Gardens: Fast food for hungry critters
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Cute critters by day, gardeners’ worst enemies by night.Most gardeners know the frustration of having a beautiful garden decimated by wildlife, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
MU Extension guide has tips on controlling black vulture damage
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri’s growing population of black vultures has led to increasing attacks on vulnerable livestock. Black vultures often inflict damage to the eyes and tongues of young livestock, kill and feed on domestic fowl and scar animals that survive.
On patrol for critter control
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Pest control in the garden might conjure images of a season-long battle with bugs, weeds and diseases. But sometimes four-legged “friends” such as deer, rabbits and squirrels can inflict far more damage, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
Coexist with wildlife while preventing damage
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Few things are more enjoyable than watching deer in your backyard or listening to squirrels chatter at dusk or dawn from your patio.That is, until you find that they have inflicted costly damage to your home, patio furniture, flower bed or garden. In some cases, such as bird droppings, wildlife can even be hazardous to your health.
MU Extension offers Wednesday town hall meetings online for farmers, gardeners
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension is offering online town hall meetings led by agronomy, livestock and horticulture specialists.“MU Extension has long served as a trusted and necessary resource to help Missourians get food on the table and gardens in the backyard,” says Lee Miller, coordinator of MU’s Integrated Pest Management program. “We’ll strive to continue this even through COVID-19.”
Fire ants may be hiding in imported hay
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri farmers who bought hay from parts of the southern U.S. may have accidentally brought along a nasty visitor.The imported fire ant, an aggressive, stinging insect native to South America, has infested more than 380 million acres in at least 13 states, according to the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The ants can spread to new locations as stowaways in bales of hay.
Snakes on a flood plain
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Floods and severe storms can leave more than just people homeless. Displaced snakes, rodents and other nuisance wildlife often will seek shelter and food in areas close to people, said Bob Pierce, MU Extension fisheries and wildlife specialist.