Reinventing Myself - Phase Two

The Nuttall’s Blister Beetle was very abundant last summer because it follows the grasshopper cycles.  The larvae feed on grasshopper eggs and the adults feed on crop plants. 

Ahh February 21st, the days are getting longer, the geraniums have been rescued from their dark resting place and it is time to think about planting seedlings.  I start to wonder what Mother Nature has in store for us this year.  The evening news reports that fire season training starts March 1 and it is expected to be an active year for firefighters.  The Alberta Government has also issued its forecast for grasshopper populations and they are expected to be as prolific as last summer. 

While it is wise to acknowledge environmental factors that are out of my control it is important to focus on what I can manage.  The most important management factor, in my opinion is to provide a wide diversity of plants, landscapes, and habitat for insects and animals above ground as well as below ground.  A natural habitat for ground beetles, parasitic wasps and pollinators is important to maintain natural prey/predator interactions in order to decrease the chances of one insect infesting and destroying crops.  Feeding the soil microbes with green manure and compost will provide them with a well-aerated soil that holds optimum moisture levels.  This encourages a diverse and healthy microbial population, which is important in nutrient cycling and mutualistic fungal/plant interactions.

Since I am talking about soil microbes, here is an interesting fact for the month. When you go for a walk in the woods after a summer rain, that nice earthy smell that surrounds you is from a compound called geosmin released by Streptomyces bacteria. (Kind of sounds like Sheldon Cooper from the Big Bang Theory J).

I have to thank my professors for making me into an insect and soil nerd.  One in particular fostered my curiosity and appreciation for animals and insects with his shear knowledge and enthusiasm for the subject.  As my time in school comes to a close I think of all the professors I have had who are so enthusiastic about the topics they teach and who have given me new insights about so many things. I realize how much I still don’t know but I have to admit I prefer to continue my education with hands on experience.  I will not miss sitting behind a desk and working on papers and studying.  I am ready to move to the farm and work and have soil under by fingernails – then I will have a feeling that all is right in my world.