Thanks for the messages. I investigated as Darius said and confirmed Dollar Spot as well. Interestingly, I fertilized a few weeks ago (maybe 3 or 4) with Milogranite. The yard was starting to look amazing. I probably should have dethatched prior to that, but didn't have time. Anyway, I went to Depot last night. They carry the Scotts Fungus product (which I bought) and another one by Spectracide (pellets, not liquid). I read both of them, and they contain different active ingredients. The Scott's contains - Dimethyl [(1,2-phenylene) bis iminocarbonothioyl)] bis [carbamate] (Thiophanate-methyl). I didn't write down what the Spectracide pellets contained, but it definitely was different than what's in Scotts. Any recommendations from anyone would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. On another note, I believe my lawn needs to be dethatched. We just moved in (Pittsburgh) in December, and the other owners hadn't done it for a couple years. Can you do this in the mid/late summer? If not, when? THansk.

The most common roses on which galls are reported are R. elganteria. Most often, the galls are reported from northern states and Canada. In the past two years, there have been photos on here (GW) of galls on roses other than eglanteria, but always from northern gardens. The galls I had on eglanteria that I mentioned here about a month ago went to the state ag people who confirmed them as galls, but were unable to identify which species of wasp caused them. I tried to get them excited about a southern record of a gall on roses and they finally confirmed that none had been reported from TN before. On my R. eglanteria's as well as those I've seen from farther north, the hyperthorniness was confined to the gall part, not to the stem above or below it. It didn't seem to be xylem or phloem transmitted. (I do have photos of my galls, but our transfer mechanism isn't working this month.) And there is a gall out there that is even thornier than the one in Cass's photos. About fasciation, at least some fasciation is phytoplasma caused. (The phrase "Asters Yellows' was used for a disease that more recently has been shown, in some plants to be phytoplasma caused.)Lots of papers about Cockscomb, Celosia deal with this, and there's a recent paper (2007) about phytoplasmas in weeds in Iraq. As for the oak dining tables, burled woods sell for great prices so you might be onto something for the future. Mr rose galls weren't woody, though, under the thorny parts, almost pith like cells surrounded the larvae.

Sandy, A comment semi jokingly about him crusin' for a bruisin' got our delivery drivers attention. After that if he tried to deliver a package and nobody was home, especially one from another country, he'd come back in the evening on his own time in his own vehicle to bring it to us. He'd always get invited in for refreshments, sometimes stay for dinner, and always wanted to see our livestock in progress. Ended up becoming a lep lover too, and a friend that we took on a few field trips with us to get him started before we moved. Hips, knees, wrists, etc... your getting old girl. ;) As always hope it goes well getting the repairs done. You've still got a lot of leps to do. I have seen a few more Lycaeiidae, Heperiidae and another Vanessa is all, no more strays. But after that last squall it has turned relatively hot again with not a breath of fresh air or any clouds. Even so, this is also my favorite time of the year here... not for leps, but because we are starting to cool off for the season and will soon be enjoying a long, cooler fall/winter with just about ideal temps. You can dress for the cold when seldom needed here, but even in Vegas walking around nude in the heat is frowned on if you are over 25. LOL Elisabeth, Everyplace has a lot of wonderful species to explore, and some of my favorites places in this country are in the midwest and east. Luckily I was able to travel for leps wherever I wanted to experience species not found where I lived. For those of you east of the slopes of the Rockies there are many, many species out west that would be new for you, and with the wide open spaces that are almost all public lands out here they are easy to "go find". There are lots of specific places here that are meccas for a lot of species too, both flora and fauna. The different habitats and landscapes make for a great trip, just like some of those back east were for me the first time I visited them. Great scenery, new species and nice people no matter where you travel is always a winner. All it takes is realigning priorities to be able to do it to whatever level works for you. Our family vacations always included some lep time even if not specifically taken for leps. We couldn't even lay on some far away beach for long before we'd all be exploring the species in tide pools or snokeling (from my marine biology days) or looking for life in the dune flora. Even staying in some hotel or resrot in a big city offered some time to look around the landscaping or immediate area. I've had a lot of strange stares in my life by walking around cities with a butterfly net. LOL Exploring nature was just too enjoyable for all of us to ignore a new opportunity with the possibility of discovering something new. Larry

It's been a few years since I last posted on the clematis terniflora thread, so I thought I should provide an update. The situation here has only gotten worse. In the area by my creek, approximately a half acre of land, I'd say there is hardly 2-3 square feet without a sprouting clematis vine. It is not the native. I know the difference. It was never planted here, apparently it drifted down along the creek. It's infested a mile long valley and there seems to be no getting rid of it. It blankets trees and smothers them, cripples saplings and chokes out new growth. It can't be pulled, it roots too deep or pervasive to dig out (on my property I'd have to dig up a whole half acre!) and even full-strength RoundUp only knocks it back temporarily. It just keeps coming back. The only way I've been able to thwart it is to continually mow, but some places can't be mowed, and besides, I wanted to go natural. Given the endless labor I put into fighting this infestation, not to mention the cost of Roundup, it really pisses me off that people would be so casual about buying and planting this extreme invasive. I'm thinking about taking a video or inviting a state official to see my case, in hopes of supporting a ban in this state. I have to fight invasive honeysuckle shrubs, honeysuckle vines, euonymus, English Ivy and vinca, but I'd say clematis terniflora must be about the most godawful invasive of them all.