Have you ever thought “why in the world should I care about plant families?” Or why does it matter if a plant belongs to a certain family?  What if you were asked, “Can my Pyracantha (firethorn) shrubs get fireblight?”  or “What other plants could be possible target hosts for the Emerald Ash Borer”?  You will be able to understand the answers to these questions, IF YOU UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF PLANT FAMILIES! 

Dodders are parasitic plants belonging to the morning glory family, Convolvulaceae. They were formerly placed in the dodder family, Cuscutaceae, with only one genus in the family, Cuscuta. Depending on the reference, there are somewhere between 100 – 170 species worldwide with 13 species found in Ohio.

Lace bugs do well during hot weather and they are certainly doing very well. I'm finding population densities and levels of damage that are normally seen in July. I posted a report on hawthorn lace bugs this past Saturday; this report highlights a few others.

This is the time of the year when a close look at dogbane may reveal Dogbane Beetles; one of the most beautiful beetles found in Ohio. Indeed, the beetle's scientific name, Chrysochus auratus, loosely translates to "made of gold." This native beetle should be familiar to BYGL readers; it's one of my favorite insects and I post at least one report about it each year!

The Pollinator Partnership is proud to announce that June 18-24, 2018 has been designated National Pollinator Week. This week long observation is a time to celebrate pollinators and spread the word about what can be done to protect them.

 

Eleven years ago the U.S. Senate’s unanimous approval and designation of a week in June as “National Pollinator Week” marked a necessary step toward addressing the urgent issue of declining pollinator populations. Pollinator Week has now grown into an international celebration of the valuable ecosystem services provided...

The characteristic leaf "stippling" symptoms produced by Hawthorn Lace Bugs is now very noticeable in southwest Ohio. Lace bugs are tiny insects with the adults measuring no more than 3/16" long. They are so-named because of the lace-like pattern of veins and membranes in their wings.

I'm not yet saying this is going to be a banner season for Common Bagworms. However, I'm commonly finding bagworms in southwest Ohio without much effort. I've not heard reports from elsewhere in the state

First generation scarlet oak sawfly larvae are beginning to skeletonize oak leaves in southwest Ohio. The larvae are currently in the 1st and 2nd instar stages and a little less than 1/8" long. Despite this sawfly's common name, larvae may be found feeding on a wide range of oaks including pin, black, red, and white oaks as well as its namesake oak.

Is it a birds-nest or is it something else? Birds-nest fungi are fascinating organisms, complete with little nest-like spore casings that act as splash cups, and peridioles complete with funicular cords. Oh, what wonders.

This is the time of the year when rust diseases make it easy to spot wild hawthorns growing along Ohio trails as well as in landscapes. They have orange spotted leaves and "orange-hairy haws." I may be exaggerating a bit, but these rust symptoms can certainly make woodland hikes interesting.