The rise of "mud chimneys" produced by Burrowing Crayfish has long been one of my favorite harbingers of spring. I've recently observed several of these mud edifices peaking just above turfgrass in southwest Ohio. While none had yet reached catastrophic lawn mower blade-bending size; spring is definitely in the air.

White Pine Weevil is one of our sneakiest conifer pests found in Ohio. Females spend the winter out of sight cooling their six heels in the duff beneath their pine or spruce targets. As temperatures warm in the spring, they climb their hosts to feed and lay eggs in the terminals. Sap oozing from small holes in the terminals is a calling card of this weevil.

Red twig or yellow twig dogwood! Who knew? When people think of dogwoods, they typically think of flowering dogwood or maybe Chinese dogwood. However, there is a whole world of dogwoods specifically selected for their twig color in the winter. Against the snow as a backdrop, they can be stunning.

Here is a look back to look forward as it relates to invasive plants in Ohio and new rules effective January 7, 2018 -

 

In September of 2014, the Ohio General Assembly granted the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) the exclusive authority to regulate invasive plants species. Under the law invasive plants are defined as plant species that are not native to Ohio whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm, or harm to human health as determined by scientific studies.

 

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Sometimes referred to as the "kudzu of the north", oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) is a non-native species that continues to grow and spread in Ohio. The vine is popping up in our woods, fence rows, landscapes and places in between.

 

It is important to know that we do have American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens). It has more elliptical shaped leaves, rather than the rounded of the Oriental bittersweet. American bittersweet can also be distinguished from Oriental bittersweet by its leaves when they are just beginning to emerge from...

We are going way back in time for this invasive species during the 2018 National Invasive Species Awareness Week. 

 

In the 1860's a French artist and amateur entomologist, Leopold Trouvelot, brought the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) to North America for what he thought was a good reason. He hoped to use the gypsy moth as the foundation for a silk industry in the United States. The "silk threads" of the gypsy moth did not prove to be a reliable source, and unfortunately the insect escaped Trouvelot’s Boston home-laboratory. 

 

The gyspy moth was ...

I have noticed Japanese Knotweed (I've seen it listed as: Polygonum cuspidatum or Fallopia japonica or Reynoutria japonica) around the county the last few summers, so I chose it as Tuesday's  INVASIVE of the DAY for National Invasive Plant Awareness Week.

Japanese knotweed is a non-native erect, semi-woody perennial that can grow up to and likely beyond 10 feet tall and create dense stands when unchecked.  It was introduced, as so many invasives were, as an ornamental in the late 1800's and soon escaped the garden-scape and found its way into disturbed...

Witchhazels….the forgotten wonder! The flowers are so small and dainty; you could miss them. However, the fragrance is heavenly. Which is why designers, landscapers and homeowner should put them close to an entryway or high traffic area. Since witchhazels flower anytime between mid-February through March, they can easily be missed.

The Silver Maples, Acer saccharinum, in my neck of the woods are blooming.  February or not... feels like "spring" to me!

 

 

 

Silver Maple trees are among the first to bloom in Ohio clocking in at 34 growing degree days (GDD) for first bloom and 42 GDD for full bloom.  I caught these photos at 51 GDD.  You can check your own location by visiting the OSU Phenology...

 

A recorded breaking warm-up last week is just a distant memory, although continued flooding in certain areas of Ohio is a reminder that precipitation fell as rain and not as snow. While temperatures felt a little bit more winter-like over the weekend, another warm up is on its way. Even though we are still in February, it is not too earlier to begin following the Growing Degree Day Calendar online at https://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/gdd/

 

 

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