For years, a small wasp has helped control the cereal leaf beetle, a pest of grass and cereal grains. But now beetle numbers are climbing. Here are some options to reduce this pest's impact on crops.
Poisonous plants are a major cause of economic loss to the livestock industry. Two poisonous plants common to Oregon are poison hemlock and Western water hemlock. Ingestion of either by humans or livestock typically results in death.
Poison oak plants contain a chemical that causes a severe rash. Learn how to spot a plant, safely remove, and clean your clothes, gear and skin afterward to prevent a rash.
Poisonous plants in pastures and hay pose a hazard to livestock. Learn how to identify toxic plants and what steps you can take to prevent livestock from consuming them.
Silage-making has been used to reduce the concentrations of toxins in a variety of crops. But in the case of poison hemlock, the opposite is true — making silage out of it actually increases one of its toxic alkaloids.
Mechanical and physical controls are among the most fascinating components of an integrated pest management program. This arsenal involves numerous physical barriers, traps, nets and other mechanical devices.
In integrated pest management, biological controls might include predatory or parasitic insects, bacteria or fungi, and biopesticides. More and more biocontrol methods are becoming available to the home gardener.