Lower back tightness can cause muscle twitching, pain and reduced range of motion. Photo Credit Dirima/iStock/Getty Images. Lower back muscle tightness is the cause of a muscle spasm. This can be brought on by a strain, overuse or muscle weakness, according to BetterMedicine.com. If your lower back muscles lack strength, and a stronger back muscle pulls on this weak muscle, it can create tightness or pain. While lower back tightness can be managed at home, occasionally medical intervention is needed to treat this common condition. Rest your lower back muscles.
Wasp and Scale Insects Help Control Giant Reed. An arundo gall wasp deposits eggs into the main stem of a giant reed. (Image by USDA/ARS) The release of tiny insects to combat the invasive weed giant reed is paying off, according to a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) study.
Stem galls on shagbark hickory. Phylloxera nymphs and alates inside a shagbark hickory gall. Bright red galls, as large as one inch in diameter, are prevalent this season on hickory (Carya) trees. An easy way to spot the galls is to find dead terminal branches. At the base of these branches, there will be one or many clustered galls. One of the largest galls is the hickory pouch gall, which is induced by Phylloxera caryaecaulis. Galls first appear pale yellowish green and then turn red before opening (in early May this year). At maturity, galls become leathery and black.