Fuzzy Orange Caterpiller

Cleaning up the garden can turn up some great (and not-so-great) surprises. One that might at first be alarming is the discovery of a fuzzy orange caterpillar.

Spilosoma virginica; Photo by Amy Whitney

Anyone who has lost a tomato plant to hornworms or to armyworms is likely to scrutinize every caterpiller fairly closely.

This particular caterpillar, though, turns out not to sting (like some other fuzzy caterpillars) and not to be a significant garden pest. It is a fairly dark specimen of Yellow Woollybear.

According to the book Garden Insects of North America by Whitney Cranshaw, many of these are more yellow, some so pale as to almost be white, but some are actually brown.

The adults are a white moth, the Virginian Tiger Moth. Cranshaw includes this information about the Fuzzy Woolleybear:

"Larvae chew foliage. Damage is rare and most commonly occurs late in the season when many hosts die, causing the yellow woolleybear to concentrate on remaining succulent crops."

The caterpillar pictured above was found in a sweet potato patch, which was being harvested at the time, so Cranshaw's information is especially apt. The caterpillar was found both when and where it would be predicted to be found.

As with all caterpillars, even though this one doesn't have any painful-to-human defenses, it is very easy to damage the larva by picking it up or trying to move it by hand. Any damage might not be immediately visible, but, to avoid harming them, caterpillars should not be handled at all. 

Upcoming Events

Raised Bed Gardening
Friday, Oct. 12, noon to 1:00 p.m. Free and open to the public. Bring your lunch and enjoy the presentation! Presented by Cobb County Cooperative Extension's Amy Whitney, at the County Water Lab at 660 S. Cobb Drive (the smaller brick building at the back of the property), as part of the ongoing Lunch & Learn presentation series of Cobb County Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County.

Daylily Culture
Tuesday, Oct. 16,  6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. Presented by Cobb County Master Gardener Fran Sommerville, at West Cobb Regional Library, as part of the ongoing Gardeners Night Out presentation series of Cobb County Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County.

The Green Team Full Day Workshop
Thursday, Oct. 18, 8:30 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. On-site registration begins at 8:00 a.m. Program participation earns 7 CEUs, Category 24. $30 fee. Pre-register with check made out to Bartow County Extension, mailed with name, address, and contact information and request to register, to Bartow County Extension Office, 320 West Cherokee Ave., Rm. 112, Cartersville, GA, 30120. Event will be held at Chattahoochee Tech's North Metro Campus, 5198 Ross Rd., Acworth. Topics include ornamental plant diseases, turfgrass diseases, color beds, pest management in turf, insect pests of ornamentals, weeds of ornamental beds, insect pests of turf, and weed control in turf. For information, email uge1067@uga.edu or call Cobb County Extension at 770-528-4070.

Putting Your Yard to Bed: Fall Landscape and Gardening Chores
Thursday, Oct. 25, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Free and open to the public. Learn about helping your lawn and landscape survive the fall and winter and about preparing it for next spring. Topics include bed cleanup, soil preparation, lawn mower storage, pruning, and more! Presented by Cobb County Cooperative Extension's Urban Agriculture Agent Neil Tarver. Please call 770-528-4070 to pre-register.

Gardening in Atlanta in the Winter
Friday, Nov. 9, noon to 1:00 p.m. Free and open to the public. Bring your lunch and enjoy the presentation! Presented by Cobb County Master Gardener Sue Burgess, at the County Water Lab at 660 S. Cobb Drive (the smaller brick building at the back of the property), as part of the ongoing Lunch & Learn presentation series of Cobb County Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County. Sue will discuss plants that can contribute to a beautiful landscape in winter.

That Spider Time of Year

Spider populations tend to peak in the later summer and early fall, and their webs seem to be everywhere right now. Some mornings, just walking out the door can bring a homeowner face to face with a giant web spun the previous evening by an industrious spider.

Anyone who has walked into a web by accident has probably encountered one of these, which seem to be especially abundant this year:

                                                (Photo from Cobb County resident Janet A.)

The crablike spiny orb weaver (Gasteracantha elipsoides, sometimes also called the kite spider), shown above, usually exhibits some combination of white and/or yellow and black, with red, thorn-like "spines."  It may look like something from outer space, but it actually is native from North Carolina to Florida, and west all the way to California.

These spiders tend to hang out along woodland edges. Like other spiders, the spiny orb weaver eats insects, so it is a great helper in the yard.

Reference: The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects & Spiders, by Lorus and Margery Milne and Susan Rayfield. NY: Knopf, 1980.

Time for Planting Garlic

The harvests from summer crops in home vegetable gardens have begun to slow down, and some gardeners have been busy replacing their heat-loving tomatoes and peppers with vegetables such as lettuce and cabbage that thrive in cooler weather. For those gardeners who still have a little room for fall vegetables, or will have some room as soon as they dig up their sweet potatoes, garlic is a crop that can be planted now through November.

Garlic planted now - in early fall - will have plenty of time to develop through the cooler days ahead and in advance of bulb-formation. According to the UGA Extension publication Garlic Production for the Home Gardener,

"The reason that garlic is planted in the fall in Georgia is to permit full leaf development. As soon as bulbing starts, leaf initiation ceases. For highest yields, therefore, the cloves must be planted early enough to permit the development of large vegetative plants during the short cool days of late winter. The yield potential of the plants depends on the amount of vegetative growth before bulbing commences. Bulb growth and development in the garlic plant is favored by long days and warm temperatures."

As with most garden vegetables, soil preparation is key to successful production, but garlic especially benefits from a bed that's been well-amended with organic matter if the garden's soil is a heavy clay. Garlic grown in clay, according to the UGA publication, can become misshapen and difficult to harvest.

Gardeners interested in growing garlic this year can check the UGA publication linked above for full information on varieties, planting, care, and harvest-information.

Mushrooms in the Lawn

After a long, hot, dry summer that had homeowners watering weekly to keep their landscapes green and growing, the recent rains have provided a welcome reprieve from the task. When the weather cooperates, lawns stay green on their own!

However, when the lawn starts sporting mushroom caps and other unusual fungal growths as an additional effect of that rain, homeowners, especially those with pets and small children, might become concerned.

The UGA publication Recent rains have mushrooms popping up in Georgia lawns, by William Tyson and Tripp Williams, describes several mushroom types that commonly appear after the first rains following a dry spell. Most of these are not harmful to the lawn, but they can mar the expanse of green that a homeowner has worked hard to achieve, and they can be harmful to children and pets who might try to eat them.

Individual mushrooms can be hand-picked from the lawn, and the dog-vomit slime mold (its name pretty much describes its appearance) can be dispersed with a blast from the hose.

The UGA publication provides helpful information for management to reduce the incidence of these fungi in lawns:

"The best way to keep mushrooms out of your landscape is to irrigate before the lawn gets too dry. If it stays somewhat moist, the fungus will stay underground and will not produce mushrooms. The lawns that tend to be covered with the most mushrooms are those that never get watered during droughts.

"To rid your lawn of mushrooms, pull them up, kick them over or run over them with the lawn mower. This will keep them from releasing the spores that spread the fungi. Aerate your lawn to prevent further damage to your turfgrass.

"After aerating the soil, water the area to dilute any toxins and wash them through the soil profile. If a patch of grass is dead, re-establish that area next spring, and keep it moist to prevent new mushroom growth."

Upcoming Events

Hydrangeas, the Garden Favorite
Friday, Sept. 14, noon to 1:00 p.m. Free and open to the public. Bring your lunch and enjoy the presentation! Presented by Cobb County Master Gardener Debra Stockton, at the County Water Lab at 660 S. Cobb Drive (the smaller brick building at the back of the property), as part of the ongoing Lunch & Learn presentation series of Cobb Extension's Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County.

Green Industry Update
Tuesday, Sept. 18, 8:30 a.m. (registration begins) to noon. Recertification credits: 21/23/24/27 = 3hours; ISA = 2.5 hours; private = 2 hours. $10 at the door; Pre-register with emily.harper@cobbcounty.org or 770-528-4070. Landscape Irrigation with Tom Shannon of Ewing Irrigation; Dormant Season Turf Care with Patrick McCullough of UGA; Fall Diseases in the Landscape with Elizabeth Little of UGA.

When Autumn Leaves Start to Fall
Tuesday, Sept. 18, 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. Presented by Cobb County Master Gardener Donna Kennedy, at East Cobb Regional Library, as part of the ongoing Gardeners Night Out presentation series of Cobb Extension's Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County.

Raised Bed Gardening
Friday, Oct. 12, noon to 1:00 p.m. Free and open to the public. Bring your lunch and enjoy the presentation! Presented by Cobb County Extension's Amy Whitney, at the County Water Lab at 660 S. Cobb Drive (the smaller brick building at the back of the property), as part of the ongoing Lunch & Learn presentation series of Cobb Extension's Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County.

Daylily Culture
Tuesday, Oct. 16,  6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. Presented by Cobb County Master Gardener Fran Sommerville, at West Cobb Regional Library, as part of the ongoing Gardeners Night Out presentation series of Cobb Extension's Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County.

The Green Team Full Day Workshop
Thursday, Oct. 18, 8:30 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. On-site registration begins at 8:00 a.m. Program participation earns 7 CEUs, Category 24. $30 fee. Pre-register with check made out to Bartow County Extension, mailed with name, address, and contact information and request to register, to Bartow County Extension Office, 320 West Cherokee Ave., Rm. 112, Cartersville, GA, 30120. Event will be held at Chattahoochee Tech's North Metro Campus, 5198 Ross Rd., Acworth. Topics include ornamental plant diseases, turfgrass diseases, color beds, pest management in turf, insect pests of ornamentals, weeds of ornamental beds, insect pests of turf, and weed control in turf. For information, email uge1067@uga.edu or call Cobb County Extension at 770-528-4070.

Now is a Good Time for Kudzu Bug-Proofing Your Home

As the weather cools, kudzu bugs will be leaving their summer hangouts in kudzu, wisteria, pole beans, and soybean-fields and will be looking for a place to stay for the winter.

Unfortunately for many homeowners, these small, grayish-brown bugs have the same, annoying knack as ladybugs for finding their way into houses as favored places to escape the cold. Keeping the pests out may require some work, which should start in advance of cooler weather.

 

(Kudzu bugs on pole beans. Photo by Amy Whitney)

According to a UGA report on kudzu bugs, Megacopta cribraria as a Nuisance Pest, by Daniel Suiter, Lisa  Ames, Joe Eger, Jr., and Wayne Gardner, the pests were first found in the U.S. in Georgia in 2009. They had been seen in large numbers on the outsides of houses in October of that year in nine Georgia counties. Since then, they have spread across the Southeast and aggravated a lot of farmers, gardeners, and homeowners.

The report offers these suggestions for defending a home from invasion by these pests:

"...homeowners should ensure that screening is placed over possible routes of insect entry into the house; that screens on windows are well-seated and without holes; and that soffit, ridge, and gable vents are properly screened. In locations where screening cannot be used, such as around pipe penetrations, steel wool can be stuffed into these openings to prevent the entry of M. cribraria. Lastly, doors should establish a tight seal when closed, and doorsweeps should be installed."

The report also cautions against crushing any kudzu bugs that are found indoors, since "...this action may stain indoor surfaces and/or result in odors that may prove difficult to eliminate. Rather, insects should be vacuumed and the bagged insects then placed in hot, soapy water."

 

Sales Tax Holiday for WaterSense Products

October 5-7 is a good time to commit to saving water in Georgia. That’s because purchases of WaterSense-labeled products will be exempt from state and local sales taxes.

WaterSense-labeled toilets, showerheads, faucets, irrigation controllers and other products use at least 20 percent less water, and perform as well as or better than conventional models. Independent, third parties certify that WaterSense-labeled products meet U.S. E.P.A. criteria for water efficiency.

Replacing a standard showerhead with a WaterSense-labeled one can save thousands of gallons of water a year. Replacing an old toilet with a water-efficient one will save more than two gallons a flush. Besides saving money on the sales tax, residents who purchase a WaterSense-labeled toilet may qualify for a rebate.

Details about which utilities offer rebates, either directly or through the Metro Water District are available at www.northgeorgiawater.org/toiletrebate.

The sales tax holiday on WaterSense-labeled products will start Friday, October 5 at 12:01 a.m. and will continue through the weekend until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, October 7.

WaterSense-labeled products with a sales price of $1,500 or less purchased for noncommercial home or personal use during the sales tax holiday will be Georgia state and local sales tax-free.

To searchfor WaterSense-labeledproducts, visit
http://www.epa.gov/watersense/product_search.html.

Visit Cobb County Water System at http://water.cobbcountyga.gov/index.html to find out about our other activities promoting waterefficiency.