Filtering by tag: Pest News ✕

Crape Myrtle Aphids

Crape myrtles are among the most commonly planted trees in the Southeast. The two main pests are crape myrtle bark scale, which was covered recently, and crape myrtle aphid.

Twospotted spider mites and webbing on a butterfly bush leaf. Photo: SD Frank

Scout for Twospotted Spider Mites

Twospotted spider mites are probably the most common spider mite species to damage ornamental plants, fruits, vegetables, and others. Twospotted spider mites are widely distributed in the United…

Wax scale on the twig of a nursery-grown maple. Photo: S.D. Frank

Wax Scales Hatching on Many Common Host Plants

There are a couple species of wax scales (Ceroplastes spp.) in North Carolina. Common ones include Indian wax scale and Florida wax scale. They look very similar and are managed similarly. Both are…

Tulip tree aphids with a brown parasitized aphid mummy and yellow lady beetle eggs. Photo: SD Frank

Tulip Tree Aphids and Scales Feeding and Dropping Honeydew

Tulip trees (Liriodendron tulipifera) have two primary pests both of which produce honeydew and both of which are actively feeding now. Tulip tree scales are brown bumps that live and feed on…

Eastern tent caterpillar feeding on a cherry leaf. Photo: SD Frank

Eastern Tent Caterpillars

Eastern tent caterpillars are common native insects that create silk webs or 'tents' in the branch crotches of some tree species. Their favorites are rosaceous species such as cherry and apple. I…

Camphor shot borer. Photo: Doug Stone, Mississippi State University, Bugwood.org

Camphor Shot Borers Active Throughout the State

Nursery growers have been struggling with ambrosia beetles for decades. Now landscape trees are also getting attacked more frequently. In the southeast the granulate ambrosia beetle, Xylosandrus…

Daylily Leafminer Causing White Streaks on Daylilies

The Daylily leafminer is a recent pest from Asia. It was first detected in 2006 but has now spread through much of the Southeast including North Carolina. I spotted the first mines of the year this…

Rosy maple moths are about an inch long and are pink and yellow. Photo: J. Baker

Prepare for Greenstripped Mapleworms

I got reports of rosy maple moths spotted around lights over the weekend. These beautiful moths are the adult form of greenstripped mapleworms which feed on maples each summer. They are many…

European pepper moth larva. Photo: SD Frank

Step-Up Scouting for European Pepper Moth

You may have European pepper moth in your nursery and not know it. They are hard to find because they hide in webbing on or below the surface of potting media. They create symptoms often confused…

Crape myrtle bark scales on a branch collar of crape myrtle. Photo: SD Frank

Time to Scout for Crape Myrtle Bark Scale

Crape myrtles have typically been almost maintenance free (unless you top them) but with the new crape myrtle bark scale the will will require some pest management to stay healthy and beautiful.…