We often experience ants in our homes when weather conditions change. They are typically looking for food, water, warmth and or protection from extreme weather conditions.

Ants belong to the insect order Hymenoptera and are close relatives of bees and wasps. The most common outdoor ant found in California is the Argentine worker ant. The Argentine worker ant is approximately 3 millimeters long, dark colored and does not sting. They have no natural enemies.

Their colonies have multiple queens and only the queens lay eggs. An ant’s life cycle moves from egg to larva to pupa to adult. Their nests are normally found in moist soils, under debris or along sidewalks and driveways. Argentine ants are drawn to sweet foods but will also feed on protein (e.g. dead bugs). The Argentine ant will venture up to 100 feet away from the nest to find food, water and shelter inside buildings. Once inside, if ants find food, they will continue to invade until the food source is removed and/or the entryway sealed.

While it is not realistic to eradicate all ants from your backyard, you can effectively reduce the number of ants entering your home by following a 3-Step integrated approach as follows:

Minor Indoor Problem (small trail of ants observed infrequently). Prevent further intrusion by:

1. Identifying the location where the ants are getting into the house. Inspect baseboards, floors, electrical outlets, vents, pipes, drains and walls for any entryways and seal them off (caulk is good for this). Destroy any nesting sites found close to the house. Cut back trees, shrubs or wooded material touching the house and clear away mulch or debris that is next to the house.

2. Clean up food and water sources in the home. All sources of “attractive” food should be removed or securely sealed. Use soapy water to kill ants and eliminate their trails. Moderate (trails of hundreds of ants) and Severe (several hundred to thousands of ants continue to invade for weeks or months). Supplement steps 1 and 2 above with the addition of bait stations as follows:

3. Install bait dispensers around the outside of the house (UC Researchers have had success using bait dispensers such as KM AntPro Liquid Bait Dispenser). Baits are more effective and less toxic than traditional pesticide treatments for ants. Baits are insecticides mixed with materials that attract worker ants. The advantage of a bait station over an insecticide spray is that the spray only kills the worker ant while the bait station allows worker ants to take the bait back to the colony to feed and kill the colony ants, including the queen ant. When all the queens die, the colony is destroyed.

Continue to refill dispensers regularly with liquid borate-based bait until the ant problem ceases. It is critical that you select the right bait/attractant for Argentine ants (liquid baits with 1% or less borate are suggested). Install at least one dispenser on each side of the house, next to structures where ants are trailing (but at least 5 ft. from any nest). Keep ant bait stations out of direct sunlight.

Following the 3-step approach above should correct home ant invasions. For more information visit www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7411.html.

For more information on dealing with the various pests that plague your home and garden, attend the workshop on Integrated Pest Management on May 17, at the Demonstration Garden at the Patrick Ranch Museum. This workshop is part of the Master Gardeners’ current Spring Workshop Series. For information about all the workshops, and to register, go to Workshops — UC Master Gardeners of Butte County (ucanr.edu) . All workshops are free, but registration is required.

The UC Master Gardeners of Butte County are part of the University of California Cooperative Extension system, serving our community in a variety of ways, including 4-H, farm advisers, and nutrition and physical activity programs. To learn more about UCCE Butte County Master Gardeners, and for help with gardening in our area, visit https://ucanr.edu/sites/bcmg/. If you have a gardening question or problem, call the hotline at 552-5812 or email mgbutte@ucanr.edu.

Ladybugs have oval-shaped bodies and appear in various colors, including red, yellow, gray, black, brown and even pink. They may or may not have spots or stripes. Ladybugs are beneficial insects that play a major role in keeping down populations of insects that feed on plants. Perhaps most importantly, ladybugs are predators with an insatiable appetite for  aphids.

A ladybug can eat up to 5,000 aphids over its lifetime. They can also help to rid your garden of other soft-bodied insects such as mites, mealybugs and leafhoppers, along with insect eggs and even ants.

Of the 5,000 ladybug species found worldwide, 450 are native to North America, with 175 of those species found here in California. Adults mate in early spring (when temperatures reach above 65 degrees) and again in June if the aphid population is abundant. When aphid populations decline, ladybugs migrate to higher elevations.

Ladybugs undergo a complete metamorphosis during their life cycle, moving through four stages: eggs to larvae to pupae to adult. The first three stages of life occur quickly, over one to two months. A single ladybug can lay up to 300 eggs. After a female lays her eggs, they hatch in two to 10 days. The eggs are yellow, oblong and laid in clusters in an aphid colony so the larvae will have a food source as they emerge from their eggs. The larvae look like tiny alligators and are about one-quarter of an inch long and blackish with orange stripes. Larvae eat and grow for another 21 to 30 days before entering the pupal stage, which lasts seven to 15 days.

Once it emerges from the pupal stage an adult ladybug will live for approximately one year.

Adult ladybugs are four to seven millimeters long or around one-quarter of an inch. The ladybug anatomy consists of a head, two antenna, two eyes, a pronotum covering the thorax, an elytra (the hard shell that covers their wings), six jointed legs, abdomen and wings (these are so thin you can actually see through them). Interestingly, ladybugs beat their wings 85 times per second in order to fly. When threatened a ladybug can draw its heads into its pronotum, like a turtle does, to protect itself.

Ladybugs hibernate in the winter months and will not fly when temperatures fall below 55 degrees. They feed on pollen and nectar and live on stored fat through the winter. Ladybugs are not preyed upon by birds or other vertebrates because they exude a very distasteful fluid from joints in their legs; their distinctive colors are a reminder to would-be predators they taste “bad.” When threatened, ladybugs will play dead.

How can you attract ladybugs to your garden? Wait for spring and check that you have a ready supply of aphids available. If there is no food, ladybugs will not come. For successful handling and release of ladybugs purchased at retail stores, keep them refrigerated until time for release. They may be dehydrated when purchased, so mist them with water from a squirt bottle before putting them in the refrigerator. Do not release them into your garden during the daytime or they will fly away immediately. Instead, release them at dusk or early morning.

Before releasing, spray a fine mist of water on plants that have aphids on them and place the ladybugs at the base of the plants. Do not release ladybugs on plants that have been sprayed with insecticides as the chemical residues may kill them. Be prepared for ladybugs to fly away in a few days as they typically don’t lay eggs on the plants they have been released on.

When you see ladybugs, remember that they are considered lucky in many cultures, for various reasons. Enjoy them in your garden until they fly away, fly away home.

The Master Gardeners Spring Workshop Series is underway. It is not too late to sign up for upcoming workshops on Native Gardens, Invasive Plants, Honeybees, and a four-part series on Firewise Landscaping. Check Workshops for Spring 2021 — UC Master Gardeners of Butte County at ucanr.edu to read about these free workshops and register for them.

The UC Master Gardeners of Butte County are part of the University of California Cooperative Extension system, serving our community in a variety of ways, including 4H, farm advisors, and nutrition and physical activity programs. To learn more about UCCE Butte County Master Gardeners, and for help with gardening in our area, visit https://ucanr.edu/sites/bcmg/. If you have a gardening question or problem, call the hotline at 538-7201 or email mgbutte@ucanr.edu.

Ants belong to the insect order Hymenoptera and are close relatives of bees and wasps. The most common outdoor ant found in California is the Argentine worker ant. The Argentine worker ant is approximately 3 millimeters long, dark colored and does not sting. They have no natural enemies.

Their colonies have multiple queens and only the queens lay eggs. An ant’s life cycle moves from egg to larva to pupa to adult. Their nests are normally found in moist soils, under debris or along sidewalks and driveways. Argentine ants are drawn to sweet foods but will also feed on protein (e.g. dead bugs). The Argentine ant will venture up to 100 feet away from the nest to find food, water and shelter inside buildings. Once inside, if ants find food, they will continue to invade until the food source is removed and/or the entryway sealed.

While it is not realistic to eradicate all ants from your backyard, you can effectively reduce the number of ants entering your home by following a three-step integrated approach.

Minor indoor problem (small trail of ants observed infrequently). Prevent further intrusion by:

1. Identifying the location where the ants are getting into the house. Inspect baseboards, floors, electrical outlets, vents, pipes, drains and walls for any entryways and seal them off (caulk is good for this). Destroy any nesting sites found close to the house. Cut back trees, shrubs or wooded material touching the house and clear away mulch or debris that is next to the house.

2. Clean up food and water sources in the home. All sources of “attractive” food should be removed or securely sealed. Use soapy water to kill ants and eliminate their trails. Moderate (trails of hundreds of ants) and Severe (several hundred to thousands of ants continue to invade for weeks or months).

Supplement steps 1 and 2 above with the addition of bait stations as follows:

3. Install bait dispensers around the outside of the house (UC researchers have had success using bait dispensers such as KM AntPro Liquid Bait Dispenser). Baits are more effective
and less toxic than traditional pesticide treatments for ants. Baits are insecticides mixed with materials that attract worker ants. The advantage of a bait station over an insecticide spray is that the spray only kills the worker ant while the bait station allows worker ants to take the bait back to the colony to feed and kill the colony ants, including the queen ant. When all the queens die, the colony is destroyed. Continue to refill dispensers regularly with liquid borate-based bait until the ant problem ceases. It is critical that you select the right bait/attractant for Argentine ants (liquid baits with 1% or less borate are suggested). Install at least one dispenser on each side of the house, next to structures where ants are trailing (but at least 5 feet from any nest). Keep ant bait stations out of direct sunlight.

Following the three-step approach above should correct home ant invasions. For more information visit www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7411.html.

The UC Master Gardeners of Butte County are part of the University of California Cooperative Extension system, serving our community in a variety of ways, including 4H, farm advisors, and nutrition and physical activity programs. To learn more about UCCE Butte County Master Gardeners, and for help with gardening in our area, visit https://ucanr.edu/sites/bcmg/. If you have a gardening question or problem, call the hotline at 538-7201 or email mgbutte@ucanr.edu.

The larvae of many species of adult moths are called cutworms, although they are actually caterpillars, not worms. They do not bite or sting; if disturbed, they will roll up into a c-shape. While they are not harmful to humans, they can be a major problem in the garden.

Cutworms are voracious leaf, bud, and stem feeders and can destroy plants. Some species are subterranean and eat roots as well.

Cutworms do their damage only when they are in the larval stage. Adult cutworm moths do not damage plants. Early in the growing season cutworms chew off seedling, young transplants, garden vegetables, and flowers. Later in the season these pests can also injure the crop by eating irregular holes in the surface of young fruits or vegetables, and causing fruiting stems to wilt and fail. On grapevines, cutworms feed from the bud swell stage until shoots are several inches long. Injured buds may fail to develop. A few cutworm species also climb up on foliage and chew holes or bore into heads of lettuce or cole crops like kale and cabbage.

Cutworms are grouped into 3 general categories:

1) Surface cutworms: do considerable damage to leaves and stems.

2) Climbing cutworms: climb onto plants and eat buds, leaves, and fruit.

3) Subterranean cutworms: stay on or below ground and feed on the roots of plants.

Identifying cutworms

Cutworms belong to the insect order Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths). A cutworm moth will typically lay 350-800 pearl-shaped eggs. Mature cutworm larvae (caterpillars) are one to two inches long, plump, soft bodied and often have longitudinal stripes.

Depending on their species, they can be gray, green, black or dull brown in color, and solid, spotted or striped.

At the end of its larval stage, a cutworm will rest in the soil for about a week before pupating below the soil layer.

Cutworm pupa are reddish-brown in appearance and can be found at or below soil level. It is during the pupal stage that the adult winged form develops. Adult cutworm moths are dark gray, black, or brown in color, with markings on their front wings. Cutworm species can only be reliably identified in the moth phase through wing color and pattern. Females are darker than males.

Life cycle

Depending on the species, there can be one or more generations of cutworms per year. Most species pass the winter in the soil or under garden waste as young larvae or pupae. Adult moths emerge from the pupal stage in spring, mate, and females lay eggs five to 11 days after emerging. Cutworm eggs hatch in April or early May, and the young cutworm caterpillars feed on vegetation near the ground. After 14 days, they avoid daylight and become nocturnal, coming out at night to feed heavily on seedlings and young plants.

The young larvae of most species pass through six stages (instars), each separated by a shedding of skin (molting). Larvae fully develop in 24 to 40 days and then pupate. The pupal stage generally lasts 21 to 34 days, but can take longer, depending on the temperature.

Adult cutworm moths are also nocturnal. They measure about one and one-half inches long with a one-and-one-half-inch wingspan.

Management and control

Plant collars can be used to protect tender transplants, because cutworms need to completely encircle a stem in order to munch it off. Make a collar out of cardboard, plastic, or aluminum foil. Paper cups (with bottoms removed) or tin cans (with both ends removed), also make good collars to place over young plants. Place a collar around each stem extending it one to two inches into the soil and two to three inches above the soil.

• Control weeds, grasses and plant debris both in and around the garden to reduce habitat and food favored by young cutworms.
• Keep up with cultivation. Moths prefer to lay eggs in high grass and weeds. At the end of the season, till your garden and mow surrounding areas to destroy their over-wintering habitat.
• A few weeks before planting your garden, dig the soil down about two inches, and squash any caterpillar larvae and/or pupae you find manually (or drop them into a bucket of soapy water).
• Once larvae emerge from pupae, hand-picking at night with a flashlight is very effective. Clip and dispose of infested foliage and blossoms.
• Pesticides are not very effective and can harm beneficial insects, so they are not recommended.

Natural enemies

Cutworms are attacked by a large range of natural enemies. The most important are parasitic wasps and flies, and some predators. The most common predators include ground beetles, lacewings, praying mantis, ants, and birds. Hens are useful because they dig out and eat cutworms present near the soil surface. Hens are very effective when confined on garden beds prior to planting.

Additional information on cutworm damage on fruits and vegetables can be found at http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/PESTS/cutworm.html.

The UC Master Gardeners of Butte County are part of the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) system, serving our community in a variety of ways, including 4H, farm advisors, and nutrition and physical activity programs.  Our mission is to enhance local quality of life by bringing practical, scientifically-based knowledge directly to our community.
To learn more about the UC Master Gardeners of Butte County, and for help with gardening in our area, visit https://ucanr.edu/sites/bcmg/. If you have a gardening question or problem, call the Master Gardener Hotline at (530) 538-7201 or email mgbutte@ucanr.edu.