EDUCATION
FROM THE BLOG
Galls
Plant galls are fascinating to me. They are all around us, yet we seldom notice them unless they appear in a favorite landscape tree. Plant galls are produced by a variety of organisms which include mites, wasps, midges, thrips, fruit flies, moths, psyllids, and aphids, as well as bacteria and fungi. Most plant galls are not harmful to the host plant, with the exception of some formed by bacteria and fungi. Many plant galls are produced by the host plant in response to the egg laying activity of the insects and mites mentioned. Either the mechanical effect of the egg laying, or the introduction of a chemical into the plant [...]
King Ranch Bluestem
Yes, it is that time of year again. The King Ranch Bluestem, aka “KR Bluestem”, is sending up the tall telltale seed heads to let us know it is there. You see, it has been there all along. It is a perennial grass that was introduced from Europe and Asia in the 1920s and 1930s as a “desirable” species for erosion control and forage for cattle. (Another good idea gone awry.) As you can guess, it is no longer “desirable”. KR Bluestem is now on the Texas Invasive Species list, and it has spread pretty much throughout the state. It didn’t help that TXDOT used it on roadsides as wildflower [...]
UPCOMING EVENTS