Pest Activity -- May 24, 2002

Pest Activity > Pest Activity Archives > May 24, 2002

Welcome to the Woody Ornamental Pest Scouting Report for Western Pennsylvania for May 24, 2002, brought to you by Penn State Cooperative Extension.This message 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 May 22, the following growing degree days with a base temperature of 50 degrees have accumulated:

Uniontown	474	Franklin	203
New Stanton	415	Meadville	300
Pittsburgh	443	Erie	270
Wexford	360	Fairview	203
Prospect	315	Harbor Creek	191
Mercer	317

They're back!!!! The periodical cicada or 17 year locust have begun to emerge from the ground in parts of western Pennsylvania. This particular brood will be affecting all or parts of the following counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cambria, Clarion, Crawford, Fayette, Forest, Huntingdon, Indiana, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango, Washington, and Westmoreland. Physical exclusion of the insect from the terminals of young trees is the only way to prevent the female adults from slitting the twigs to deposit eggs and killing the twigs.

Euonymus scale crawlers were on the move in Pittsburgh this week. Thorough coverage is essential for adequate control especially with Euonymus fortunei or Wintercreeper Euonymus which can have very dense foliage.

Elm leaf beetle larvae remain active in Pittsburgh with 1/4" - 1/2" diameter mines observed this past week.

Elongated hemlock scale crawlers were also active in Pittsburgh this week.

Pine needle scale crawlers have started to settle on Mugo Pines in Pittsburgh. When the crawlers settle down to feed on the pine needles, they exhibit a color change from red to yellowish-brown.

Fourlined plant bug nymphs remain active with very high populations occuring in some areas.

Locust leafminer adults also remain active

Spruce spider mites were active on arborvitae in Westmoreland County this past week.

Native holly leafminers adults continue to emerge with some evidence of adult feeding on the new foliage in Sewickley.

Boxwood psyllid adults are active in Pittsburgh were only a few nymphs remaining.

Eastern tent caterpillars are starting to leave their tents looking for places to spin cocoons.

Other insects that remain active at this time are:

Baldcypress rust mites

Honeylocust plant bug adults

Honeylocust spider mite adults

Birch leafminers larvae

Southern red mite adults

Hemlock rust mites

 

The next scouting report will be on Friday, May 31st.