Wildflower Bed 2026

April 18, 2026

Last July I mentioned Melissa and I had established a wildflower bed in one of the flower beds in the front of the house. This had been a vision of mine since we moved to Arkansas 8 years ago. I had planted native grasses and flowers on sections of the 60 acres (24 ha) I managed as director of a conference center in Kansas. This was done to rebuild a small part of the rapidly disappearing tall grass prairie as well as to create an oasis for the pollinator’s dependent on this ecosystem. While we do not have tall grass prairie in Arkansas, last year we planted an area appropriate mix of perennial wildflowers. The bed had done well after I removed the Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) that had taken over the bed (several times) and some initial hesitation. The flowers filled the entire area (72 feet²/7 m²) and bloomed well into Fall, providing nectar for the butterflies (lepidopteran superfamily Papilionoidea) and bees (monophyletic clade Anthophila within the superfamily Apoidea) that flocked to the garden. Late in the Fall I took care to brush out the seeds from the old blooms and scatter them back into the soil before I carefully removed the dead plants. Although I did a quick weed (grass) and cleaned out the bed in early April, I did not plant more seeds as I wanted to see if the bed would continue to reproduce itself. I have been anxious to see the wildflower bed in 2026.

When I went online, I found US Fish and Wildlife Service encourages homeowners to plant wildflower beds as a way of supporting pollinators, reducing maintenance, and conserving water. Helping pollinators like bees, butterflies, and birds involves creating safe habitats by planting native, nectar-rich flowers, eliminating pesticide use, providing water sources, and leaving “messy” areas for nesting. This includes planting diverse, blooming species to provide continuous forage to support local ecosystems. The key is to choose a variety of native plants that bloom at different times of the year and are already adapted to your local climate and provide the best nectar and pollen. Planting milkweed (genus, Asclepias) is another way to aid monarch butterfly caterpillars (Danaus plexippus). You should also reduce or eliminate insecticides and herbicides which can kill or harm pollinators. Other ideas beyond your wildflower bed are to leave fallen leaves and dead wood for nesting sites and delay garden cleanup in the fall and spring to protect overwintering insects. Finally, create a “pollinator bath” with a shallow dish of water and stones help landing for a drink without drowning.

After clearing out the grass trying to reestablish itself, several plants began to emerge. I did not have luck along the edge of the house last year (except for grass so I put a layer of mulch along the one foot (0.3 m) next to the house. There were still quite a few bare spots, but these have begun to fill in this past week. Most of the ground is now covered and several of the plants have begun to bloom and the pollinators are coming back. I have also transformed our bird bath into a pollinator bath by keeping water in it along with a brick for the bees to cling to. It appears my wildflower bed 2026 is well on its way.

THOUGHTS: The insects that visit my wildflower bed in 2026 are fulfilling a critical ecological function. Without pollinators, humans and all of Earth’s terrestrial ecosystems would not survive. Over 80% of the world’s flowering plants require a pollinator to reproduce as they have separate male and female cones or flowers (monoecious). While it is possible to hand pollinate between the male and female flowers in a small garden, this becomes untenantable for commercial growers. Pollinator populations are declining rapidly, with over 20% of North American native species at elevated risk of extinction and US managed honeybee colonies experiencing average annual losses of 30% to 40%. Key drivers include habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change. Providing pollinator habits is everyone’s responsibility. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Slime Mold

April 14, 2026

Today was time for a second planting of several vegetables in the raised beds. The seed package suggested I plant my peas (Pisum sativum) with a second planting two weeks later to ensure I had a continued harvest later during the season. I thought this was a good idea for my cabbage (Brassica oleracea) and cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) as well. It was also time to plant the artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) seeds I had placed in the refrigerator (scored) two weeks ago to prepare them for planting. Scoring is done to “trick” the seeds into thinking they are coming out of Winter and into Spring. While I was placing the new seeds in the ground I found most of the seeds I had planted had yet to sprout, except for my radishes (Raphanus sativus). Something should have sprouted in all these seeds. After planting the new seeds, I watered the raised beds to keep all the unsprouted seed moist. Then I noticed several spots of bright yellow blobs clinging to the watering hoses in one of the beds. This appeared to be a form of slime mold.

When I went online, I found the yellow slime mold (Fuligo septica) in my garden is in the class Myxomycetes. It is commonly known as scrambled egg slime or flowers of tan because of its peculiar yellowish appearance, or even “dog vomit slime mold”. This slime mold is relatively common with worldwide distribution and is often found on bark, mulch, lawns, as well as other rotting organic matter in urban areas after heavy rain or excessive watering. The slime spores are produced on or in aerial spore cases (sporangia) and are spread by wind. Slime mold is a harmless, amoeba-like organism that is not a fungus, but a type of organism (protist) that feeds on bacteria and decomposes organic matter. Protists are a diverse group of (mostly) single-celled microorganisms that are not classified as plants, animals, or fungi, with a membrane-bound nucleus and thrive in moist environments. It is a plasmodial slime mold, meaning it can move (up to several feet in a day) across surfaces. Slime mold is not harmful to pets, humans, or plants.

I did not know what the slime mold was when I first saw it, although I knew it was not there when I checked the day before. Being inquisitive, I reached out and touched it (yes, this is how the Blob attached itself to humans before engulfing them). The blob disintegrated on my touch and left a slimy covering on my finger. Northern European folk lore attributed slime mold to witches and demons. In Scandinavia it is identified as the vomit of troll cats. In Finland, the mold was believed to be used by witches to spoil their neighbors’ milk and is called “paranvoi” (butter of the familiar spirit). Swedish folklore labels another slime (Tremella mesenterica) as the vomit of a witch’s “carrier” (familiar). Both are referred to in Dutch as “heksenboter” (witches’ butter), and in Latvian as “ragansviests” (witches’ butter) or “raganu spļāviens” (witches’ spit). At least “dog vomit” removes the slime from the realm of the supernatural. Finding the slime safe, I left the other intact.

THOUGHTS: The overcast skies and mild temperatures (70’sF/20’sC) have combined with my watering to grow more than just slime mold. The mulch in the paths around the raised beds are also growing mushrooms. This term is applied to two divisions of subkingdom Dikarya (Basidiomycota, Agaricomycetes). I remove the volunteer mushrooms that appear in my raised beds as they compete for the soil’s nutrients. I decided to leave the mulch plants as they were not hurting anything. When I went back outside to determine the species, the sun had come out and they had withered. Fungi are paradoxically both fragile and incredibly resilient, depending on their visible fruits (mushrooms) or their underlying microscopic network (mycelium). Humans often have a reverse characteristic, with a rough persona hiding a fragile psyche brought on by our exposure to stress, trauma, and emotional overload. This should be noted in interactions. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Rattail

April 12, 2026

Traveling 5 of 6 weeks in February and March not only got me behind getting my garden in the ground but also in Melissa’s care for her succulents. The good news is even with the 100’s of plants Melissa tends for she only needs to pay attention to about half of them at a time. Different succulents grow at different rates within a year depending on the temperature, with some becoming dormant and growing slower when the weather is too hot or too cold and turn active again when the temperatures are ideal for their growth. That is why succulents are known as “opportunistic growers”. Succulents can be put into categories as either summer or winter growers. Summer growers thrive in the hot months of summer (May to August) and are dormant in the winter, while winter growers thrive in the cold of winter (November to February) and are dormant in the summer. The primary care given to all of Melissa’s succulents is an occasional misting during dormancy and scant watering and careful observation and maintenance during growing season. When Melissa was able to get back at tending her succulents last week, she called me out to look at the blooms on her rattail cactus.

When I went online, I found the rattail cactus (Aporocactus flagelliformis) is a species of flowering plant in the cactus family Cactaceae. With its ease of cultivation and attractive floral displays it is often grown as an ornamental potted plant. The Latin specific epithet (flagelliformis) means “shaped like a whip”, in reference to the plant’s long stems. The common name “rattail” refers to the same feature. The species was one of the first cacti to be introduced into European culture. Watson (1898) offers the year 1690 but it was probably earlier. The species is native to the dry forests of the central Mexican state of Hidalgo north of Mexico City where it can grow naturally on rocks (lithophytic) or as rootless air plants (epiphytic) in the trees. Specimens are rare in nature and are seldom collected in the field. While rattail has always been one of the most popular cacti in cultivation, almost nothing is known about its natural habit. The rattail cactus is a recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

Rattail cacti are easy to grow and are suitable for either a greenhouse or container, indoors or out. Plants need a minimum temperature of 43F (6C). They should be grown in bright, indirect light, in a rich potting mix. The best compost consists of 4 parts of sandy loam and 1 part of equal quantities of sand and crushed brick. Rattail should be repotted every other year because their soil tends to sour. However, that does not mean they will need a larger pot. Once the plants are established, compost should be kept moist from April to October, with less water required from November until March, or just enough to keep stems from dying back. In the winter, old or discolored stems may be cut out at the base to encourage new growth. The rattail on our sunporch obviously made it through the dormancy of winter and greeted us with cascading blooms upon our return.

THOUGHTS: Rattail cactus, like most cacti, are summer growers and settle into dormancy during the winter. There are nine species of the Schlumbergera genus of cacti native to the coastal mountains of southeastern Brazil which reverse this rhythm. These species are collectively called “Holliday” cactus, with annual blooms arriving between November and April (i.e., Thanksgiving cactus, Christmas cactus, or Easter cactus). This illustrates the diversity that exists in nature as plants and animals adapt to the specific conditions of different regions. Humans did the same, although less markedly so. We are (at least now) all the same species, only differentiated by the tools, clothes, and culture we use to adapt to our region. The main difference between all humanity is how we choose to differentiate ourselves from each other. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Starts

April 08, 2026

After I posted my last blog (Hardiness) I was informed (by Melissa) that the Hardiness Zones had indeed changed and we were no longer in 7b. The update that I had mentioned had reclassified the Arkansas River Valley as zone 8. According to the updated 2023 US Department of Agriculture map, Greenwood is now in Zone 8a. This indicates a moderate climate where average annual extreme minimum winter temperatures range from 10F to 15F (-12C to -9.5C) and the last spring frost typically occurs around March 25th to April 3rd. There is still 10% chance of a later frost lasting until April. That means my thinking I was testing the envelope by planting two weeks early was instead getting my seeds (and young plants) in the ground right on time. That worked out well as when I went to the local hardware store for several bags of potting soil I saw they had a big sale on both flowers and a variety of vegetables. Having already planted my seeds, I decided to go ahead and buy my plant starts as well.

When I went online, I found choosing between seeds and plants (starts) depends on your budget, time, and the plant type. Seeds are often better for fast-growing crops (better value and more variety) like lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea), beans, and herbs. Starter plants are best for high-maintenance, slow-growing, or long-season crops like tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) and peppers (Capsicum annuum) to guarantee a harvest. Seeds have the advantage of inexpensive, offer a variety of heirloom choices, and have healthier root systems. They require more patience and specialized equipment (lights/trays) to start them indoors to have them ready for the growing season. Starts can provide immediate gratification, save time, and have a higher success rate for beginners. They are more expensive and have limited variety. Small gardens benefit from buying plants to maximize production, while large gardens can save money using seeds. A mix of both seems best.

Last year I bought starts early and did not get them in the ground for a week. Even though I tried to keep them watered, they looked sickly by the time they were planted and several died forcing me to buy new starts to replace the ones I previously bought. This year I ended up buying my starts early in the afternoon but knew I needed to get them in the ground. I worked into the evening remixing potting soil, planting six jalapeño peppers, five bell peppers, and three varieties of tomatoes. Melissa likes the Sweet 100’s for salads (2 starts), I like Roma (6 starts) for canning pasta sauce, and then Arkansas Travelers (3 starts) for slicing. That left 3 Traveler starts (pack of 6) that I did not have pots for. There was a major rain forecast for the evening, so I pushed on to plant three rows of sweet corn (Zea mays convar) in the bed I had used last year for my Three Sisters (corn, beans, squash). Everything was done in time for the three inches (7.5 cm) of rain to set everything into the soil.

THOUGHTS: Having planted my starts I was ready for the growing season, but still had several starts not in the ground. Monday Melissa and I cleared last year’s potato beds for watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) and honeydew melon (Cucumis melo) starts. I planted the zucchini and spaghetti squash (Cucurbita pepo) in large pots and found three grow bags for the leftover Travelers. In total we have three soil beds, four raised beds, and 27 containers with a variety of seeds and starts. I also believe a mix seems to work best. That is true with my small garden, but also with our nation and world. Every dystopian society depicted in sci-fi movies is the result of a controlled lack of diversity. While that may just be perception, it is also borne out with historic civilization examples. Diversity is our strength, not a weakness. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Hardiness

April 06, 2026

The six weeks Melissa and I were traveling occurred when I normally prepare my seeds for planting. I began last year in January planting seeds under “grow lights”. While most of the seeds sprouted, I struggled to transplant them into 3-inch (7.5 cm) pots for the next growing stage. The pots were still under the lights, but only around half of the plants developed their first double set of leaves. Even these struggled when I hardened them off (set outside for a few hours a day) to prepare them for planting in the ground. Those that made it were spindly and slow to mature compared to the other store-bought plants. I had a dilemma. My absence meant I could not take care of any indoor seeds, and my return was two weeks before the last predicted frost. We are in the central Arkansas River Valley in planting zone 7b with an average annual minimum winter temperature of 5F to 10F (-12.3C to -14.9C). This zone is generally characterized by a last frost date around April 15 and a first frost date around November 15. I have tried to use this hardiness scale when determining what and how to plant, but this year I got excited and planted early.

When I went online, I found gardeners rely on the plant-care tags affixed to the plants they buy and one of the items listed is the hardiness zone. A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature which is critical to the survival of most plants. The first hardiness zone map was published in Alfred Rehder’s 1927 book Manual of Cultivated Trees and Shrubs. Rehder and Donald Wyman, of Boston’s Arnold Arboretum, did not have the reach of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which published its first Hardiness Zone Map in 1965. The USDA system provides a rough guide for landscaping and gardening and defines 13 zones by long-term average annual extreme minimum temperatures. Unless otherwise specified, plants in American context have a “hardiness zone” which refers to the USDA scale. The USDA-ARS, along with climate scientists at Oregon State University, has just released a new plant-hardiness map updating its 1990 Plant Hardiness Zone Map to bring it into conformity with the warming trends that have become so apparent to gardeners.

After deciding to push the hardiness scale, I began last Tuesday determining what seeds needed to go into my raised beds. These were a mix of leafy vegetables like varieties of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea). Then I planted the first rows of beets (Beta vulgaris, artichokes (Cynara cardunculus). radishes (Raphanus sativus), peas (Pisum sativum), cauliflower (Brassica oleracea), and cabbage (Brassica oleracea). I saved space for a smaller second planting of those vegetables to prolong their production season into the early summer. After Melissa’s success with onions (Allium cepa), I decided to give them another try, planting 50 sets of red onions in the bed I had used for watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). I plan to plant cantaloupe (Cucumis melo) in this bed after I harvest the onions to let it mature in the warmth of the summer. With my seeds in the ground, I need to decide what store-bought vegetables I am going to plant this year.

THOUGHTS: While the hardiness scale warned against planting prior to April 15, my weather app provided a 10-day forecast that predicted the temps would not fall below the 40’sF (4.5+C). Last year we did have a late cold snap where the temps dropped to 30F (-1.1C) on several nights but warmed to 50’sF (10+C) during the day. I protected my plants with ground cloth and uncovered them during the warmer day. They all made it, so I felt confident I could do the same this year if needed. As in life, part of gardening involves using tools (hardiness scales and weather apps) and combining them with intuition and preventative measures. Most innovation comes when we push the boundaries and failure comes from giving up. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Ash Borer

January 12, 2026

Yesterday’s local newspaper carried a USA Today article on a project designed to restore native ash populations to the state of New York. The ash saplings planted at Cornell Botanic Gardens as part of the Nature Conservancy’s Trees in Peril project are part of an effort to restore the disappearing species. Ash has long been valued for its lumber and is used in baseball bats, tool handles, flooring, and fireplaces. The invasive species attacking the trees was first discovered by entomologist Mike Griggs on Cornell University’s campus, as tree canopy dieback, yellowing and browning of leaves. The condition had spread farther west in the state in 2009, and quarantine zones were established in 2015 to block the spread. According to the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation, the emerald ash borer has killed millions of trees across the US, caused billions of dollars in damage and loss, and overtaken virtually all of New York state.

When I went online, I found the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis), or EAB, is a green jewel beetle (buprestid) native to north-eastern Asia that feeds on ash species (Fraxinus spp.). Adult beetles are typically bright metallic green and about 0.33 inches (8.5 mm) long and 0.063 inches (1.6 mm) wide. Emerald ash borer is the only North American species of Agrilus with a bright red upper abdomen when its wings are spread. The species has a small spine at the tip of the abdomen, and saw-like (serrate) antennae that begins at the fourth antennal segment. Females lay eggs in bark crevices on ash trees and the larvae feed underneath the bark to emerge as adults in one to two years. The ash borer is typically found at low densities in its native range and does not cause significant damage to trees but is a highly destructive invasive species to the ash trees of Europe and North America. Adults prefer to lay eggs in stressed ash but readily lay eggs in healthy trees among other tree species. Little was known of the ash borer before it was found in North America.

Local governments are attempting to control the ash borer by monitoring its spread, diversifying tree species, and using insecticides and biological control. A significant discovery was made by the US Forest Service when they found relatively healthy trees amidst a forest of dead trees. The surviving trees, called lingering ash, could serve as a catalyst for repopulating ash populations across the US. The ash borer larvae tunnel through the living tissue and with 100’s of 1000’s of insects in each tree can essential girdle the tree making it impossible to transport resources between the canopy and roots. Researchers found some lingering ash can “wall off” the larvae and prevent the insects from girdling the tree. A second possible defense is related to the organic compounds emitted by ash trees during photosynthesis and used by the ash borer to detect the trees. If an individual tree does not produce those chemicals or does so at low levels, the tree becomes “invisible” to the insects. The goal of the project is to propagate 50 to 60 genotypes of trees of each of the three ash species (white, green, and black). In 5 to 6 years cuttings (scions) will be collected and the process repeated. The lingering ash will then be planted among susceptible trees to restore ash to the forest environment.

THOUGHTS: The Emerald Ash Borer likely arrived in North America from Asia in the 1990’s hidden in solid wood packing materials (crates and pallets) used in cargo ships. Detection in the US was in Michigan in 2002. This accidental introduction allowed the invasive beetle to spread rapidly, killing millions of ash trees. Movement of infested firewood by humans accelerated its spread across the continent. The predators and diseases that naturally keep the ash borer in check do not exist in North America. Developing the lingering ash would be a significant check on yet another invasive species. Otherwise, Major League Baseball will be forced to use aluminum bats. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Last Fruits

December 27, 2025

Back in August I blogged about my first attempt to grow a second yield in my raised beds (2nd Crop). I replanted several of the vegetables that had done well in the spring (and that I liked). For some reason, few of the vegetables sprouted. What sprouted were the cabbages, cauliflower (both Brassica oleracea), and about half of the peas (Pisum sativum). When it looked like we were going to get our first freeze in November I had covered the plants with bed sheets held above the plants with garden hoops. I had done this in previous years and found it to be effective (and reusable). The peas were harvested and eaten in salads prior to our trip, but I just let the brassica go to see if they would ever mature. The cabbage never did head and the cauliflower never balled. I thought about tearing them out, but the plants still had robust leaves. Last week I finally gave up and pulled the plants. I did not know what I would do with them, but cabbage leaves were the garden’s last fruits.

When I went online, I found cabbage leaves are completely edible, including the outer ones. The texture and flavor will vary from the inner leaves. Both types of leaves can be used raw in salads, cooked in soups, sautéed, or even used as wraps for other fillings. The outer leaves are tougher but also more nutritious due to their exposure to the sun and can be blanched or used as wraps or stuffed as rolls. The inner leaves are more tender and sweeter and are good for raw applications. All the leaves should be washed to remove dirt and checked for insects and bad spots before preparation. I ended with a large pile of outer leaves and a smaller pile of inner (sorta) leaves that I decided to make into sauerkraut anyway. I washed the leaves, cut out the woody stems, and sliced the outer leaves for over an hour before the amount of work made me rethink processing the entire pile. Instead, I went with what I had and then processed the smaller pile of inner leaves in the same way. Sauerkraut was still a long way off, so I put the bowls of last fruits in the refrigerator

Two days later (today) I decided to finish processing my last fruits. I added salt to the bowls of leaves and kneaded it for 5 minutes to break the leaves down and then packed them into quart jars, one for the outer leaves and another for the inner. Working with my last fruits got me motivated to work the tomatoes frozen tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) and sweet peppers (Capsicum annuum) from August into more canned pasta sauce. I added two red onions (Allium cepa) and three cans of diced tomatoes from the pantry along with spices and simmered it for four hours to render it down and meld the flavors. While the sauce was finishing up, I brought the water bath to boil to sterilize four 1-quart jars and lids. While I only used three, I have found it is easier to not use a jar than try and prepare another jar while everything else is ready. I transferred the sauce into the jars, added lemon juice (for acidity), and let them boil for 45 minutes. My last fruits were finished.

THOUGHTS: When we went to dinner with our gardening friends just before Christmas, I told her I had harvested my last fruits and planned to make sauerkraut. That was when she asked if I had started planning what to grow in my beds and containers next year. While I have begun to think about next year, there is hardly a plan. That is the thing about gardening (or farming), you can never stop planning, or you will quickly get behind. The same can be said for reaching out to those who need help. If you do not plan and then act to make a difference, you will be overcome by apathy. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Lady Beetle

November 20, 2025

Last week Melissa and I were in a wooded area along the Arkansas River when we were inundated by flying insects. Many species overwinter as adults sheltering in culverts, under bridges, or cavities in trees. In the spring they will wake up and get along with starting the next generation. Other than the short cold snap last week, we have been having nice weather this fall so these fliers may not have even begun the process. Hibernating adults are also known to come out on unseasonably warm days. The temperature was uncommonly warm (high 70’sF/25+C) so it would not have surprised me to find some insects buzzing around, these were literally everywhere. I do not believe I have ever seen so many Asian lady beetle in one place.

When I went online, I found a lady beetle or ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) is a species commonly known as the harlequin, Asian, or multicolored Asian lady beetle. This is one of the most variable lady beetle species in the world with a wide range of color forms. The species is native to eastern Asia and has been artificially introduced to North America and Europe to control aphids (family Aphididae) and scale insects (Superfamily, Coccoidea). It is now common and spreading in those regions and has also been established in Africa and across South America. Individuals are beetles in shape and structure, being domed and having a “smooth” transition between their wing coverings (elytra), thorax (pronotum), and head. It ranges from 0.22 to 0.34 inches (5.5 to 8.5 mm) in size. The common color form is orange or red with 0 to 22 black spots of variable size. The bright color makes the species conspicuous in North America and may be known locally as the Halloween beetle as they often invade homes during October to overwinter.

The Asian lady beetle is considered one of the world’s most invasive insects, due in part to their tendency to overwinter indoors. They have an unpleasant odor and stain left by their bodily fluids when frightened or crushed, along with a tendency to bite humans. In Europe they are increasing to the detriment of indigenous species as its voracious appetite enables it to outcompete (and consume) other ladybugs. The Asian is highly resistant to diseases and carries a microsporidian parasite (it is immune) that can kill other lady beetle species. Native ladybug species often experience dramatic declines from the invaders. They were declared the fastest-invading species in the UK in 2015, spreading throughout the country after the first confirmed sighting in 2004. The Asian lady beetle has been reported to be a minor agricultural pest that has been inadvertently harvested with crops in Iowa, Ohio, New York State, and Ontario. This causes a detectable and distinctly unpleasant taste known as “lady beetle taint”. The contamination of grapes by the beetle has also been found to alter the taste of wine.

THOUGHTS: Various methods of control have been tried where the Asian lady beetle has been introduced, causing a threat to native species, biodiversity, and to the grape industry. These include insecticides, trapping, removal of beetles, and mechanically preventing entry to buildings. The best methods for dealing with the Asian lady beetle in private homes involve sealing openings they enter and sweeping or vacuuming if they are inside. Placing a nylon stocking inside the vacuum cleaner’s hose and securing it with a rubber band keeps the beetles from collecting (and being crushed) inside the machine. Despite the dozens of beetles that landed on Melissa and me we were not bitten. I have been bitten before and it was a sharp (but not lasting) pain. Once again importing a species to get rid of another caused more problems than it solved. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Citrus

November 19, 2025

I have been winterizing my garden for the last several weeks. That means taking down the trellises for storage and removing what is left of the plants. I mentioned how I tore out the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) vines in mid-October, resulting in 14 jars of salsa verde. I did keep three vines on the off chance the fruit would ripen but gave up on them last week. While I did have several fruits that had begun to ripen, most were solid green. I was surprised as several more of the green tomatoes have ripened on the counter. I harvested one head lettuce (Lactuca sativa) that grew, and we ate it as a salad last night. The one spinach (Spinacia oleracea) that grew will become a wilted spinach salad for tonight along with fried green tomatoes. I blanched the ripe/partially ripe tomatoes and froze them to make pasta sauce later. I still have six cabbage (Brassica oleracea) I am holding out for sauerkraut. They have yet to form a head so they will probably not make it before the frost. Only about a third of the second crop peas (Pisum sativum) grew and are now producing pods. We will finish them this week. This year I am also trying another tact to preserve my citrus trees.

When I went online, I found Citrus is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the family Rutaceae that produce fruits. Citrus is native to South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Melanesia, and Australia where indigenous people have used and domesticated various species since ancient times. Citrus cultivation first spread into Micronesia and Polynesia through the Austronesian expansion (3000 to 1500 BCE), later spread to the Middle East and the Mediterranean (1200 BCE) via the incense trade route, and then from Europe to the Americas. Citrus fruits are renowned for their fragrant aromas and complex flavor and are among the most popular fruits in cultivation. The plants tend to hybridize between species making their taxonomy complicated. The numerous varieties cover a wide range of appearance and fruit flavors. Many important citrus crops have been developed through extensive hybridization, including oranges (Citrus macroptera), lemons (Citrus limon), grapefruits (Citrus paradisi), and limes (Citrus aurantiifolia) which all have many cultivars.

Two years ago, I purchased two citrus trees (limon and lime) hoping to grow my own fruit. These were 4 feet (1.3 m) tall, and the seller suggested I might even get a few fruits that first year. While the lime never fruited, the limon did have one fruit that I used for zest. I had placed them in pots seated on rolling carriers to move them inside as I did not think they would survive the winter. It proved impractical to move them indoors, so I bought protective covers to keep out the frost. Citrus trees are evergreen and keep their foliage year-round, but stress from sudden temperature drops, low light (especially indoors), or lack of humidity can cause them to shed leaves. When I removed the covers in late winter the leaves and most of the branches were dead. I thought they had completely died, but they both began to sprout new stems by the spring. This year I am putting them in the garage to protect them from the bitter cold. Now to get them some light (grow lamps?).

THOUGHTS: It made more sense why my citrus trees died when I found out they were evergreen. While some leaves may fall, they still need sunlight, water, and moderate temperatures. Covering them deprived them of sunlight and never watering them dried them out. Melissa told me when we return from our trip, she will make room on the sunporch so they can winter with the succulents. I am hopeful they will continue to thrive under these conditions. Much like my citrus trees, humans also need the right conditions to survive. That includes adequate food, safe water, and protection from the elements (clothing and shelter). A study focusing on low- and middle-income countries suggests 4.4 billion people lack safe drinking water and the WHO found 1 in 4 lack safe access to water. We need to find another tact. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Screwworm

November 10, 2025

The Sunday before Halloween, the Homes section of my local newspaper ran a Reutters article detailing a new sterile fly plant added in Mexico. In Metapa, Mexico, engineers, veterinarians, and entomologists are racing to repurpose a plant that will play a pivotal role in trying to eradicate the flesh-eating fly threatening the country’s cattle industry and raising tensions with the US. The facility used to help control Mediterranean fruit flies, but workers are dismantling old infrastructure and rebuilding specialized laboratories designed to mimic the conditions of an animal wound. The plant aims to be ready by July 2026 and would double the number of sterile flies Mexico can release into the wild. The US has kept its border mostly closed to Mexican cattle imports since May 2025 and has invested US$21 million towards the US$51 million facility in Chiapas state in an effort to keep the screwworm fly out of America.

When I went online, I found the New World screwworm fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax), or simply screwworm, is a species of parasitic blowfly which is present in the New-World tropics. The screwworm larvae (maggots) eat the living tissue of warm-blooded animals. Of the four species of Cochliomyia, only the species hominivorax is parasitic, but a single parasitic species of Old-World screwworm fly is placed in a different genus (Chrysomya bezziana). The maggots of many fly species eat dead flesh and may occasionally infest an old and putrid wound. Infestation of a live vertebrate animal by the screwworm maggot (myiasis) is unusual because they attack healthy tissue, increasing the chances of infection, which then attracts more flies. Screwworm females lay 250 to 500 eggs in the exposed flesh which hatch and burrow into the surrounding tissue as they feed. If the wound is disturbed during this time, the larvae burrow or “screw” deeper into the flesh, giving the larva its common name. The maggots can cause severe tissue damage or even death to the host. About three to seven days after hatching, the larvae fall to the ground to pupate, reaching the adult stage about seven days later. The female will mate four to five days after hatching and can lay up to 3,000 eggs and fly up to 120 miles (200 km) during her life. Males mate up to ten times, but females mate only once and retain the male’s sperm for life, leading to the sterile eradication technique.

The screwworm was the first species to be tested with the sterile insect technique and resulted in control and systematic eradication of the species from the US, Central America, and parts of the Caribbean beginning in the 1950’s. The US and Mexico bred and released more than 94 billion sterile flies from 1962 to 1975. By the early 2000’s, it was considered eradicated from North America, but was detected in Mexico in 2024 and 2025, prompting renewed efforts to prevent its re-emergence. The fly is still widespread in tropical and subtropical parts of the Caribbean and South America and animals imported from these areas must be inspected or treated to prevent the pest’s reintroduction. Eradication efforts continued and in 1998 the first sterile flies were released in Panama with the goal of creating a barrier zone at the Darién Gap against a screwworm invasion. This is achieved through weekly sterile screwworm releases of up to 50 million insects bred in factories and sterilized by ionizing radiation. The bred insects must not suffer any impairment to compete with wild, fertile insects. In September 2025, a case of New World screwworm was found in Sabinas Hidalgo, Mexico, less than 70 miles (110 km) from the US-Mexico border.

THOUGHTS: When sterile screwworm males’ mate with wild females no offspring are produced, and the population collapses over time. Coordinator Jose Luis Quintero said, “The screwworm was eradicated once before in Mexico — it took 19 years. We hope to do it in far less time.” Let’s hope that is the case. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.