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Joliet, IL

Robins been here in Northern Illinois since February. I lifted up a board in patch from last year and it is loaded with life....centipedes, slugs, ground beetles. Yesterday on Easter I saw ladybugs and corn beetles. Today a heard croakers....frogs out before April. These are signs that will make me put out my SVB traps very early this year. And keep an eye on early aphids. Lift up early leaves and maybe put sticky yellow traps up early to identify arrival cuz when insect pressure increases, i would think disease pressure follows suit. Anyone with opinions please jump in....a,strong el nino affects each region of North America differently....i have feeling bugs and disease will follow suit with signs of early life here and very mild weather.

3/28/2016 10:38:51 PM

aurora, IL

We've been having a robin come to our back day after day and stands under the fire pit getting bigger and bigger.

3/28/2016 11:00:37 PM

Anchorage Alaska

shazz, send a few robins my way ..lol..as far global warming goes up here for me ..not a huge difference ..about 5 or 6 degrees above ave ..

3/28/2016 11:46:34 PM

Ely Mn

I'm with Dale.no robins here yet and still have some snow on the ground.but it won't be long!

3/29/2016 9:46:05 AM

Mn

I have noticed we have had robins for about 2 weeks now - Wont be long Master P and they will make their way just a little further north :)

3/29/2016 10:38:52 AM

Weatherman

Forsythia blooming in North West Ohio.

3/29/2016 10:50:50 AM

Upa Creek, MO

Robins are here year around so that isn't a sign of Spring for us. Amphibians migrations and typically Salamanders are the first of anything to move (once temps are in the 40s and ground thaws) and that applies up North too. You just have to know where to look, and it typically at night during the first rains. Many amphibians can tolerate re-freezing due to having glycerol in their blood even after their migration.

3/29/2016 11:14:59 AM

Upa Creek, MO

And sorry Shaz, never gave input really. I have found this Spring to be the 2nd earliest observed in my 6 years of growing second only to 2012 which in turned to be the hottest summer we have had. I hope the summer is not the same. On a plus side, when it is that hot and dry, I saw less insect pressure since everything was dying by July.

3/29/2016 3:45:01 PM

Whitehall Montana

Still getting snow about 1x per week here in the mountains of South West Montana

3/29/2016 5:27:04 PM

Alex, IN

While we have had the above normal temps associated with El Nino here in the Midwest what we have not had is lack of rain. Already close to 10 inches this year and it was wet a lot of last year.

Now we are going from a strong Nino to a potentially a strong La Nina. Looks to be hot and wet this summer in the midwest. Disease, insects will be big issues. Especially with the lack of consistent cold this past winter.

3/29/2016 5:30:49 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Good luck shazzy!

Just over 6" rain here. El Niño never made it this far south...

3/29/2016 6:02:20 PM

Partlow,Va

We are warmer than normal for sure here. Peep frogs were chirping like a month ago. I heard the first Whip o Whil two nights ago. It was the earliest ever for us here in 17 years at Bluff Run. When you hear one its time to plant your corn at least thats what the old farmers said when I was a kid. Yearly, I write a lot of stuff on my garage wall(I can't loose it there) like first and last frosts, first light'ning bug(yeah), mayfly(boo). I am a stat guy I guess thats why I like baseball.
The forsythia has bloomed over two weeks ago and still looks the best I have ever seen. Everything in the great outdoors is looking crazy good here for not being April yet so I think we are in for a hot one. 2012 was our last hot summer. The silver lining to hot is Powdery Mildew doesn't reproduce over 90 lol

3/30/2016 5:51:43 PM

Joliet, IL

Thanks Hank and all for the input. I have seen so many different springs and summers since 2002. Trying to stay ahead of future problems is the name of the game. Years like this I had aphids. Once you get them they are very hard to keep in check that season. Cuke beetles may be in heavy force earlier than normal. Good to have your ducks in a row for insecticides and fungicide programs. And sharing input on pest and diseases in your area on the pest/disease board. We all get thrown curveballs....but sometimes with shared knowledge its easier to see the coming.

3/30/2016 10:11:23 PM