Latest news with #K-State
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Kansas ash trees under attack from returning pest
MANHATTAN, Kan. (KSNW) — A pest that last made a major appearance in Kansas nearly a decade ago is back — and it's feasting on ash trees across the state. Kansas State University entomologist Raymond Cloyd said the brownheaded ash sawfly is once again active, and residents are starting to take notice. 'We've had a number of inquiries regarding these caterpillar-looking insects,' said Cloyd, a professor in K-State's Department of Entomology. 'And they're not caterpillars — they're sawflies. It's important to make the distinction because certain insecticides will work on caterpillars but not sawflies.' The insect's larvae — yellow-green with white and green stripes and a brown head — feed on the leaves of green ash trees, leaving behind shot holes before consuming entire leaves, often sparing only the veins. 'They feed with chewing mouthparts,' Cloyd said, 'and can compromise the aesthetic quality of the plant.' This year marks the first widespread return of the brownheaded ash sawfly since 2016. The insect is specific to green ash trees and typically only produces one generation per year in Kansas. Skull of one-ton ground sloth found in Kansas Cloyd noted that while the sawfly is not as destructive as the emerald ash borer, it can still leave trees severely defoliated. 'If they continue to feed, your tree won't have any leaves on it, and that's the issue,' he said. Fortunately, there are a few simple ways to manage the problem. 'Heavy rainfall will wash them off,' Cloyd explained. 'You can use a high-pressure water spray to dislodge them, handpick them if feasible, or just let them go and know it will eventually stop.' If the insects have already moved to the base of the tree, Cloyd suggests collecting them in a bag for disposal. 'At this point, it's almost getting too late to apply some type of insecticide,' he said. 'It's either live with it, handpick, or remove the ones that have migrated to the base of the trees.' He also emphasized the importance of correct identification: 'Sawflies have prolegs—appendages on every section of the abdomen—while caterpillars typically don't. The feet of a caterpillar also have hairs or crochets, which sawflies lack.' In most cases, Cloyd recommends avoiding insecticides unless the damage is extensive. 'If populations are causing significant aesthetic damage, contact insecticides can be applied, but thorough coverage of the canopy, especially the leaf undersides, is important,' he said. For more details on identifying and managing the pest, K-State offers a free publication, Brownheaded Ash Sawfly. Residents can also reach out to their local Extension office with questions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kansas State women's golf ends eight-year postseason drought with NCAA Regional bid
MANHATTAN — The Kansas State women's golf team spent a year stewing over its 2024 postseason snub, but it also served as motivation for the Wildcats. On Wednesday, the Wildcats' perseverance paid off when they were selected as the No. 5 seed in the 2025 NCAA Lexington Regional. It will be their first team postseason appearance since 2017. Advertisement "It just means so much to me," second-year K-State coach Stew Burke said. "They worked so hard. They wanted it." The Wildcats are now headed to Keene Trace Golf Club in Lexington, Kentucky, May 5-7 as part of a 12-team field. The top five regional teams advance to the NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championship May 16-21 in Carlsbad, California. The regional competition will be stiff with No. 1 seed and ACC champion Florida State, No. 2 USC, No. 3 TCU and No. 4 Vanderbilt. But K-State goes into the regional with some momentum. Related: Kansas State golfer claims Augusta National Women's Amateur championship Advertisement Related: Kansas State women's golfer Carla Bernat qualifies for NCAA Championship Kansas State golfer Sophie Bert follows through on a shot during the women's Big 12 Championship this week at Houston Oaks Golf Club in Huckley, Texas. The Wildcats had a strong final day in the Big 12 Tournament last week to finish fifth as a team, with senior Sophie Bert claiming the individual championship and teammate Carla Bernat tying for second. Bernat also won the prestigious Augusta National Women's Amateur title earlier this month. "It's awesome to be a part of the history like that," said Bert, a senior from Deurle, Belgium, who transferred in from East Tennessee State this year. "It's an amazing feeling." K-State is ranked No. 28 in the latest National Collegiate Golf Rankings and currently holds a school-record scoring average of 287.66, nearly three strokes better than a year ago. Advertisement While the Wildcats did not qualify as a team last year, Bernat, a senior from Castellon, Spain, made it as an individual and placed third in the Bryan (Texas) Regional, advancing to the NCAA Championship. Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@ or on X (formerly Twitter) at @arnegreen. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State women's golf claims NCAA Lexington Regional bid
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kansas State women's golfer Sophie Bert claims medalist honors in Big 12 Championship
Kansas State women's golfer Sophie Bert shot a final round of 5-under-par 66 to climb the leaderboard and claim the Wildcats' first-ever individual conference title Thursday in the Big 12 Championship at Houston Oaks Golf Club in Hockley, Texas. Bert, a senior from Deurle, Belgium who transferred to K-State from East Tennessee State, moved up 13 spots on the leaderboard to win the championship with a 54-hole total of 2-under-par 211. She was the only player to break par for the tournament. Advertisement K-State senior Carla Bernot also made a charge, moving up eight spots with a 1-under 70 to tie Arizona State's Beth Coulter and Arizona's Nena Wongthanavimok for second at even-par 213. Junior Noa van Beek also broke par Thursday with a 1-under 70 and finished in a tie for 40th place. K-State was the only team to break par during Thursday's final round, shooting a combined 5-under 279. More: Kansas State football transfer portal tracker: Who is in, out for the Wildcats in spring Related: Kansas State football assistant Brian Lepak embraces new challege with offensive line Kansas State golfer Sophie Bert follows through on a shot during the women's Big 12 Championship this week at Houston Oaks Golf Club in Huckley, Texas. Bert shot was individual medalist with a 54-hole total of 2-under-par 211. K-State moved up six spots from 11th place in the final round to finish fifth as a team with a 25-over 877 total. The Wildcats, who were third last year, recorded back-to-back top five finishes for the first time in school history. Advertisement 'What a comeback from the ladies today,' K-State coach Stew Burke said. 'Yesterday was the low point of our season, and we were looking for a reaction from them today. They certainly delivered by shooting the only team round under par all week. We are very proud of Sophie for winning the individual championship and Carla for her runner-up finish. 'As a group, I am extremely proud of them and how they kept great poise in difficult conditions. They deserve their NCAA Regional opportunity, and we look forward to Wednesday as we find out where we will be headed for the postseason.' Arizona needed a playoff to win the team championship after tying Oklahoma State and Arizona State for first at the end of 54 holes. K-State now waits for the NCAA Division I selection show next Wednesday to learn whether they qualify for their sixth-ever NCAA Regional berth and their first since 2017. Advertisement Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@ or on X (formerly Twitter) at @arnegreen. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Big 12 women's golf championship: Kansas State's Sophie Bert medalist
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kansas State women's golf ready for historic first NCAA Championship appearance
The sense of history was not lost on members of the Kansas State women's golf team as they prepared for the program's first-ever trip to the NCAA Championship this week at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California. That's not to say that the Wildcats are intimidated by the task at hand. Not after the way they played to reach their goal with a second-place finish two weeks ago at the Lexington (Ky.) Regional. Advertisement "It's super cool," senior Sophie Bert said of finally making it to nationals. "I have not been to nationals either, so then to have it as a K-State history thing, it's amazing. "Now we are indeed at the table, and then we can show them what we've got." The tournament consists of 54 holes of stroke play, Friday through Sunday, with the 30-team field trimmed to 15 in addition to the top nine individuals from non-advancing teams. The final round of stroke play Monday will determine the individual champion as well as the eight teams that advance to the match play quarterfinals. Related: Kansas State golfer Carla Bernat thrilled to have teammates along for NCAA Championship Advertisement Related: Kansas State women's golf ends eight-year postseason drought with NCAA Regional bid Kansas State senior Sophie Bert follows through on a shot during the final round of the NCAA Lexington Regional on May 7 in Lexington, Ky. The timing of K-State's first appearance at nationals could not have been better for Bert, an East Tennessee transfer from Belgium whose season highlight was claiming medalist honors at the Big 12 Tournament. But the only Wildcat with national tournament experience is Carla Bernat, a senior from Spain, who qualified last year as an individual. She has taken her game to another level this season by winning three tournaments, including the prestigious Augusta National Women's Amateur and the NCAA Lexington Regional while finishing second to Bert in the Big 12. Advertisement Bernat, the Big 12 player of the year, also is familiar with the par-72, 6,330-yard Omni La Costa course after playing there last year. "It's pretty much brand new. The greens were really hard last year," Bernat said. "It kind of challenges everything in your game. You have par 3s that are long, and you have par 5s that are not really reachable. "You need to have a really good short game. And the greens are, of course, fast, so you need to be good at everything in that golf course." K-State coach Stew Burke accompanied Bernat to nationals last year, so between them they were able to share some course knowledge with the rest of the team during Thursday's practice round. Advertisement "It's great because Carla made some mistakes last year on some of the holes," Burke said of the experience. "So, for us, we were a little bit more tuned in on certain holes because we knew you could make a mistake pretty easily out there. "This is a national championship, so they're going to set it up pretty hard and reward good golf." In addition to Bernat and Bert, K-State's lineup features junior Noa van Beek, sophomore Alenka Navarro and freshman Nanami Nakashima, with Julia Ballester Barrio serving as the alternate. Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@ or on X (formerly Twitter) at @arnegreen. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State women's golf embraces historic NCAA Championship debut
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
K-State says to remove this poisonous plant from your pasture
KANSAS (KSNT) – K-State says you should watch out for a poisonous plant that grows in pastures and on roadsides that can cause birth defects and death from nervous system failure if ingested. Poison hemlock is a plant native to Europe that grows wild in the countryside. All parts of the plant are highly poisonous to humans and livestock, according to K-State. The plant's flowering period starts in June and July. The plant is part of the carrot family and can be confused with similar plants like wild carrot and Queen Anne's lace, according to K-State. Poison hemlock is typically found in pastures, roadsides and woodland openings. In a 2022 report, K-State said that poison hemlock is believed to have been used to kill the philosopher Socrates in 399 BC. How to spot and avoid poison ivy growing wild in Kansas 'If poison hemlock is ingested, symptoms including nervousness, trembling, weakness, poor coordination, pupil dilation, slow and weak heartbeat, coma, and respiratory paralysis develop within two hours,' K-State wrote in its report. Poison hemlock can be distinguished from wild carrot in several ways. Poison hemlock Three to 10 feet tall. Triangular leaves. Purple spots on the stem. Flowers that bud in clusters from May to July. Wild carrot One to five feet tall. Linear, finely lobed leaves. Sometimes has hairs on the stem with no branching. Flowers that bud in April to July, the center flower is purple. K-State said poison hemlock is the most toxic when it is eaten but can also cause reactions through inhalation or contact with skin. It is recommended people wear gloves if pulling the plant by hand and a respirator if mowing it down. K-State recommends a couple of herbicides to kill off the plant: Aminopyralid plus Metsulfuron (aka. Chaparral). Picloram plus 2,4D (aka. Grazon P+D). For more Kansas Outdoors, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
