Bothersome Birch Blighters

Dave Bienemann, Municipal Arborist/Utility Forester, City of Hamilton, alerted me to two pests appearing on river birch (Betula nigra) in southwest Ohio. Dusky Birch Sawfly (Croesus latitarsus) larvae are munching on the leaves while Spiny Witchhazel Aphids (Hamamelistes spinosus) are producing raised ribs or "corrugations" on the upper leaf surface.
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Authors
Joe Boggs

Oak Treehoppers are Good Mothers

Participants in last week’s OSU Extension/OGIA Diagnostic Walk-About held in Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum in Cincinnati came across an aggregation of Oak Treehopper (Platycotis vittata) nymphs on a mature white oak (Quercus alba). This treehopper is one of the more colorful members of the Membracidae family and behavioral studies have revealed a level of maternal care that’s unusual for a non-social insect.
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Leaflet Drop on Ash

Native ash trees in southwest Ohio are showing tell-tale symptoms of Ash Anthracnose. The disease is produced by the fungus, Plagiostoma fraxini (syn. Gnomoniella fraxini). As the specific epithet implies, the pathogen is specific to members of the Fraxinus genus.
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Authors
Joe Boggs

Leaf Drop on Sugar Maple

The leaf-shedding handiwork of the Maple Petiole Borer (Caulocampus acericaulis, family Tenthredinidae) is becoming evident in southwest Ohio. This non-native sawfly was introduced into the United States from Europe. Although the sawfly prefers sugar maples (Acer saccharum), other maples may occasionally be infested.
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Authors
Joe Boggs

Sticky, Dripping European Beech

I'm a fan of beech (Fagus spp., family Fagaceae) from American beech (F. grandifolia) to European beech (F. sylvatica) to beechwood-aged potations (F. beerlignumia). Members of the genus have long been considered relatively free of serious insect pest and disease problems. Unfortunately, beech bark disease and the enigmatic beech leaf disease are changing that perception.
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Authors
Joe Boggs

No Mow May in Full Swing………So what’s wrong with ‘No Mow May’?

Lawns are greening up and growing like crazy. You may be tempted to employ the technique titled ‘No Mow May’. But what’s wrong with letting your lawn grow for the whole month of May without cutting it? If you are concerned about the health of your lawn, there’s potentially some downsides to ‘No Mow May’.
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Authors
David Gardner
Thomas deHaas