Pest Activity -- March 24, 2000

Pest Activity > Pest Activity Archives > March 24, 2000

Welcome to the Woody Ornamental Pest Scouting Report for Western Pennsylvania for March 24, 2000, brought to you by Penn State Cooperative Extension. This page will be updated weekly with growing degree day counts and insect activity through the end of June. If you would like an email copy of this report, send your request to mcm2@psu.edu.

As of March 22, the following growing degree days using a base temperature of 50 degrees have accumulated:

Fox Chapel	52
Butler	51
Uniontown	59
New Stanton	49

The immature adults of Cooley Spruce Gall Adelgids were observed this past week on Douglas Fir in Westmoreland County. Feeding damage from his pest will cause bent or distorted needles on Douglas Fir and galls on the terminal growth of Colorado Blue and Oriental Spruce. Now is the time to check for the presence of the black colored adults on the needles of Douglas fir to determine if a spring control measures for this pest is warranted. Controls should be applied before the black colored adults are covered with white waxy filaments and pesticide efficacy is greatly reduced.

Eastern Spruce Gall Adelgid, the pest responsible for the pineapple shaped galls on Norway Spruce, is also active now. Trees with a past history of this pest should be scouted at this time.

Evidence of feeding by adult White Pine Weevils was observed in Westmoreland County this week. Inspection of the leaders of white pines for tiny droplets of fresh sap caused by the feeding of adult males and females indicates the presence of white pine weevil. This pest is responsible for killing the terminal leader on Eastern White Pine, Spruces, and occasionally Douglas Fir. Assuming that the trend of warmer daytime temperatures in the 60's continues, insecticide treatments should be started next week. Registered insecticides applied according to label directions should be directed to the tops of the trees before the females lay eggs in the terminal leaders.

Eriophyid mites were observed feeding on hemlocks in Westmoreland and Beaver counties this past week. High populations of this pest will cause needles to yellow before dropping. If you noticed this occurring in the landscape or nursery last year, check now for small worm-like creatures with two pairs of legs. Eriophyid mites are much smaller than spider mites and a hand lens is required for detection. Registered insecticides applied according to label directions should be used at this time.

The next page update will be on Friday, April 2nd.