Mystery Nest? Don't call 911 just yet!

Last week, a local police officer was called out to a property for mysterious “bug” activity.  An unusual nest was reported on the property and the concerned homeowners did not know what it was or what to do with it.  Luckily, the officer knew to call their local Extension office and soon we were ON THE CASE!  (Here come the sleuthing puns!)

 


mystery nest...

Published on
Authors
Ashley Kulhanek
Marne Titchenell

Four-lined Plant Bug Crushing Oregano (and other plants)

Perennial plants (and others) are showing damage caused by four-lined plant bug (Poecilocapus lineatus) with some plants exhibiting heavy damage.  For instance, my oregano is totally obliterated.  I usually say no worries to this pest as it is a one and done insect; it has one life cycle in the early part of spring.  The damage is caused early enough in the season that I don't usually worry about taking action with pesticides.  However, this year is anything but normal and I am altering my normal approach a bit.

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Published on
Authors
Pam Bennett

Wolves in Sheep's Clothing

Julie Crook and I visited a magnolia in her landscape on Tuesday that is infested with Magnolia Scale. We had intended to evaluate a soft scale control method using dish scrubbers to physically remove the scales. I learned about this scale suppression technique from Dan Potter (University of Kentucky Entomology).
Published on
Authors
Joe Boggs
Julie Crook

Seeing Red

I'm continuing to get reports of huge numbers of tiny, fast-moving bright red mites scurrying around on sunny surfaces such as on picnic tables, patios, sidewalks, concrete retaining walls, and on the outside walls of homes and buildings. These nuisance mites are sometimes called "concrete mites" owing to locations where they tend to congregate
Published on
Authors
Joe Boggs

Calico Scale-Crawl

Calico scale eggs located beneath helmet-shaped females are hatching in southwest Ohio and the 1st instar nymphs (crawlers) are on the move. Unlike armored scales, all nymphal stages of this soft scale are mobile, so nymphs can be called "crawlers" throughout their development
Published on
Authors
Joe Boggs

Bagworm Alert!

Overwintered Common Bagworm eggs are hatching in southwest Ohio. The tiny 1st instar bags are constructed with pieces of tan to reddish-brown sawdust-like frass (excrement) stuck to the outside of silk and look like "dunce caps."
Published on
Authors
Joe Boggs