By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension District

When the aggressive nature of Palmer amaranth (pigweed) is combined with the limited post-emergence herbicide options in grain sorghum, problems often arise – even when an adequate preemergence herbicide program is used. This article highlights post-emergence herbicide options for Palmer amaranth control in grain sorghum. To see the full version of the article with use rates, recommended surfactants, and plant height restrictions. Search for K-State Agronomy eUpdates, June 27th issue. Combinations of the herbicides listed here will generally improve control, and all of the options are most effective when applied to small (under 4 inches tall) pigweeds. Atrazine can control sensitive populations of Palmer amaranth and can be combined with other herbicides to enhance effectiveness. Aim (carfentrazone) is a Group 14 herbicide that can be applied to grain sorghum between 4 inches and boot stage. It is less effective than some of the other herbicides in this article and requires good coverage for maximum effectiveness.

2,4-D is an effective herbicide option to control Palmer amaranth. However, crop response should be expected, especially if applied in hot, humid conditions. Dicamba, at the rates used in grain sorghum (0.5 pint), may be less effective on Palmer amaranth than 2,4-D. Bromoxynil can be applied from the 3-leaf stage through boot stage. Crop response will be less with bromoxynil than other herbicides, but bromoxynil alone will not control Palmer amaranth larger than 4-leaf. Bromoxynil is a contact herbicide that is not translocated in the plant. Therefore, adequate spray coverage is needed for maximum effectiveness.

Huskie (pyrasulfutole+bromoxynil) is most effective when mixed with atrazine (up to 1 pound). When used alone, it can be applied between 3-leaf and 30 inches and should be applied with HSOC (high surfactant oil concentrate) or AMS + NIS. Huskie will cause leaf burn, which can be greater in fields where mesotrione was applied pre-emergence. Huskie plus atrazine may be tank-mixed with phenoxy broadleaf herbicides such as 2,4-D or dicamba.

Imiflex (imazamox) can only be applied to igrowth grain sorghum and only in fields that were not sprayed preemergence. Imiflex is an ALS-inhibiting herbicide, and ALS-resistance is assumed to be widespread in Kansas. However, there is limited evidence that it may still contribute to suppression of ALS-resistant pigweeds. For susceptible Palmer amaranth plants, herbicide applications should target plants that are 3” tall or less.

Other herbicide resistant sorghum technologies are also on the market and this technology specifically targets grasses. These technologies include Inzen sorghum from Corteva with the herbicide partner Zest WDG and DoubleTeam sorghum from S&amp;W seeds with the herbicide partner First Act.

Additional information can be found in the 2024 Chemical Weed Control for Field Crops, Pastures, Rangeland, and Noncropland, K-State publication SRP-1176-https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/SRP1183.pdf

The use of trade names is for clarity to readers and does not imply endorsement of a particular product, nor does exclusion imply non-approval. Always consult the herbicide label for the most current use requirements.

Stacy Campbell is a Crop Production Extension agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or by calling 785-628-9430.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719877123898.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension DistrictWhen the aggressive nature of Palmer amaranth (pigweed) is combined with the limited post-emergence herbicide options in grain sorghum, problems often arise – even when an adequate preemergence herbicide program is used. This article highlights post-emergence herbicide options for Palmer amaranth control in grain sorghum. To see the full version of the article with use rates, recommended surfactants, and plant height restrictions. Search for K-State Agronomy eUpdates, June 27th issue. Combinations of the herbicides listed here will generally improve control, and all of the options are most effective when applied to small (under 4 inches tall) pigweeds. Atrazine can control sensitive populations of Palmer amaranth and can be combined with other herbicides to enhance effectiveness. Aim (carfentrazone) is a Group 14 herbicide that can be applied to grain sorghum between 4 inches and boot stage. It is less effective than some of the other herbicides in this article and requires good coverage for maximum effectiveness.2,4-D is an effective herbicide option to control Palmer amaranth. However, crop response should be expected, especially if applied in hot, humid conditions. Dicamba, at the rates used in grain sorghum (0.5 pint), may be less effective on Palmer amaranth than 2,4-D. Bromoxynil can be applied from the 3-leaf stage through boot stage. Crop response will be less with bromoxynil than other herbicides, but bromoxynil alone will not control Palmer amaranth larger than 4-leaf. Bromoxynil is a contact herbicide that is not translocated in the plant. Therefore, adequate spray coverage is needed for maximum effectiveness.Huskie (pyrasulfutole+bromoxynil) is most effective when mixed with atrazine (up to 1 pound). When used alone, it can be applied between 3-leaf and 30 inches and should be applied with HSOC (high surfactant oil concentrate) or AMS + NIS. Huskie will cause leaf burn, which can be greater in fields where mesotrione was applied pre-emergence. Huskie plus atrazine may be tank-mixed with phenoxy broadleaf herbicides such as 2,4-D or dicamba.Imiflex (imazamox) can only be applied to igrowth grain sorghum and only in fields that were not sprayed preemergence. Imiflex is an ALS-inhibiting herbicide, and ALS-resistance is assumed to be widespread in Kansas. However, there is limited evidence that it may still contribute to suppression of ALS-resistant pigweeds. For susceptible Palmer amaranth plants, herbicide applications should target plants that are 3” tall or less.Other herbicide resistant sorghum technologies are also on the market and this technology specifically targets grasses. These technologies include Inzen sorghum from Corteva with the herbicide partner Zest WDG and DoubleTeam sorghum from S&amp;W seeds with the herbicide partner First Act.Additional information can be found in the 2024 Chemical Weed Control for Field Crops, Pastures, Rangeland, and Noncropland, K-State publication SRP-1176-https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/SRP1183.pdfThe use of trade names is for clarity to readers and does not imply endorsement of a particular product, nor does exclusion imply non-approval. Always consult the herbicide label for the most current use requirements.Stacy Campbell is a Crop Production Extension agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or by calling 785-628-9430.

CAMPBELL: Palmer amaranth control in grain sorghum

July is a special month for many Americans. Most of us will eagerly take a break from our busy summer schedules to celebrate Independence Day once again. There will be much fanfare with fireworks, parades, picnics and other patriotic events. But when the festivities have ended, only a few will have reflected upon the true meaning of independence and the role it has played in shaping our nation’s character.

Freedom and independence are cornerstones in the foundation of our country’s heritage. The independent ideology of the American people is a fundamental element of our society and a key to our nation’s prosperity. We must protect that independence at all costs.

One important freedom we must protect is our free enterprise system. American business was founded upon the ideology of independence and free-market principles. Those principles allow business to be governed by the laws of supply and demand without government interference and excessive regulation. The dynamic free market has led to innovation and wealth creation and has established an economic environment where hard work is rewarded.

But now, it seems free-market capitalism and independence are under attack. Over the past four years, the Biden Administration has tried to shift energy policy away from fossil fuels and some expected this thinking to be the wave of the future. But, that kind of thinking is a threat to economic development in the U.S. and around the world.

When policy signals prevent energy leadership here at home, there are going to be consequences. Using well-worn talking points, Democrats are trying to deflect criticism that their party’s policies are to blame for rising gasoline prices. We now see a drumbeat of efforts from Democrats to blame higher gasoline prices at the pump on the actions of the fossil fuel industry — not Biden administration environmental policies.

At a time of persistent inflation and geopolitical instability, the American people need more affordable energy and less political gamesmanship. Reliable, affordable energy policy will support American families and businesses in the fight against inflation. Yet misguided policies and heavy-handed regulations, particularly over the past four years, threaten to undermine our existing energy advantage, potentially increasing costs and jeopardizing a key pillar of American leadership. Our current national energy policy is based on insufficient information and a lack of perspective.

Ahead of the 2024 elections, presidential candidates, as well as policymakers and candidates on both sides of the aisle, can support leveraging America’s energy resources to help protect consumers and cement U.S. energy leadership. 

I encourage policymakers and candidates to support actions to secure American energy leadership, protect consumers, and help reduce inflation. Such actions include supporting policies that protect consumer choice, restore the role of American energy in bolstering our geopolitical strength, leverage our abundant natural resources, reform the regulatory policies that increase certainty and unleash private investment, and advance sensible tax policy.

In his 1946 Independence Day speech, John F. Kennedy said, “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.” Those words were never so true. Being mindful of the erosion of our independence and free-market system through excessive regulation and government interference cannot be over emphasized. We must, now more than ever, remain steadfast in our resolve to protect and preserve the precious independence that has molded our nation’s character.

Ed Cross Kansas Independent Oil &amp; Gas Association&nbsp;President

July is a special month for many Americans. Most of us will eagerly take a break from our busy summer schedules to celebrate Independence Day once again. There will be much fanfare with fireworks, parades, picnics and other patriotic events. But when the festivities have ended, only a few will have reflected upon the true meaning of independence and the role it has played in shaping our nation’s character.Freedom and independence are cornerstones in the foundation of our country’s heritage. The independent ideology of the American people is a fundamental element of our society and a key to our nation’s prosperity. We must protect that independence at all costs.One important freedom we must protect is our free enterprise system. American business was founded upon the ideology of independence and free-market principles. Those principles allow business to be governed by the laws of supply and demand without government interference and excessive regulation. The dynamic free market has led to innovation and wealth creation and has established an economic environment where hard work is rewarded.But now, it seems free-market capitalism and independence are under attack. Over the past four years, the Biden Administration has tried to shift energy policy away from fossil fuels and some expected this thinking to be the wave of the future. But, that kind of thinking is a threat to economic development in the U.S. and around the world.When policy signals prevent energy leadership here at home, there are going to be consequences. Using well-worn talking points, Democrats are trying to deflect criticism that their party’s policies are to blame for rising gasoline prices. We now see a drumbeat of efforts from Democrats to blame higher gasoline prices at the pump on the actions of the fossil fuel industry — not Biden administration environmental policies.At a time of persistent inflation and geopolitical instability, the American people need more affordable energy and less political gamesmanship. Reliable, affordable energy policy will support American families and businesses in the fight against inflation. Yet misguided policies and heavy-handed regulations, particularly over the past four years, threaten to undermine our existing energy advantage, potentially increasing costs and jeopardizing a key pillar of American leadership. Our current national energy policy is based on insufficient information and a lack of perspective.Ahead of the 2024 elections, presidential candidates, as well as policymakers and candidates on both sides of the aisle, can support leveraging America’s energy resources to help protect consumers and cement U.S. energy leadership. I encourage policymakers and candidates to support actions to secure American energy leadership, protect consumers, and help reduce inflation. Such actions include supporting policies that protect consumer choice, restore the role of American energy in bolstering our geopolitical strength, leverage our abundant natural resources, reform the regulatory policies that increase certainty and unleash private investment, and advance sensible tax policy.In his 1946 Independence Day speech, John F. Kennedy said, “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.” Those words were never so true. Being mindful of the erosion of our independence and free-market system through excessive regulation and government interference cannot be over emphasized. We must, now more than ever, remain steadfast in our resolve to protect and preserve the precious independence that has molded our nation’s character.Ed Cross Kansas Independent Oil &amp; Gas Association&nbsp;President

LETTER: Protecting U.S. energy independence

Regular readers know we love our yard’s inhabitants. Our robins, orioles, finches, sparrows, and kingbirds both western and eastern fascinate us. Like proud grandparents, we ooh and aah over nesting parents and their fledglings. This year, we’ve enjoyed western kingbirds raising young in our mulberry tree. Unfortunately, a young squirrel who’s made our seed stations, bird baths, and shady ash tree his restaurant, libation source, and climbing gym finds them aggravating.

Living at the edge of town, we don’t encourage coyotes, foxes, deer, or other wildlife to roam through the yard. However, we do welcome a cottontail who lives under our shed, a frisky teenage squirrel, and birds both local and passers-through to stop at feeders and waterers. That frisky tree-climber tickles our funny bones with his silly antics and photogenic poses.

Our before supper ritual requires sitting on the deck watching critters and laughing at their antics. No one takes a splashy bath better than a robin. As much as I wish grackles chose other yards to call home, their attitudinal chest puffing grows on me--like watching a bird version of WWE wrestling. House finches delight us with polite feeding and gentle social graces. Orioles can’t help but brighten anyone’s day when males show up in brilliant orange and black tuxedos accompanied by mates wearing drab browns and pale yellows to feast on garden insects. But the ones that make you catch your breath and squeal at acrobatic dives and swift in-air snagging and eating of flying insects are king birds. Making life more exciting, these territorial wonders attack anything that dares come within 20 feet of their nest. Our little squirrel could tell more than one story about their dastardly dives on trespassers.

We had no idea the king birds would nest where they did nor did we know a squirrel would make itself welcome in our yard, so earlier in the spring my husband secured a corn feeder to our locust tree to tempt passing bushytails.

Though we’ve watched both western and eastern kingbirds arrive in April, we didn’t observe nest building behavior. Each year, they feast on insects flying over the farm field behind us and over our garden, but they’ve never selected our tree as their nursery. This year we won the backyard fun lottery, getting a kingbird nest in the mulberry tree next to the locust that hosts our squirrel feeder.

That poor squirrel. He’d love to dig into those golden kernels of tasty carbs, but the king birds ferociously attack before he ever arrives at the locust tree base. From the moment those tyrants of the sky spy him closing on his target, they put a bull’s-eye on him. Functioning like heat-seeking missiles, they dive close enough they mess up his fur. If he’s wily enough to make it to the trunk and start climbing, they quintuple their efforts.

I stood at the kitchen window one morning, sipping my morning brew and cheering that squirrel on. If he could make it to the jar feeder, he could crawl in its hole, feast as long as he wanted out of those tenacious warriors’ reach, and then leap out and race away to escape their wrath.

Despite my encouragement from inside the house, the tree rat gave up before reaching his goal and scampered off full-throttle with two nattering kingbirds literally on his tail. I hope he keeps trying.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719619563025.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORINRegular readers know we love our yard’s inhabitants. Our robins, orioles, finches, sparrows, and kingbirds both western and eastern fascinate us. Like proud grandparents, we ooh and aah over nesting parents and their fledglings. This year, we’ve enjoyed western kingbirds raising young in our mulberry tree. Unfortunately, a young squirrel who’s made our seed stations, bird baths, and shady ash tree his restaurant, libation source, and climbing gym finds them aggravating.Living at the edge of town, we don’t encourage coyotes, foxes, deer, or other wildlife to roam through the yard. However, we do welcome a cottontail who lives under our shed, a frisky teenage squirrel, and birds both local and passers-through to stop at feeders and waterers. That frisky tree-climber tickles our funny bones with his silly antics and photogenic poses.Our before supper ritual requires sitting on the deck watching critters and laughing at their antics. No one takes a splashy bath better than a robin. As much as I wish grackles chose other yards to call home, their attitudinal chest puffing grows on me--like watching a bird version of WWE wrestling. House finches delight us with polite feeding and gentle social graces. Orioles can’t help but brighten anyone’s day when males show up in brilliant orange and black tuxedos accompanied by mates wearing drab browns and pale yellows to feast on garden insects. But the ones that make you catch your breath and squeal at acrobatic dives and swift in-air snagging and eating of flying insects are king birds. Making life more exciting, these territorial wonders attack anything that dares come within 20 feet of their nest. Our little squirrel could tell more than one story about their dastardly dives on trespassers.We had no idea the king birds would nest where they did nor did we know a squirrel would make itself welcome in our yard, so earlier in the spring my husband secured a corn feeder to our locust tree to tempt passing bushytails.Though we’ve watched both western and eastern kingbirds arrive in April, we didn’t observe nest building behavior. Each year, they feast on insects flying over the farm field behind us and over our garden, but they’ve never selected our tree as their nursery. This year we won the backyard fun lottery, getting a kingbird nest in the mulberry tree next to the locust that hosts our squirrel feeder.That poor squirrel. He’d love to dig into those golden kernels of tasty carbs, but the king birds ferociously attack before he ever arrives at the locust tree base. From the moment those tyrants of the sky spy him closing on his target, they put a bull’s-eye on him. Functioning like heat-seeking missiles, they dive close enough they mess up his fur. If he’s wily enough to make it to the trunk and start climbing, they quintuple their efforts.I stood at the kitchen window one morning, sipping my morning brew and cheering that squirrel on. If he could make it to the jar feeder, he could crawl in its hole, feast as long as he wanted out of those tenacious warriors’ reach, and then leap out and race away to escape their wrath.Despite my encouragement from inside the house, the tree rat gave up before reaching his goal and scampered off full-throttle with two nattering kingbirds literally on his tail. I hope he keeps trying.

MADORIN: Sky tyrants

By MICHAEL A. SMITH Insight Kansas

A month ago, I editorialized about the recent defeat of a proposed sales tax extension for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals stadiums in Jackson County, MO. Led by a group called KC Tenants, the “no” vote secured a 58% majority. Their message was, why subsidize venues for billionaire-owned, for-profit sports teams when Kansas Citians cannot find affordable housing? The message resonates on both sides of the state line. However, it did not resonate with the Kansas Legislature. In their recent special session, they passed a scaled-down tax cut bill at the request of the Governor, as well as a package of incentives meant to lure the Chiefs and/or Royals to Kansas. Nothing was done about affordable housing.

The housing problem is complicated, which may explain why legislators avoid it. They missed a great opportunity to form a bipartisan, intersession task force to research the issue and develop recommendations for the 2025 session. Here are some ideas they could have considered.

First, the Legislature could take a hard look at passing state laws limiting the ability of municipalities–particularly wealthier suburbs– to block the construction of new housing through zoning codes. Such codes have their place when it comes to managing traffic, not overloading water lines and sewers, being mindful of water runoff, and so forth. Yet there is a long history of suburbs and homeowners’ associations abusing these in order to zone out reasonable attempts to create needed, multifamily housing or even detached houses on smaller lots. The recent dustup in Prairie Village over Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) is a case in point. Among other places, ADUs can be constructed in one’s backyard. Thus, the groundswell of opposition literally embodies NIMBY (not in my backyard) politics.

It may also be time to consider statewide building codes rather than a patchwork of local regulations, which bottleneck the process of new construction with a torturous process of permit applications and slow-walked approvals. Permits to renovate existing housing must also be expedited since new construction alone cannot keep up with current demand.

A task force could also consider our massive glut of commercial real estate. Working at home and shopping online did not end with the COVID-19 pandemic, and the workforce itself is shrinking. Older, fully- or partially-empty commercial buildings with loads of deferred maintenance and no historic value could come down. With the right incentives and zoning changes, apartments, townhouses or other housing could take up these vacated spaces.

While new home construction is welcome, incentives for those who maintain older homes and apartment buildings must be part of the solution, too. It is particularly important to make a distinction between the positive contributions of local small businesspersons who invest in “flipping” houses by rehabilitating them, on the one hand, and out-of-state interests who simply buy houses and apartment buildings, then sell them for more without making any improvements– or worse, rent them out as absentee slumlords.

Finally, a low-interest bridge loan program could help those who want to move but cannot due to the current high interest rates. This includes empty nesters who want to downsize but cannot afford to give up the low interest rates on their pre-2021 mortgages, as well as potential new homebuyers who need a little extra boost.

This list is only brainstorming. Other, perhaps better ideas could emerge once policymakers decide to take housing seriously. Unfortunately, that will not be today. For now, legislators have once again chosen sports team owners over the will of the voters.

By MICHAEL A. SMITH Insight KansasA month ago, I editorialized about the recent defeat of a proposed sales tax extension for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals stadiums in Jackson County, MO. Led by a group called KC Tenants, the “no” vote secured a 58% majority. Their message was, why subsidize venues for billionaire-owned, for-profit sports teams when Kansas Citians cannot find affordable housing? The message resonates on both sides of the state line. However, it did not resonate with the Kansas Legislature. In their recent special session, they passed a scaled-down tax cut bill at the request of the Governor, as well as a package of incentives meant to lure the Chiefs and/or Royals to Kansas. Nothing was done about affordable housing.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698326876404.png" alt="Michael Smith" />
 <figcaption>Michael Smith</figcaption>
 </figure>The housing problem is complicated, which may explain why legislators avoid it. They missed a great opportunity to form a bipartisan, intersession task force to research the issue and develop recommendations for the 2025 session. Here are some ideas they could have considered.First, the Legislature could take a hard look at passing state laws limiting the ability of municipalities–particularly wealthier suburbs– to block the construction of new housing through zoning codes. Such codes have their place when it comes to managing traffic, not overloading water lines and sewers, being mindful of water runoff, and so forth. Yet there is a long history of suburbs and homeowners’ associations abusing these in order to zone out reasonable attempts to create needed, multifamily housing or even detached houses on smaller lots. The recent dustup in Prairie Village over Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) is a case in point. Among other places, ADUs can be constructed in one’s backyard. Thus, the groundswell of opposition literally embodies NIMBY (not in my backyard) politics.It may also be time to consider statewide building codes rather than a patchwork of local regulations, which bottleneck the process of new construction with a torturous process of permit applications and slow-walked approvals. Permits to renovate existing housing must also be expedited since new construction alone cannot keep up with current demand.A task force could also consider our massive glut of commercial real estate. Working at home and shopping online did not end with the COVID-19 pandemic, and the workforce itself is shrinking. Older, fully- or partially-empty commercial buildings with loads of deferred maintenance and no historic value could come down. With the right incentives and zoning changes, apartments, townhouses or other housing could take up these vacated spaces.While new home construction is welcome, incentives for those who maintain older homes and apartment buildings must be part of the solution, too. It is particularly important to make a distinction between the positive contributions of local small businesspersons who invest in “flipping” houses by rehabilitating them, on the one hand, and out-of-state interests who simply buy houses and apartment buildings, then sell them for more without making any improvements– or worse, rent them out as absentee slumlords.Finally, a low-interest bridge loan program could help those who want to move but cannot due to the current high interest rates. This includes empty nesters who want to downsize but cannot afford to give up the low interest rates on their pre-2021 mortgages, as well as potential new homebuyers who need a little extra boost.This list is only brainstorming. Other, perhaps better ideas could emerge once policymakers decide to take housing seriously. Unfortunately, that will not be today. For now, legislators have once again chosen sports team owners over the will of the voters.

INSIGHT: Kansas Legislature dropped ball on affordable housing

Chinch bugs in Kansas are a perennial pest of just about any type of grass. They have caused problems in turf farms, golf courses, and lawns. In crops, they mainly affect sorghum but are occasionally problematic in corn and wheat, says Jeff Whitworth, K-State Extension Entomologist.

With all of the chinch bug activity in central and west central Kansas, this is a good time to discuss the differences between chinch bugs (Blissus leucopterus) and false chinch bugs (Nysius sp.). In order to make proper management decisions, knowing how to correctly identify these insects is critical, says Anthony Zukoff, K-State Extension Entomologist”.

Adult chinch bugs are 3-4mm (0.16”) long bugs with black bodies and white wings that are kept folded over their backs. Two dark, triangular markings are present near the center of the wings creating a distinctive “X” mark.

Adult false chinch bugs are very similar in appearance, but smaller. Instead of having black bodies, false chinch bugs are brownish-gray with clear wings that lack a distinct “X” mark, says Anthony.

Immature chinch bugs are bright red after hatching, darkening to black as they go through a series of 5 molts. A distinct white band will be visible across the nymphs’ bodies until the wing buds become large enough to obscure it.

Immature false chinch bugs are grayish-brown, never bright red, and lack the white band across their bodies.

Chinch bugs and false chinch bugs are true bugs in the order Hemiptera which means they both have piercing-sucking mouthparts that they use to puncture plant tissue to feed on plant juices. However, the symptoms of feeding appear differently for these two bugs. When chinch bugs feed, digestive enzymes are injected into the plant tissue causing it to break down and discolor. Reddish spots often are present at chinch bug feeding sites. Heavy chinch bug feeding can also cause stunting, wilting and necrotic lesions on plants. False chinch bug feeding, on the other hand, usually has little effect on plants, but extreme numbers of the bugs on a plant can cause wilting and death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719259730296.jpeg" alt="Adult chinch bug" />
 <figcaption>Adult chinch bug</figcaption>
 </figure>By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension DistrictChinch bugs in Kansas are a perennial pest of just about any type of grass. They have caused problems in turf farms, golf courses, and lawns. In crops, they mainly affect sorghum but are occasionally problematic in corn and wheat, says Jeff Whitworth, K-State Extension Entomologist.With all of the chinch bug activity in central and west central Kansas, this is a good time to discuss the differences between chinch bugs (Blissus leucopterus) and false chinch bugs (Nysius sp.). In order to make proper management decisions, knowing how to correctly identify these insects is critical, says Anthony Zukoff, K-State Extension Entomologist”.Adult chinch bugs are 3-4mm (0.16”) long bugs with black bodies and white wings that are kept folded over their backs. Two dark, triangular markings are present near the center of the wings creating a distinctive “X” mark.Adult false chinch bugs are very similar in appearance, but smaller. Instead of having black bodies, false chinch bugs are brownish-gray with clear wings that lack a distinct “X” mark, says Anthony.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719259763914.jpeg" alt="Adult false chinch bug. Note the lack of a dark “X”" />
 <figcaption>Adult false chinch bug. Note the lack of a dark “X”</figcaption>
 </figure>Immature chinch bugs are bright red after hatching, darkening to black as they go through a series of 5 molts. A distinct white band will be visible across the nymphs’ bodies until the wing buds become large enough to obscure it.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719259796830.jpeg" alt="Immature chinch bugs" />
 <figcaption>Immature chinch bugs</figcaption>
 </figure>Immature false chinch bugs are grayish-brown, never bright red, and lack the white band across their bodies.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719259887539.jpeg" alt="Immature false chinch bugs" />
 <figcaption>Immature false chinch bugs</figcaption>
 </figure>Chinch bugs and false chinch bugs are true bugs in the order Hemiptera which means they both have piercing-sucking mouthparts that they use to puncture plant tissue to feed on plant juices. However, the symptoms of feeding appear differently for these two bugs. When chinch bugs feed, digestive enzymes are injected into the plant tissue causing it to break down and discolor. Reddish spots often are present at chinch bug feeding sites. Heavy chinch bug feeding can also cause stunting, wilting and necrotic lesions on plants. False chinch bug feeding, on the other hand, usually has little effect on plants, but extreme numbers of the bugs on a plant can cause wilting and death.

CAMPBELL: Identifying Chinch Bugs and False Chinch Bugs

By KARISSA WINKEL Cottonwood Extension District

Extreme heat occurs when temperatures exceed 90 degrees, and in Kansas, humidity adds to the health risks associated with such high temperatures. In fact, extreme heat is the leading cause of death among all weather-related disasters. So, it’s important to understand how high temperatures affect us and how to protect ourselves in extreme heat.

Jeff Goodell, environmental author, describes two types of stress caused by the heat. The first is called classic heat stress, and it’s the typical heat exhaustion most of us are familiar with. High temperatures affect small children, seniors, and those with chronic conditions the most. This type of heat stress can cascade into heat stroke and eventually death if left untreated.

Exertional heat exhaustion is another type of heat stress that can put even the most fit, young, and vibrant people in danger. The body aims to maintain homeostasis including an internal temperature around 98.6 degrees. When physical labor raises the core temperature, the body must compensate by sweating and increasing blood flow to the skin. However, extreme heat can make it even more challenging to cool down. Symptoms of exertional heat exhaustion can include low blood pressure, hyperventilation, altered mental status, vomiting, and seizures. Once again, if symptoms are not addressed, death can result. Those who work outdoors such as construction workers, farmers, and athletes are at a high risk for exertional heat exhaustion.

Now that summer has officially arrived and temperatures are reaching triple digits, here are a few tips from the American Red Cross Association concerning extreme heat:

First, learn how to stay hydrated. An average person should drink about 3/4 of a gallon of water daily, but everyone’s needs vary. Avoid sugary, caffeinated, and alcoholic drinks that dehydrate the body. Also, if you sweat a lot, consider having a snack or a sports drink throughout the day to replenish electrolytes.

Next, make a plan. Brainstorm places you can go to cool down in case of a power outage. If you have air conditioning, replace filters and perform regular maintenance to ensure it’s working properly. Another way to avoid overheating is to wear lightweight, loose clothing. Also, be sure to check in with loved ones who are at high risk for heat exhaustion.

Finally, be prepared for the worst. You may not be able to prevent heat illness in others, so it’s imperative to recognize the signs. These can include excessive sweating, pale skin, altered mental status, and increased respiration. In severe cases, knowing CPR may be necessary. So, brush up on your First Aid skills or get trained.

As temperatures continue to rise, keep these tips in mind. Create a plan to respond to the heat and take care of yourself and your loved ones. Most of all, stay cool!

Karissa Winkel is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 620-793-1910 or krwinkel@ksu.edu. K-State Research &amp; Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697546908793.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By KARISSA WINKEL Cottonwood Extension DistrictExtreme heat occurs when temperatures exceed 90 degrees, and in Kansas, humidity adds to the health risks associated with such high temperatures. In fact, extreme heat is the leading cause of death among all weather-related disasters. So, it’s important to understand how high temperatures affect us and how to protect ourselves in extreme heat.Jeff Goodell, environmental author, describes two types of stress caused by the heat. The first is called classic heat stress, and it’s the typical heat exhaustion most of us are familiar with. High temperatures affect small children, seniors, and those with chronic conditions the most. This type of heat stress can cascade into heat stroke and eventually death if left untreated.Exertional heat exhaustion is another type of heat stress that can put even the most fit, young, and vibrant people in danger. The body aims to maintain homeostasis including an internal temperature around 98.6 degrees. When physical labor raises the core temperature, the body must compensate by sweating and increasing blood flow to the skin. However, extreme heat can make it even more challenging to cool down. Symptoms of exertional heat exhaustion can include low blood pressure, hyperventilation, altered mental status, vomiting, and seizures. Once again, if symptoms are not addressed, death can result. Those who work outdoors such as construction workers, farmers, and athletes are at a high risk for exertional heat exhaustion.Now that summer has officially arrived and temperatures are reaching triple digits, here are a few tips from the American Red Cross Association concerning extreme heat:First, learn how to stay hydrated. An average person should drink about 3/4 of a gallon of water daily, but everyone’s needs vary. Avoid sugary, caffeinated, and alcoholic drinks that dehydrate the body. Also, if you sweat a lot, consider having a snack or a sports drink throughout the day to replenish electrolytes.Next, make a plan. Brainstorm places you can go to cool down in case of a power outage. If you have air conditioning, replace filters and perform regular maintenance to ensure it’s working properly. Another way to avoid overheating is to wear lightweight, loose clothing. Also, be sure to check in with loved ones who are at high risk for heat exhaustion.Finally, be prepared for the worst. You may not be able to prevent heat illness in others, so it’s imperative to recognize the signs. These can include excessive sweating, pale skin, altered mental status, and increased respiration. In severe cases, knowing CPR may be necessary. So, brush up on your First Aid skills or get trained.As temperatures continue to rise, keep these tips in mind. Create a plan to respond to the heat and take care of yourself and your loved ones. Most of all, stay cool!Karissa Winkel is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 620-793-1910 or krwinkel@ksu.edu. K-State Research &amp; Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

WINKEL: Stay safe in extreme heat

By MICHELLE BERAN Cottonwood Extension District

If I sound excited, it is because I look forward to interacting with the community and, especially, our 4-H members as they share their year-long project work with judges and all of you!

I love walking through Expo III first thing in the morning to the sound of 4-H members and their families as they begin to feed, water, and clean pens. I love when a 4-H member is so excited to tell me about their judging interaction. I love watching a 4-H youth who struggles to look a judge in the eye and has gained confidence to have that conversation and beam as they walk away. I love to sit quietly with a 4-H member who is facing the finality of a market animal project or their last fair. I love watching family members – sometimes multiple generations – work together to help with livestock projects, learn how to make that angel food cake just right, or to write a thank you note to a buyer or award sponsor.

I am so proud of the patience and perseverance they are developing! Do they get it right every time? Nope, but neither do I. I am so proud of watching skills develop in woodworking or photography or foods – these are lifetime skills that may become hobbies or careers!

4-H is the only Extension program that comes with an inherent level of competition. Competition and good sportsmanship go hand-in-hand and learning how to work hard, be a fair competitor, and humble when you win, or don’t, are life skills that are hard to measure but recognizable when they happen.

This week the weather forecast is HOT! We encourage 4-H families and all participants at the fair to stay cool….in temperature and temperament.

If you see me at the fair, ask me about my favorite thing of the day! If you see a 4-H member at the fair, ask about their favorite thing of the day also. Mostly, come out and support our 4-H members and the community who have entered open class entries. You will be amazed at the Blue Jeans and Big Dreams on display in the Expo buildings.

Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness!

Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District. For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth Development resources, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call Cottonwood Extension District – Barton Office at 620-793-1910.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668179445671.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MICHELLE BERAN Cottonwood Extension DistrictIt’s Fair Time!If I sound excited, it is because I look forward to interacting with the community and, especially, our 4-H members as they share their year-long project work with judges and all of you!I love walking through Expo III first thing in the morning to the sound of 4-H members and their families as they begin to feed, water, and clean pens. I love when a 4-H member is so excited to tell me about their judging interaction. I love watching a 4-H youth who struggles to look a judge in the eye and has gained confidence to have that conversation and beam as they walk away. I love to sit quietly with a 4-H member who is facing the finality of a market animal project or their last fair. I love watching family members – sometimes multiple generations – work together to help with livestock projects, learn how to make that angel food cake just right, or to write a thank you note to a buyer or award sponsor.I am so proud of the patience and perseverance they are developing! Do they get it right every time? Nope, but neither do I. I am so proud of watching skills develop in woodworking or photography or foods – these are lifetime skills that may become hobbies or careers!4-H is the only Extension program that comes with an inherent level of competition. Competition and good sportsmanship go hand-in-hand and learning how to work hard, be a fair competitor, and humble when you win, or don’t, are life skills that are hard to measure but recognizable when they happen.This week the weather forecast is HOT! We encourage 4-H families and all participants at the fair to stay cool….in temperature and temperament.If you see me at the fair, ask me about my favorite thing of the day! If you see a 4-H member at the fair, ask about their favorite thing of the day also. Mostly, come out and support our 4-H members and the community who have entered open class entries. You will be amazed at the Blue Jeans and Big Dreams on display in the Expo buildings.Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness!Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District. For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth Development resources, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call Cottonwood Extension District – Barton Office at 620-793-1910.

BERAN: It’s Fair Time!

TOPEKA — Governor Laura Kelly vetoed three tax reduction bills during the 2024 legislative session. On May 29, 2024, she vetoed the latest tax bill and called for the legislature to return and address reducing taxes for Kansans. The special session was called for June 18, 2024.

There were only two items of business that we discussed during the special session: the reduction of taxes and a proposal referred to as the major professional sports franchise STAR bond district. We debated four tax reduction bills during the regular session and of those, three were vetoed. At the latter part of session, there were meetings and discussion about a STAR bond proposal as an attempt to entice the Kansas City Chiefs and/or Royals from the state of Missouri to Kansas. I will discuss these in more detail in the newsletter.

Governor Kelly signed both bills into law Friday morning.

Senate Bill 1 was introduced early Tuesday morning at the beginning of the Special Session that Governor Kelly called for the Legislature. This bill was negotiated with the Governor and the House and Senate to ensure that this tax reduction bill would be signed by the Governor as opposed to the others in the regular session that were vetoed. Late Tuesday morning, the Senate passed SB 1, 34-4, and early in the afternoon, the House passed the measure, 102-2. I voted “yes” because as I have stated all session when speaking about the budget, when we have an ending surplus of nearly $3 billion, we need to have tax relief for Kansans. Below are the details of SB 1.

SB 1 makes vairous changes to income, sales, and property tax law. This bill restructures the Kansas Individual income tax brackets to a two-bracket system, currently at three, for tax year 2024. For married individuals filing jointly, taxable income of $0 to $46,000 is reduced to 5.2% and income of $46,001 and more will have a reduced rate of 5.58%. For single filers the income levels for these same rates are $0 to $23,000 and over $23,001 and more for the latter.

Beginning in tax year 2024, all Social Security benefits will be exempt from Kansas Income Tax.

There is an increase to the standard deduction amounts to $3,605 for single filers and $8,240 for married filers. There is also an increase to $6,180 for head-of-household filing status for tax year 2024.

The bill also increases the amount of residential property exempted from the statewide uniform school finance levy to $75,000 of the appraised value. Currently, the amount that is exempt is $42,000.

SB 1 also increases the tax credit for household and dependent care expenses from 25% to 50% of the federally allowed amount for tax year 2024.

The bill also prohibits the sale price at which a property sells in an IRS Code Section 1031 exchange from being considered an indicator of fair market value or used in arriving at fair market value for property tax purposes. The bill excludes such sales from being considered valid sales for purposes of the sales ratio study used for measuring tax appraisal accuracy.

At the end of the regular session, especially after the failed sales tax extension vote in Jackson County, Missouri, there was an attempt to lure the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals to Kansas by altering our Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) Bonds for the construction of new stadiums. When Governor Kelly called the special session for tax relief, it also allowed for more discussion with the two teams and interest in these alterations to the current STAR Bonds.

The modifications made in House Bill 2001 are an attempt to attract the Chiefs and Royal to Kansas. These changes are only valid for one year and it is specific to a stadium that is constructed with 30,000 or more seats for the purpose of holding a national football league or major league baseball team. The bill also stipulates that there can only be two stadiums that will qualify.

The bonds are generated by private investors and not the financial responsibility of the state or local governments where the stadiums are constructed. The bonds are paid back by the generation of sales, including alcohol, and transient guest taxes and franchise fees for the course of the length of the bond, which the bill states could be 30 years. The bill passed the House, 84-38 and the Senate, 27-8. I voted “yes.”

Anytime that you would like to participate and listen to the developments of interim committee hearings, you can tune in by video or audio at <a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>.

As always, if you have any concerns, feel free to contact me 785-324-1822, follow on twitter at @waymaster4house, or email me at troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov.

It is a distinct honor to serve as your representative for the 109th Kansas House District and the state of Kansas. Please contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and questions. I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633970422056.jpeg" alt="Rep. Troy L. Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, 109th Kansas House. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Troy L. Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, 109th Kansas House. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Special Session</h2>TOPEKA — Governor Laura Kelly vetoed three tax reduction bills during the 2024 legislative session. On May 29, 2024, she vetoed the latest tax bill and called for the legislature to return and address reducing taxes for Kansans. The special session was called for June 18, 2024.There were only two items of business that we discussed during the special session: the reduction of taxes and a proposal referred to as the major professional sports franchise STAR bond district. We debated four tax reduction bills during the regular session and of those, three were vetoed. At the latter part of session, there were meetings and discussion about a STAR bond proposal as an attempt to entice the Kansas City Chiefs and/or Royals from the state of Missouri to Kansas. I will discuss these in more detail in the newsletter.Governor Kelly signed both bills into law Friday morning.<h2>Senate Bill 1: Tax Bill</h2>Senate Bill 1 was introduced early Tuesday morning at the beginning of the Special Session that Governor Kelly called for the Legislature. This bill was negotiated with the Governor and the House and Senate to ensure that this tax reduction bill would be signed by the Governor as opposed to the others in the regular session that were vetoed. Late Tuesday morning, the Senate passed SB 1, 34-4, and early in the afternoon, the House passed the measure, 102-2. I voted “yes” because as I have stated all session when speaking about the budget, when we have an ending surplus of nearly $3 billion, we need to have tax relief for Kansans. Below are the details of SB 1.SB 1 makes vairous changes to income, sales, and property tax law. This bill restructures the Kansas Individual income tax brackets to a two-bracket system, currently at three, for tax year 2024. For married individuals filing jointly, taxable income of $0 to $46,000 is reduced to 5.2% and income of $46,001 and more will have a reduced rate of 5.58%. For single filers the income levels for these same rates are $0 to $23,000 and over $23,001 and more for the latter.Beginning in tax year 2024, all Social Security benefits will be exempt from Kansas Income Tax.There is an increase to the standard deduction amounts to $3,605 for single filers and $8,240 for married filers. There is also an increase to $6,180 for head-of-household filing status for tax year 2024.The bill also increases the amount of residential property exempted from the statewide uniform school finance levy to $75,000 of the appraised value. Currently, the amount that is exempt is $42,000.SB 1 also increases the tax credit for household and dependent care expenses from 25% to 50% of the federally allowed amount for tax year 2024.The bill also prohibits the sale price at which a property sells in an IRS Code Section 1031 exchange from being considered an indicator of fair market value or used in arriving at fair market value for property tax purposes. The bill excludes such sales from being considered valid sales for purposes of the sales ratio study used for measuring tax appraisal accuracy.<h2>Professional Sports STAR Bonds Proposal</h2>At the end of the regular session, especially after the failed sales tax extension vote in Jackson County, Missouri, there was an attempt to lure the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals to Kansas by altering our Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) Bonds for the construction of new stadiums. When Governor Kelly called the special session for tax relief, it also allowed for more discussion with the two teams and interest in these alterations to the current STAR Bonds.The modifications made in House Bill 2001 are an attempt to attract the Chiefs and Royal to Kansas. These changes are only valid for one year and it is specific to a stadium that is constructed with 30,000 or more seats for the purpose of holding a national football league or major league baseball team. The bill also stipulates that there can only be two stadiums that will qualify.The bonds are generated by private investors and not the financial responsibility of the state or local governments where the stadiums are constructed. The bonds are paid back by the generation of sales, including alcohol, and transient guest taxes and franchise fees for the course of the length of the bond, which the bill states could be 30 years. The bill passed the House, 84-38 and the Senate, 27-8. I voted “yes.”Contact InformationAnytime that you would like to participate and listen to the developments of interim committee hearings, you can tune in by video or audio at <a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>.As always, if you have any concerns, feel free to contact me 785-324-1822, follow on twitter at @waymaster4house, or email me at troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov.It is a distinct honor to serve as your representative for the 109th Kansas House District and the state of Kansas. Please contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and questions. I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well

WAYMASTER: From the Dome to Home; Special session

By STEVE GILLILAND Exploring Kansas Outdoors

Spent some time with my brother recently, and we talked about a pigeon problem he has in his barn, and how he and his grandson make occasional night raids to try to get rid of them. It all reminded me of FFA pest hunts we had when we grew up. Given society’s current penchant for looking at problems through emotional eyes only, I’ll probably get roasted for this one, but here goes anyway.

Amongst all its other merits, high school FFA was OK in my book because we had pest hunts! Pest hunts started in the fall and ran for a couple months. We divided into teams of four or five and for those couple months killed all the pests we could kill. Everything had a point value; starlings and blackbirds were two points each, pigeons were five and so on and so forth, and it was a simple competition to see which team could accumulate the most points by the end of the time period. As proof of “capture,” the heads of all starlings and pigeons were kept, and the tails were kept from mice, rats, possums’ and most everything else. And since all “trophies” were accumulated until the contest was over, they naturally had to be housed in the freezer. And since most folks only had one freezer back then, it was the same freezer where all the frozen meat, vegetables and fruit were kept. Yup, more than once I remember mom screamin’ my name in capital letters when she came up with a bag full of bird heads or possum tails instead of the frozen corn or hamburgers she was after.

The pest hunting game plan was fairly straightforward. We were all farm kids, so mice and rats were killed as we saw them around the barn. We were also hunters and trappers so possums were found squashed along the road or caught in our coon’ traps. Bird hunting gigs were the trickiest. Most barns where I grew up were three or four stories tall with hay lofts on each end. There was always a window high in each end of the barn with a ladder running up the inside wall to the window. One hunter would climb each ladder up to the window, turn around and prepare to swat birds as they headed toward the window, all the while somehow holding onto the ladder for dear life. Now that doesn’t sound all that dangerous, but here’s the thing; it was all done in the dead of night.

Here’s how the process worked. Our team would quietly converge on a barn around 10pm or so. (Of the whole process, the “quietly” part was the toughest.) Remember this was winter so everyone was dressed in old army jackets and mud boots, except the designated “swatters” for that night’s offensive, who had to dress warmly but in clothing that fit loosely around the shoulders so as not to impede their swing once they got into place at the top of the ladders. Clubs for the battle ranged from top-of-the-line gear like tennis or badminton rackets to more simple weapons like a scrap board with a handle nailed to it. Once the climbing swatters were inserted and in place, the rest of the militia on the floor would turn on lights and make as much noise as possible, attempting to roust any starlings or pigeons roosted inside, which would inevitably head for the windows, now guarded by the “swatters.” Snipers (with pellet guns) would begin picking off any drowsy birds still clinging to their perches after the melee started.

Meanwhile, at the tops of the ladder’s, startled birds were flying into a trap, and the action could be fast and furious as flustered birds tried to fly out the windows, and Heaven help you if one of those birds was an owl, which we obviously did not swat, but that would ring your bell if they flew into you. For starters,

you only had one hand available to swat as the other was rather busy holding onto an old rickety ladder that you hoped would not crumble into pieces and dump you into the hay below. These were still the days of small square bales of hay and straw which might have been only a few feet below you, or twenty feet below you depending on how much the farmer had used already. It was still pretty dark up there and with birds often coming at you several at a time, it was impossible to swat them all. The ones you missed either flew around, coming back for a second try, or just hit you in the face from the get-go. In the midst of the assault, it could be raining dead bird carcasses down on the floor and it wasn’t out of the question to get “beaned” with the corpse of a deceased pigeon of starling if you were down there. We always tried to make sure the guys on the ground with the pellet guns were the most even-tempered of the group, thereby lessening the chance that one of the swatters would get shot in the butt for inadvertently beaning someone with a bird cadaver. After all forms of pest-life seemed to be vanquished from a barn, out came the flashlights and it was time to collect the spoils, leaving the neighborhood barn cats quite a feast indeed for allowing us to invade their territory.

How many times have you looked back upon crazy things you did as a kid and wondered how in blazes you ever survived past the age of nine? Every time I drive past a tall barn with windows in each end, I stare up at the windows and ask myself “Did we really used to do that?” Well, I’ve lived well past the age of nine and another part of me has to wonder if the world would be a better place today if we just had more pest hunts. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By STEVE GILLILAND Exploring Kansas OutdoorsSpent some time with my brother recently, and we talked about a pigeon problem he has in his barn, and how he and his grandson make occasional night raids to try to get rid of them. It all reminded me of FFA pest hunts we had when we grew up. Given society’s current penchant for looking at problems through emotional eyes only, I’ll probably get roasted for this one, but here goes anyway.Amongst all its other merits, high school FFA was OK in my book because we had pest hunts! Pest hunts started in the fall and ran for a couple months. We divided into teams of four or five and for those couple months killed all the pests we could kill. Everything had a point value; starlings and blackbirds were two points each, pigeons were five and so on and so forth, and it was a simple competition to see which team could accumulate the most points by the end of the time period. As proof of “capture,” the heads of all starlings and pigeons were kept, and the tails were kept from mice, rats, possums’ and most everything else. And since all “trophies” were accumulated until the contest was over, they naturally had to be housed in the freezer. And since most folks only had one freezer back then, it was the same freezer where all the frozen meat, vegetables and fruit were kept. Yup, more than once I remember mom screamin’ my name in capital letters when she came up with a bag full of bird heads or possum tails instead of the frozen corn or hamburgers she was after.The pest hunting game plan was fairly straightforward. We were all farm kids, so mice and rats were killed as we saw them around the barn. We were also hunters and trappers so possums were found squashed along the road or caught in our coon’ traps. Bird hunting gigs were the trickiest. Most barns where I grew up were three or four stories tall with hay lofts on each end. There was always a window high in each end of the barn with a ladder running up the inside wall to the window. One hunter would climb each ladder up to the window, turn around and prepare to swat birds as they headed toward the window, all the while somehow holding onto the ladder for dear life. Now that doesn’t sound all that dangerous, but here’s the thing; it was all done in the dead of night.Here’s how the process worked. Our team would quietly converge on a barn around 10pm or so. (Of the whole process, the “quietly” part was the toughest.) Remember this was winter so everyone was dressed in old army jackets and mud boots, except the designated “swatters” for that night’s offensive, who had to dress warmly but in clothing that fit loosely around the shoulders so as not to impede their swing once they got into place at the top of the ladders. Clubs for the battle ranged from top-of-the-line gear like tennis or badminton rackets to more simple weapons like a scrap board with a handle nailed to it. Once the climbing swatters were inserted and in place, the rest of the militia on the floor would turn on lights and make as much noise as possible, attempting to roust any starlings or pigeons roosted inside, which would inevitably head for the windows, now guarded by the “swatters.” Snipers (with pellet guns) would begin picking off any drowsy birds still clinging to their perches after the melee started.Meanwhile, at the tops of the ladder’s, startled birds were flying into a trap, and the action could be fast and furious as flustered birds tried to fly out the windows, and Heaven help you if one of those birds was an owl, which we obviously did not swat, but that would ring your bell if they flew into you. For starters,you only had one hand available to swat as the other was rather busy holding onto an old rickety ladder that you hoped would not crumble into pieces and dump you into the hay below. These were still the days of small square bales of hay and straw which might have been only a few feet below you, or twenty feet below you depending on how much the farmer had used already. It was still pretty dark up there and with birds often coming at you several at a time, it was impossible to swat them all. The ones you missed either flew around, coming back for a second try, or just hit you in the face from the get-go. In the midst of the assault, it could be raining dead bird carcasses down on the floor and it wasn’t out of the question to get “beaned” with the corpse of a deceased pigeon of starling if you were down there. We always tried to make sure the guys on the ground with the pellet guns were the most even-tempered of the group, thereby lessening the chance that one of the swatters would get shot in the butt for inadvertently beaning someone with a bird cadaver. After all forms of pest-life seemed to be vanquished from a barn, out came the flashlights and it was time to collect the spoils, leaving the neighborhood barn cats quite a feast indeed for allowing us to invade their territory.How many times have you looked back upon crazy things you did as a kid and wondered how in blazes you ever survived past the age of nine? Every time I drive past a tall barn with windows in each end, I stare up at the windows and ask myself “Did we really used to do that?” Well, I’ve lived well past the age of nine and another part of me has to wonder if the world would be a better place today if we just had more pest hunts. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Kansas Outdoors: Oh, for pest hunts again!

By RUSSELL FOX Insight Kansas

People constantly complain about political parties. And yet, in a society where people are free to express themselves and assemble together, forming parties is both logical and a valuable way to organize disagreements into choices that can be voted on. What most people dislike, I think, aren’t the parties themselves, but the way they shape and are shaped by how those elections actually operate. Which is why what United Kansas is trying to do deserves attention.

United Kansas is a new party in Kansas, and its main aim is to bring back fusion voting. Sometimes called multi-party nomination voting, it simply means that different parties, representing different sets of voters, can nominate the same person as a candidate for political office. Everyone who pays attention to politics is aware there are parties besides the Democrats and Republicans out there; we somewhat regularly see Libertarian party candidates, Green party candidates, and more on our ballots. Fusion voting allows that two parties—say the Republicans and the Libertarians—could choose to back the same person, and the same candidate would then be presented on the ballot with the endorsement of both.

Fusion voting was commonplace in the first half of American history, before the electoral practices which invariably privilege two dominant parties became so entrenched. During the 19th&nbsp;century dozens of smaller parties regularly challenged or fused their nominees with those of other, larger parties, and by so doing obliged those major party organizations to embrace—or at least recognize—the priorities of various groups of voters. All of that made 19th-century elections, for all their racism, sexism, and corruption, in some important ways somewhat more representative than modern contests are (as the high voter turnouts a century ago demonstrate).

Unfortunately, Kansas made fusion voting illegal over a hundred years ago, mostly because Republican legislators wanted to prevent populist candidates from winning with the support of both Democratic and People’s party voters. Most other states banned fusion voting in the early 20th&nbsp;century for similar reasons, with New York and a few other states remaining as exceptions.

The U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted state bans on fusion voting as not violating any constitutional freedoms. But as party primaries have become ever more controlling, with small factions of extreme activists within a party frequently defining the options for all of the party’s supporters, essentially robbing certain voters of any effective voice, that ruling is due some reconsideration. 

United Kansas is preparing their legal arguments for when state ban comes down on their nominees, with the hope that the Kansas Supreme Court, which has not been shy in the past when it comes to articulating a higher, state-specific reading of constitutional rights, might see the value of what they’re doing, and thus begin some much-needed rethinking.

It's a long-shot, of course. But the need is real. State elections in Kansas today rarely provide much opportunity for that former mainstay of Kansas voters: the moderate Republican. United Kansas believes they still exist and want to find a way to give their views an electoral outlet which is currently denied them by the Republican leadership. (It’s not a surprise that most of the candidates which United Kansas is looking to nominate in order to challenge Kansas’s ban are Democrats).

Bringing back fusion voting alone won’t result in the structural and financial changes which American politics desperately needs. But it might be an important step in that direction. Here’s hoping the Kansas Supreme Court recognizes the freedoms which our state parties today aren’t serving particularly well, and leads us, and thus the country, in a better direction.

Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics at Friends University in Wichita.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690389122282.jpeg" alt="Russell Fox" />
 <figcaption>Russell Fox</figcaption>
 </figure>By RUSSELL FOX Insight KansasPeople constantly complain about political parties. And yet, in a society where people are free to express themselves and assemble together, forming parties is both logical and a valuable way to organize disagreements into choices that can be voted on. What most people dislike, I think, aren’t the parties themselves, but the way they shape and are shaped by how those elections actually operate. Which is why what United Kansas is trying to do deserves attention.United Kansas is a new party in Kansas, and its main aim is to bring back fusion voting. Sometimes called multi-party nomination voting, it simply means that different parties, representing different sets of voters, can nominate the same person as a candidate for political office. Everyone who pays attention to politics is aware there are parties besides the Democrats and Republicans out there; we somewhat regularly see Libertarian party candidates, Green party candidates, and more on our ballots. Fusion voting allows that two parties—say the Republicans and the Libertarians—could choose to back the same person, and the same candidate would then be presented on the ballot with the endorsement of both.Fusion voting was commonplace in the first half of American history, before the electoral practices which invariably privilege two dominant parties became so entrenched. During the 19th&nbsp;century dozens of smaller parties regularly challenged or fused their nominees with those of other, larger parties, and by so doing obliged those major party organizations to embrace—or at least recognize—the priorities of various groups of voters. All of that made 19th-century elections, for all their racism, sexism, and corruption, in some important ways somewhat more representative than modern contests are (as the high voter turnouts a century ago demonstrate).Unfortunately, Kansas made fusion voting illegal over a hundred years ago, mostly because Republican legislators wanted to prevent populist candidates from winning with the support of both Democratic and People’s party voters. Most other states banned fusion voting in the early 20th&nbsp;century for similar reasons, with New York and a few other states remaining as exceptions.The U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted state bans on fusion voting as not violating any constitutional freedoms. But as party primaries have become ever more controlling, with small factions of extreme activists within a party frequently defining the options for all of the party’s supporters, essentially robbing certain voters of any effective voice, that ruling is due some reconsideration. United Kansas is preparing their legal arguments for when state ban comes down on their nominees, with the hope that the Kansas Supreme Court, which has not been shy in the past when it comes to articulating a higher, state-specific reading of constitutional rights, might see the value of what they’re doing, and thus begin some much-needed rethinking.It's a long-shot, of course. But the need is real. State elections in Kansas today rarely provide much opportunity for that former mainstay of Kansas voters: the moderate Republican. United Kansas believes they still exist and want to find a way to give their views an electoral outlet which is currently denied them by the Republican leadership. (It’s not a surprise that most of the candidates which United Kansas is looking to nominate in order to challenge Kansas’s ban are Democrats).Bringing back fusion voting alone won’t result in the structural and financial changes which American politics desperately needs. But it might be an important step in that direction. Here’s hoping the Kansas Supreme Court recognizes the freedoms which our state parties today aren’t serving particularly well, and leads us, and thus the country, in a better direction.Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics at Friends University in Wichita.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Why bringing back fusion voting makes sense

When thinking about weed control in wheat stubble, there are two priorities – controlling already emerged weeds and preventing later flushes. Making applications before weeds exceed 4 to 6 inches is necessary for good control of already emerged weeds, in an idea situation, which is hard to come by. Residual herbicides are needed to reduce the number of herbicide applications needed to control multiple flushes of weeds.

Gramoxone (paraquat) is a non-selective, contact herbicide that can be used in fallow fields. It should be applied at 0.5 to 1.0 pounds of paraquat/A, which is equal to 2 to 4 pints of GramoxoneSL 2.0 or 1.3 to 2.7 pints of GramoxoneSL 3.0. Thorough spray coverage is important for good control, which means medium to coarse droplet sizes and greater spray volumes (20 GPA or more). Gramoxone should be applied with NIS, COC, or MSO. Because paraquat is a contact herbicide regrowth is common, especially of large weeds. Adding a Group 5 herbicide, such as atrazine or metribuzin can enhance control of larger weeds and add some residual activity. Atrazine will also help control volunteer wheat. It’s also important to remember that paraquat is a restricted use pesticide that requires additional training for handling.

Sharpen (saflufenacil) is a Group 14 herbicide that is a primarily a contact herbicide but also provides some residual activity. Use 2 to 3 oz/A for larger weeds and residual activity. Sharpen works best with the addition of methylated seed oil. Sharpen requires complete coverage so using 15 to 20 gallons/acre spray solution is important.

Valor (flumioxazin) can provide contact and residual activity of key species like pigweeds. Valor EZ can be applied at 2 to 4 fl oz/A. Crop rotation should be considered when selecting the application rate. The 4 fl oz rate has a 4-month rotation interval for corn, cotton, sorghum, soybean, sunflower, and wheat; but lower rates have fewer restrictions. If targeting emerged weeds, NIS or COC should be included in the application.

All herbicides are most effective when applied to weeds that are actively growing. This means it is necessary to wait for a at least 2-3 inches of regrowth if weeds were cut off by the combine. It may be tempting to wait and delay applications for later weed flushes; however, consider including a product with residual activity, rather than waiting, in order to prevent poor control of large weeds. Additional information can be found in the 2024 Chemical Weed Control for Field Crops, Pastures, Rangeland, and Noncropland, K-State publication SRP-1183.

Stacy Campbell is a crop production agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or calling 785-628-9430.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681266655144.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension DistrictWhen thinking about weed control in wheat stubble, there are two priorities – controlling already emerged weeds and preventing later flushes. Making applications before weeds exceed 4 to 6 inches is necessary for good control of already emerged weeds, in an idea situation, which is hard to come by. Residual herbicides are needed to reduce the number of herbicide applications needed to control multiple flushes of weeds.Gramoxone (paraquat) is a non-selective, contact herbicide that can be used in fallow fields. It should be applied at 0.5 to 1.0 pounds of paraquat/A, which is equal to 2 to 4 pints of GramoxoneSL 2.0 or 1.3 to 2.7 pints of GramoxoneSL 3.0. Thorough spray coverage is important for good control, which means medium to coarse droplet sizes and greater spray volumes (20 GPA or more). Gramoxone should be applied with NIS, COC, or MSO. Because paraquat is a contact herbicide regrowth is common, especially of large weeds. Adding a Group 5 herbicide, such as atrazine or metribuzin can enhance control of larger weeds and add some residual activity. Atrazine will also help control volunteer wheat. It’s also important to remember that paraquat is a restricted use pesticide that requires additional training for handling.Sharpen (saflufenacil) is a Group 14 herbicide that is a primarily a contact herbicide but also provides some residual activity. Use 2 to 3 oz/A for larger weeds and residual activity. Sharpen works best with the addition of methylated seed oil. Sharpen requires complete coverage so using 15 to 20 gallons/acre spray solution is important.Valor (flumioxazin) can provide contact and residual activity of key species like pigweeds. Valor EZ can be applied at 2 to 4 fl oz/A. Crop rotation should be considered when selecting the application rate. The 4 fl oz rate has a 4-month rotation interval for corn, cotton, sorghum, soybean, sunflower, and wheat; but lower rates have fewer restrictions. If targeting emerged weeds, NIS or COC should be included in the application.All herbicides are most effective when applied to weeds that are actively growing. This means it is necessary to wait for a at least 2-3 inches of regrowth if weeds were cut off by the combine. It may be tempting to wait and delay applications for later weed flushes; however, consider including a product with residual activity, rather than waiting, in order to prevent poor control of large weeds. Additional information can be found in the 2024 Chemical Weed Control for Field Crops, Pastures, Rangeland, and Noncropland, K-State publication SRP-1183.The use of trade names is for clarity to readers and does not imply endorsement of a particular product, nor does exclusion imply non-approval. Always consult the herbicide label for the most current use requirements.Stacy Campbell is a crop production agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or calling 785-628-9430.

CAMPBELL: Considerations for weed control following wheat harvest

By TISA MASON FHSU president

The John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days (SACAD) at Fort Hays State University (FHSU) showcased the remarkable convergence of traditional research and cutting-edge technology. The annual SACAD event is a testament to academic rigor and the boundless potential of students who embrace innovation and collaboration. Among them this year were Cally Anderson, Marisol Banda, and Katie Hale, whose work on using artificial intelligence (AI) in tourism marketing captivated attendees and earned them the coveted People’s Choice Award for Scholarly Activities.

Their research, an exploratory study on the utilization of AI for tourism marketing in the Midwest, was a project born out of curiosity and driven by a passion for the tourism industry. With Dr. Stacey Smith as their mentor, these three students conducted extensive research, navigated the complexities of AI, and presented their findings to national and international audiences.

Their research journey was not without its challenges. When Dr. Smith, a respected figure in the tourism academia, called upon FHSU members of the tourism honor society Eta Sigma Delta (ESD) to undertake a research project for a conference in Miami, Cally, Marisol, and Katie immediately seized the opportunity, even though it meant doubling their workload. They embarked on two ambitious research projects, including one focusing on AI in tourism marketing.

The students found that AI is rapidly transforming how the tourism industry operates, from personalizing travel experiences to improving destination management and customer service. Surveying tourism professionals in the Midwest revealed a lack of awareness of and utilization of AI in the region. Their research recommended workshops and conferences to educate professionals on the benefits of AI in tourism marketing.

Their journey led them to the Eta Sigma Delta Undergraduate Research Conference in Miami, where they presented not one but two research projects—including the much-lauded AI study. Competing against prestigious U.S. and Hong Kong schools, their work was noticed and celebrated. Their dedication culminated with a Meritorious Paper Award for their AI research, setting the stage for further recognition at SACAD.

Researching AI in tourism was a new and exciting experience for these students. Marisol Banda, a student from Salina shared how the project helped her learn about data collection and research, something she had never done before. She highlighted the importance of embracing advanced technologies like AI to propel the tourism industry forward.

Katie Hale, a Hutchinson native, emphasized the importance of adapting to changes in the industry and utilizing resources and connections to enhance research outcomes. She credited the collaboration with her peers and professors for the success of their project and acknowledged the growth in her skills and confidence as a result.

Cally Anderson, originally from Topeka, found a passion for tourism through her studies at FHSU. She emphasized that despite the program not being research-intensive, the opportunity to engage in research projects opened new possibilities for students to explore their interests and develop valuable skills.

Dr. Smith played a pivotal role in guiding the students through the research process, helping them understand the importance of research in the industry and preparing them for future endeavors. She noted that the students' dedication and eagerness to learn were evident throughout the project, and their recognition at local and international events was a testament to their hard work.

Fort Hays State University continues to nurture future academically proficient leaders and innovators in their respective fields. Cally, Marisol, and Katie's accomplishments embody the university’s commitment to fostering an environment where students can thrive, innovate, and prepare for the dynamic world ahead.

The 19th annual John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days was not just an event but a celebration of the collective efforts and achievements of faculty, students, and staff. For Cally, Marisol, and Katie, it began their journey to becoming influential leaders in the tourism industry, equipped with the knowledge and skills to drive change and enhance the world with their innovative ideas.

Each step Marisol, Katie, and Cally take from this point forward builds on the solid foundation of experiences and knowledge they acquired through their research projects. They are preparing not just for successful careers but to make significant contributions to the tourism and hospitality industry, where AI and other emerging technologies will play a crucial role. Their stories remind us that pursuing knowledge, driven by curiosity and supported by a committed community, can lead to extraordinary achievements.

As Fort Hays State University continues to grow and adapt to the changing educational landscape, the successes of its students like Cally, Marisol, and Katie will continue to inspire future generations. In an increasingly interconnected and technologically advanced world, their work exemplifies the spirit of innovation and resilience that FHSU aims to foster. These events remind us that education is about learning and exploring new frontiers, embracing change, and creating a better future for all.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575301942236.jpeg" alt="Tisa Mason, FHSU president" />
 <figcaption>Tisa Mason, FHSU president</figcaption>
 </figure>By TISA MASON FHSU presidentThe John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days (SACAD) at Fort Hays State University (FHSU) showcased the remarkable convergence of traditional research and cutting-edge technology. The annual SACAD event is a testament to academic rigor and the boundless potential of students who embrace innovation and collaboration. Among them this year were Cally Anderson, Marisol Banda, and Katie Hale, whose work on using artificial intelligence (AI) in tourism marketing captivated attendees and earned them the coveted People’s Choice Award for Scholarly Activities.Their research, an exploratory study on the utilization of AI for tourism marketing in the Midwest, was a project born out of curiosity and driven by a passion for the tourism industry. With Dr. Stacey Smith as their mentor, these three students conducted extensive research, navigated the complexities of AI, and presented their findings to national and international audiences.Their research journey was not without its challenges. When Dr. Smith, a respected figure in the tourism academia, called upon FHSU members of the tourism honor society Eta Sigma Delta (ESD) to undertake a research project for a conference in Miami, Cally, Marisol, and Katie immediately seized the opportunity, even though it meant doubling their workload. They embarked on two ambitious research projects, including one focusing on AI in tourism marketing.The students found that AI is rapidly transforming how the tourism industry operates, from personalizing travel experiences to improving destination management and customer service. Surveying tourism professionals in the Midwest revealed a lack of awareness of and utilization of AI in the region. Their research recommended workshops and conferences to educate professionals on the benefits of AI in tourism marketing.Their journey led them to the Eta Sigma Delta Undergraduate Research Conference in Miami, where they presented not one but two research projects—including the much-lauded AI study. Competing against prestigious U.S. and Hong Kong schools, their work was noticed and celebrated. Their dedication culminated with a Meritorious Paper Award for their AI research, setting the stage for further recognition at SACAD.Researching AI in tourism was a new and exciting experience for these students. Marisol Banda, a student from Salina shared how the project helped her learn about data collection and research, something she had never done before. She highlighted the importance of embracing advanced technologies like AI to propel the tourism industry forward.Katie Hale, a Hutchinson native, emphasized the importance of adapting to changes in the industry and utilizing resources and connections to enhance research outcomes. She credited the collaboration with her peers and professors for the success of their project and acknowledged the growth in her skills and confidence as a result.Cally Anderson, originally from Topeka, found a passion for tourism through her studies at FHSU. She emphasized that despite the program not being research-intensive, the opportunity to engage in research projects opened new possibilities for students to explore their interests and develop valuable skills.Dr. Smith played a pivotal role in guiding the students through the research process, helping them understand the importance of research in the industry and preparing them for future endeavors. She noted that the students' dedication and eagerness to learn were evident throughout the project, and their recognition at local and international events was a testament to their hard work.Fort Hays State University continues to nurture future academically proficient leaders and innovators in their respective fields. Cally, Marisol, and Katie's accomplishments embody the university’s commitment to fostering an environment where students can thrive, innovate, and prepare for the dynamic world ahead.The 19th annual John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days was not just an event but a celebration of the collective efforts and achievements of faculty, students, and staff. For Cally, Marisol, and Katie, it began their journey to becoming influential leaders in the tourism industry, equipped with the knowledge and skills to drive change and enhance the world with their innovative ideas.Each step Marisol, Katie, and Cally take from this point forward builds on the solid foundation of experiences and knowledge they acquired through their research projects. They are preparing not just for successful careers but to make significant contributions to the tourism and hospitality industry, where AI and other emerging technologies will play a crucial role. Their stories remind us that pursuing knowledge, driven by curiosity and supported by a committed community, can lead to extraordinary achievements.As Fort Hays State University continues to grow and adapt to the changing educational landscape, the successes of its students like Cally, Marisol, and Katie will continue to inspire future generations. In an increasingly interconnected and technologically advanced world, their work exemplifies the spirit of innovation and resilience that FHSU aims to foster. These events remind us that education is about learning and exploring new frontiers, embracing change, and creating a better future for all.

Heart of Tiger: FHSU Tourism students exploring new frontiers in AI-driven marketing

Embarrassing as it is to confess, I don’t wash my car as often as I should, especially since I frequently travel long distances in buggy areas. We recently returned from a week-long trek through insect-filled territory with predictable results. Squashed bugs covered the front of the car.

From my perspective, this meant more work. I needed to gather scrub rags and detergent in order to apply serious elbow grease. From a couple of little birds’ perspectives, our grill offered gourmet delights. Looking out the window the other day, I spied two sparrows working diligently at something around the slatted metal. Upon closer inspection, these opportunists were cleaning up dried bugs. I’d delivered a feast to their doorstep.

Lately newspapers are full of articles of other examples of opportunistic feeders. Swimmers and surfers off an American beach recently discovered this the hard way. As they splashed and kicked, hungry sharks zeroed in on their movement and noise. Since bait fish usually occupy those waters, the sharks apparently thought the movement signaled dinner time. I can imagine the surprise on the parts of both the swimmers and the sharks. Neither expected that encounter. While a couple of the swimmers required surgery, thankfully, no one died in that case of mistaken identity.

Sharks are not the only creatures showing up for unexpected meal encounters. We once visited an area in Wyoming that suffered an early freeze followed by summer drought. As a result, bears that typically hang out in berry patches and the like in the mountains, showed up at Fido’s back-door dog dish.

One lady told me her sister left her back door open while she did chores. As she carried boxes from one area to another, her dog started barking frantically. Curious, she visited the dining room to see what inspired the noise. Imagine finding a bear cub had wandered into the kitchen to investigate dining options. Thank goodness she frightened him out of the house with wild gestures and screeches before his mom came looking for him.

Around the same time, in southern Colorado, a bear wandered into a bottling plant where it discovered the raspberry-flavored ice tea vat. Mental picture triggered dozens of potential ice tea commercials. It reminded me of vintage Coca Cola ads starring a big, white polar bear. This bear story offered a case of life imitating art.

Wild animals aren’t the only creatures to take advantage of perfect opportunities. I’ve never known a dog to miss a chance to clean up under a toddler. Any dog worth its keep knows where to find the good stuff. I once watched a lab snatch ice cream off a little girl’s cone as the distracted tyke waved her cone around. Its owner struggled to scold the messy-faced pooch for doing what came naturally.

On the note of letting a food thief off easily, it’s getting close to the weekend and car wash time. Can I justify another postp

By KAREN MADORINEmbarrassing as it is to confess, I don’t wash my car as often as I should, especially since I frequently travel long distances in buggy areas. We recently returned from a week-long trek through insect-filled territory with predictable results. Squashed bugs covered the front of the car.From my perspective, this meant more work. I needed to gather scrub rags and detergent in order to apply serious elbow grease. From a couple of little birds’ perspectives, our grill offered gourmet delights. Looking out the window the other day, I spied two sparrows working diligently at something around the slatted metal. Upon closer inspection, these opportunists were cleaning up dried bugs. I’d delivered a feast to their doorstep.Lately newspapers are full of articles of other examples of opportunistic feeders. Swimmers and surfers off an American beach recently discovered this the hard way. As they splashed and kicked, hungry sharks zeroed in on their movement and noise. Since bait fish usually occupy those waters, the sharks apparently thought the movement signaled dinner time. I can imagine the surprise on the parts of both the swimmers and the sharks. Neither expected that encounter. While a couple of the swimmers required surgery, thankfully, no one died in that case of mistaken identity.Sharks are not the only creatures showing up for unexpected meal encounters. We once visited an area in Wyoming that suffered an early freeze followed by summer drought. As a result, bears that typically hang out in berry patches and the like in the mountains, showed up at Fido’s back-door dog dish.One lady told me her sister left her back door open while she did chores. As she carried boxes from one area to another, her dog started barking frantically. Curious, she visited the dining room to see what inspired the noise. Imagine finding a bear cub had wandered into the kitchen to investigate dining options. Thank goodness she frightened him out of the house with wild gestures and screeches before his mom came looking for him.Around the same time, in southern Colorado, a bear wandered into a bottling plant where it discovered the raspberry-flavored ice tea vat. Mental picture triggered dozens of potential ice tea commercials. It reminded me of vintage Coca Cola ads starring a big, white polar bear. This bear story offered a case of life imitating art.Wild animals aren’t the only creatures to take advantage of perfect opportunities. I’ve never known a dog to miss a chance to clean up under a toddler. Any dog worth its keep knows where to find the good stuff. I once watched a lab snatch ice cream off a little girl’s cone as the distracted tyke waved her cone around. Its owner struggled to scold the messy-faced pooch for doing what came naturally.On the note of letting a food thief off easily, it’s getting close to the weekend and car wash time. Can I justify another postp

MADORIN: Opportunistic feeders

Most people value independence and enjoy a sense of control in life, and as we grow older, this doesn’t change. In fact, the desire to stay at home and live independently may increase with age. 

A typical older adult has lived independently for years, served as a caregiver, and has a sentimental connection with their home. After decades of creating the life they’ve worked for, many folks don’t want their lifestyle to change due to age. You may resonate with the fear of reliance as you grow older, but careful planning can help you successfully age in place.

First, prepare to stay in your home by setting yourself up for success. Studies show that people who cultivate social connections, volunteer, engage in moderate physical activity, and maintain a healthy diet protect their well-being. A person’s health condition can impact quality of life. In turn, this can influence your ability to live independently. Taking control of modifiable lifestyle factors now, can empower you to take care of yourself later.

Another important factor of aging in place is to acknowledge your assistance level. Successfully maintaining independence requires honesty. You may need to assess your ability to complete daily activities and your level of safety at home. Accepting help from family, friends, or a formal caregiver who can assist with daily activities can prevent injury and other accidents. Some help may sustain your ability to live at home and prevent the need for full-time assistance.

Make your home accessible. You spend most of your time at home, so make sure it’s a safe space. Increase lighting, remove floor clutter, and rearrange furniture to open up the flow of traffic. Also, consider installing grab bars in bathrooms and repairing uneven walking surfaces. Ensuring a safe environment can prevent accidents and protect overall health.

Aging is inevitable but welcoming the transitions of life can prolong independence. It can encourage you to care for your body and mind, accept your health circumstances, and prepare&nbsp;you to make your home a safer place. These are just a few ways that can help you realistically age in place.

Karissa Winkel is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 620-793-1910 or krwinkel@ksu.edu.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697546908793.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By KARISSA WINKEL Cottonwood Extension DistrictMost people value independence and enjoy a sense of control in life, and as we grow older, this doesn’t change. In fact, the desire to stay at home and live independently may increase with age. A typical older adult has lived independently for years, served as a caregiver, and has a sentimental connection with their home. After decades of creating the life they’ve worked for, many folks don’t want their lifestyle to change due to age. You may resonate with the fear of reliance as you grow older, but careful planning can help you successfully age in place.First, prepare to stay in your home by setting yourself up for success. Studies show that people who cultivate social connections, volunteer, engage in moderate physical activity, and maintain a healthy diet protect their well-being. A person’s health condition can impact quality of life. In turn, this can influence your ability to live independently. Taking control of modifiable lifestyle factors now, can empower you to take care of yourself later.Another important factor of aging in place is to acknowledge your assistance level. Successfully maintaining independence requires honesty. You may need to assess your ability to complete daily activities and your level of safety at home. Accepting help from family, friends, or a formal caregiver who can assist with daily activities can prevent injury and other accidents. Some help may sustain your ability to live at home and prevent the need for full-time assistance.Make your home accessible. You spend most of your time at home, so make sure it’s a safe space. Increase lighting, remove floor clutter, and rearrange furniture to open up the flow of traffic. Also, consider installing grab bars in bathrooms and repairing uneven walking surfaces. Ensuring a safe environment can prevent accidents and protect overall health.Aging is inevitable but welcoming the transitions of life can prolong independence. It can encourage you to care for your body and mind, accept your health circumstances, and prepare&nbsp;you to make your home a safer place. These are just a few ways that can help you realistically age in place.Karissa Winkel is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 620-793-1910 or krwinkel@ksu.edu.

WINKEL: Age in place

What do you get when you mix equal amounts of water and cider vinegar in a jar with a drop or two of dishwashing soap? According to a friend of ours, you get a redneck fruit fly trap. This time of the year along with all the fresh fruit and veggies from our gardens also comes those pesky tiny fruit flies that buzz around our produce. This concoction draws them to the scent of the cider vinegar and the dishwashing soap eliminates water surface tension so that when they land in the jar they sink straight to the bottom. She says it works great!

An effective hillbilly mouse trap can be made by filling a five gallon bucket a couple inches from the top with water, smearing peanut butter on the upper lip of the bucket or pouring grain or livestock feed to float on the water, then leaning a board at an angle from the floor to the top of the bucket for a ramp. Mice searching for an easy meal will attempt to hang onto the rim to get the peanut butter or lean out over the water to eat some floating feed and ultimately end up in the drink.

After hearing from my brother last night about all he has to go through to protect his garden from deer and other critters where he lives deep in the southern Ohio woods, I referred to a book by America’s Master Gardener, Jerry Baker, entitled “Bug Off” in which he presents bushels full of down-home remedies for keeping all manner of critters, especially raccoons, rabbits and deer, out of gardens and truck patches. I realize a couple of these may not be realistic to try, but here goes anyway.

· Raccoons are the bane of the sweet corn patch. Jerry recommends corralling all the electric fans you can barter for at garage sales, then, using outdoor extension cords place them all around the garden and run them on high all night for several nights in a row to dampen the coon’s interest.

· Evidently raccoons hate the smell of both bleach and ammonia, so fill old margarine tubs with either liquid and place them among your most vulnerable plants.

· As a trapper, I know that coons’ have very sensitive feet and this hindrance uses that weakness against them. Around the perimeter of the garden, lay a three-foot-wide strip of broken pot shards, jagged stones, thorny rose or bramble canes, wire mesh or anything else sharp or prickly and coons will refuse to cross it. This one requires the most work but will last the longest.

· Rabbits can devour a patch of greens’ overnight. Much of Jerry’s advise for deterring rabbits centers around fencing where practical, and making your yard or garden less inviting by removing nearby cover, growing plants rabbits don’t like and luring them away from the garden with plants they can’t resist. He does however have a couple novel suggestions.

· The first is a spray he calls his Hot Bite Spray, concocted from cayenne pepper, Tabasco sauce, ammonia and baby shampoo. He guarantees that any critter who tastes this stuff will never come back for a second bite (contact me for the formula and directions.)

· The other suggestion is to buy a ferret, or make friends with someone who owns a ferret and offer to babysit. ((: ((:

· Someone recently asked me how to keep deer away from his grapes and berries, and a friend of mine in Minnesota who operates a full-time animal control business recommended electric fence about waist high around the patch. Jerry Baker takes that one step further and

says to smear the fence with peanut butter. The smell of the peanut butter will cause them to smell it or lick it, resulting in a zap to the snoot or tongue, and they will never return.

· Instead of washing or tossing your husband’s old smelly socks and sneakers, hang them around your truck patch. Jerry calls this a classic deer-chasing trick.

· We trappers use all manner of strange animal scents and smells, and Jerry says that urine from any major predator will send deer running. Coyote urine is readily available, and a little sprinkled around your garden will never be noticed by you, but the deer will surely flee.

These are just a few of the more novel suggestions Jerry Baker has for keeping four-footed critters from ravaging your produce, and this book is just one of many he has published full of the same kind of down-home suggestions. Although there’s really nothing “Redneck” about any of these remedies as the title implies, I figured it might grab your attention and get you to read further, and if you’re reading this sentence, I’d say it worked! So, eat well as you continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By STEVE GILLILAND Exploring Kansas OutdoorsWhat do you get when you mix equal amounts of water and cider vinegar in a jar with a drop or two of dishwashing soap? According to a friend of ours, you get a redneck fruit fly trap. This time of the year along with all the fresh fruit and veggies from our gardens also comes those pesky tiny fruit flies that buzz around our produce. This concoction draws them to the scent of the cider vinegar and the dishwashing soap eliminates water surface tension so that when they land in the jar they sink straight to the bottom. She says it works great!An effective hillbilly mouse trap can be made by filling a five gallon bucket a couple inches from the top with water, smearing peanut butter on the upper lip of the bucket or pouring grain or livestock feed to float on the water, then leaning a board at an angle from the floor to the top of the bucket for a ramp. Mice searching for an easy meal will attempt to hang onto the rim to get the peanut butter or lean out over the water to eat some floating feed and ultimately end up in the drink.After hearing from my brother last night about all he has to go through to protect his garden from deer and other critters where he lives deep in the southern Ohio woods, I referred to a book by America’s Master Gardener, Jerry Baker, entitled “Bug Off” in which he presents bushels full of down-home remedies for keeping all manner of critters, especially raccoons, rabbits and deer, out of gardens and truck patches. I realize a couple of these may not be realistic to try, but here goes anyway.· Raccoons are the bane of the sweet corn patch. Jerry recommends corralling all the electric fans you can barter for at garage sales, then, using outdoor extension cords place them all around the garden and run them on high all night for several nights in a row to dampen the coon’s interest.· Evidently raccoons hate the smell of both bleach and ammonia, so fill old margarine tubs with either liquid and place them among your most vulnerable plants.· As a trapper, I know that coons’ have very sensitive feet and this hindrance uses that weakness against them. Around the perimeter of the garden, lay a three-foot-wide strip of broken pot shards, jagged stones, thorny rose or bramble canes, wire mesh or anything else sharp or prickly and coons will refuse to cross it. This one requires the most work but will last the longest.· Rabbits can devour a patch of greens’ overnight. Much of Jerry’s advise for deterring rabbits centers around fencing where practical, and making your yard or garden less inviting by removing nearby cover, growing plants rabbits don’t like and luring them away from the garden with plants they can’t resist. He does however have a couple novel suggestions.· The first is a spray he calls his Hot Bite Spray, concocted from cayenne pepper, Tabasco sauce, ammonia and baby shampoo. He guarantees that any critter who tastes this stuff will never come back for a second bite (contact me for the formula and directions.)· The other suggestion is to buy a ferret, or make friends with someone who owns a ferret and offer to babysit. ((: ((:· Someone recently asked me how to keep deer away from his grapes and berries, and a friend of mine in Minnesota who operates a full-time animal control business recommended electric fence about waist high around the patch. Jerry Baker takes that one step further andsays to smear the fence with peanut butter. The smell of the peanut butter will cause them to smell it or lick it, resulting in a zap to the snoot or tongue, and they will never return.· Instead of washing or tossing your husband’s old smelly socks and sneakers, hang them around your truck patch. Jerry calls this a classic deer-chasing trick.· We trappers use all manner of strange animal scents and smells, and Jerry says that urine from any major predator will send deer running. Coyote urine is readily available, and a little sprinkled around your garden will never be noticed by you, but the deer will surely flee.These are just a few of the more novel suggestions Jerry Baker has for keeping four-footed critters from ravaging your produce, and this book is just one of many he has published full of the same kind of down-home suggestions. Although there’s really nothing “Redneck” about any of these remedies as the title implies, I figured it might grab your attention and get you to read further, and if you’re reading this sentence, I’d say it worked! So, eat well as you continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Kansas Outdoors: Redneck garden remedies

If you were in Hays on June 8th, 2024, you may have noticed an event at Municipal Park, that drew a lot of folks to Hays on South Main Street for the Thunder on the Plains Car show.

It was a beautiful day down in the park and many car, truck, motorcycle and tractor enthusiasts were able to showcase their rides and take in the wonders of all the classic and classy vehicles, many from the past, restored and all treasured.

If you happened to be present early that afternoon, you would have observed how these enthusiasts showed another aspect of their collective characters. These beautiful souls are equally engaged in their community and in support of their community. At that time, Thunder on the Plains Car Show extended their hands in a great outpouring of financial support upon many different organizations in our community. Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas (DSNWK and Custom Creations) were among the recipients.. We remain deeply grateful to everyone associated with Thunder on the Plains Car Show and all the sponsors who helped make the day possible. The amazing support shared helps us continue in our work serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in this community.

The above alone is worthy of recognition but, wait, there's more to the story. One of their continued car show participants, unable to join the Thunder on the Plains Car Show event downtown this year because of health challenges, received an overpowering surprise (yet another gift) from this amazing group of people! As a neighbor living across the street, we were blessed to witness another example of the class of this group of people. Even though the car show was a wrap and each fatigued by the activities of the day, they dug in deeper.

Unbeknownst to our neighbor, the parade of classic cars drove down our street, coming to their planned stop to offer their gift of love, encouragement and hope. I heard someone say,

So Thank You to everyone involved in the Thunder on the Plains Car Show event, and especially for this final surprise gift of hope and encouragement. DSNWK was blessed to directly receive the generous support of this group. As a proverbial 'fly on the wall', we were also gifted witnessing this beautiful outpouring of love and support that impacted yet another life. Living with Purpose is our motto at DSNWK, and I am grateful to witness this as a prime example. This world is a better place when we too rise above ourselves to serve, to give and to support one another.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718315791278.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By JERRY MICHAUDIf you were in Hays on June 8th, 2024, you may have noticed an event at Municipal Park, that drew a lot of folks to Hays on South Main Street for the Thunder on the Plains Car show.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582312931775.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>It was a beautiful day down in the park and many car, truck, motorcycle and tractor enthusiasts were able to showcase their rides and take in the wonders of all the classic and classy vehicles, many from the past, restored and all treasured.If you happened to be present early that afternoon, you would have observed how these enthusiasts showed another aspect of their collective characters. These beautiful souls are equally engaged in their community and in support of their community. At that time, Thunder on the Plains Car Show extended their hands in a great outpouring of financial support upon many different organizations in our community. Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas (DSNWK and Custom Creations) were among the recipients.. We remain deeply grateful to everyone associated with Thunder on the Plains Car Show and all the sponsors who helped make the day possible. The amazing support shared helps us continue in our work serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in this community.The above alone is worthy of recognition but, wait, there's more to the story. One of their continued car show participants, unable to join the Thunder on the Plains Car Show event downtown this year because of health challenges, received an overpowering surprise (yet another gift) from this amazing group of people! As a neighbor living across the street, we were blessed to witness another example of the class of this group of people. Even though the car show was a wrap and each fatigued by the activities of the day, they dug in deeper.Unbeknownst to our neighbor, the parade of classic cars drove down our street, coming to their planned stop to offer their gift of love, encouragement and hope. I heard someone say,"It's what love does."So Thank You to everyone involved in the Thunder on the Plains Car Show event, and especially for this final surprise gift of hope and encouragement. DSNWK was blessed to directly receive the generous support of this group. As a proverbial 'fly on the wall', we were also gifted witnessing this beautiful outpouring of love and support that impacted yet another life. Living with Purpose is our motto at DSNWK, and I am grateful to witness this as a prime example. This world is a better place when we too rise above ourselves to serve, to give and to support one another.

Thundering in Silence - A Story of generosity and love

By BILL FIANDER Insight Kansas

Last semester, I asked my sustainable city planning class to close their eyes and visualize the typologies of five cradle-to-grave residences: birth residence, high school residence, current residence, parent’s residence, and oldest family member’s residence.

About 80% visualized at least two of the four basic residential typologies – single-family detached, single-family attached, small multi-family, and large multi-family (20+ units).

Yet, local zoning laws are almost exclusively tilted towards only one type - single-family detached. It’s common to find 80-90% of residential zoning dedicated to the most expensive and land-consumptive typology.

Unsuspectingly, my students demonstrated two profound points: equitable housing choices are a basic need in life, and ignoring zoning reform will be done at the peril of your community’s prosperity.

Just ask The Fonz! The iconic leather-jacketed uber-cool greaser of ABC’s Happy Days sitcom from my 70s childhood. Long before today’s demographic and economic shifts necessitated rethinking our love affair with single-family zoning – delayed marriages, lower birth rates, elderly adults soon outnumbering children, rising single-person households – Fonzie was making zoning reform cool.

He lived in a small accessory dwelling unit (ADU) above the Cunningham family’s garage subordinate to their primary residence. Lending to his coolness, it was illegal. But it offset Mr. and Mrs. C’s mortgage costs and gave suburbia a housing choice for working-class mechanics it didn’t have otherwise. The property not only posed theatrically as a quintessential 1950s suburb but as a bellwether for today’s zoning reform front lines.

The fact that it is still illegal in most of America should come as no surprise. What may surprise you is the juice this idea is gaining in city halls and capitals to address critical shortfalls in housing. California, Oregon, Washington, Connecticut, and Maine have led state-enabling acts for ADUs and prohibit local bans. Others as big as Texas are very close. Some cities like Minneapolis and Alexandria, Virginia have monumentally done away with single-family zoning altogether.

While ADU zoning is decidedly a local matter, housing supply is of mutual interest to states and locals. Cooperative state legislation has shown it can provide political cover to local governments prone to the weight of NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) proselytizing. As Cincinnati’s Mayor, Aftab Pureval puts it, “The third rail of local politics is zoning”.

In Kansas, legislators and mayors should be aware that easing up on zoning to allow small and multi-family units garnered astonishing support in the statewide Kansas Speaks survey last year – 44% favored vs. 14% against. This is not true everywhere like Prairie Village. However, Topeka is the latest of a few municipalities to go down the zoning reform path with ADUs. As they mull a proposal to open 100% of their residential zoning to ADUs under certain conditions, its significance should not be understated; if only 5% of the newly opened areas

contained ADUs, around 2,500 units would be created or 30% of their 20-year multi-family demand. Other benefits – aging in place, multigenerational living, and passive income for homeowners – are no less significant.

ADUs are not a silver bullet. Addressing other zoning barriers for live-work units, “missing middle” typologies (duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, small apartments), transit-oriented development, minimum lot sizes, density caps, and parking mandates are complimentary.

But wouldn’t it be cool if openness to naturally occurring affordable housing is closer in reach with the stroke of a pen and some new map colors than a tax dollar?

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708024541249.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By BILL FIANDER Insight KansasLast semester, I asked my sustainable city planning class to close their eyes and visualize the typologies of five cradle-to-grave residences: birth residence, high school residence, current residence, parent’s residence, and oldest family member’s residence.About 80% visualized at least two of the four basic residential typologies – single-family detached, single-family attached, small multi-family, and large multi-family (20+ units).Yet, local zoning laws are almost exclusively tilted towards only one type - single-family detached. It’s common to find 80-90% of residential zoning dedicated to the most expensive and land-consumptive typology.Unsuspectingly, my students demonstrated two profound points: equitable housing choices are a basic need in life, and ignoring zoning reform will be done at the peril of your community’s prosperity.Just ask The Fonz! The iconic leather-jacketed uber-cool greaser of ABC’s Happy Days sitcom from my 70s childhood. Long before today’s demographic and economic shifts necessitated rethinking our love affair with single-family zoning – delayed marriages, lower birth rates, elderly adults soon outnumbering children, rising single-person households – Fonzie was making zoning reform cool.He lived in a small accessory dwelling unit (ADU) above the Cunningham family’s garage subordinate to their primary residence. Lending to his coolness, it was illegal. But it offset Mr. and Mrs. C’s mortgage costs and gave suburbia a housing choice for working-class mechanics it didn’t have otherwise. The property not only posed theatrically as a quintessential 1950s suburb but as a bellwether for today’s zoning reform front lines.The fact that it is still illegal in most of America should come as no surprise. What may surprise you is the juice this idea is gaining in city halls and capitals to address critical shortfalls in housing. California, Oregon, Washington, Connecticut, and Maine have led state-enabling acts for ADUs and prohibit local bans. Others as big as Texas are very close. Some cities like Minneapolis and Alexandria, Virginia have monumentally done away with single-family zoning altogether.While ADU zoning is decidedly a local matter, housing supply is of mutual interest to states and locals. Cooperative state legislation has shown it can provide political cover to local governments prone to the weight of NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) proselytizing. As Cincinnati’s Mayor, Aftab Pureval puts it, “The third rail of local politics is zoning”.In Kansas, legislators and mayors should be aware that easing up on zoning to allow small and multi-family units garnered astonishing support in the statewide Kansas Speaks survey last year – 44% favored vs. 14% against. This is not true everywhere like Prairie Village. However, Topeka is the latest of a few municipalities to go down the zoning reform path with ADUs. As they mull a proposal to open 100% of their residential zoning to ADUs under certain conditions, its significance should not be understated; if only 5% of the newly opened areascontained ADUs, around 2,500 units would be created or 30% of their 20-year multi-family demand. Other benefits – aging in place, multigenerational living, and passive income for homeowners – are no less significant.ADUs are not a silver bullet. Addressing other zoning barriers for live-work units, “missing middle” typologies (duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, small apartments), transit-oriented development, minimum lot sizes, density caps, and parking mandates are complimentary.But wouldn’t it be cool if openness to naturally occurring affordable housing is closer in reach with the stroke of a pen and some new map colors than a tax dollar?Heeey!

INSIGHT KANSAS: Happy days of housing supply

I received a phone call from a local farmer in Ellis County on Wednesday, June 12th. He asked if I could come look at his and some other farmers fields. They were seeing sorghum plants with some reddish/purple leaves and some leaves having a whitish coloring or light streaks on the upper leaf surface.

Accompanied by J.P. Michaud, K-State Entomologist at the Agricultural Research Center in Hays, we went and looked at the fields. Upon close inspection we found thrips.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681266655144.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension DistrictI received a phone call from a local farmer in Ellis County on Wednesday, June 12th. He asked if I could come look at his and some other farmers fields. They were seeing sorghum plants with some reddish/purple leaves and some leaves having a whitish coloring or light streaks on the upper leaf surface.Accompanied by J.P. Michaud, K-State Entomologist at the Agricultural Research Center in Hays, we went and looked at the fields. Upon close inspection we found thrips.Our wheat hosts many different insects and once it matures and dries down, those insects start looking for another home. So, it is probably not uncommon for our grain sorghum to have some thrips each year. But this year looks to be an anomaly with more thrips feeding on the sorghum than usual.Thrips are less than 2 millimeters long (.079”) and vary in color from yellow to brown, gray or black. The ones we observed were dark. These tiny, barely visible, splinter-like insects rasp leaf surfaces with their sharp mouthparts and then feed on the juices released.We had to peel back the leaves on the plant to find the thrips. The good news is that they should not cause any yield loss and therefore spraying an insecticide is not recommended. As a matter of fact, if your grain sorghum had an insecticide seed treatment applied to it and most if not, all do, it should give your young plants enough protection from the thrips for at least 3 weeks after planting. Plus, the feeding they do is more cosmetic than anything, and should not lead to any yield loss.Now for chinch bugs, I just received word today from a farmer in Barton County that an agronomist there said he has never seen chinch bug pressure that bad. Farmers will need to be scouting grain sorghum and sorghum/sudan hay fields close to harvested wheat fields for chinch bugs. They will move out of mature wheat and high numbers feeding on young sorghum plants can kill them. Damage begins along the field edge bordering the wheat, but can progress into the field as rows of plants die and the bugs move to new plants. Eventually, plants will get big enough to withstand the feeding pressure, but chinch bug migrations may last up to 2 weeks.If you have any questions, please give me a call at the Cottonwood Extension Office in Hays at 785-628-9430 or email me at scampbel@ksu.edu J.P. Michaud, Entomologist at the Agricultural Research Center - Hays can be reached at 785-625-3425 or email jpmi@ksu.eduStacy Campbell is a Crop Production Extension agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or by calling 785-628-9430.

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