2016 Holiday Gift Wish List

It's that time again for finding the perfect gift for the discerning person on your list (or for a good gag gift for the Grinches).  Here are some possible arthropod-themed items you may need to pick up.






First up is a spider infused computer mouse.  I personally think the whole thing is a bit humorous as I used to have a bird eating tarantula that ate mice and this flips that- a "mouse" with a tarantula inside.  ....maybe it's just me that sees that angle?  Anyhoo, the website is in Japanese so good luck if you actually want to order one! http://www.kyeagifts.com/











This next one is actually something that I LOVE!  I follow Bloodmilk on Instagram (bloodmilk) and she has some amazing items. As well as various jewelry items, she has an tote that has two awesome (in my opinion) things on it- spiders and books!
The Comfort of Dust














Another item that I adore calls to my affinity for....yes, you guessed it...COCKROACHES!  And sorry folks, but this one is already in (actually on) my greedy little hands, so it's off the market.  I had the ring custom made by Amanda Black of Black Rabbit Studios with a hidden cockroach.  She does amazing work and I can't say enough about how beautiful my ring is.  She has many other items that are inspired by nature, so check her out!














If you're into real insects, then these beetle earrings may be for you.  Made by Insect Art on Etsy, they will certainly grab people's attention and provide an ice breaker at any holiday parties.









I've been following coffeetopia's (Ghidaq al-Nizar) work for awhile.  He creates art from coffee grounds and they are stunning!  My favorite, of course, had cockroaches!











This paper dragonfly chandelier is would be perfect for a child's room or to add some natural theming to a home.  Made by kismetsunday on etsy.  They have dragonflies, butterflies as well as seahorses, leaves, snowflakes, jellyfish, koi and other designs.

















Susan Soares is twisting the insect theme with her insects au gratin line.  She 3-D prints (with dried insect powder) items that can be not only used or worn, but eaten! I think this is an interesting concept that creates not only beautiful works of art, but items that make you think about what can be/ is used as food around the world.

Lygus bugs

I've been getting email and calls about small "stink bugs" on cruciferous crops lately.  I went out to our demonstration garden to see if I could rustle some up on what we have planted out there and I hit the jackpot.  I found Lygus bugs on the cabbage and some other plants (that I have no idea what they are...I went back out to look- they're fava beans).

Lygus bugs have a wide host range and have been found on over 350 plants.  These bugs will commonly begin the year in weedy areas and then move into adjacent areas (leading them into gardens and landscapes) when the weeds begin to decline.

Adults are about 1/4 of an inch long and come in a variety of colors (the ones I've been seeing are brownish-black with red dots on the tip of the hemelytra).  They have whitish markings behind the head and on the wings.  The back half of the front wing is held downward at an angle (so it appears that the bug backed into a wall).  Nymphs look similar to the adults, but are usually a yellow-green in color and lack fully developed wings.

Weed management is very important to help keep populations of tarnished plant bug in check.  Manage weeds to keep the bugs from colonizing areas adjacent to gardens and landscape areas. You can try vacuuming them up with a hand-held vacuum. Pesticides can be used to knock down heavy populations.  Look for active ingredients such as insecticidal soap, azadirachtin, pyrethrins, or pyrethroids.

Survey needs participants!

The Southern Regional Extension Forestry program is conducting a survey about people’s awareness of forest and tree health issues. By answering a few questions about these issues, your firewood use habits, and where you’ve recently learned about the issues, program staff hopes to gain insight as to how to effectively engage with the public and how to improve in the future.

This survey should only take 10 minutes. The first page asks about your firewood purchasing practices. The second page asks about your knowledge of invasive forest insects. All answers will be kept completely confidential. Your participation is greatly appreciated.


Link to survey.