Content by John Ball
Tree Pest Alert
From seasonal issues and timely recommendations to disease diagnosis and expert advice, the Tree Pest Alert is a trusted resource for selecting, planting and caring for trees and shrubs all year round.
Tree Issue Treatments
Publications of the most commonly available in pesticides for use in South Dakota for Turf & Ornamentals.
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.
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).
Emerald Ash Borer Insecticide Treatment Options
Fact sheet about insecticide treatment options for protecting ash trees against emerald ash borer.
Junior Arborist Activity Guide
The Junior Arborist Activity Guide provides objectives, content, equipment and supplies needed to complete 8 modules of arboriculture instruction, helping schools and other educational programs to create a youth arboriculture program of their own.
Tree Watering Tips for Drought Conditions
There is no precise recipe for how much and how often trees should be watered during a drought. However, there are a few guidelines to follow.
How to Identify an Ash Tree Infested by Emerald Ash Borer
This guide will help you determine whether an ash tree may be infested by the emerald ash borer.
Choosing Firewood
This is the time of the year where many people enjoy sitting around a fire. A roaring fire provides a cheery way to spend a cold winter evening. However if you choose the wrong firewood, it could become a smoky evening with little heat but lots of sparks flying from wood that has a musky odor. You have to start with the right wood.
Choosing the Perfect Christmas Tree
Christmas tree lots are already beginning to spring up around the state and Thanksgiving marks the start of the Christmas tree season, with more than 30 million trees being sold between Thanksgiving and Christmas.