This year, we really want to familiarize our readers with beneficial flies! After learning about syrphids, blow flies, and predatory gall midges, we are going to end the season on long-legged flies (Figures 1 and 2)). Unlike the other species we have discussed this year, the family of long-legged flies (Dolichopodidae) contain numerous species which[Read More…]
Spotlight
Lasioglossum sweat bees are common pollinators in agricultural landscapes. These bees are small black, brown, or iridescent green/blue bees that belong to the family Halictidae. They can often be mistaken for flies due to their small size and nondescript appearance compared to other bees. These bees are historically overlooked as important pollinators for crops compared[Read More…]
Common names: Common ragweed, annual ragweed, hogweed, hay-fever weed, Roman wormweed, and bitterweed. Latin name: Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. “Ambrosia” is from Greek mythology and refers to the food or drink of the gods, often associated with granting immortality. Meanwhile, “artemisiifolia” indicates that the foliage of common ragweed looks like the foliage of plants from the[Read More…]
Common names: purslane, pusley, pursley, wild portulaca, common portulaca, little hooweed, low pigweed Latin name: Portulaca oleracea L. Family: Portulacaceae (Purslane family) Life Cycle Common purslane is a summer annual that extends along the ground with its thick, fleshy stems and leaves (Figure 1). Thanks to its ability to reproduce not only by seeds but[Read More…]
Description Spined stilt bugs are small, slender insects in the family Berytidae. Typically brown or bronze in color, these insects have slim bodies with long and thin legs (Figure 1). The antennae of stilt bugs bend at very sharp angles and frequently have obvious swelling at the tip. Occasionally, some stilt bug species will also[Read More…]
Common names: Ground ivy, gill-over-the-ground, creeping Charlie, field balm, haymaids, cat’s foot, alehoffs Latin name: Glechoma hederacea L. Family: Lamiaceae (Mint Family) General Description and Identification Ground ivy is a perennial herbaceous plant that creeps along the soil surface and thrives in moist and shady areas (Figure 1). It was introduced to the US from[Read More…]
Common names: Yellow nutsedge, yellow nutgrass, nut sedge, chufa, earth almond, northern nutgrass Latin names: Cyperus esculentus L. Family: Cyperaceae (Sedge family) General Description Perennial sedges are among the most troublesome weed species globally across agronomic crops, horticultural crops and turfgrass. Because nutsedges look like grasses (Figure 1), they are often referred to as “nutgrasses”.[Read More…]
Cabbage white butterflies are medium-sized white butterflies in the family Pieridae. They have black spots on their wings, and a black band on the top of their forewings (top wings), distinguishing them from other species. The butterflies themselves don’t do any damage, however their caterpillars do significant damage to plants in the Brassica family, including[Read More…]
Common names: Carpetweed, Indian chickweed, whorled chickweed, devils-grip, green carpetweed Latin name: Mollugo verticillata L. Family: Molluginaceae General Description and Life Cycle Carpetweed is a summer annual. Compared to other summer annual weeds, its germination is usually later in the summer. The plant grows rapidly and reproduces by seeds. Carpetweed is mostly found in dry[Read More…]
Common names Common milkweed, silkweed, cotton-weed, Virginia silk, wild cotton, silky milkweed, common silkweed, showy milkweed, swallow wort. Latin name Asclepias syriaca. “Asclepias” from Asklepios, the Ancient Greek god of medicine and healing. “syriaca” is Latin for the country of Syria and was so named because Linnaeus mistakenly thought this plant came from Syria. Family[Read More…]