FOR-172: Vole Issues and Management around Homes, Orchards, and Row Crops

Andrew Ibach, Jena Nierman, Matthew Springer | June 26, 2023 (New)

Voles are a small rodent found in the family Cricetidae. Voles are most commonly known for burrowing systems they create. In Kentucky, there are four different species of voles: The Meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus), Prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster), Woodland vole (Microtus pinetorum), and the Southern Red-Backed vole (Myodes gapperi). Though each species is unique, they share common characteristics.

FOR-171: Best Practices for Mushroom Foraging in Kentucky

Megan Buland, Ellen Crocker, Brandon George | May 19, 2023 (New)

Kentucky is a great place to forage wild mushrooms. Its extensive forests are home to many different edible fungi including morels, chanterelles, lions' mane, chicken of the woods, oyster mushrooms, and more. While mushroom hunting is a great hobby, it is not without risks. Many mushrooms can cause illness if consumed and some are deadly poisonous, resulting in lasting illness or even death. Even those broadly considered edible should be approached cautiously as improper storage and cooking, drug interactions, and allergies can all result in adverse reactions.

FOR-45: Managing Tree Squirrel Problems in Kentucky

Tom Barnes, Matthew Springer | February 2, 2023 (Revised)

Kentucky has three species of tree squirrels: eastern gray (Sciurus carolinensis), northern fox (Sciurus niger), and southern flying (Glaucomys volans). Gray and fox squirrels are game species, whereas flying squirrels are a non-game species. Because flying squirrels seldom cause problems for homeowners, they are not discussed in this publication.

FOR-160: Monitoring for and Controlling Wild Pig Populations in Kentucky

Elizabeth Evers, Matthew Springer | October 13, 2021 (New)

Wild pigs are widely considered to be the most destructive invasive species in the United States. They cause large amounts of agricultural damage, compete with native wildlife for resources, alter wildlife habitat, and threaten biological diversity.

FOR-135: Softwood Growth Rings

Terry Conners | January 10, 2020 (New)

Many softwoods look similar to the naked eye at first; the colors are often similar, maybe light-colored overlaid with tinges of yellow-brown or perhaps a slight pinkish cast. Even the weights of similarly-sized pieces (the densities) might seem similar. There are, however, differences in the wood structure that we can use to separate the various species. Two of the most important characteristics we look at are 1) the presence or absence of resin canals (as discussed previously) and 2) the appearance of the earlywood--latewood transition in annual growth rings.

FOR-138: Wood Structure and Mechanical Performance are Related

Terry Conners | January 10, 2020 (New)

There is a strong correlation between wood density and mechanical properties, and this is true for both softwood and hardwood species. Density and strength properties can vary even within species due to different growth conditions.

FOR-136: Further Distinguishing Softwood Species

Terry Conners | January 10, 2020 (New)

Recognizing that an unidentified sample is a resinous or non-resinous softwood, with either an abrupt or a gradual transition is a good start towards identifying an unknown specimen. The problem is that this information is rarely enough! Other characteristics need to be combined with that data. Some of the things to look out for include characteristic odors, the diameter of the tracheids, and the presence of storage cells. Sometimes the context or original location of the material can be helpful.

FOR-137: Hardwood Growth Rings

Terry Conners | January 10, 2020 (New)

As in softwoods, hardwood species identification is accomplished by looking at species-specific combinations of features. Almost all hardwood species (including all of those from North America) contain vessels which appear as holes (pores) on wood cross-sections; hardwood species without vessels are unlikely to be encountered in North America. Those species are more commonly found in the southern hemisphere and are rarely sold as commercial species.

FOR-133: Using Camera Surveys to Estimate White-tailed Deer Populations

Jonathan Matthews, Matthew Springer | August 7, 2019 (New)

For the past 20 plus years, wildlife biologists have used game camera surveys to estimate population size and health in many wildlife species including white-tailed deer. Population estimates of wildlife populations have historically been conducted through capture-mark-recapture surveys, line-transect surveys, helicopter surveys, and other methods. These methods, while proven accurate, are often costly, time-consuming, and are not readily available to the average landowner. In the 1990s, researchers evaluated the reliability of camera surveys based on proven methods of population estimates. Studies indicated that camera surveys are a reliable method for accurate population estimates of white-tailed deer, and more recent studies have continued to support this method. The simple yet robust method has created a reliable, rather easily implementable tool to the public, allowing them to inventory their deer herds on the properties they own or lease.

FOR-134: Identifying and Mitigating Plant Damage Caused by the Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker

Matthew Springer | August 7, 2019 (New)

Woodpeckers cause various types of damage to plants, trees, and even human structures. There are several species of woodpeckers present in Kentucky, and damage varies with species. One species of woodpecker that creates a rather unique type of damage is the yellow-bellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varus), which overwinters in Kentucky and then migrates north in spring.