Recent Posts
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Where do insects and other invertebrates go in the winter? The vast majority “overwinter,” or spend winter, right where they spent all summer — just less active and more hidden. Think twice before you rake, mow, and blow this year. Invertebrates rely on fallen leaves and other organic debris to cover and insulate them from…
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As the air grows crisp and the nights get longer, there’s something magical about spending time in the garden during the Fall. With Halloween around the corner, why not embrace the season’s spooky spirit and plant a garden that looks like it leapt straight out of a ghost story? Whether you’re decorating for trick-or-treaters, planning…
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Just in time for Halloween — the spooky-looking creepy-crawly Joro spider has reached the north Georgia area. Joro spider in its web. Photo by Phillip Prichard Native to Japan and China, Joro spiders are believed to have made the trek overseas by hitching a ride in a shipping container. The striking arachnid has been sighted…
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If you have pine trees on your property, one of the biggest threats to their health could be lurking just beneath the Southern Pine Beetle (SPB). Though only about the size of a grain of rice, this destructive insect can kill entire stands of trees in a matter of weeks if left unchecked. SBP are…
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Hummingbird moths have been seen as a lucky omen. In particular, a swarm of the moths was seen flying across the English Channel on D-Day, the day of the Normandy landings in the Second World War. Spiritually, the hummingbird moth is seen by some cultures as a symbol of peace, prosperity, longevity, and good fortune. One of the most enjoyable insect visitors to…
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Without pollinators, people and earth’s environment would be in jeopardy. Of the 1,400 crop plants grown around the world, those that produce all our food and plant-based industrial products, almost 80% require pollination by animals. Visits from bees and other pollinators also result in larger, more flavorful fruits and higher crop yields. We have pollinators…
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The Paulding County Master Gardener Extension Volunteer Scholarship has awarded local students who study agriculture and related fields with support for 16 years. Recently, Master Gardeners awarded scholarships to three very worthy, local high school graduates, from Paulding County. This scholarship expansion was thanks in part to generous community donations from individuals and the Dallas…
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If you could increase the value of your land to where it would benefit you financially, improve game and fish harvest, and provide ecological improvements, would you be curious? Of course you would! That means you need to register today for the 2025 Agroforestry and Wildlife Field Day on Sept. 18. This one-of-a-kind educational event,…
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Ticks live in a warm climate in an environment that they share with human beings and other creatures such as deer, dogs, mice, cats, and other warm-blooded animals. A tick has four stages in its life cycle: egg, larva, nymph, and adult. Each stage from larva to adult must have a blood meal for the…
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A naturalist is any person who studies the natural world. Naturalists make observations of the relationships between organisms and their environments, as well as how those relationships change over time. Well-known examples of naturalists in history include Charles Darwin, John Muir, Rachel Carson, and William Batrum. Notable naturalists in recent history include Janisse Ray, Steve and…