible entrances, is carbaryl dust (Sevin) or the newer product, Eight. Make sure that the dust will not blow or land anywhere except into the colony’s entrance hole. Never dump gasoline into a nest near a structure as concentrated fumes could cause an explosion!
Keep in mind that all bee and wasp nests except for the honey bee colony will die after the first few hard frosts.
Because of the tenacious habit of these black and white hornets, contacting a reputable pest control professional is a sage alternative.
John Grimes is the Ohio State University Extension Educator for Agriculture and Natural Resources in Highland County.[[In-content Ad]]
Emerald ash borer
Ohio’s Emerald Ash Borer quarantine was expanded this week by the Ohio Department of Agriculture to include Pike and Scioto counties. The quarantine helps slow the spread of the ash tree-killing insect by prohibiting the movement of all hardwood firewood and ash tree materials.
Specimens confirmed by U.S. Department of Agriculture officials mark the first known infestations in both counties. The Pike County specimen was taken from a purple trap in Mifflin Township, and the Scioto County specimen was taken from a purple trap in Clay Township. Purple traps are detection tools set and monitored by Ohio Department of Agriculture employees.
Since the borer was first discovered in Ohio in 2003, the department has placed 52 counties under quarantine. The quarantine makes it illegal to transport ash trees, parts of ash trees, and all hardwood firewood from any quarantined county into a non-quarantined county without a compliance agreement from the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
Violation of this quarantine could result in fines up to $4,000. Firewood dealers, businesses, or woodlot owners interested in marketing and transporting ash trees or firewood from quarantined areas can do so only with a department-approved compliance agreement. These agreements stipulate handling practices that mitigate the artificial spread of the emerald ash borer. Ash trees infested typically die within five years. The pest belongs to a group of metallic wood-boring beetles. For more information visit www.agri.ohio.gov or call (888) OHIO-EAB.
Are birth weights
affected by calving season?
Occasionally, coffee shop wisdom can lead a cow/calf producer to a wrong conclusion. Such is the case with the situation of birth weights that can be expected of fall calving cows. The spring calving cows that have lost condition throughout the winter are nearly always thinner in February and March, than their counterparts that calve in September and October. Many producers may think that because the fall calving cows are in excellent body condition, that they will automatically have larger birth weight calves than similar cows calving in the spring.
Oklahoma State University researchers used five years of data from the North Lake Carl Blackwell range to answer the question of birth weight differences by seasons. Records of 414 gestations and live births (242 spring and 172 fall) from cows of five crossbred cow groups were analyzed for differences in gestation length and birth weight. The cows ranged in age from 4 to 7 years old. Cows were bred artificially to either Salers or Limousin bulls. Birth weights were taken within 24 hours of birth. Fall calving cows delivered smaller birth weight calves (77.7 pounds) than did spring calving cows (82.2 pounds).
As producers select replacements, especially potential herd sires, they want to take into account the influence that season of the year may have on average birth weights. The reason that fall calving cows have lighter birth weights is generally attributed to the fact that the cows are gestating in hot weather.
Opening up a hornet’s nest
Reports of yellow jackets and hornets nests have swarmed into Extension offices around the state. At this time of year, the colony is teaming with workers and food is more difficult to access. Yellow jackets especially seek more sweets and carbohydrates in the fall. Hot weather adds to their tenacious attitude.
Ohio has several species of hornets including the smaller ground-dwelling yellowjackets. All species of hornets are beneficial as they are great predators of common garden pests such as cutworms and other soft bodied insects (except for the cicada killer), however at times they build their nests in buildings or where people play, eat or walk. In these situations, treatment may be required. The best control for nests in the ground or other accessible entrances, is carbaryl dust (Sevin) or the newer product, Eight. Make sure that the dust will not blow or land anywhere except into the colony’s entrance hole. Never dump gasoline into a nest near a structure as concentrated fumes could cause an explosion!
Keep in mind that all bee and wasp nests except for the honey bee colony will die after the first few hard frosts.
Because of the tenacious habit of these black and white hornets, contacting a reputable pest control professional is a sage alternative.
John Grimes is the Ohio State University Extension Educator for Agriculture and Natural Resources in Highland County.[[In-content Ad]]