Squash Bugs, the bane of Pumpkins everywhere!

A few months ago, I noticed a pumpkin vine growing alongside one of our buildings. I had not planted it but recalled throwing a couple of pumpkins out last winter in that area. These voluntary pumpkin vines grew, bloomed, and started producing beautiful white pumpkins. I was excited by the prospect of having pumpkins I grew, even if by accident, to add to my fall décor. I was especially excited by the idea considering each year that we purposely planted pumpkins they did not develop beyond lots of leaves, and vines, rarely any fruit. Now it appeared I was accidentally successful. The pumpkins got bigger, and my anticipation of beautiful, large pumpkins grew right along with them. Until the unthinkable happened! The scourge known as squash bugs found my one-and-only vine. They descended upon it like a hungry plague of locusts. One day all was well, a week later an infestation! I was able to rescue three not quite fully developed pumpkins before the vines withered and died.

Squash bugs in the family of leaf-footed bugs are the bane of pumpkin and squash growers everywhere. As adults they spend the winter in leaf litter, under rocks, ground debris and even inside buildings waiting out the cold. When spring returns the females seek plants in the cucurbit family which includes pumpkins, squash, cucumbers, and melons. Typically, they will mate in May or June and lay small clusters of about twenty eggs on leaves between the veins where a V is formed. Occasionally they will lay eggs on the stems of the plants. Females are capable of producing up to two hundred and fifty eggs each season! The eggs hatch in about ten days and the young will reach the adult stage in four to six weeks. Young nymphs are light green in color with a black head and legs. Adults are about five-eighths of an inch in length, and brownish to gray in color with alternating orange and brown stripes on their abdomen. Their hind legs are noticeably thicker or wider than their other legs, giving them the name of leaf-footed bugs. They are often mistaken for stink bugs. Whereas they are in the same order of true bugs, they have a more shield shaped body and squash bugs are more elongated. There is usually one generation per year, but in warmer climates they may produce a partial second generation that does not complete its lifecycle to the adult stage. These late growing nymphs will die when the temperatures drop below freezing. Typically, life stages overlap, and eggs, early nymphs, older nymphs, and adults will be found together. 

Squash bugs in the order Hemiptera, are classified as true bugs with piercing, sucking mouthparts. In the case of these bugs, it is believed they use their mouthpart, called a stylet, to inject an enzyme to break down plant tissue making it easier for them to slurp up the liquified plant matter. The repeated mouth jabs and toxin injection damages the inner vessels of the plant that carry nutrients and water to the tissues. You will notice a distinct yellow spotting of leaves that eventually turns brown giving the leaves a mottled look. In older sturdier plants this feeding activity is generally not a huge issue for the plant, however huge infestations will create a situation where the plants are overwhelmed and may die. Young seedlings and small vines are easily overtaken by the feeding of these bugs and often do not recover. It was believed that squash bugs did not carry pathogens or diseases to plants, that it was the feeding activity alone that caused the damage. Recently a disease has been associated with the squash bug, cucurbit yellow vine disease (CYVD) it is harbored in overwintering adults and passed to the plant in early spring. This pathogen causes rapid yellowing and wilting and kills the plant, thus quickly decimating your crop. 

How can you protect your crops from an onslaught of these tenacious pumpkin loving munching machines? Keep your plants healthy and strong by fertilizing and watering regularly. Strong, sturdy plants are less likely to be affected by the feeding habits of these bugs. Be diligent in checking your plants once or twice weekly. Each time you find eggs, crush them. Nymphs and adults should be crushed or thrown into a bucket of soapy water. This can be challenging as their instinct is to hide under leaves when disturbed, often going unseen. You can trap squash bugs by placing cardboard, plyboard, or tin along the garden or near the plants. They will use this refuge to hide under at night. In the early morning you can scoop them up and dispose of them. Remove plant debris during the growing season to reduce areas where they can hide. Clean up your growing area each fall to eliminate areas where they can take refuge in the winter. Rotating crops each season will also help in reducing the number of squash bugs that find your plants. All of this sounds like a lot of work because it is but using chemical control has limited effect on squash bugs. Adults have an unusually high resistance to the chemicals available over the counter to the average gardener. If you notice leaves yellowing or wilting early in the growing season the only option may be insecticides. If this is your only recourse for controlling them, target the nymphs, rather than the adults, as they are more susceptible to the chemicals and your chance of success is greater. Apply your insecticide in the early morning or late evening hours when there is limited bee activity. Remember your chemical is not only going to kill your target pest insect, but also your beneficial ones. Always follow the instructions carefully. You may be tempted to apply more thinking it will be more effective. This is not the case; in fact, it rapidly creates resistance in insects causing bigger headaches down the road.

After picking my three precious pumpkins I relinquished the dying vine and one lone wilted pumpkin to the squash bugs. With due diligence, some patience and hard work on your part it is possible to stay one step ahead of these little pests.

Insect-O-Rama

 

Witches butter, curse or cure? You decide.

 

When we think of parasites, if we think of them at all, we typically don’t consider mushrooms within that category of ilk. The truth is most mushrooms are parasitic in nature and aid in the break down of organic matter. One of my favorite mushrooms to find when out hiking is witches’ butter. These vibrant yellow mushrooms go by many different names including fairy butter, buttercups, and yellow brain fungus to name a few. Their scientific name is Tremella mesenterica and in Greek translates to “Of the middle intestine.” Like all mushrooms they lack chlorophyll and instead get their nutrients by feeding on plant and animal matter. There are three types of witches’ butter, two are vibrant yellow and one is orange. The yellow varieties feed on other fungi presents on hardwood trees. These “other” fungi usually appear as a scabby growth on the bark of the trees and are working as a decomposer to turn the tree into organic matter that will benefit the forest floor. This essentially makes witches’ butter a parasite feeding on a parasite. The orange variety is found on conifers like pine and hemlock and does not feed on other fungi, but rather acts a decomposer of the trees themselves.

These mushrooms are classified as jelly mushrooms, and if you have ever encountered one it is easy to see why. They have a slimy, rubbery texture that bounces back when touched. It may be this slimy exterior that earned them the common name of butter, as the texture is reminiscent of margarine. They are considered edible, but not a favorite to forage due to their lack of taste. Face it anything with a common name like “yellow brain fungus” and a scientific name that literally translates to mean intestines, doesn’t exactly entice one to partake. However, what they lack in taste they make up for in texture and are often added to soups as a nutritional filler. Some people claim they bread and fry them, and they resemble calamari in taste and texture. Maybe I will give this a try in the future, I do love calamari.

They are often referred to as the survival mushroom as most foragers agree they are edible in the raw state. However, keep in mind this not true for nearly every other mushroom. All mushrooms should be cleaned and cooked before consuming. Even with this particular species caution should be used when considering consuming them in the raw state as each individual may react differently. I read a story about a grandmother who foraged with her granddaughter. The little girl was drawn to the witches’ butter and after getting permission from her grandmother would consume them raw on each outing into the woods. This went on for years and the little girl had no ill effects from partaking in these flavorless mushrooms. They however could not figure out why she felt compelled to eat them, until it was later revealed at a doctor’s appointment that she had respiratory problems. It is known by the Chinese that witches’ butter is good for breathing issues, as well as for your immune system. Studies are now showing promise as potential treatments for diabetes as well. Could it be this young girl was experiencing a form of pica that caused her to crave the very mushroom that could treat her breathing issues?

After heavy rains the bright yellow fruiting bodies will appear on downed logs or decaying trees in deciduous hardwood forests. They are only present for a short time and soon dry and shrivel into a reddish-brown mass that blends in well with the bark of trees. Rest assured though, as soon as the rains return so too will the yellow jellies. The purpose of these jelly-like masses is to send spores into the wind to spread the mushroom to other locations. There aren’t any other mushrooms that look quick like the gelatinous, convoluted clusters that is witches’ butter. They grow in tiny masses about a half to one inch in diameter. These mushrooms may be found at anytime of the year, including winter if there is sufficient rainfall and moisture. It is a welcome sight on the drab winter landscape to find these sunny colored mushrooms.

 These mushrooms may also be found sprouting from the doorways of barns, houses, or even from wooden gates. In ancient Europe, when homeowners found a cluster of these mushrooms sprouting from their door jam, it was believed their home was under the curse of a witch. The only way to break the spell was to stab the yellow jelly-like masses with something sharp releasing the curse. The trouble was as soon as it rained again the mushrooms would hydrate and bloom again and the poor residents must have felt as if they could never rid themselves of the witches curse permanently. Short of replacing the door jams or gates they would have had the curse befalling them after each rainfall. In Sweden it was believed that witches’ butter was the bile spewed forth by the witches themselves; hexing anyone who found it near their home. The only way to rid yourself of the curse was to burn the slimy mass in a fire. These superstitions followed many European immigrants into the New World and over time created a mistrust of eating mushrooms…. any mushrooms, even if properly identified as being safe. In truth many mushrooms are safe, delicious, healthy and have medicinal qualities that can benefit most anyone. However, ALWAYS make sure you know 100% what you are foraging and preparing to eat. 

“There are old mushroom hunters and there are bold mushroom hunters. But there are no old bold mushroom hunters.” 

Always err on the side of caution.

Bristly Greenbrier

If, like me, you enjoy spending time outside landscaping your yard and providing habitats for wildlife then you are aware of the struggle of battling weeds. This battle is seemingly never ending and thankless. We work long, hard, hot hours trying to make our yards beautiful only to be thwarted by tenacious weeds. Imagine if you could get paid to remove weeds, it would be a lifetime of job security and pay checks.

But I challenge you to not work so hard to remove those weeds, instead maybe we should rethink our stance on what we deem noxious plant life. After all Ella Wheeler Wilcox said it best when she said  "A Weed is but an Unloved Flower."

Bristly Greenbrier is native to the Eastern United States and a weed I've cussed on more than one occasion. Manically pulling weeds from flowers beds only to grab a handful of painful, dense thorns is pure agony. With a determination that borders on obsession I am trying to find the good in weeds.....or as is the popular mantra goes these days, wildflowers and wild edibles, NOT WEEDS. Positivity wins, right?  Believe it or not Greenbrier is edible, and from what the research I've done suggests, a very good one. Native Americans likely used this plant as part of their diet and with good reason. The roots of the plant can be pulverized and used as a starchy thickener in foods. In the spring the new, tender growth is reported to have a texture similar to asparagus, but more mild and slightly acidic in taste. Make sure to pick the leaves when the vine is still green and thorns have not hardened. They may be eaten raw or cooked (I assume much like you would cook spinach)The berries which set on late in the season are also edible, but might not be worth the effort as they are very seedy with very little flesh. However, if you found yourself in a survival situation and were looking for something to eat, these berries would definitely be a contender.

With no cultivated counterparts found in grocery stores, like we see for wild mustard, and other greens, greenbrier is considered a true wild edible. There is a long history of medicinal uses, including making a tea out of the leaves to aid in stomach upset. Roots of some species of

Greenbrier were ground and made into a paste to treat skin diseases as well as gout and to reduce flatulence. If you find yourself gassy, just make a paste of this plant root and no more farts!  Identifying greenbrier is easy, as very few plants resemble it. It always grows as a vine with straight evenly spaced thorns, some species have more densely packed thorns than other species. Bristly greenbrier is covered in thorns! This vine grows up to 20 feet in height, and does not spread out like other thorny vines or bushes. Leaves are rounded, and small tendrils can be seen on the vine assisting with its climbing nature. The black greenbrier berries develop in loose bunches in autumn and remain through the winter, I have seen them stay on the vine all the way into March. Birds and other wildlife will enjoy the berries for hard to find nutrition in winter, but this also a means to transplant the vine to other locations. Birds eat the berries, birds poop the berries, and viola' you have a new vine in your yard. This vine can be spotted  from quite a distance so you won’t need to climb through looking for them, but you might need to climb through to get to them.

Many of us have heard the tale of Brier Rabbit and his mischievous trickster nature. It is believed the bristly greenbrier is the famed Brier patch rabbit begged fox not to throw him. Stories of Brier (or Brer) Rabbit originated among African peoples and the stories persevered throughout enslaved African Americans who viewed him as a hero of sorts. A fictional character who persevered amongst great adversity, by his wits alone. Brier rabbits ability to trick his enemies and escape threats made him a much loved folk hero among African Americans, as well as white man.

As spring is waking up from its long winter nap, green is slowly returning and weeds are beginning to cover the landscape....my challenge to you is tolerate "weeds" a little more, and don't stress yourself over the never ending battle to keep them in check. Perhaps, if you are adventurous enough you might even try some brier tea or a little brier in your salad.