It has been proven that some weeds respond well to a late-summer to early fall treatment, even if plants have already gone to seed.  Mostly perennial weeds, populations of these species can be greatly reduced by this late season treatment.  In order to maximize the effects, spraying should take place during the first two to three weeks following the first HARD frost.

 

Perennial plants live for more than two years and cannot successfully be pulled due to their extensive root systems. The visible portion of the plant appears to die off in the fall only to grow back from nutrients stored in their roots in the spring. These weeds primarily reproduce through their root system and seeds. Often, when the stems or roots of this plant are physically disturbed, it can actually stimulate growth and spread. The best time and method to treat this subset of weeds is with herbicide in the spring and early summer when the plant is actively growing or sometimes even better control can be achieved in the fall after the first hard frost. The frost stimulates the perennials to go into hibernation mode taking all of their energy into the root system for the winter. This is the perfect time to treat perennials with herbicide since the downward movement of nutrients will also get the herbicide to where it needs to go to kill off the root system.

If you have any of the weeds below, contact the Teton County Weed and Pest District office 733-8419 for herbicide recommendations.

Dalmatain toadflax	Yellow toadflax	Whitetop
Canada thistle	Oxeye daisy	Leafy spurge

West Nile virus (WNV) naturally cycles in native bird populations. That means that the virus overwinters in a bird and when a mosquito subsequently feeds upon its blood in the spring the mosquito ingests the virus. The virus then disseminates throughout the mosquito (including its salivary glands) and thus confers the potential for viral transmission during subsequent blood meals, usually, to other birds. 

Different species of birds have variable immunity to the virus. Some (like crows and ravens) succumb quickly to the virus, while others (like finches, sparrows, and robins) are capable of harboring significant levels of viral proliferation without showing symptoms or dying.

Among other WNV surveillance tools, TCWP tests sickly or dead crows, ravens, jays, and magpies. These can help detect focal points or hotspots of virus around the county. If you find one of these species (and can reasonably determine that Sylvester is not the cause of its demise), please contact our office to report its location. If it meets our criteria for testing we will come to retrieve it, test it for WNV and provide you with results of our testing, usually within 24 hrs. Should it not be testable, we will at a minimum, record the location and look for patterns of avian mortality to drive our WNV mosquito trapping efforts.