Kids Ask Dr. Bug

diameter. At year two, the largest tubers were the size of a goose egg and grew another inch in the third year. We used them as an ingredient to prepare recipes during food tasting sessions.

Because groundnut naturally grows near streams or lakes, plants grow well in moist soil with good drainage. They grow under full sun but grow better under moderate shade. Groundnut is a member of the Fabaceae family and like many members of this family, fixes nitrogen from the air, forming nodules as a result of a beneficial association or symbiosis with rhizobia bacteria. This helps groundnut to grow well in poor soils.

When grown in raised beds, rhizomes can find their way out of the bed, so if aggressiveness is a concern it is recommended to cover the bottom of raised beds with a water permeable material like weed barrier. Several layers of cardboard can provide good results too. In demonstration areas at Lincoln University, groundnuts developed really well and produced nice looking tubers in both pots and beds, but it was much easier to harvest in pots. We harvest the largest tubers and save the small ones to start new plants.

Groundnut can be confused with other native edible legumes, such as wild turnip (Pediomelum esculentum) and hog peanut (Amphicarpea bracteata) and nonnative peanut (Arachis hypogaea) also called groundnut in some places. The Flora of Missouri by Yatskievych is a great source to learn to identify these legumes. Apios priceana (Price’s groundnut) is a threatened species only reported in Illinois and four other adjacent states by the USDA. It has not been officially reported in Missouri, but there is a possibility of its existence in southeast Missouri.

Groundnuts can be used in any recipe calling for potatoes. When prepared as mashed potatoes, they were drier than regular potatoes. Chef Sam Pfeiffer recommends adding ¼ cup heavy cream and/or ¼ of a cup of chicken or vegetable broth to a cup of mashed groundnuts to improve its consistency. Kelly Kindscher in Edible Wild Plants of the Prairie and Reynolds et al. in their report Domestication of Apios americana report that groundnuts are a good source of carbohydrates, and the tubers and seed contain protein.

I love growing potatoes and sweet potatoes and any other kind of tuber, but since we don’t have much sun in our front or backyard we can grow groundnuts as a good substitute. There is nothing more therapeutic and special than getting my hands in the soil to dig these priceless foods. I recommend it! They can feed you and give you the satisfaction of gardening them yourself.

If you want to see groundnut and other edible native plants growing as crops, we have a demonstration area we call the finca urban farm at Lincoln University campus. We can offer tours for small groups upon request.

Kids Ask Dr. Bug Here are answers to some of the “scarier” critter questions.

Why do female mosquitoes drink blood while males don’t? Alexander, 14

Baby mosquitoes, called wrigglers because they wiggle down from the surface of the water, eat algae and plankton. As pupae, they don’t eat. Upon emerging as adults, male and female mosquitoes eat plant nectar. When the female mosquito needs to grow eggs, she needs a lot of nutrients and blood is the perfect food. Make sure that you dump standing water after it rains or the sprinklers run so that there isn’t a place for mosquitoes to lay their eggs. This helps you stay bitefree!

Mosquito

Why do insects eat poop? Trish, 12

Animals that eat feces are called coprophages. Coprophagous insects can digest the semidigested food of other animals. Plant fibers can be difficult to digest so there are a lot of nutrients left after going through the first time. We’re lucky that some insects, like dung beetles, are happy to eat and/or raise their families in feces because they break down and recycle these nutrients so more plants can grow. There is another reason, though, that insects eat frass, or insect poop. Some insects, like termites, need special organisms in their gut to digest their food. The only way for them to get these organisms is from their nestmates’ frass. Do eyelash mites grow wings? Ki, 15

Mites, like other arachnids such as spiders and ticks, do not have wings. As weird as it may seem, everyone has these microscopic mites. They are beneficial because they feed on dead skin cells around eyelashes and other hair follicles. If they do cause a problem, a dermatologist can help.

How do maggots turn into flies? Soren, 14

I often get asked about baby flies that grow up to be big flies. If a fly has wings, it is an adult and will not get any bigger. I’m impressed with your question because you already realize that maggots are the real baby flies! Just like a caterpillar goes through stages before becoming a butterfly, flies also have four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Maggots are the larval stage and, depending on the kind of fly, this stage can last days (example: fruit flies) to years (example: deer flies). After they eat enough, at the right temperature, and the right amount of time passes, they will pupate and become a winged adult.

Does poison ivy affect animals or just humans? Christian, 19

Leaflets three, let it be! This axiom is best followed by primates, including humans. Fortunately, other animals do not get a rash from poison ivy, but the urushiol oil can be carried on pets’ fur. So, be careful after walking near this plant. The rash is actually an immune response and your body attacks its own skin cells. The plant isn’t all bad, though. Poison ivy drupes, the fruit it produces, is an important food for birds and the leaves are eaten by deer and insects.

TAMRA REALL Horticulture Specialist

Dr. Tamra Reall (@MUExtBugNGarden) is horticulture specialist for MU Extension, Jackson County. For free, research-based gardening tips call 816-833-TREE (8733).