By Diane St. John [Editor’s Note: At the Connecticut Flower & Garden Show in February 2015 this became a contentious topic. We asked Diane St. John of Natureworks for clarification.] MAY-JUNE 2015 – In Connecticut, we have several perennial, native milkweed species that are the larval food source for monarch butterfly caterpillars. They include the widely available Asclepias syriaca (Common Milkweed), Asclepias tuberosa(Butterfly Weed) and Asclepias incarnata (Swamp Milkweed). Asclepias curassavica (Tropical Milkweed) is an annual milkweed. It grows quickly in containers and dies when the cold weather comes. The monarch nectars at its flowers and lays eggs on its leaves, just like the perennial milkweeds. There has been a…
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Yet Another New Pest in Town
MAY-JUNE 2015 – The Southern Pine Beetle (SPB) has been found in New Haven, Litchfield and Hartford Counties. Pitch Pine is a preferred host. See the press release at ct.gov/caes SPB is a small, destructive beetle, 2 mm in length. Pines attempt to push the attacking beetles out with a flow of resin. Attacked trees are covered with small popcorn-like blobs of dried resin. If the attack is successful the beetles lay eggs under the bark, the larvae then feed on the circulatory system of the tree, and kill the tree in one to two years. If you see SPB or pines with the popcorn resin, contact The Connecticut Agricultural…
