It’s a good time to deal with pests
Throughout any given season of the year, we in Cooperative Extension are asked to identify specific pests and make recommendations about how to control them, etc. Many times we are trying our best to diagnose something over the phone after having discussed it for only a minute or two. We try to make sure we have the information we need by asking you questions, but sometimes we might not think to ask the right question.
Photographs of symptoms or pests can be helpful because we know how easy it is to make mistakes under less than perfect circumstances.
Other related information such as the accurate location of the pest, surroundings, history of the affected area, etc. all are important to provide a plausible identity and plan for containment.
Too often the information provided might be a very general description of the pest, or worse yet simply a general description of a symptom without any additional data to support a suitable identification as to what the problem might be.
So, help us help you by collecting all the relevant information you can before calling for some assistance. Become a detective and snoop around locating a possible source of the pest, when damage occurs, on what plants or buildings are the pests observed, collect fresh samples of the pest for delivery to the Extension office, etc., the more information the better.
If we cannot immediately identify the problem or offer a recommendation, we can send the sample to Penn State for identification and possible recommendations.
Help us help you by providing as much useful information as possible.
—
Cathy Brady and Don Fretts are educators with the Penn State Cooperative Extension, an educational network that gives people access to the resources and expertise of Penn State University.
Penn State Cooperative Extension is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and state and county governments. Local extension educators and volunteers can be reached at fayettext@psu.edu or by phone at 724-438-0111.
For more information, check the state’s extension website at www.extension.psu.edu.