Crook County Weed and Pest Monthly Update

With the continued cold weather and abundance of moisture in all forms, spring operations have been slow to start. Most weeds and other plants are several weeks behind usual emergence times, and wet muddy ground makes control even more difficult. However, the weather has given us time to get fully prepared and excited to start getting some weeds killed.

An educational meeting was held by Wyoming Tree Farm intended for education regarding weed control practices. The meeting was held in cooperation with State Forestry, Crook County Natural Resource District, Corteva Ag Sciences and the Weed and Pest.

The Weed and Pest supervisor gave a presentation covering basic weed management and weed identification. A few weeds were highlighted that are not yet present in Crook County, but pose a major threat to our rangeland.

Identification and management techniques was outlined for several other weeds that are well established in the county. For more information and help on weed control and identification, please visit the Weed and Pest office.

The second presentation given at the meeting was from a chemical rep from Corteva Ag Science, which is a division of the new DowDupont merger. Clair Volk gave a great presentation highlighting weed control in a forestry setting, as well as control methods for hard to control woody species. Clair and Corteva graciously sponsored the meal provided at the meeting.

Medusahead rye and Ventenata grass are two grass species that are new to Wyoming and have proven to be extremely invasive. These species luckily have not yet made it to Crook County, but it is imperative to stay on the lookout to prevent their establishment.

To get a closer look at these invasive grasses, spend a day in beautiful Sheridan County, Wyoming and join the Northeast Wyoming Invasive Grasses Working Group for their third annual educational tour. This tour will cover a range of topics that directly relate to progress the group has made with medusahead and ventenata in the region.

Target species impacts, efficacy of various management tactics, effects on the grazing resource, opportunities for hands-on learning and updates of ongoing research in the area will all be included. Professional continuing education credits will be available for attendees. Lunch will also be provided for attendees! Please register by June 10 at: wymedusa2019.eventbrite.com.

There is a very promising potential biological control agent being studied for control of Houndstongue. The agent has already been released and established in Canada, and has proven to be effective.

There has been some border jumping by the insect, as it is fairly mobile, but it is not yet approved for releases in the USA. We are very hopeful that the agent will be approved and available sometime in the next 3 to 5 years.

Weeds are coming along quickly, and with the great moisture we have had, they will surely be plentiful. It is always important to do your part in preventing the spread of noxious and invasive weeds.

One great way to do this is by practicing “Play, Clean, Go” whenever traveling through areas with weed or pest infestations. PlayCleanGo Campaign Manager Belle Bergner states that “nearly 50 percent of endangered or threatened species are at risk due to invasive species, which people unintentionally spread with their boots, tires, boats, firewood, pets, horses and more, but the good news is, by taking a few easy steps while enjoying the great outdoors, you can be part of the solution, reducing the spread of invasive species.”

Here are some of the things you can do to reduce the spread of invasive species:

1. Clean your footwear with a boot brush

2. Remove invasive plants and dispose properly

3. Pick seeds and burrs off of clothes and gear

4. Clean mud and seeds from your dog

5. Don’t move firewood: buy it where you burn it

6. Hose your bike or ATV with water or compressed air

7. Boaters: clean, drain, dry, dispose

8. Feed your horse weed-free certified hay

9. Clean your horse’s hooves, mane and tail.

The Weed and Pest is looking forward to a productive summer of controlling weeds, along with helping all residents of the county to combat weeds and pests on their lands. We have started our summer hours and now are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and welcome all who visit.

We are here to help with any issues or questions you have regarding weed and pest control including weed identification, chemical recommendations, sprayer help and much more.