Byrd-i-Pedia

Cottony Cushion Scale presents on the undersides of leaves and on branches, covering them with white, cottony, cushion-like masses.  Leaves will yellow and will most likely drop.  Often, a sticky black substance called “honeydew” will coat the leaves.  This is caused by the withdrawal of tree sap from the leaves and branches.  The insects are unable to fully digest the sugars and the black “honeydew” appears.  Sometimes, a sooty mold will also grow on the “honeydew.”

Use Systemic Insect Spray to combat.

Scale insects are some of the most destructive pests of shade trees and ornamentals, but few are serious forest pests. Read More

Poa Annua, aka annual bluegrass, is a smallish, tufted winter annual that infiltrates lawns and causes general dispair throughout the nation. Read More

Thanks to the NC Cooperative Extension for this information:

If you enjoy house plants there may come a time when you must deal with a mealybug
infestation. Female mealybugs are soft oval insects without wings. Read More

Aphids are common pests that can attack a variety of home garden and landscape plants. They are typically found clustering on succulent young shoots and leaves, although some species occur on flowers, twigs, branches and roots. Read More

Whiteflies are closely related to aphids, mealybugs and scale, all of which feed by sucking sap from plants. Whiteflies can be found on the undersides of leaves and are active during the daytime when the temperature is warm. Read More

Cankerworms are becoming more of an issue in North Carolina and throughout the Eastern half of North America from Texas to Nova Scotia.

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Quackgrass is a perennial grass (weed) that grows from from rhizomes. Unchecked, Quackgrass can reach a height of 3 1/2 feet.  Commonly found in  lawns that are generally above the Mason- Dixon Line  form coast to coast. Read More

Brown Patch is a lawn fungus that appears in humid conditions and presents with circular patches of brown, dead grass.  The circles can range from a few inches to a few feet around.  The rings are often surrounded by dark, purplish rings Read More

Hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta L.) is a winter and early spring annual weed. Also known as Pepperweed, Shotweed and Snapweed, Bittercress can grow to 3-9 inches long, with the leaves mostly on the lower portion Read More