Bagworms in Katy

Evergreen plants and trees have been attacked by bagworms in large numbers in the Katy area. This image shows the insect's bag, made up of chewed leaves, hanging on a Red Oak leaf. They attack any plant. If you have any cherished evergreen ornamental treat immediately. I have a customer, that within 4 days of noticing the insect bags hanging from her 4 X 14 foot Italian Cypress, had to bring down all 4 because of the damage done. Then she looked at her Indian Hawthornes and found the larvae had consumed all the leaves.

After the insect is dead I recommend harvesting the bags because you could have bagworm eggs in the pouch that will fall to the ground and reestablish their presence.

Mosquitoes in Katy

After all the rains we have had lately has developed our first attack of the mosquitoes in Katy. I am not an advocate of misting machines. No doubt the insecticides used in those machines can kill a mosquito in the labratory but can a machine system be effective in someone back yard. There is no scientific evidence they do. I assure you can find many that can tell you they work but where's the science?

Like so many other insect elimination is prevention. Mosquitoes have 7 stages of its life cycle and 6 of those require water. Take away stagnant water you have no mosquitoes. One are overlooked in water harborages are lawn drains. Many drains have a sump and that needs to be dealt with using a larvicide that can be in the form of a donut or shake on pieces. The active ingredience can be BT or Hydropren. Hydropren tends to stay on surface of the water where the active should be.

How to calculate cubic yards

Because of the 3 months of drought in 2009, then freezes in 2010 our soils need some pampering. We recommend a mixture of 3 parts dirt(perferred sandy loam) and 1 part compost. If you really want to pamper your soils use rose soil instead. I would apply it at a half inch over your lawn. It is best ordered from the dirt yard by the cubic yard. The dirt folks say yard not cubic yard. So you order the correct amount get out your calculator. You will have to get the square foot of your target say the lawn. That is length X width. If you are fortunate enough to have a scale of your landscape use that. Let's say the area is 50 by 20. That equals 1000 square feet. Now mutiply square footage by .0417 (.5/12) to get cubic feet, which is 41.7 cubic feet. There is 27(3X3x3) cubic feet in a cubic yard. Finally divide the 41.7 cubic feet by 27 to get 1.54 cubic yard of dirt, sand, compost, concrete. This will be enough material to put a 1/2 inch of product over a 1000 square feet. If you want to buy the dirt in bags then bags are usually in 2 cubic feet which would equal 21 bags to cover 1000 square feet at half inch depth.

You will find it is worth the delivery charge to have the material deliverd in bulk. Scoop into your wheelbarrow and dump on the ground and begin to rake over your targeted area.

I priced my formula above at Living Earth dirt yard at 16717 Katy Freeway, Houston, TX 77094, 281-579-1472 this month and for a 4 yard minimum the cost is $23.50 per yard(cubic yard). I failed to ask for the delivery charge. You can purchase the bags at 3.99 per bag.

It Sounds Crazy but time is now

3/26/2010 I was called to a residence near the intersection of Grand Parkway at Mason Road near the new Super Kroger to investigate an ant infestation. At first glance I identified them as Rasberry Crazy Ant because of their population, habits, and size in that they were all the same size (monomorphic). The specimens are currently at the AgriLife Center on Paul Nester's desk awaiting TAMU confirmation.

Now is the time to begin a prevention program at your home in Katy. I am recommending a two step approach. Begin with the application of Top Choice Insecticide Granules. This is labeled for Fire Ants and has a marvelous residual in the soil and marvelous for Fire Ants. Any ant that comes in contact with this soil will likely pick up a lethal dose and kill him and if the ant comes in contact with other RCA the insecticide can be transferred to the relative. I would then call on a topical liquid insecticide called Temprid. This insecticide is a combination of repellent and a non repellent insecticide. The repellent is to ask the ant to go somewhere else but if he insist on his venture on to your property he will die.. The non repellent product in the product is a systemic insecticide and will kill other insects that invade plants and that exude a honeydew that attracts the RCA.

Other things to do is get anything that is laying on the ground, off. The Rasberry Crazy Ant is cold blooded and consequently looks for ground harborage that absorbs heat to warm himself and his brood. This means potted plants, lumber, and intentional landscape stone.

With the mortal injury to our plants because of the freezes that Katy, Tx encounter this year many will be relandscaping. Check every single plant for any ant in the or around the pot before you buy it. If you have a landscaper select the plants I would recommend you personally check all the plants yourself or hire our company to do it for you. Most infestations can be traced to new plant installations or nursery infestations.

Another mode of transportation for this ant is dumpsters. If a dumpster is delivered to your location or neighbor check for ants or have it sprayed with an insecticide immediately.

Another interesting fact is that the Rasberry Crazy Ant has infested Hobby Airport, NASA, and Houston Ship Channel causing concern and expense due to these ants ability of short circuit electrical devices. I am recommending that if you visit these destinations and your vehicle is parked any period of time I would go to a car wash and have the it thoroughly washed including the engine compartment before returning home. These ants love warmth.

The Rasberry Crazy Ant must be taken seriously. It is an invasive specie and we do not have an effective elimination protocol developed.

Palms of Katy

We are recommending feeding palm trees that have some green showing in the fronds. New fronds get nourishment from the old fronds, but since the winter killed the fronds there is no food remaining. Consequently we recommend feeding with not only a specific food combination but also some mychorrizal fungae to increase the absorption capacity of the palm roots.

Remember a palm is closer related to grass than a tree, so tree fertiliziers are not appropriate. A grass fertilizer is insufficient in the micro elements. Palms need a great deal of potassium and manganese that is particular low in our soils of Katy.