August 2020 - 8

HEADLINES/CALENDAR
The Garden Center Group
Reschedules Fall Event
The Garden Center Group has announced that The Fall
Wheel Bugs
By Jill Calabro, Ph.D., Research and Science Director,
Horticultural Research Institute
Event, originally scheduled for Aug. 31-Sept. 3 in Wilmington,
Delaware, has been rescheduled with the Hotel DuPont in
Wilmington and will take place Aug. 30-Sept. 2, 2021.
" This has not been an easy decision and has required much
study and in-depth conversations with clients, sponsors,
hotel, tour venues, bus companies and others in the Delaware
and Pennsylvania area - which has been behind a lot of the
country and just now beginning the initial re-opening phase, "
said Danny Summers, managing director of The Garden
Center Group.
Summers said both current and projected limitations on
social distancing, seating capacities, etc., plus a reluctance
by many people to travel (especially by air) would not only
drastically diminish participation but also restrict where The
Group can visit and where participants can dine. The largest
ballroom at Hotel DuPont would max out at 85 people if social
distancing were still in place.
Therefore, with all of the uncertainty and the fact that they
If ever there was an insect to make me an entomology
enthusiast, this is it.
Behold: the wheel bug.
One afternoon last fall, I found that pair of wheel
bugs on my front porch. For the next two hours, I
photographed them and researched all about them. They
are fascinating!
Wheel bugs are the largest type of assassin bug (up to
1 ½ inches long) in the U.S., with a crazy-looking growth
that resembles armor or a shield sticking out of its back.
It is the only animal in the U.S. with this kind of crest.
Assassin bugs live up to their name - they are
predatory insects that capture and feed on a number of
other insects, such as bees, flies, and caterpillars. They are
quick and nimble and capture prey with their powerful
front legs. The real threat, however, comes from their
mouthparts. They have a long beak that violently and
repeatedly stabs their victims and then sucks out their
body fluids.
Wheel bugs feed on large caterpillars, and during
my two-hour photo session, a wayward, unsuspecting
caterpillar
just
happened
to
be
nearby. That
poor
caterpillar didn't stand a chance; the female wheel bug
attacked it immediately and enjoyed a good meal.
If you see a wheel bug in your garden, keep a safe
distance. They can bite humans, and it's reportedly quite
painful (more than a wasp sting). No need to control
them, though; wheel bugs are known biocontrol agents
of Japanese beetles and tent caterpillars.
Mike Raupp, Ph.D.,
Extension entomologist at
University of Maryland, once commented about wheel
bugs, " They're the lion or the eagle in your food web.
They sit on top. When you have these big, ferocious
predators in your landscape, that tells me this is a very
healthy landscape, because all these other levels in your
food web are intact. "
8 | LAWN & GARDEN RETAILER | AUGUST 2020
cannot guarantee a positive and rewarding experience that
The Fall Event participants have come to enjoy each year, it
is in the best interest of all clients, sponsors, and vendors
to reschedule Wilmington for the fall of 2021. The Delaware
Valley has an abundance of great garden centers, public
gardens and history - and they want to be certain everyone
can fully experience this phenomenal area.
But challenging times can open doors for innovation ...
so over the next 12 months leading up to The Fall Event
2021, The Group will be rolling out a new program taking
GROUPtalk LIVE to a new level. This new virtual experience
will provide monthly opportunities for learning, sharing, and
collaborating with both Service Providers and Peers through
Q&A, breakouts, round-table style discussions, social sessions,
and more - all recorded so participants can replay a session
or share it with other staff. Session topics will be geared
toward Raising the Bar in Finance, Operations, Marketing,
Merchandising, Human Resources, Team Development &
Leadership, and more.
GROUPtalk LIVE will kick off on Thursday, Aug. 13 with a
Keynote (11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. EDT) followed by a GROUP Happy
Hour (5-6 p.m. EDT). Future sessions and socials are scheduled
for the second Thursday of each month (August 2020 through
July 2021) at the same times. In the coming weeks, GROUPtalk
LIVE topics and schedule will be released.
For information, visit www.thegardencentergroup.com or
call The Garden Center Group at 678.909.7770.
Pleasant View Gardens Offers
Smallscapes Gardens Program
Pleasant View Gardens (PVG) recently introduced the
Smallscapes Gardens Program by PVG.
In short, it takes the concept of creating recipes for hanging
baskets, containers and uprights - which showcases different
uses of color, texture, height, and flower forms - and applies
it to in-ground landscape applications.
" One of the things that sets us apart from other growers
http://www.thegardencentergroup.com
August 2020

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