• 22 Mar

    Dollar Spot

    Symptoms: Sunken, circular patches that measure several inches. Patches turn from brown to straw color and may eventually coalesce, forming irregularly shaped areas. May display small lesions that turn from yellow-green to straw color with a reddish-brown border. Lesions can extend the full width of the leaf. Conditions Favoring Disease: Continuous high humidity at temperatures between 59F and 86F. Favored by warm days, cool nights, and intense dews. Infects areas with low levels of nitrogen. More severe in dry soils.

  • 10 Mar

    Snow Mold

    Description: Snow mold is most common to Kentucky Bluegrass and Fescues in regions where snow falls and sits on the lawn for extended periods of time. Symptoms Yellow, tan, or salmon-colored water-soaked patches that measure 1 to 8 inches or more in diameter. Pale pink around the edges. Spores are produced in white or salmon-colored sporodochia that are found on the dead tissue. Blighting can occur in streaks caused by spores tracking on the wheels of the equipment.

  • 14 Oct

    Spider Control

    Spiders (Arthropods) Spiders have eight legs and fangs that inject venom into their prey or they can also use their fangs to bite predators. Most spiders native to Minnesota do not have antennae or extensor muscles to move their limbs and instead they use hydraulic pressure to walk. Spiders can produce silk to build spider webs which they use to catch insects. It’s estimated that spiders will feed on 10-30 times their weight in insects each year. Common spiders produce tangled cobwebs, whereas orb weavers will build circular geometric shaped webs. Females will weave silk egg cases which can contain hundreds of eggs. The venom of most spiders found in Minnesota is not particularly dangerous to humans, however arachnaphobia, an abnormal fear of spiders effects 3.5 to 6.1 percent of humans.

  • 16 Sep

    Asian Lady Beetle Control

    Asian Lady Beetles (Harmonia Axyridis) The Asian lady beetle resembles a North American ladybug and gets its name because it is actually a different species that was artificially introduced to North America from Asia to control aphids. Asian lady beetles have become common in the Minnesota since the year 2000. The species is considered to be one of the world’s most invasive insects. Asian lady beetles release an unpleasant smelling pheromone that attracts other Asian lady beetles, allowing them to invade homes over winter in large swarms. Asian lady beetles can leave a smell of dead leaves to discourage predators and bite if provoked.