EDITOR’S NOTE: Environmental Horticulture Agent III, Rebecca Jordi, addresses questions about landscaping and gardening in northeast Florida. She is the Extension Director in Nassau County, Florida and also a University of Florida faculty member.
QUESTION: I found a black ladybug and it has two red spots on it. I have never seen one like it before. Is it rare? JT
JORDI: It is not rare but a wonderful treat for you to find it feeding on your palm tree fronds. It is called a Two-stabbed ladybird beetle, Chilocorus stigma. They love to feed on scale and aphids.
The term ladybird is a name used in England for more than 600 years for the European beetle Coccinella septempunctata. As knowledge about insects increased, the name became extended to all its relatives, members of the beetle family Coccinellidae. Of course, these insects are not birds, just as butterflies are not flies. The lady for whom they were named was “the Virgin Mary,” and common names in other European languages have the same association (the German name Marienkafer translates to “Marybeetle” or ladybeetle).
Like most beneficial insects, C. stigma is susceptible to broad-spectrum insecticides. Using alternative control treatments such as dormant or horticultural oils may be less harmful to the lady beetles. For further information, read this publication on several other ladybird beetles. Look over the different life cycles of this important insect as you may start to recognize other forms of this insect and they should be protected too. The larval stage of the ladybird beetle is also an important predator of harmful insects.
QUESTION: I have clover all over my yard. It puts up a small white-pink flower. I noticed the bees seem to love it. What kind of clover is it? JB
JORDI: White clover (Trifolium repens L.) is a cool-season legume. Although a perennial in many areas of the U.S., it frequently acts like an annual in Florida. White clover is one of the most nutritious forages available for milking cows. White clover grows best under cool temperatures and on fertile soils with excellent and sustained moisture holding capacity. It will disappear when temperatures begin to increase in the late spring and early summer. Notice the slight white ring on the leaflet which makes it easy to identify. White clover is an excellent source of nectar for bees foraging until the spring and summer flowers become available.
QUESTION: What is the weed with a reddish colored seed head which is showing up everywhere along the road sides right now. PP
JORDI: I suspect you are referring to Heart-wing Sorrel, Rumex hastatulus, which is in the buckwheat family. It is a medium to tall annual weed found along many roadside and local pastures. Leaves are basal, which means they grow close to the ground in a cluster. The species name “hastatulus” is Latin for spear-shaped which refers to the appearance of the leaves. The flowers start out green and turn red when mature. If you look at the individual flowers closely, you will see they are heart-shaped from which it derives its common name. It reproduces by seed only.
This weed is common on sandy soil throughout the coastal plain of the southeastern United States. It occurs in Florida from the central part of the state northward into the southeastern United States to Texas, and northward through the Midwest to Montana and Illinois and through the Northeast to Massachusetts. The seeds are a common wild bird food. Oxalates in this plant can be poisonous by binding calcium in the blood. The sap can cause dermatitis in sensitive individuals. Get more information about Heart-wing Sorrel, Rumex hastatulus .
SEE ALSO APRIL 2013 GARDENING CLINICS LISTED BELOW
Rebecca L. Jordi
Nassau County Extension Director
Environmental Horticulture
543350 U. S. Highway #1
Callahan, Florida 32011
April 10, 2013 – Landscape Matters: Turf grass
Master Gardener Nelson Peterson will conduct a Landscape Matters class on turf weeds and lawn grasses. The session will take place at the UF/IFAS Nassau County Demonstration Garden. Nelson will discuss varieties of turf and considerations in selecting the best grass for your landscape and lawn maintenance practices. Also discussed will be the weeds that appear in our turf and proper response and treatment. Class is free and open to the public. For more information, see the Nassau County Extension website or call 904-879-1019. Master Gardeners are on phone duty Fridays, at 904-491-7340.
April 15, 2013
Becky Jordi, County Extension Director/Horticulture Extension Agent will conduct a Plant Clinic from 10 am until 2 pm at the Yulee Extension Office (A1A and Pages Dairy Road). All County residents are invited to bring plant samples showing problems in their landscapes. Problems will be identified and solutions offered for correction. There is no fee for this service. For information call 904-879-1019. Master Gardeners are on phone duty Fridays, at 904-491-7340.