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Pollinator and Wildlife Habitat signs in a bed of plants and yellow flowers.

Funding Opportunities for Small-Scale Pollinator Habitats: A Guide for Urban and Home Garden Projects

Urban habitats are essential for providing food, shelter, and breeding grounds for important pollinators. Learn about some of the many funding opportunities available for urban pollinator habitat projects of all sizes and scopes.

a patch of green, weedy flowers with white petals and a yellow center

Invasive Garden Plants: Is That a Weed?

While we generally consider invasive plants like crabgrass, dandelions, and purslane as weeds, just about any plant can be considered a weed when it's in the wrong location.

several deep purple to green asparagus spears emerging from garden soil

Asparagus is In-Season

Asparagus is a favorite vegetable of many people who cultivate it in their gardens.

Tan-gray Goss’s bacterial blight lesions were observed in scouted corn fields.

Goss’s Bacterial Wilt and Blight Developing

While out scouting corn fields (the week of August 11, 2020) Goss’s bacterial wilt and blight was found starting to develop in a number of fields.

Three beetles. From left: Black colored blister beetle on a purple flower. Gray colored blister beetle on a green alfalfa stem. Orange-brown colored blister beetle feeding on a sunflower head.

Blister Beetles Showing up in Alfalfa Fields

Blister beetles are now active in South Dakota. Although the larvae of blister beetles can be beneficial by feeding on grasshopper eggs, the adults cause issues when large populations are present in alfalfa at the time of harvest.

A yellow beetle with a black head, and square black markings on its back standing on a soybean leaf.

2021 South Dakota Overwintering Bean Leaf Beetle Predicted Mortality

Bean leaf beetle emergence is approaching, and it’s important to start thinking about this pest. Once soybean begin emerging, overwintering adult beetle populations will move into soybean fields and begin feeding on seedlings.

Small, brown insect with tail.

Springtails Are in My Home

During the last few weeks, we have been receiving an increased number of questions regarding very small insects that jump very far. It didn’t take long to determine that the hordes of small insects are springtails.

Corn plants with recently emerged tassel and ear in a field.

Flowering in Corn

Corn is at or near the most critical growth condition. Successful flowering and pollination are very important in determining the fate of the kernel setting and development. This article summarizes the pollination process and the effects of dry, hot conditions on pollination.

A color-coded precipitation probability map of the United States. The majority of South Dakota is predicted to have wetter than average precipitation, with the highest likelihood being in the southwest corner of the state. For a complete description, call SDSU Extension at 605-688-6729.

May 2020 Climate Outlook

On April 16, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center released their climate outlook for May and the coming three-month period of May through July. There is a lot of uncertainty in the temperature outlook for the next one-to-three months in the Northern Plains Region.

A yellow beetle with a black head, and square black markings on its back standing on a soybean leaf.

2020 South Dakota Overwintering Bean Leaf Beetle Predicted Mortality

Although bean leaf beetles won’t be emerging for a while yet, it is important to be prepared for potential early season defoliation. Once soybean are planted and begin emerging, the overwintering population of bean leaf beetle adults will move into soybean fields and begin feeding on the seedlings.