Oak and ash look very similar from a distance, both being ring-porous woods. Ash tends to have a whiter tone (unless you get some dark heartwood). Red oak tends to have reds, yellows, and often some blacks in it (I was once told there were 35 different color gradings for red oak). White oak tends to be browner. But all that said, any wood can have all the color bleached out of it. The way I tell is to look for medullary rays. Ash has none, red oak shorter ones and white oak longer ones. What medullary rays look like depends upon the orientation of the wood as cut from the log, as the rays go radially. Plainsawn will show just short lines, quarter or rift sawn will show large figure.

Hair spray actually used to be dangerous. The propellant used was vinyl chloride. It was hardest on barbers and hairdressers since they were around it all the time. The danger was a significantly increased risk of liver cancer. I think the show I watched was called the Chemical Revolution. There was also something in maybe the hair dye?? that caused a surprisingly high rate of bladder cancer in hairdressers. (Obviously this is not a commonly occurring cancer.) Here is a link that might be useful: PBS link about Hair Spray Propellant

yep. also called grape hyacinth. They naturalize beautifully!

If the plant can withstand a strong stream of water, it can actually crush or kill these soft bodied insects. At the very least, it will dislodge them and make them more vulnerable to predation. But nothing, not even insecticides, will keep them way permanently. Insecticides that are effective against aphids are usually contact insecticides.......they will kill by smothering but the insects must be present and come in contact with the product. Anything you use - water or something stronger - will need to be repeated as necessary :-) Spider mites like conditions to be hot and dry. Spraying the plants down periodically will create a more humid environment that the mites dislike and they will stay away.