Honey bee swarms are common this time of year. Homeowners should have no fear...the swarm is simply hanging around for a bit while a more permanent home is found!

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. From violet jelly, to the invasive Paulownia tree, to further examples of this season's May frost.

A number of trees and shrubs in Ohio suffered frost/freeze damage this spring with symptoms ranging from blasted flowers to wilted, blackened leaves, to twig dieback. Wilted leaves on buckeyes may mimic frost/freeze damage, but a close look at the petioles will reveal the true culprit: the buckeye petiole borer.

Many woodland plants are prized for their ornamental and edible attributes for wildlife and, in some cases, humans. Here are just a few of these magnificent plants...

The oddball "leaf-purse" handiwork hydrangea leaftier moth (Olethreutes ferriferana, family Tortricidae) caterpillars are appearing on wild and cultivated hydrangeas. While these leaf structures may look very odd, the damage appears to cause little harm to the overall health of affected plants.

Violets come in purple/blue, white and yellow colors as well as combinations of white and purple. Are violets desirable wildflowers or weeds? The answer to that question is in the eye of the beholder.