Cicadas emerging already?
I’ve gotten plenty of questions about the emergence of quite a few cicadas in the landscape.
Southwest Ohio is not due for a major emergence of the 17-year periodical cicada, Brood X, until 2021. However, what we are seeing now is an early emergence of some of the cicadas in this brood.
In 2021 there will be a huge emergence of Brood X. This brood will be found in about 19 states from the East Coast (New York to South Carolina) to Tennessee, Kentucky and parts of southwest Ohio.
People are finding the cast skins as well as some of the adults. These insects spend most of their life in the ground as nymphs. These nymphs come out of the soil, crawl up any convenient surface, and eventually shed the skin as they become adults.
I have seen pictures on social media of these skins attached to the sides of grills and window screens.
Entomologists say that this might be an acceleration event where a significant group of an already-established brood emerge years ahead of the main brood, mate and develop into a new brood.
This will be determined if those that are emerging this year survive and reproduce in significant numbers to sustain future populations. We will wait and see.
Entomologists are following this emergence and are interested in learning how farspread this is in Ohio.
If you want to learn more about periodical cicadas and report an emergence in your landscape, go to the Buckeye Yard and Garden Line and read entomologist Joe Bogg’s most recent post (http://bygl. osu.edu/node/756).
Another pest issue blooming in the landscape now concerns poison hemlock. This lethal plant is producing flowers in the Miami Valley and should be eradicated now in order to prevent seed production and spread.
Over the last 10 years, I have seen more and more of this in our area. Unfortunately, misidentification has allowed it to continue to spread. Many think that this plant is Queen Anne’s lace or wild parsnip.
One of the most identifying characteristics of poison hemlock is the purplish blotches on the stem. The blooms are similar to Queen Anne’s lace; however, poison hemlock is in bloom now and Queen Anne’s lace blooms later in the summer.
Mowing and tilling are one option to control this biennial but at times, herbicides may be necessary. Products containing glyphosate (such as Roundup) work well.
The highly toxic compound in poison hemlock causes respiratory failure and death when ingested by mammals. The sap does not cause rashes or blisters on the skin.
Leo Kuhl sat on HOPKINS, MINN. — the edge of a yellow tube. Then he disappeared.
The 6-year-old twisted and turned down the curved, enclosed slide, then landed in the basement below.
“It’s fun,” said Leo. “But a little scary when it turns.”
“It is kind of fast,” admitted his dad, Steve Kuhl of his in-home slide creation, “but I didn’t want the kids to be bored with it by the time they’re 7.”
The 26-foot-long tube slide is among the quirky, one-of-akind play spaces inside the Kuhls’ home.
Kuhl also has carved out secret rooms under staircases, tunnels inside closets, suspended bunk beds and built a timber framed loft for his two children, Leo and Charlie, and their friends.
Architecture can play a role in sparking kids’ imaginations, said Kuhl. “In this age when we’re more virtual, these spaces can encourage kids to interact with their environment.”
His kids are lucky that their dad has construction know-how and resources; he and business partner
Not quite sure what a menstrual cup is or how it works?
You are not alone. Even though menstrual cups have been around since the early 1930s, only over the past few years have they become a more popular choice for women.
“Made of hypoallergenic rubber or silicone, a menstrual cup is inserted into the vagina during your period to capture fluid,” says Mayo Clinic Health System OBGYN Emily Linklater. “How often you need to empty or replace the menstrual cup depends on the size of the cup and your menstrual flow, but the cup can hold up to three times as much fluid as a regular tampon.”
Linklater identifies a few factors that may contribute to the recent popularity of menstrual cups, including: The average woman spends Dan Murphy own Kuhl Design and Build in Hopkins.
Kuhl recently added a ladder above the slide so the kids can climb through a door opening to the second floor. He revealed it to Leo for his sixth birthday. “He was whooping and hollering ‘This is awesome!,’ ” said Kuhl.
The long slide travels one story, from the mudroom to the basement. To assemble it, Kuhl used 3-D rendering computer software to model how it would fit in the space.
He ordered the tubes from a playground equipment company and installed them in sections. Lastly, he added LED blinking between $50-$150 dollars per year on tampons or pads, depending on duration, amount and regularity of her periods. On average, a menstrual cup costs between $20-$40 and can last from six months to 10 years. Depending which brand of cup you choose and how often replacements are required, significant financial savings are possible.
A menstrual cup can be worn up to 12 hours before it should be removed, cleaned and reinserted. Typically tampons or pads should be changed every four to six hours. The cup allows women to have more time before changing out, especially on light days. Also, it prevents the need to carry extra pads or tampons, which many women find burdensome and embarrassing. The menstrual cup also can be inserted around the time of an expected period to avoid first-day leakage.
Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not require tampon and pad manufacturers lights for a carnival funhouse feel.
Adults take spins down the slide, too. “We’ve had to wipe off spilled cocktails inside,” he said.
While slides are spendy — the tubing alone cost $5,000 — secret rooms are more attainable for homeowners, said Kuhl. “Cut a hole in Sheetrock, and put in an access door.”
Under the stairs is a popular — and smart — spot to carve out kid-friendly hideaways.
“We look at under staircases, an often unused storage space, as opportunities to create something unique for kids,” said Matt Schmidt, co-owner of AMEK Custom Builders of Bloomington, Minn. to list ingredients on packaging, many women are concerned about reports of tampons containing bleached cotton, rayon and viscose fibers, and dioxin. Although rare, toxic shock syndrome (TSS) has been long associated with tampons. The menstrual cup is made of flexible hypo-allergenic silicone, allaying concerns that fibers or chemicals are left behind in the vagina. Most menstrual cup companies report a suction seal that is formed between the vagina and the cup, claiming a decrease in risk of bacteria. However, this claim has not been proven scientifically.
People often attribute disposable diapers for causing landfills to become full, but tampons and pads accumulate in landfills too. A HuffPost article estimates 9,120 tampons are used over a woman’s lifetime. The menstrual cup is reusable and significantly reduces the impact on the environment. Females of any age can use a
A reading nook outfitted with bookshelves and a cushioned bench, and a curved secret room, are two of AMEK’s kid-customized projects.
Judy and Bob Worrell tucked a fanciful playhouse for their grandchildren inside a storage area beneath the stairs of their basement, which was remodeled by Plekkenpol Builders in Bloomington, Minn.
Bob installed cedar shakes and blue painted siding to match the exterior of their French Country home.
Their grandchildren decorated the interior with different-colored handprints.
Adults need to duck to get through the child-sized door, but “the kids love it and sleep in there,” said Judy.
Bedroom lofts, which feel like funky forts, are a hot commodity among kids and teens.
Gigi DiaGicomo designed a loft above her daughter’s bedroom inside an addition on her Minnetonka home. She scrambles up a ladder at the foot of the bed to a cozy carpeted retreat to read, study or watch TV under a skylight.
“It was designed to grow with her from 5 years old to a teenager,” said DiGiacomo, interior designer for DiGiacomo Homes and Renovation in Minnetonka, Minn. cup, even before a woman has had a child.
Most cups come in different sizes, with sizing charts on the manufacturer’s website.
Women may find that emptying the cup can be messy, especially if changing the cup at a public restroom.
Rinsing the cup after removing is preferred, which can be difficult in a large public restroom.
The cup may not fit all women, especially if the uterus is low or abnormal.
Also, the menstrual cup does require a certain amount of upkeep.
Sterilize the cup between periods, similar to sterilizing a baby bottle between feedings. Some women might find this cumbersome and inconvenient.
“Overall, the menstrual cup does appear to be a safe option for women during their period. Individual preferences may vary, but if you have concerns or questions, discuss them with your health care provider,” says Linklater.