Sow Thistle & Hemp Cultivation

 Pest plant (weed) alert! 

Sow Thistle, Sonchus sp., an invasive weed in the hemp cultivation area

Sow thistle, Sonchus sp., is native to Eurasia and Africa but can be found across Florida in yards, farms and in the woods. 

Each plant can produce up to 10,000 seeds and each seed can last many years, laying dormant until the right conditions come along. The young leaves can also be cooked as potherb greens. 

The problem with sow thistle is that the plant is so prolific and hardy with it's fat tap root that sow thistle takes away habitat from native flora (botanical adverse possession) and can crowd out hemp plants in the cultivation area.

I just mow or weed eat sow thistle down before flowers form, preventing the plants from reproducing, keeping them out of the garden. 

Often mistaken for dandelion, sow thistle is in the aster family. Both have basal rosettes yet the leaves are considerably different. Aphids are often attracted to sow thistle. 

Leaf Footed Bugs, Friend or Foe to Organic Hemp Cultivation?

Leaf footed bugs, Leptoglossus spp., are larger size, primarily vegetarian insects, that feed on seeds, vegetables, plant matter and fruit with their cutting and sucking proboscis-like mouth.

Adult leaf footed bug, Leptoglossus spp. on a pine

Named for their leaf-like feet appendages, Leaf footed bugs are polyphagous and will feed on hemp plants, tomatoes, fruit, squashes and other garden crops when available.  During months when crops are not readily available they will feed on plants and seeds, seeking out 'weedy' areas across the hemp cultivation site. These insects may be often seen on hemp and cannabis plant stems, buds and leaves.

Leaf footed bugs can damage hemp and vegetable crops

Adult leaf footed bugs can fly long distances.  I usually see them hiding, over-wintering, in wood piles during cooler months.  They lay their eggs during spring and summer and may produce several generations in a year.

Birds, spiders and predatory wasps, possibly the sand wasp, are all natural enemies of leaf footed bugs and help keep their population numbers managed.

Though not the worst pest insect to the organic hemp or vegetable grower, they can inflict damage to both plant and flower.  In a well balanced horticultural ecosystem they can provide forage to other insects and wildlife and as such provide a certain level of food chain importance.

Certain species of thistles seem to attract leaf footed bugs as well as citrus.  Thistles are also quite beneficial in their supporting relationship to useful pollinators, birds and other natural pest predators. Native plant species such as milkweeds and mints are an important tool as they attract leaf footed bug enemies, such as predatory wasps.

A organic based integrated pest management approach to managing leaf footed bugs on the hemp farm should include;

• native plants that attract predatory wasps
• plenty of bird feeding opportunities
• removal of unnecessary wood and debris piles
• spider habitat
• sighting notations in daily grow journal.

As long as the leaf footed bug population numbers are not out of control, their occasional presence should not be a priority concern to the hemp grower.  They can be however, a dynamic variable in the hemp garden's ecosystematic matrix and as such their presence should be recognized by the grower in the daily journal.

 

Organic Hemp Pest Control and Anolis carolinensis (Florida's Green Anole)

Lately we've focused on discussing some of the many ecosystem variables associated with hemp (Cannabis sativa) cultivation in an effort to understand how to grow hemp organically, without the need for chemical pesticides and herbicides that may be implicated in toxic or carcinogenic potential.

The green anole is an important member of organic IPM efforts for hemp crops

Today we will briefly discuss one particular lizard, Anolis carolinensis, the common green anole.  The green anole is an insectivore and a native lizard here in the southeastern US.  But what is the difference between lizards and anoles?  Are anoles lizards or are lizards anoles?  

The green anole is a member of the Dactyloidae family, a group sometimes classified as a subgroup of the Iguanidae family (Iguanas).  Anoles and Iguanas are both considered to be 'lizards'.  Anoles range in size from small to large.  

Though native to North America the small green anole is also recognized as an invasive species in eastern countries such as Japan.  But here in Florida Anolis carolinensis is considered a beneficial native lizard.

Importantly to the hemp grower, the green anole is a highly beneficial ecosystem component to include when developing an organic integrated pest management plan.  Although any wildlife, insect or bird can be a vector for diseases that may affect hemp, Anolis carolinensis offers more benefits than risks to the grower.  With their big appetite for pest bugs green anoles can be a beneficial partner, on duty twenty four seven (I've seen them feeding at night), always looking to devour smaller pest organisms.

Organic Hemp Cultivation,  Anolis carolinesis's throat fan

Unfortunately for the hemp farmer and for the native green anole, a larger anole has appeared in Florida.  This also hungry, larger, invasive anole is known as the Cuban brown anole, Anolis sagrei.  Though native to Cuba and the Bahamas, the Cuban brown anole has spread through the Southeastern US by laying eggs in horticultural potted plant soil.

Unfortunately for the native green anole, the larger Cuban brown anole is a predator who loves to dine on green anoles.  But because the Cuban brown anole is significantly larger and heavier, the Cuban brown anole generally avoids heights.

Green anole quickly eats the pest housefly; Organic IPM in action!

Heights however are a preferred foraging and communal area for the native green anole.  The more plant matter growing above, say one meter, the better for the green anole.  Vertical green, especially in the form of native vines such as: Carolina jessamine, Gelsemium sempervirens; Coral honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens; and Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia grow above the larger Cuban anole's normal roaming territory and provide a safe-haven of vertical green to the hemp farm's green anoles.

So by adding what we call 'Vertical or Volumetric Green' to the hemp garden, the grower is providing the Florida green anole with a place to escape predators and contribute to organic hemp cultivation IPM by devouring flies, aphids, caterpillars and more.

The photo sequence here starts with a green anole resting on the palmetto frond siding of a chickee attracting flies (and female anoles) with his 'dew lap' or 'throat fan'.

Green anoles play an important role in organic integrated pest management programs.

The fly, Musca domestica, soon lands and the always searching for bug anole grabs and eats the first fly of many for the day.  This seemingly insignificant act of predation is so important to hemp IPM.  Common house flies are a significant vector of diseases that may affect hemp.  Flies frequently regurgitate their stomach contents and leave fecal matter after landing on a hemp bud.  Salmonella, aspergillus and other noxious organisms can be spread through hemp crops by house flies. Because the green anole eats copious numbers of house flies daily, they contribute to positive hemp crop ecosystem criteria.

Nature is constantly providing examples of how ecosystem matrices and integrated pest management function. 

The Florida green anole and native plant species that provide communal habitat for the anoles are two very important components of a successful organic hemp integrated pest management system.  Ultimately, both the grower and consumer benefit from organically grown hemp.  First, the consumer benefits from the organically grown hemp because the product is free from pesticides and industrial type chemicals that may be toxic or carcinogenic.  Second, the grower can command higher prices for their crops due to the demand for healthier organic products.

Learning to understand the variables in a hemp farm's ecosystem matrices can be a complex undertaking yet the efforts will pay big dividends in sustainability, quality product, health and biodiversity. 

Shout out to Anolis carolinensis! 

Organic Hemp Cultivation and Pest Control, Documenting Weather Patterns

 Some of the most important variables the organic hemp farmer can record and analyze are weather patterns impacting the growing area.

Weather patterns are often predictive of pest outbreaks.  Droughts, floods, excess heat or cold, humidity levels, solar radiation, geomagnetism and barometric pressure fluctuations can trigger pest population explosions and also initiate certain pest activities.

Temperature changes, such as prolonged heat waves may cause insects to become much more active.  Insects are cold-blooded (poikilotherms) organisms, meaning their body temperatures fluctuate with outside temperature variations and heat is not generated internally through biological processes.  Prolonged heat waves can fuel insect activity due to increased body temperatures.

Some have estimated that for each two degrees Fahrenheit rise in temperatures over normal ranges, pest insects may inflict ten to twenty percent more damage as their metabolism and body temperatures increase.  These observations suggest climate change could have serious impacts on hemp organic integrated pest management as well as for other agriculture product pest management systems.

Droughts too may trigger prolonged insect feeding activities as bugs search for water sources within plant buds, stems and leaves.  During droughts, hemp and cannabis pest insects may be driven to eat plant matter in search of moisture.  Regular precipitation measurements may provide the hemp farmer with patterns that help predict pest activity.

Organic Hemp Pest Control, Ambient Weather wifi enabled rain gauge

Climate and weather patterns can also be helpful in determining which beneficial insects, or pest predators are most productive in an organic pest control role under certain climate conditions.  Abnormal weather patterns such as drought, extreme temperatures, winds and humidity levels may actually work against beneficial insects and favor hemp pests.

There are many low cost, reliable weather stations available today that monitor, record and summarize growing area weather variables.  Ambient Weather, La Crosse Technology and Davis Instruments are a few of more popular retail available weather instruments.

Organic Hemp Cultivation, IPM methods, Ambient Weather Station

I use an Ambient Weather ultrasonic unit that measures temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, barometric pressure, sunrise and sunset hours and other important ecosystem geophysical variables.  The Ambient Weather station was inexpensive, easy to set up and summarizes weather trends over time.

Most of the small personal weather stations also provide the capabilities to connect to the internet, allowing for participation in crowd sourced weather data sites.

Weather and climate data are an important but small part of a hemp cultivation site's ecosystem variable population.   

Our agrarian ancestors understood the importance of understanding weather patterns.  Their food growing efforts depended on weather systems knowledge.  They watched and listened to the clouds, birds, animals and other tell-tale signs of impending climatic events.

Organic Hemp Pest Control, Ambient Weather data display

Today, the hemp farmer must also be able to comprehend meteorological impacts on crops.  A daily log of cultivation site weather data provides so much important information.

A thorough understanding of geophysical weather variables driving much of the hemp farm's growing parameters will support successful organic cultivation efforts.

The successful hemp cultivator will use all available organic-based integrated pest management tools.  Weather recording systems are a critical part of any organic IPM program on hemp farms.

Developing an Ecosystem Matrix for Hemp Cultivation, Organic Integrated Pest Management

 In the last several posts we've introduced the concept of ecosystem matrices into our discussion of organic integrated pest management (OIPM).  A balanced ecosystem exists when all of the many existing biological and geophysical entities are functioning in equilibrium with themselves and each other.  This seamless functioning forms the basis of an organic integrated pest management approach for the hemp farm.

Balanced ecosystems function efficiently.  Throughout deep time nature has refined how ecosystems work so that all life within an ecosystem has a place, function and role to play.  Within the biological and geophysical parameters of a balanced ecosystem, all life forms carry out predictable, functional duty.  Change does occurs but in a measured sense.  Functional ecosystem homeostasis is usually maintained on a rolling basis.

However, when the ecosystem becomes unbalanced some life forms may become overly dominant, consuming and damaging to other ecosystem entities.  Hemp farm pests such as certain caterpillars for example may play an important role in a balanced ecosystem yet in the absence of normally present control factors and predators, such as fire or birds, may experience such a rise in population numbers that they disrupt the predictable garden homeostasis and cause uncontrolled damage to crops.

The key to maintaining ecosystem homeostasis begins with an understanding of the hemp growing areas' biological and geophysical dynamics.  What fungi, plants and animal live on and use the hemp farm land? What are the typical weather trends including rainfall amount and wind characteristics?  What is the soil comprised of? How is the air quality? Every life form and geophysical variable that interacts with other farm life forms and geophysical parameters becomes an important part of the ecosystem matrix flux.

A good start to understanding ecosystem matrices begins with a list of what exists and what is happening across the growing area.  A hemp farmer who has a good understanding of his or her farm's ecosystem matrix should be able to jot down a relatively comprehensive bullet list of their garden's parameters .  This list will represent the existing site variables.  The existing state is a reflection of the site in the present moment.  The list  of existing site parameters will usually be somewhat different than the site's historical, or intrinsic list of what has previously existed and happened across the site previous to human development impacts.

This list should evolve into an ongoing effort in identifying the hemp farm's ecosystem variables, much like a diary.  The process of journalling identifies plants, animals, insects, weather conditions, sunrise and sunset times, weather events such as snow, rain and wind, and other variables.  The hemp farm ecosystem matrix variable journal can be developed over time by notation of observed variables into a notebook, on a phone or the computer.

The hemp farm journal will become more and more accurate and comprehensive over time as documentation accumulates.  Certainly collection of data requires a focused effort.  Day in and day out the hemp farmer must record what they encounter during the day.  Often, the most seemingly insignificant events can many times be the trigger that exerts influence over pests.  Many times these trigger events can go unnoticed, all the while supporting an increased pest presence.

As the amount of information in the journal grows, the usefulness of the data increases.  For me, the key to understanding volumes of hemp farm journal data is found in how the data is presented.  The journal's daily entries need to be arranged in a visually coherent manner to be most relevant and useful.  Once the raw data is compiled into a logical presentation, relationships between pest damage and ecosystem matrix variables can be more easily identified.

Although any collected data can be useful to the hemp farmer, a comprehensive journal will contain a minimum of one complete years observations.  A multi-year hemp growing journal will contain invaluable information that can provide worthwhile tools to the grower.

There are several approaches to organizing hemp farm existing matrix variables.  Table format is one way and graphs are another approach.  As a visual learner I do best with data arranged in graphic presentation.  There are any number of ways to arrange hemp farm ecosystem matrix data and while developing the existing ecosystem matrix variable list it is worthwhile to also research what the site's historical (intrinsic) ecosystem matrix might have been like.  Sometimes, on non-disturbed high quality successional or native forest sites there will be few differences between the existing ecosystem matrix or matrices and the intrinsic, historical ecosystem matrices. 

Across farmed, agricultural or in disturbed urban garden sites the existing and historically intrinsic ecosystem matrices will differ.  As there will usually be a number of remnant matrix variables still interacting on disturbed sites, it will be important for the hemp grower to have a broad understanding of both the intrinsic and existing ecosystem matrices on their cultivation plot or greenhouse.

Knowledge of how the growing plot evolved on a historical basis and how the land functions today will allow the hemp grower to quickly assess trends, those beneficial to desired plant growth and those detrimental to the hemp crop (or any other organically grown crop).

A highly successful Organic Integrated Pest Management System must be based in comprehensive knowledge of how the growing area functioned as an ecosystem in past times and how the farm's present ecosystem variables interact.

With this knowledge the grower can hopefully begin to manage ecosystem matrix variables with organic based approaches.  The finest hemp plants may be grown this way, without toxic and industrial chemicals.  The beauty of organically grown plants encompasses so many health and quality benefits, always appreciated by both the consumer.

How you depict your ecosystem matrix depends on what table, illustration, chart or list works best for you.  Each grower will have their own method.  The important fact is that the grower understands that the cultivation site possesses a historical (intrinsic) set of ecosystem variables which have evolved over time into the unique matrix of today.  

A grower who understands how their intrinsic and existing ecosystem matrices function will produce the very best organic agriculture product with minimal pest pressure.  Organic integrated pest management must begin with this broad understanding of site dynamics.

 

 

Organic Hemp Cultivation, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) & Birds

 We encourage birds to make themselves home here in the Arendell Hill nursery gardens.

Wild birds, song birds, raptors and more.  Winged creatures serve an important part of our Organic IPM

I consider birds to be better than 'human help' at picking caterpillars and other potential pest insects out of our gardens.  Songbirds can keep the ground and shrubbery around a hemp cultivation area significantly free of larvae that are crawling around looking for leaves or flower buds to chew on.  Larger birds also, like red shouldered hawks here are vigilant in keeping the nursery free of disease vectoring rodent populations. 

Winged creatures have a definite advantage over crawling pests.  Winged predators can conduct reconnaissance across a ground area much quicker than most crawly pests can escape.  It is true that many insects can fly and are beneficial in their own ways, such as for pollination.  The advantage however lies with birds though due to their size, advanced development of senses and ability to quickly forage across large areas of garden.

Maintaining quality bird habitat for hemp farms should include practices that ensure ample bird forage provisions exist.  Feeders are one obvious way to attract birds and work well in creating a basic Integrated Pest Management program.  Yet bird feeders are just a start.  Native landscape plants that flower, fruit and produce seed are another worthwhile addition to bird feeders in hemp cultivation areas.

Importantly, once the grower begins to attract birds to their hemp growing area and the birds begin their caterpillar and pest insect control duty, the grower must also ensure that the farm provides a place for the birds to 'stay' and nest.  Communal habitat is best established by planting native landscape and wildlife value shrubs.  

American holly, Ilex opaca, provides forage and evergreen communal habitat to wild songbirds and as such can be an important part of an Organic Hemp IPM program. 

Native shrubs, rather than horticultural imported shrubs, will always be a wild songbird's and raptor's preference, for the native shrub's habit and familiarity are transcribed by countless previous generations into a bird's DNA.  Simply put, the wild songbirds are attracted to those native shrubs they and their ancestors have always lived in and around.   

It is true that some non-native horticultural shrubs and plants will also be utilized by wild birds.   However the net benefit to the hemp farm efficiency matrix will be reduced when using non-native landscape species.  In fact, it is possible non-native landscape plants can cause significant ecological systems damage.  When the growing ecosystem matrix becomes unbalanced pest pressure will increase.

As we will see in other posts, not only do native plant species support all important bird populations across the hemp farm, but native plant species also provide a number of other important pest control and nursery management functions.

We will also discuss in future posts, how to visualize the hemp farm bio-geophysical ecosystem matrix.  Though the name 'bio-geophysical ecosystem matrix' may sound complex, the concept is a simple one.  Everything affecting the hemp farm makes up the matrix.  There are many variables, such as birds, wildlife, rain, wind, temperatures, pests, soil, water and others.  The way these variables act upon and influence hemp plant growth in the garden is what the matrix is all about.

Another term I like to use when thinking about the ecosystem matrix is the phrase 'Languages of Nature'.  Each variable asserts an influence, good or bad, on the hemp plants.  Each good or bad influence can be known through interaction with our senses.  Ecosystems communicate the effects of most impacts they experience through measurable responses. An expert hemp farmer 'reads' and understands these ecosystem responses and utilizes the information to maximize crop efficiencies.

Importantly, songbirds and raptors are not the only winged creatures employed by organic hemp and plant nursery growers as part of an organic IPM program.  Chickens, bats and other critters have been successfully integrated into hemp farm pest control programs.  We will discuss these too in future posts.

Finally, it must be understood that birds can be vectors of plant diseases.  However when weighing the risks of potential bird vectored plant diseases versus the insect control benefit, the pest control benefit is usually greater than the disease risk.  

IPM risk benefit analysis can be established through trial and error on the farm, through research of peer reviewed literature and also through coordination with experts working with a local agricultural extension service.

Birds are just one part of a hemp farm ecosystem matrix complex, yet they are a beneficial part.  

Now it is time for me to go add bird food to the feeders!

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Eastern Tent Caterpillars (Malacosoma spp.) and Other Caterpillars in Hemp Cultivation

 Quality, organically grown hemp can bring a high level of demand and offer significant economic gain to the organic grower.  But tent caterpillars can devastate any crop, especially plump, fresh leaves and buds in a matter of hours when they are in a feeding frenzy.  In the eastern U.S. there are several species of tent caterpillars including the Forest Tent Caterpillar, Malacosoma disstria and the Eastern Tent Caterpillar, Malacosoma americanum.  

Eastern Tent Caterpillars crawling across the pavement in search of host plant material

The forest tent caterpillar typically weaves silken mats on tree trunks where they congregate after feeding and for protection.  Similarly, silky tents observed in the branches of trees are usually constructed by the eastern tent caterpillar.

Does Malacosoma americanum pose a serious threat to hemp?  Hemp may not be the first host plant of choice for the eastern tent caterpillar but there are reports in literature (Alexander 1984b) of M. americanum exerting negative pest influence on hemp.  It is possible that once a hungry population of tent caterpillars encounters hemp in cultivation, the caterpillars devour much of a crop without a second thought.  Moreover, in addition to the defoliation, many caterpillars leave copious amounts of feces in hemp's flower buds.

Regardless, this past year brought significant numbers of tent caterpillars to Arendell Hill's trees.  Several of our mature fruit trees were attacked by the caterpillars.  Unfortunately, they ate the majority of buds, blossoms and leaves from many of our citrus and fruit trees. 

 

It is easy to see just how many tent caterpillars are in a population once they are in their 'tent'.   During their developmental phases, tent caterpillars will crawl out of their nest and feed on the host plant leaves.

Caterpillar eggs can survive the winter attached to leaf litter and fallen tent masses

Worth repeating because of the tremendous potential economic damage a hemp cultivator can suffer is the fact that in addition to tent caterpillars damaging hemp plants by eating their foliage, caterpillars can leave copious amounts of feces as they crawl across and into, eating hemp flower buds.  A feces filled flower bud will usually be considered a total loss.

Eastern Tent Caterpillar's woven 'tent'.

The hemp farmer can avoid significant tent caterpillar damage by taking a few common sense pest management steps including; good housekeeping and a focus on cleanliness, support of biodiversity,  understanding host plant potential and actual pest identification.

First it is important to be able to correctly identify any potential hemp pest caterpillar.  Here in Florida the University of Florida's (UF) agricultural extension program can offer important help to farmers when it comes to growing almost any crop, including hemp.

Most counties in the state have an agricultural agent assigned and if the agent does not personally have the particular pest control experience one needs they will have access to the experts who do.

Here is the link to 'Find Your Local Agricultural Extension Office' website.

Your local agricultural extension agent will be able to assist you in identifying which of the species of tent caterpillars your growing operation may be challenged with.  In addition to the tent caterpillar issue, your UF extension agent can help with most any other crop pest issues. 

Along with the agricultural extension services discussed above, the internet is another resource to assist with in pest caterpillar identification.  One hack I always turn to includes snapping a photo with my phone camera and in turn doing a Google image search.  Although not as accurate by any means as the extension expert's identification help, the Google image search usually narrows down pest species choices to family or genus.  Many times however, I've been able to successfully identify caterpillar types through the Google image search function.

Once the caterpillar has been identified, in this case we've identified some of our caterpillars as the Eastern Tent Moth Caterpillar rather than the Forest Tent Caterpillar, then the grower must decide what level of attention needs to be aimed at the potential pest caterpillar.

If the ecological, environmental and economic damage potential is great then the hemp farmer may want to consider an eradication or extra strong management approach.  Eradication often involves pesticide applications, that though they may be considered 'organic' still possess moderate toxicity and lower the value and quality of the final hemp crop.  Additionally, organic pesticides ultimately make a pest problem worse by unbalancing of the farm's long-term, functioning ecosystem dynamics.

If the ecological, environmental and economic damage potential is more moderate but certainly in need of addressing then a focused management approach may be advised.  Moderately focused approaches can be taken many times when pest caterpillars first begin to appear and can include; traps, hand removal, facility cleaning, personal protective equipment, soil and container sterilization and more.

Caterpillar eggs may be attached to fallen leaves and hatch the next warm season.

Finally, if the potential pest is a slow reproducing and easy to control organism them monitoring may be all that is necessary.  Always keep good notes, including dates, times, events, pest numbers and types and control measures taken. 

One of the most common vectors of caterpillar and larvae are fallen leaves

Once the caterpillar has been identified and the level of necessity for adequate response has been decided them control actions can be implemented.

Most importantly, it is crucial to understand the best ecological, environmental and economic outcome will be achieved only when the hemp farmer can bring the growing operation into balance with the surrounding ecosystem that itself is functioning within normal ecological variables.  What this means from a pest control perspective is that any hemp operation will be mostly affected by pests which are themselves existing in an unbalanced state in the soil, vegetation and air in and around the hemp farm.

An eradication effort on the hemp growing area will be effective only as residual pesticide exists.  As soon as the pesticide is degraded additional pests will enter the growing area from the surrounding ecosystem where they are out of balance with respect to excess population numbers.  As the caterpillars continue to overwhelm more pesticides must be applied.  Eradication and pesticide measures use can easily turn into an unnecessary and damaging repetitive cycle.

In the end, many times eradication efforts do more crop damage than the original pest issue the grower sought to control.

However, once the surrounding ecosystem is balanced with respects to ecological dynamics then hemp crop pest control becomes much more manageable.

The hemp farmer must also consider and strive for ecological balance within the totality of their plot, not just their greenhouse or outdoor hemp garden.

As a hemp farmer I can keep tent caterpillars out of my green house on a consistent basis only if the surrounding land is balanced with normal tent caterpillar population dynamics.  If the tent caterpillar populations surrounding the hemp greenhouse are out of balance then eradicating them from the green house will only have momentary benefit.  They will crawl right back in once the pesticide level is no longer a deterrent. 

Supporting a natural ecological balance in and around the greenhouse or growing plot the farmer should manage the growing areas in a native and natural manner.  Area native ecosystems have evolved over the millennia into a harmonious complex system of interacting life forms.

Usually nature has fine tuned native ecosystems to function in a precise balance, one where all forms of life play a part and one where all natural geophysical and climatic conditions help maintain homeostasis.

Once humans become involved though we have a tendency to change an ecosystem's natural variables to suite our plans.  Examples of these impacts include; lack of fire, artificial irrigation, replacement of native plant flora with pest prone landscape plants, alteration of natural hydrology, alteration of native soils, change of noise levels, urban heat island effect and much more.

With respect to our tent caterpillars, annual wildfires suppressed for the safety of lives and property, allow a much greater quantity of tent caterpillar eggs to survive in the ground, on bark and on fallen leaves.

Historically, fallen leaves were usually part of the fuel annual lightening fires burned with and much of the egg bank was burned away.  However with a lack of fire today potential pest eggs can exponentially accumulate, creating population numbers that are much higher than in fire acclimated ecosystems.

In the hemp greenhouse and across the hemp cultivation area it is important to keep leaf litter cleaned up.  Leaves left to lie over the winter, especially those in piles under shrubs or around the base of fences make good incubation areas for next years caterpillars.

In the absence of fire, mowing and raking can help control pest eggs.

Leaf litter control is just one of the many integrated pest management control approaches a hemp grower can take.

I try and visualize my growing area as it would have functioned from a biophysical perspective as it might have before humans arrived.

Of the three pest management approaches mentioned above, an IPM approach to hemp cultivation, based on ecosystem principles consistent with balanced, native communities works best for growing quality, organic hemp products. 

We will look at the value of using native plants and avoiding horticultural landscape plantings around the hemp farm, as well wildlife and other IPM tools in upcoming posts.

Hemp Organic Integrated Pest Management (IPM); Thistles, Painted Lady Butterflies and Larvae

 Almost nothing can do as much damage to hemp plants and flower buds as caterpillars can. 

Painted Lady butterflies are attracted to aster-like wildflowers for use as host plants.

Most larvae go through a number of developmental changes (instars) during their transition from egg into butterfly form.  While in the caterpillar stages these larvae consume as much plant matter as they can and store the foraged protein for future use in egg production as mature butterflies.

There are quite a few caterpillars attracted to and often found on hemp plants.  Today I'd like to briefly talk about the Painted Lady Butterfly, Vanessa spp, butterflies and caterpillars.

Painted Lady caterpillars are often found growing and foraging in hemp leaves and hemp flower buds.  

Painted Lady butterflies will typically lay a single egg on a hemp leaf.  Once the egg hatches and the larvae begins to develop, a thread-like silky mesh will appear wrapped around two or more leaves as the caterpillar builds protective shelter.

Circular chew marks may appear of the edges of leaves as the larvae begin to feed.  In their early stages, the Painted Lady larvae may be light brown colored and spiny.  

During outbreak periods, a large number of Painted Lady caterpillars can significantly damage hemp plants with their voracious plant matter diets.  Not only can the Painted Lady caterpillars eat hemp plant biomass, but they can also (as with any other caterpillar and larvae) leave significant amounts of feces in hemp plant flower buds.  Hemp plant flower buds destined for edible product consumption may be seriously damaged or may even become a total loss.

Painted Lady butterflies and caterpillars serve an important role in our ecosystems however.  Even though they may be considered a pest to hemp cultivation efforts, Painted Lady butterflies should be accepted as a vital component of the ecosystem surrounding hemp cultivation operations.

The key to controlling Painted Lady crop damage lies not in eradication, but in supporting a balanced matrix of insect role within the overall surrounding ecosystem.  Painted Lady butterflies as well as other species are important pollinators for native plants.  Their long proboscis can be more effective at pollination for certain native wildflowers than bees for example.  Native plants are likewise essential for maintaining homeostasis with natural population balances, keeping fungi, bacteria and insects numbers relative to proper balances.

As Painted Lady larvae mature they may develop yellow and black stripes.  One important facet of organic based Integrated Pest Management is an understanding of where pests come from, or pest vector recognition.  Although native insect eradication is not a good idea, and actually a practice that may further aggravate invasive pest problems, it is important to understand where and under what conditions insects thrive.

Painted Lady butterfly host plants include thistles, wild asters and plants in the Boraginaceae and Malvaceae (okra, cotton and mallow) families. 

Large populations of thistle or aster plants may become breeding grounds that create out of balance, excessive population numbers of Painted Lady butterflies.  In natural systems fire among other events control host plant populations thereby keeping insect population numbers in balance.

Within today's agricultural systems many natural events, like fires and deep biodiversity, are suppressed.

Once the hemp grower recognizes host plants for their importance and limiting roles they serve then overall ecosystem and pest balancing is easier to achieve.

Bird feeders around thistle or sunflower patches are one potential approach.  Birds utilize caterpillars as food.  Several bird feeders set up just inside your fence adjacent to a roadside thistle patch can serve to keep Painted Lady butterfly and caterpillar populations from becoming destructive and overwhelming.

Painted Lady caterpillars and butterflies are just one type of many native yet potential destructive 'bugs'.

Learning to recognize the 'bug' and understanding their lifecycles and host plants are all necessary components of an organic IPM program designed to maximize hemp production.  Rather than approach organic IPM from the perspective of 'how do we keep nature out of our hemp populations', we must figure out how to effectively integrate hemp cultivation into a balanced ecosystem in which we live.

Hemp cultivation operations existing 'in-sync' with a balanced surrounding ecosystem will be highly productive and efficient.  Organic IPM programs can be one of the hemp farmer's best grow partners.