Few carnivorous insects can match the amazing acrobatics and predatory proficiency of robber flies (family Asilidae) in their pursuit of prey. Adults of all species are predators and they will attack a variety of insects; even "armed" prey like wasps.

This is the time of the year when wasps expand their nests at an exponential rate which explains the number of e-mails I've gotten recently about stinging encounters. A common question has been "where did the nest come from?"

Fall Webworm (Hyphantria cunea) has two overlapping generations per season in Ohio. The "fall" in the webworm's common name is based on large second-generation nests normally appearing late in the season. However, we are receiving reports that where localized webworm populations are high, the caterpillars are already producing some truly spectacular nests sometimes enveloping entire trees.

Sometimes, the common names of insects clearly describe what the insects do for a living. Insects that belong to the Hemipteran family Reduviidae are collectively called assassin bugs; they hunt down and kill other insects. Look closely at flowers to observe another type of assassin bug that practices an entirely different type of predatory behavior

Oak wilt is a very serious and often deadly disease of oaks, specifically the oaks in the red or black oak group. The actual pathogen (Bretziella fagacearum) that causes the disease has been known to be in Ohio for many decades. Some years, it is worse than others. Oak wilt is not like the emerald ash borer that spreads rapidly, almost like a tidal wave moving in one direction. Oak wilt builds in a way that it can radiate out to other like trees, but advances at a slower pace, but even then, can cause tree death in a single season, and often in a matter of weeks

USDA expands CFAP program to include nursery crops, cut flowers, and additional specialty crops! The CFAP program helps offset price declines and additional marketing costs because of the coronavirus pandemic - and now includes assistance for nursery crops, cut flowers, and additional specialty crops.

I've received several reports over the past few weeks from landscape managers and arborists of small holes in tree trunks that are oozing sap or exuding cylindrical strands of white sawdust. These delicate, odd-looking structures are the calling card of ambrosia beetles and are sometimes called "frass toothpicks." The oozing holes are the work of bark beetles.

Ohio Online Commercial Recertification is now open!

Damage by non-native Mimosa Webworms (Homadaula anisocentra, family Galacticidae) was a topic of discussion during this week's BYGLive! Zoom Inservice. Despite their common name, mimosa webworms are most often found in Ohio on honeylocusts (Gleditsia triacanthos).

Passion flower (Passiflora incarnata) is an annual vine that climbs by axillary tendrils. It warmer climates it can become somewhat woody and be perennial-like in its habit, typically dying back to the ground each winter. In Ohio, it will die-back to the ground in the fall, but will need to be replaced with a new plant in the spring. It is native to the Southeastern U.S. and is easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade.