You may notice your sidewalk turning black this time of year. What’s happening? Time to look up.

Check out the latest edition of the OSU's Turfgrass Team Times (TTT).

My friend Ron Rothhaas (Arbor Doctor, LLC, Cincinnati, OH) texted a series of images last week showing a pin oak (Quercus palustris) festooned with small, white structures superficially resembling insect cocoons. However, a closer look revealed the structures to be “ovisacs” of the Oak Felt Scale (OFS), Acanthococcus quercus (formerly Eriococcus quercus), family Eriococcidae.

I received an email message this past weekend from Brad McBride (The Davey Tree Expert Co.) alerting me that Willow Pinecone Galls are reaching their full glory on their namesake host near the Everett Covered Bridge in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It’s certainly worth a visit to enjoy this picturesque wonder, and perhaps look at the bridge too.

So-called galls on goldenrod (Solidago spp.) leaves produced in association with the midge fly Asteromyia carbonifera (family Cecidomyiidae) appear as white, circular structures on both the upper and lower leaf surfaces. As the galls mature, they develop a faint black ring near the outer edge making them look target-like.

Check out the latest edition of the OSU Turf Team Times.

Ever wonder how Christmas trees can have such a perfect shape at Christmas? It all comes down to proper shearing!

The immigrant pavement ant is more widespread in the United States than previously thought. This species is widespread in urban environments in Ohio. Find out more interesting facts about this species.

Extensioneers are receiving reports of Green June Beetles (Cotinis nitida, family Scarabaeidae) cruising lawns in Ohio. Despite the "June" in their common name, these native scarab beetles always make their annual appearance in July in Ohio. They typically gather en masse to terrorize gardeners, golfers, sunbathers, small children, and pets as they buzz over home lawns and golf courses.

The tops of Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) and spruces (Picea spp.) in southwest Ohio are showing the distinctive dieback and "shepherd's crook" symptoms produced by our native White Pine Weevil (WPW) (Pissodes strobi). The tops may be covered in brown to reddish-brown needles, or free of needles.