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![Prickly Russian thistle A close up of prickly Russian thistle](/sites/default/files/2022-05/P-00237-01.jpeg)
Prickly Russian Thistle
Publications that provide introductory and expanded information on the notorious invasive plant, prickly Russian thistle.
![A bee pollinating a flower.](/sites/default/files/2020-07/W-00647-04-00-Pollinators-Party-Bee-Pollination-Flowers.jpg)
Pollinators Party
In this lesson, participants will learn how plants reproduce and how to identify pollinators that help plants.
![Teardrop shaped tick with a dark brown body and legs and an elongate white patch behind its head.](/sites/default/files/2020-04/W-00569-00-american-dog-tick-female.jpg)
Ticks Becoming Active in South Dakota
The arrival of spring in South Dakota means warmer weather and more outdoor activities. However, it also brings an increase in tick activity.
![Two adult wasps side-by-side. The left is black and yellow and is resting on a green leaf. The right is black, yellow and burnt orange in color and is resting on a piece of wood.](/sites/default/files/2020-04/W-00584-00-wasp-yellow-jacket-paper-adults.jpg)
Wasp Activity Is Ramping Up
With their distinctive black and yellow stripes and tendency to hang out in groups, wasps receive attention no matter the time of year. As the weather warms up and spring progresses, you may notice more wasp activity in your yard or around your house.
![A patch of soil with kochia weeds growing throughout.](/sites/default/files/2020-05/W-00597-00-herbicide-weeds-kochia.jpg)
Temperature and Herbicide Performance
In South Dakota, the spring can come with a wide range of temperature fluctuations. This will affect the performance of burndown herbicides. Depending upon the target weed, type of herbicide and application rate, there will likely be decreased weed control in cooler temperatures.
![A red sprayer in a green field with a cloudy sky in the background.](/sites/default/files/2020-03/W-00510-00-dicamba-sprayer-crop-treatment.jpg)
How to Stop Drift
The goals of applying any crop protection products include: increasing effectiveness, mitigating drift, and maximizing profits. We will focus on mitigating drift, even though all three interact with each other.
![Two insects. The left is a wasp with a dark head, reddish brown thorax (the segment behind the head), and a black and yellow banded abdomen. The right is a hornet with a yellow head, dark brown thorax (the segment behind the head), and a brown and yellow banded abdomen.](/sites/default/files/2020-05/W-00602-00-cicada-killer-wasp-asian-giant-hornet.jpg)
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.
![Black insect with a white spot on the back and orange tipped legs and antennae.](/sites/default/files/2020-06/W-00636-01-sawfly-elm-adult-male.jpg)
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).
![Two dandelions side by side. The left has a bee foraging on it. The right has a hover fly foraging on it..](/sites/default/files/2020-05/W-00612-00-pollinators-dandelions-bee-hover-fly.jpg)
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.
![Grassland with a large amount of dried brush and fuel for burning.](/sites/default/files/2020-07/W-00724-06-Removing-Young-Trees-Grassland-Volunteer.jpg)
Removing Young Trees From Grasslands Will Save Money and Effort
Volunteer trees can hinder the development of desirable wildlife habitat and livestock resources. Early control of volunteer woody species is the simplest and most cost-effective option for maintaining open grassland habitats.