While opening the Redbud Leaffolder (Fascista cercerisella) nests that were the subject of the previous BYGL Alert, I made an unusual discovery. Nestled inside one of the folded leaves was a type of cricket that I’d never seen before. A notable characteristic was its extremely long antennae that appeared to wrap around the cricket’s body.

The unusual damage caused by first-generation Redbud Leaffolders on their namesake host is becoming evident in southwest Ohio. Thus far, populations of this native moth appear to be sporadic and highly localized. However, population densities and distribution may change with the appearances of the second and third generations.

The nests of first-generation Mimosa Webworm (Homadaula anisocentra, family Galacticidae) are now becoming evident on honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos) in southwest Ohio. Honeylocust is considered the alternate host of this non-native moth in much of the U.S. However, it’s the primary host in Ohio where mimosa trees (a.k.a. silk trees) (Albizia julibrissin) are rare.

Fall Webworm (Hyphantria cunea, family Erebidae) nests are becoming noticeable in southwest Ohio. Their arrival seemed to be unusually late this season until close inspections revealed the nests are housing the red-headed biotype. But more on that later.

The Ohio State Fair runs July 27th to August 7, 2022. Prior to the commencement of the fair, The Ohio Christmas Tree Association hosted their annual Christmas Tree Judging contest. Winners will be on display at the fair.

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During this week’s BYGL Zoom Inservice, Beth Scheckelhoff (OSU Extension Putnam County) showed pictures of Sunflower Headclipping Weevil females initiating the slow decapitation of purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea, family Asteraceae) in a mass planting on the OSU Ag campus. Reports of this weevil on coneflowers in Ohio have become an annual event.

Common bagworms have been with us for a while. Overwintered bagworm eggs began hatching in southwest Ohio at the end of May (see “Bagworm Eggs are Hatching: The Game’s Afoot!,” June 1, 2022). However, it’s amazing how long these general defoliators can continue to crawl below our radar as they chomp on evergreens and deciduous trees and shrubs before their cumulative damage and size finally make them apparent.

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This is the time of the season when the characteristic chlorotic leaf spot damage (= stippling) from Lace Bugs (order Hemiptera; family Tingidae) that feed on deciduous woody ornamentals as well as a few herbaceous perennials becomes very evident. These small plant-sucking insects are so named because of the lace-like pattern of the veins and membranes in their wings which are held flat over their body.