Bedraggled Elms: Galling Conditions

The leaves of native elms can look a bit bedraggled at this time of the year owing to rise of pouch-like elm sack galls and the descriptively named elm cockscomb galls. Fortunately, neither of these aphid galls produce significant injury to the overall health of their elm tree host. Unfortunately, these odd looking plant structures can spoil the aesthetics of their deep green elm leaf platforms.
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Authors
Joe Boggs

Bedraggled Elms: Elm Leafminer Sawfly

The leaves of native elms, non-natives, and hybrids can look a bit bedraggled at this time of the year owing to the leafmining activity of the elm leafminer sawfly. Fortunately, leafmining by the sawfly larvae has drawn to a close for the season, so the damage you see now will be the most damage that you'll see this season. Unfortunately, sawfly development has moved past effective control options meaning that you'll have to live with the current damage.
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Authors
Joe Boggs

Bedraggled Elms: the Weevil

The leaves of native elms, non-natives, and hybrids can look a bit bedraggled at this time of the year owing to the adult pit feeding activity and larval leafmining activity of the elm flea weevil. Fortunately, leafmining by the weevil has drawn to a close, so the damage you see now will be the most damage that you'll see this season. Unfortunately, round two of the adult weevil damage is already underway.
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Authors
Joe Boggs
Curtis E. Young

Calico Scale Egg Hatch

Calico scale eggs located beneath helmet-shaped females are beginning to hatch in southwest Ohio. This life cycle event happens quickly; the small number of 1st instar nymphs that I spotted yesterday will soon become a horde. Unlike armored scales, all nymphal stages of this soft scale are mobile, so nymphs can be called "crawlers" throughout their development.
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Authors
Joe Boggs

Galls on Azaleas

Early today, a NW Ohio resident called the Extension Office concerned about the leaves on her azaleas. She described the leaves as beginning to appear contorted and that there were growths that were thickening. The problem seemed to be getting worse and covering more of the leaves. The homeowner had several plants near the house's foundation and another plant along a sidewalk. All were exhibiting similar signs and symptoms, but some were more infected than others. 
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Amy Stone

What are Your Plant Pest, Disease, and Weed Management Challenges?

The Inter-regional Research Project #4 (IR-4 Project) conducts biennial surveys to learn the pest, disease, and weed management challenges faced by the Green Industry. The survey results are used to guide research and to facilitate the registrations of conventional chemical pesticides as well as biopesticides.
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Authors
Joe Boggs

Picking Up Pawpaws.. Blooming

As I was in the throes of cutting and baling my overgrown lawn last week in Northeast Ohio, I was pleasantly surprised to see a profuse flower display on my Pawpaw (Asmina triloba) trees!  I can’t recall ever seeing so many buds and blooms on the tree, especially the numbers which were noted this season.  Now some may opine that the green, brown fuzz covered bud scales are the reason most people ignore and consequently, miss the real floral display, because the buds seem so uninspiring. 

 

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Erik Draper

The Wrath of Grapes

The bristly, lumpy round galls produced by the grape phylloxera (Daktulosphaira vitifoliae, family Phylloxeridae) may dominate our perception of galls on grapes. Indeed, these peculiar plant structures are a common feature on the lower leaf surfaces of wild grapes (Vitis spp.) in Ohio.
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Authors
Joe Boggs