By Margaret Bayne, OSU Extension Service Staff-retired, OSU Master Gardener
Asian Giant Hornet: A potential threat to honeybee colonies in Oregon
New OSU publication outlines identification, life cycle, and predatory habits of the Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia). Along with recommendations for reporting a suspected sighting in the Pacific Northwest. (Ellen Topitzhofer, Chris Hedstrom, Priyadarshini Chakrabarti, Andony Melathopoulos, Silvia I. Rondon, Gail A. Langellotto-Rhodaback, Ramesh R. Sagili) https://bit.ly/2SPTLAP
Why Are Plants Green? To Reduce the Noise in Photosynthesis. “Plants ignore the most energy-rich part of sunlight because stability matters more than efficiency, according to a new model of photosynthesis.” (Rodrigo Perez Ortega, Quantamagazine.org) https://bit.ly/2ZuispX
Spiders, cobwebs proliferate this time of year; here’s why (plus fascinating spider myths and info.) (Oregonianlive.com) https://bit.ly/2DR7gw4
Air Pollution: Ozone. (Jay Pschdeit, PNW Disease Handbook) https://bit.ly/2ZpJ5fV
Volcanic Rock Yields a New Kind of Insecticide for Mosquitoes. (John P. Roche Entomologytoday.org) https://bit.ly/2ZtIOZn
A Field Guide to Finding Cool Moths. (Ken Keffer, blog.nature.org) https://bit.ly/33jN5jb
Bumblebees Are Larger in Cities, Study Finds-Bigger bees have larger brains and are better pollinators. (Mary Jo DiLonardo, treehugger.com) https://bit.ly/3c1NLOh
Moth Fur Is the Ultimate Acoustic Armor. It muffles the clicks of ravenous, echolocating bats. (Matthew Taub, atlasobscura.com) https://bit.ly/35vpE9o
Be Yellowjacket Aware. (Amanda Brenner, Lauren Grad, OSU) https://bit.ly/2FpbDyW
Female Dragonflies Play Dead To Avoid Having Sex, New Video Shows. Researchers believe this is a survival tactic which is rare- “Sexual death feigning.” (Annie Garau, allthatsinteresting.com) https://bit.ly/3hiQljD
A 194-year-old apple tree, the matriarch of the Northwest apple industry, has died. (CNN via www.channel3000.com) https://bit.ly/3iohhzR
Selecting quality trees from the nursery. (Edward F. Gilman, and Laura Sadowski, UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL) https://bit.ly/2RlfLTn
Some like it hot… but most do not: How high temperatures delay pollination and ripening. (John Porter, Gardenerprofessors.com) https://bit.ly/2FksyCY
Bumblebees hate pumpkin pollen, which may help pumpkins (Krishna Ramanujan, Cornell U) https://bit.ly/33WLx08
