Alaska IPM

Looking for a good book to jump start your gardening season? The book Insects and Gardens by entomologist Eric Grissell (2001) is full of insights into the lives of the insects in your garden. He covers the biological questions, such as which insects and other arthropods are you likely to encounter in the garden and what are they doing there, in addition to the philosophical questions of how to come to terms with the existence of insects in our gardens. While the book is full of factual information, Grissell has a knack for writing in a conversational tone, peppered with bits of humor, that is pleasurable to read.

If you've taken the Master Gardener course in recent years, you may recognize this book. I like to start my presentation on insect biology with a quote from his book that I think helps to reframe our perspective of insects in the garden:
“When an insect awakens, the first thought that comes to its puny mind is not how much trouble it can create for you, the gardener. The concept of trouble is confined entirely to the mind of the gardener and his philosophical outlook on such things.”

This is not to say that the author does not acknowledge that insects can cause damage in the garden. Rather, Grissell encourages gardeners to get to know the diverse roles of insects in their garden, so that the gardener can learn to appreciate and encourage the benefits that insects can provide for our gardens.

The book is available to borrow through Anchorage Public Library's interlibrary loan system, or through the Soldotna & Kodiak Public Libraries.

-Alex Wenninger, [email protected]

Don't forget to register your honey bee hives with the Alaska Division of Agriculture! Registration is quick and easy and is required annually by law. You can either fill out the form electronically and submit via email or can print and mail to the address on the form: https://dnr.alaska.gov/.../HB%20Registration%20Fillable...

Registration helps the Alaska Division of Agriculture understand the size of the industry in Alaska, and also allows them to notify nearby apiaries in the event of a nearby bee disease detection. The information provided remains confidential within the Division of Agriculture.