Welcome to
Suffolk Extension Master Gardeners
We Exist to Serve You
Suffolk Extension Master Gardeners (Suffolk EMGs) volunteer their time and expertise to provide FREE horticultural education for residents of the City of Suffolk, Virginia. They provide programs for both youth and adults on a variety of topics like tree care, native plants, flower and vegetable gardening, pest and disease identification, integrated pest management, and more. Visit the programs, events, and demonstration garden pages to learn more!
Ask a Master Gardener
Getting help is easy! Suffolk EMGs can be found at our office, on Facebook, by phone, email, and at various Suffolk farmers markets. Take advantage of our Ask a Master Gardener program, where you can contact us from the comfort of your own home! To submit a question, email us at SuffolkMG@gmail.com or call us at 757-514-4335. When emailing, attach pictures of the plant, pest, or problem and provide a detailed description. This will allow us to serve you. A Suffolk EMG volunteer will respond in a timely manner. Beginning in 2024, volunteers will be providing monthly office hours. Stop by our Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) classroom and obtain research-based assistance with your gardening questions and concerns.
Spotted Lanterfly Information
Pest Alert: Spotted Lanternfly Identification
and Reporting in Virginia
🐞 Multicolored Asian Lady Beetles: Helpful in the garden, but a seasonal houseguest
If you’ve noticed lady beetles gathering on sunny walls or even finding their way indoors in the fall, you’ve likely met the multicolored Asian ladybird beetle (MALB). 🌿
These beetles are actually beneficial in the garden, both adults and larvae feed on common pests like aphids, scale insects, caterpillars, and insect eggs. In that sense, they’re a helpful natural predator in your landscape. 🪴
However, as temperatures drop in the fall, they begin searching for protected overwintering sites. That’s when they may slip into homes through small cracks around windows, doors, vents, and siding. Once inside, they don’t reproduce, but they can become an unwanted indoor presence during warm spells in winter and early spring. 🏠
The best management approach is prevention: sealing entry points, repairing screens, and closing gaps around utilities. If they do get inside, vacuuming is the safest removal method. Avoid crushing them, as they can leave stains.
While they may be a nuisance indoors, outdoors they remain a valuable part of the garden ecosystem. 🌼
📖 Learn more from Virginia Tech Extension:
www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/444/444-275/444-275.html?utm_source=cmpgn_extmstrgrdn&utm_medium=email&am...
A good reminder that many insects have both helpful and challenging sides depending on where they show up! 🌿 ...
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🌿 Underrated Beneficial Arthropods in the Garden 🐝🪲
Not all “bugs” in the garden are pests—in fact, many play important roles that often go unnoticed or underappreciated. Abiya Saeed, Extension Horticulture Specialist at Montana State University, highlights three key groups of beneficial arthropods that quietly support healthy ecosystems:
🌸 Part 1: Pollinators – Bees, flies, butterflies, and other insects that help keep our gardens and food systems thriving by moving pollen between flowers.
🪲 Part 2: Natural Enemies – Predators and parasites that help keep pest populations in check without chemicals.
🍂 Part 3: Nutrient Cyclers – Decomposers that break down organic matter and return nutrients back to the soil.
Together, these often-overlooked helpers are essential for a balanced, healthy garden ecosystem. 🌱
📖 Explore the full series here:
• Part 1 – Pollinators: gardenprofessors.com/underrated-beneficial-arthropods-part-1-pollinators/
• Part 2 – Natural Enemies: gardenprofessors.com/underrated-beneficial-arthropods-part-2-natural-enemies/
• Part 3 – Nutrient Cyclers: gardenprofessors.com/underrated-beneficial-arthropods-part-3-nutrient-cyclers/
A great reminder that not every insect in the garden is a problem—many are part of the solution! 🌼 ...
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🪱 Seen posts about “toxic” hammerhead worms? Here’s what you should know.
Hammerhead worms (Bipalium spp.) do produce a toxin in their mucus to subdue prey, but they cannot bite, sting, or inject toxins into people. The risk to humans and pets is very low and usually only a concern if mucus gets in the mouth or eyes.
🔍 What they look like:
These flatworms have a shovel- or hammer-shaped head, a yellow-brown striped body, and can grow over a foot long.
📍 Where they’re found:
Originally from Asia, they’re now seen across much of the eastern U.S. They prefer moist environments like mulch, leaf litter, and garden beds where earthworms are present.
⚠️ What to do if you find one:
• Wear gloves and avoid touching directly
• Do NOT cut it (it can regenerate)
• Place it in a sealed container and kill it (salt, soapy water, hand sanitizer, sunlight, or freezing)
• Wash hands afterward
🐾 If a pet eats one, contact your veterinarian if symptoms develop.
🌿 Experts also recommend not using broad treatments like salt or pesticides across your yard, since they can harm beneficial organisms. Handle sightings individually instead.
📌 No need to report sightings in Virginia. ...
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