Students have noticed dispersed, vivid blue spots in the grass or on sidewalks around campus, creating a popular discussion topic on the anonymous social media app YikYak. However, these blue marks are not anything special; they are part of a standard landscaping practice.
Steven Snyder, Landscaping Services superintendent for K-State, said that foam markers used by spray technicians to treat turf areas for broadleaf weeds are what cause the spots. The foam markers have been used throughout decades in landscaping, agriculture, golf course, residential and commercial applications.
“It is being applied to the turf to control invasive and broadleaf weed species on campus and help reduce their spread into other areas and neighboring properties,” Snyder said.
Linda Craghead, director of Facilities Services at K-State, said they use the markers to help identify the areas they have covered, causing the blue marks that captured students’ attention. Craghead and Snyder said that the drops found on sidewalks are residue from the technician traveling between treatment areas.
“It creates a dotted line as our technician moves through an area, allowing him to see exactly what has already been sprayed and what has yet to be covered,” Snyder said.
A YikYak post of a photo of the spots joked that they could be Smurf-related, sparking conversation amongst students. Katie Stegeman, junior in industrial engineering, said that when she saw the post, she was curious what they were.
“At first, I thought it was a prank,” Stegeman said.
But it’s not just students who have related the foam spots to Smurfs. Landscaping Services staff have also made the comparison.
“When I was training … my old supervisor called the blue foam markers Smurf turds,” Snyder said.
The foam used is LESCO Foam Marker, a soap-based foaming product that is dispensed through an emitter connected to a sprayer to give the technician a visual. The bright blue color comes from a different product called LESCO Tracker Max.
“We are very particular about when and how we spray,” Snyder said. “There are a lot of environmental factors we take into account, as well as there are native areas on campus that we absolutely will not spray chemicals on or around. We want to protect the environment.”
Snyder said the State of Kansas certifies and licenses the spray technicians, and the EPA regulates specific rates of application and guidelines for the products used.
