The sunflower headclipping weevil (Haplorhynchites aeneus) is a well-documented native pest across the Great Plains where they attack cultivated and wild sunflowers (Helianthus spp., family Asteraceae). The weevil reared its ugly snout in Ohio several years ago, but not as an agricultural pest.

Signate Lady Beetle larvae totally decimated a magnolia scale infestation a small saucer magnolia. The larvae have distinctly segmented bodies cloaked in cottony white wax making them look like mealybugs which they will also eat. The adults are very small measuring around 1/8” long.

Check out this week's edition of the OSU Turfgrass Times - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuWAaPsjvQA

Brood X (10) of the 17-year Periodical Cicadas (Magicicada spp.; family Cicadidae) have come and gone in Ohio leaving behind oviposition damage (flagging) as a reminder of their spring fling. Annual Dog-Day Cicadas (Neotibicen canicularis; family Cicadidae) are now arriving on the scene along with their nemesis, Cicada Killer Wasps (Sphecius speciosus).

Willow Pinecone Galls are produced by the Willow Pinecone Gall Midge, Rabdophaga strobiloides (family Cecidomyiidae), to house, nourish, and protect a single fly larva (maggot) located deep within the gall. The elaborate structures bear a striking resemblance to a pine cone complete with faux seed scales.

I recently came across clumps of intensely white cottony material at eye level on the stems of a red elm (= slippery elm, Ulmus rubra) along a forest trail in southwest Ohio. A close examination revealed the insects beneath the white fluff to be nymphs (immatures) of fulgoroid planthoppers (order Hemiptera, superfamily Fulgoroidea).

Eriophyid mite erineum patches and symptoms of beech anthracnose and are both showing up on American beech in Ohio. Both produce unique symptoms but each may appear on the same leaf.

It’s common for people to call all insects bugs. However, entomologists reserve the bug name for a specific group of insects that belong to the suborder Heteroptera (order Hemiptera). To emphasize the point, entomologists refer to these heteropteran insects as the true bugs which may imply we consider all other insects to be false bugs but that’s not true.

A recent announcement by the Washington Department of Agriculture has put the Asian Giant Hornet (AGH) (Vespa mandarinia) back in the news. A dead male hornet was submitted by a homeowner located in the state of Washington just outside the geographical locations of the original detections in 2019 and 2020.

This week's edition of the OSU's Turfgrass Team's Tufgrass Times has been posted. Contributors include: Dr. Dave Shetlar; Dr. Dave Gardner; and Dr. Ed Nangle.