Lace bugs do well during hot weather and they are certainly doing very well. I'm finding population densities and levels of damage that are normally seen in July. I posted a report on hawthorn lace bugs this past Saturday; this report highlights a few others.

This is the time of the year when a close look at dogbane may reveal Dogbane Beetles; one of the most beautiful beetles found in Ohio. Indeed, the beetle's scientific name, Chrysochus auratus, loosely translates to "made of gold." This native beetle should be familiar to BYGL readers; it's one of my favorite insects and I post at least one report about it each year!

The Pollinator Partnership is proud to announce that June 18-24, 2018 has been designated National Pollinator Week. This week long observation is a time to celebrate pollinators and spread the word about what can be done to protect them.

 

Eleven years ago the U.S. Senate’s unanimous approval and designation of a week in June as “National Pollinator Week” marked a necessary step toward addressing the urgent issue of declining pollinator populations. Pollinator Week has now grown into an international celebration of the valuable ecosystem services provided...

The characteristic leaf "stippling" symptoms produced by Hawthorn Lace Bugs is now very noticeable in southwest Ohio. Lace bugs are tiny insects with the adults measuring no more than 3/16" long. They are so-named because of the lace-like pattern of veins and membranes in their wings.

I'm not yet saying this is going to be a banner season for Common Bagworms. However, I'm commonly finding bagworms in southwest Ohio without much effort. I've not heard reports from elsewhere in the state

First generation scarlet oak sawfly larvae are beginning to skeletonize oak leaves in southwest Ohio. The larvae are currently in the 1st and 2nd instar stages and a little less than 1/8" long. Despite this sawfly's common name, larvae may be found feeding on a wide range of oaks including pin, black, red, and white oaks as well as its namesake oak.

Is it a birds-nest or is it something else? Birds-nest fungi are fascinating organisms, complete with little nest-like spore casings that act as splash cups, and peridioles complete with funicular cords. Oh, what wonders.

This is the time of the year when rust diseases make it easy to spot wild hawthorns growing along Ohio trails as well as in landscapes. They have orange spotted leaves and "orange-hairy haws." I may be exaggerating a bit, but these rust symptoms can certainly make woodland hikes interesting.

Northern Masked Chafers and Japanese Beetles are on the wing in southern Ohio. These scarabs (family Scarabaeidae) are two of the three most common "white grub producing" beetles found beneath turfgrass in Ohio. The third potential participant in the grub-party are Southern Masked Chafers which have not yet appeared on the scene.

 

The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) recently announced plans to begin aerial treatments designed to disrupt gypsy moth mating later this summer. Treatments will be applied to 32,526 acres in fifteen counties across the state. 
 

The gypsy moth is a non-native, invasive species that feeds on the leaves of more than 300 different trees and shrubs and is especially fond of oak as a caterpillar as shown below.

 

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