October 2024

Insects are seeking a way to get out of the cold this winter.“Over the next few weeks, it is critical to ensure your home is properly sealed to avoid insect roommates this fall,” said Emily Althoff, University of Missouri Extension urban entomologist, in an extension press release.Overwintering insects are more of a nuisance than anything else, said Althoff, but to avoid unwanted company, it is important to seal cracks and entry points with caulk or weather stripping.

This fall, millions of Americans will purchase a vegetable they, unfortunately, are very unlikely to eat, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein, in an extension press release.In the United States, this colorful member of the gourd plant family is used primarily for decoration, but many people throughout the world use pumpkin as a staple in their diets, Trinklein said.Cultivated since about 3500 B.C., pumpkin rivals corn as one of the oldest known crops in the western hemisphere, said Trinklein.