Tattered tree leaves are the calling card of cankerworms.  Spring Cankerworms (Paleacrita vernata) and Fall Cankerworms (Alsophilia pometeria) are currently producing leaf-feeding damage in southwest Ohio.  Both belong to the moth family Geometridae.  Caterpillars of moths in this family are also called "inchworms," "spanworms, and "loopers."  The common names of spring and fall cankerworms refer to the season when the flightless female moths lay their eggs.  Fall cankerworm moths lay eggs in the fall; spring cankerworms lay their eggs in the spring.  However, the eggs of...

Black Knot of Prunus is caused by the fungus, Apiosporina morbosa, and is characterized by thick, corky, elongated gall-growths on twigs and branches.  The common name of the disease is based on the coal-black coloration of older galls late in the growing season. Currently, newly sporulating black knot galls are olive-green or reddish brown and may have a velvety texture.  Newly forming galls may appear as simple swollen growths causing the bark to crack; they may be mistaken for a cankering disease.

The handiwork of the spiny oak sawfly (Periclista albicollis) is becoming very apparent on the developing leaves of bur and white oaks in southwest Ohio.  The small, light-green semi-transparent spiny oak sawfly larvae have shiny black head capsules and are covered with rows of forked (bifurcated) spines.  Early instars primarily feed on the underside of newly emerging and expanding leaves.  They produce small holes that get larger as the leaves expand.  Later instars consume interveinal tissue leaving behind the main veins to give the oak leaves a tattered appearance.  Look...

Landscapers and gardeners may be seeing scattered dieback on boxwoods this spring.  One candidate for the sectional dieback is Volutella blight.  Both English and American boxwoods are susceptible to this disease which is caused by the fungal pathogen, Pseudonectria buxi (also called Volutella buxi). 

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Our wet weather this spring has triggered spectacular spore production by three types of rust fungi on junipers in southwest Ohio.  All three fungi belong to the genus Gymnosporangium and each must alternate between a member of the plant genus Juniperus and members of the rose family (Rosaceae) in order to complete their life cycle.  The requirement to cycle between two types of widely divergent host plants coupled with the rusty color of their spores earns these fungi the collective moniker of "heteroecious" rusts.

 

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Mud "chimneys," the nuisance handiwork of Terrestrial or Burrowing Crayfish are rising above turfgrass in central and southwest Ohio.  There are several species of burrowing crayfish, but most belong to two genera:  Cambarus and Fallicambarus.  Like their aquatic cousins, these crayfish use gills to extract oxygen from water.  However, unlike their water-soaked cousins, burrowing crayfish spend most of their lives on land.  They must dig their burrows down to ground water so they have a ready source of oxygen.  This connection to a high water table explains why most...

This non-native invasive weed is among the most deadly plants in North America.  This biennial weed spends its first year as a basal rosette and the second year as an erect, towering flowering plant that can measure 6-10' tall.  Despite its common name, poison hemlock is not a tree; it is a member of the carrot family, Apiaceae (formerly Umbelliferae).

 

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Apparently, the sporadic freeze-frost events that occurred this spring in southwest and central Ohio caused little damage to maple flowers and developing seed.  Almost all species of maples in those parts of the state are festooned with heavy seed (a.k.a. "helicopter seed," "maple spinners,").  Abundant winged maple seeds (samaras) in the spring can draw both the attention and wrath of landscapers and homeowners.  Trees shift energy to support heavy seed production at the expense of leaf expansion which makes "seedy trees" look unhealthy.  The overall sickly appearance is enhanced once...

Certain areas of Northeastern Ohio woke up Sunday morning to find that a hard frost had developed overnight covering turf, picnic tables and decks.  Many ornamental plants and fruit trees had swollen buds and even some scattered blooms evident.  The phone calls from concerned citizens started coming in wanting to know if all was lost regarding the fruit trees and blueberries for this year.  So I went out to see what had happened to the potential fruit crop for the coming season.

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Canada geese have paired up by this time of year and many females are already sitting on nests with eggs. Be cautious around the geese and give them space. Right now, the goose pair's main objective is to protect that nest. The male spends much of his time guarding the female, whether she is eating, resting, or sitting on the nest. Several times in the past few weeks, I have encountered a goose pair and each time they have behaved defensively. Once I backed away and gave them some space, there was no problem. If a goose approaches you, starts bobbing its head, hissing, or flapping its...