Bugs by the Yard

If you live in Central Texas, you may look forward to years when snout butterflies can be seen trailing through the skies by the thousands....or you could be someone who dreads having to wash butterfly carcasses off your car regularly. Whichever you are, tune in to find out more about these fascinating butterflies and what they are doing.Logo by Natalie CervantesMusic by Owen DesBles

It's that time of year for a possible cricket season to hit in Texas. While we see crickets every year, some years there are huge populations that turn into quite a nuisance. Tune into to find out more.Logo by Natalie CervatnesMusic by Owen DesBles

It's that time of year when grasshoppers seem to be eating EVERYTHING in your landscape. Tune in to discover how to tell grasshoppers from katydids and what you can do to manage these crittersLogo by Natalie CervantesMusic by Owen DesBles

Are you wondering what those bugs are on your tomatoes? ....or peppers...or eggplant.... This episode will cover two common culprits- stink bugs and leaffooted bugs.Logo by Natalie CervantesMusic by Owen DesBles

Are you seeing webbing on your plants but no spiders? You may need to take a closer look for spider mites. While related to spiders, spider MITES are a different beast. Listen to learn what to look for and what you can do about them.https://texasinsects.tamu.edu/spider-mite/Podcast art by: Natalie CervantesPodcast music by: Owen DesBles

We've been hearing a lot about Cicada "brood X" this season - what are they and how come we aren't seeing them in Texas? Learn about cicadas, their long sad life underground, and how to chase them around the country.Podcast art by: Natalie CervantesPodcast music by: Owen DesBles

Wasps are a concern because they care capable of stinging, but they can also be beneficial as pollinators and predators. We'll cover common wasps that can be found in Texas and when you should be concerned about them being in your yard.Podcast art by: Natalie CervantesPodcast music by: Owen DesBles

Aphids are a sucking insect pest that plagues almost every home gardener. In this episode we discuss some basics about aphid biology, some of the predators, and how to manage them.Podcast art by: Natalie CervantesPodcast music by: Owen DesBles

In this two-parter, Dr. Becky Bowling, Extension Specialist in Urban Water, talks to us about some of the most common turfgrass pests in Texas and how to monitor for them. In this episode, Dr. Bowling covers some of the other common pests we see in Texas turfgrass.Podcast art by: Natalie CervantesPodcast music by: Owen DesBles

In this two-parter, Dr. Becky Bowling, Extension Specialist in Urban Water, talks to us about some of the most common turfgrass pests in Texas and how to monitor for them. In this episode, Dr. Bowling covers grubs and chinch bugs.Podcast art by: Natalie CervantesPodcast music by: Owen DesBles

Time to start your vegetable gardens! Learn a bit about what the Bug's by the Yard hosts do to prepare, establish, and manage pests on their vegetable gardens.Podcast art by: Natalie CervantesPodcast music by: Owen DesBles

After that rough winter storm, spring has thrust itself upon us! Every year we get asked what to plant to attract pollinators - we discuss some of our favorite pollinators, how to prevent harm to pollinators, and some plants to consider to attract pollinators. We also mention a pollinator citizen science project (https://sixleggedaggie.com/pollinator-project) that gives you an opportunity to determine what plants are considered most attractive to pollinators in your area!Podcast art by: Natalie CervantesPodcast music by: Owen DesBles

Any time we get some cold snaps we get asked the question "will there be less insects this year?". In this episode, we discuss some insect cold tolerance strategies.Disclaimer: This episode was recorded after the first snowfall in Texas, but BEFORE winter storm Uri. Little did we know what was to come!Podcast art by: Natalie CervantesPodcast music by: Owen DesBles

Molly Keck, Wizzie Brown, and Erfan Vafaie - three entomologists working for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service through the Department of Entomology. We're all passionate about bugs, but why? Learn a bit about each of us, what got us into entomology, what some of our favorite insects are, and what we hope to bring with this podcast series.Podcast art by: Natalie CervantesPodcast music by: Owen DesBles