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No, It’s Not a Murder Hornet.
By now, you’ve probably read headlines about the Asian giant hornets (aka “murder hornets”) that were spotted in Washington state and across the border in Canada. It is important to note that Asian giant hornets have only been confirmed in a small area of Washington and Canada. These wasps have not been observed in South Dakota or our neighboring states.
A fly? A hornet? Nope, it’s a sawfly!
This spring, there have been multiple reports of people seeing large fly-like insects in their yards. These insects are sawflies, and all reports thus far have been the elm sawfly (Cimbex americana).
Why Those Dandelions in Your Yard Aren’t So Bad
While research has shown that pollinators, specifically honey bees, can’t survive on dandelion pollen alone, this doesn’t mean that the dandelions aren’t still important for pollinators.
Dill Pickles
Try this research-tested recipe for homemade dill pickles courtesy of the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Strawberry Jam
Try this research-tested recipe for homemade strawberry jam courtesy of the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Canned Tomato Salsa
Try this research-tested recipe for canned tomato salsa courtesy of the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Canned Carrots
Try this research-tested recipe for canned carrots courtesy of the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Canned Green Beans
Try this research-tested recipe for canned green beans courtesy of the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Start Scouting for Grasshopper Activity in Crops and Grasslands
Most of Eastern South Dakota is experiencing very low grasshopper populations. However, this is not the case for many areas in Central and Western South Dakota.
Huge Wasps on My Tree! No, Those Still Aren’t Murder Hornets.
Another insect that has been mistaken for the Asian giant hornet (also known by its media-popularized name of ‘murder hornet’) is the horntail wasp. Horntail wasps are wood-boring insects that are harmless to humans, as they do not have venom and cannot sting.