Nursery Pest Management Calendar

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Nursery Pest Management Calendar

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Title: Nursery Pest Management Calendar

1
Nursery Pest Management Calendar

Kris Braman
University of Georgia

2
The Nursery Pest Management Calendar

Provides optimal scouting and treatment timing
for more than two dozen key insect and mite pests
of nursery plants
Provides a pest identification guide and
discusses biology and management
Is organized by major plant groups and by
individual pest or pest group
Provides an identification guide for beneficial
insects in the nursery
Updated chemical control options can be found at
CAES web site http//www.ent.uga.edu/pmh/

3
Nursery Pest Management Calendar Plants

Azalea/Rhododendron
Boxwood
Butterfly bush
Camelia
Coreopsis
Columbine
Crapemyrtle

Dogwood
Gardenia
Holly
Juniper
Lantana
Maple
Oak
Oenothera

4
Pests in the Calendar

Azalea lace bug
Azalea leaf miner
Southern red mite
Cranberry rootworm
Strawberry rootworm
Azalea bark scale
Azalea caterpillar
Boxwood leafminer
Boxwood psyllid

Two spotted spider mite
Tea scale
Altica flea beetles
Japanese beetles
Asian ambrosia beetle
Dogwood borer
Cottony maple scale
Dogwood twig borer
Dogwood clubgall midge

5
Pests in the Calendar

Citrus whitefly
Cottony cushion scale
Holly leafminer
Euonymus scale
Florida wax scale
Two lined spittlebug
Spruce spider mite
Two spotted spider mite

Juniper scale
Flat headed apple tree borer
Aphids
Orange striped oakworm
Obscure scale
Lecanium scale
Maple bladder gall

6
Key Pests of Azalea/Rhododendron

Azalea lace bug
Azalea leaf miner
Southern red mite
Cranberry rootworm
Strawberry rootworm
Azalea bark scale
Azalea caterpillar

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8
Azalea Lace Bug (Stephanitis pyrioides)
Azalea lace bug adult
Azalea lace bug eggs
9
Azalea Lace Bug (Stephanitis pyrioides)

Adults are 1/8 inch long. The transparent wings
are held flat on the back. Their wings are lacy
with two grayish-brown cross-bands connected in
the middle. Nymphs are mostly black and spiny.
The flask-shaped eggs are partially embedded in
leaf tissue and often are covered with a black
tar-like secretion. There are four generations a
year. Eggs overwinter in leaf tissue. Lace bug
adults and nymphs live and feed on the underside
of leaves.
Scout for eggs in February and look for the first
signs of damage on plants in full sun or in
protected areas beginning in March and continuing
throughout the summer. Look for white stippling
on older leaves. Turn stippled leaves over to
find lace bug stages and black fecal spots.
Examine lace bug eggs with a hand lens for signs
of parasitism (a round hole in the top of the
egg) and look for predators.
Time insecticide applications for the presence of
the first generation nymphs

10
Parasitic wasp that attacks and kills lace bug
eggs
Mymarid wasp next to An azalea leaf hair
Parasitized lace bug egg next to leaf midrib.
Wasp has chewed a circular hole in the lace bug
egg and emerged
11
Azalea plant bug adult and nymph, a predator
that feeds on lace bugs, thrips, other small
insects and pollen
12
Southern Red Mite (Oligonychus ilicis)

Adults are ½ mm long, oval, purplish, or reddish,
with eight legs. The red eggs overwinter on the
undersides of leaves. There are several
generations each year. Most activity occurs in
spring and fall.
This imported spider mite has a wide host range,
but prefers broad-leaved evergreens in the
Ericaceae and Aquifoliaceae. It is common on
azalea, camelia, rhododendron, mountain laurel,
holly, rose, viburnum, firethorn, and yew.
Examine plants closely for signs of stippling and
the various mite stages on the lower and upper
leaf surfaces of broadleaved evergreens in early
spring and the fall. When stippling is noticed,
tap leaves over white paper to dislodge and count
mites, as well as the beneficial insects and
predaceous mites. Predaceous mites have longer
legs than the southern red mite and move much
faster. Look for red overwintering eggs on the
lower surface of leaves from November through
early spring.
Application of a dormant oil to the lower surface
of leaves when overwintering eggs are numerous
will help reduce spring populations. In light
infestations, the use of a horticultural oil or
insecticidal soap will control these mites with
minimal impact on beneficial organisms. When
heavy infestations of mites are present, the
application of residual miticides often is
necessary

13
Southern Red Mite
14
Azalea Leafminer (Caloptilia azaleella)

Adult moths are about 3/8 inch long with wings
folded. They are yellowish brown with purple
markings on the wings and stand at a 60 angle
when at rest. Mature larvae are about ½ inch long
and yellowish brown. There are two generations a
year. Pupae overwinter in leaf mines (tunnels the
larvae create when they feed on tissue between
leaf surfaces). Look for blotch mines in April or
May. Curled leaf tips in June indicate completion
of the first generation. Second generation blotch
mines begin in July. Shake plants in late June
and August to make adults fly and to estimate
their numbers. Treat in May if numerous
developing blotch mines are observed. Evaluate
the second generation in July and retreat if
needed.

15
Azalea Leafminer (Caloptilia azaleella)
16
Azalea bark scale

Plants may appear yellow and covered with black
sooty mold
insects on twigs appear cottony or waxy
Treat crawlers in late April-May
prune out infested plant parts

17
Azalea caterpillar

Red to brown with white and yellow stripes when
small
full grown have a red head and prolegs with white
stripes
chemical control most effective on small
caterpillars

18
Cranberry rootworm

Small shiny black-green beetles
Feed at night and hide in litter during day
Remove litter and weeds from area
Usually most common in dense shade
Typically a Spring pest

19
Strawberry Rootworm
20
Strawberry rootworm, Paria fragariae

The strawberry rootworm, Paria fragariae, is a
pest of azaleas in production nurseries. Damage
from the adult results in holes in the leaves
which are unsightly. Current control methods
include spraying the foliage to control adults
with chlorpyrifos or carbaryl and drenching the
pots to control larvae with acephate or
bifenthrin.

21
Key Pests of Boxwood

Boxwood leafminer
Two spotted spider mite
Boxwood psyllid
Indian wax scale
European fruit lecanium
Armored scales (greedy, oleander, oystershell)

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23
Twospotted Spider Mite (Tretranychus urticae)
24
Twospotted Spider Mite (Tretranychus urticae)

Adults are about 1/7 mm long, a little larger
than a period on a page. They have one oval body
segment with eight legs. They are greenish-yellow
with a black spot on each side of the body. Eggs
are white to yellow. Reddish-orange adult females
overwinter in bark cracks.
Spider mites have a very broad host range. They
feed on conifers (see spruce spider mite on
Juniper), deciduous trees and shrubs, as well as
herbaceous plants.
Spider mites suck leaf juices, causing minute
white-to-yellow stipples to appear. When large
spider mite populations feed, the stipples
coalesce and leaves may turn white to yellow to
grayish-brown and then die. Some plants are
particularly susceptible to spider mite toxins,
and even low populations may cause leaves to die.
Look for early signs of stippling with the
beginning of hot summer weather. Examine the
underside of damaged leaves or tap them over
white paper and look for spider mites with two
spots on the body. Also look for predators, such
as phytoseiid mites and lady beetles, and note
their relative abundance in relation to the
number of mites present.
In dry, hot, sunny locations, this spider mite
may produce one generation a week. Use
horticultural oil or insecticidal soap sprays for
low mite populations to conserve any beneficials
present. When damage becomes objectionable, mite
populations are high, and there are not
beneficials, consider using a residual miticide
spray. Reevaluate in one week

25
Key Pests of Buddleia

Two spotted spider mite

26
Two spotted spider mite

37 Buddleia species and cultivars evaluated
B. fallowiana Alba and B. davidii x B.
fallowiana Cornwall Blue highly resistant to
mites

27
Key Pests of Camelia

Tea Scale
Southern Red Mite

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Tea scale
30
Scale on camelia
31
Key Pests of Coreopsis

Leaf beetles, Phaedon desotonis
These beetles are late winter through spring
pests. Beetles can build up large numbers before
being noticed. Larvae and adults feed on foliage
and flower buds.

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Leaf beetle larvae feeding on foliage of lance
leaf coreopsis
34
Leaf beetle adults begin feeding on coreopsis
35
Beetles are gregarious feeders and can defoliate
plants rapidly
36
Coreopsis rosea defoliated by leaf beetles
37
A predaceous stink bug feeding on a leaf beetle
larva on coreopsis
38
Key Pests of Columbine

Columbine leafminers

39
A. canadensis is less susceptible to leafminers
40
Pests of Cotoneaster
Eggs
Hawthorne lace bug
41
Key Pests of Crapemyrtle

Crape myrtle aphid
Japanese beetle
Asian ambrosia beetle
Altica flea beetle

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43
Crapemyrtle Pest Management Calendar
Pest Winter Dec-Feb Spring Mar-May Summer Jun-Aug Fall Sep-Nov
Crapemyrtle aphid S
Ambrosia beetle S PS SC P
Japanese beetles S
Altica flea beetles S
44
Japanese Beetle (Popillia japonica)

Adults are nearly ½ inch long, broadly oval,
thick bodied, with coppery grown wing covers and
a metallic green body. Mature larvae are nearly 1
inch long and white, with brown heads. They
resemble several other scarab beetle larvae, but
may be identified by the shape of the raster (an
area of bare spots, hairs, and spines on the
underside of the last abdominal segment). There
is one generation a year. Larvae overwinter in
soil.
Adults of this imported scarab beetle feed on the
flowers and leaves of many plants. Preferred
plants include rose, crapemyrtle, maples,
sycamore, birch, cottonwood, linden, mountain
ash, and elms.
Look for adults on preferred hosts from early
June through August. Weekly application of
residual or contact insecticides to host plants
in June through July will provide only partial
adult control. Traps usually are
counterproductive and most often call in more
beetles than they trap. Use traps to time
insecticide application for adults. Do not use
traps for control.

45
Japanese beetle
46
Crapemyrtle Aphids
47
Asian ambrosia beetle Adult flight peaks occur in
late winter and early spring
48
Altica flea beetles
Often attack susceptible crape myrtles In the
Spring
49
Key Pests of Dogwood

Dogwood borer
Dogwood twig borer
Dogwood clubgall midge
Cottony maple scale

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Dogwood Borer (Synanthedon scitula)

The adults are clearwing moths about 3/8 inch
long. They have two gold bands on a bluish-black
abdomen. The larva grows to ½ inch long and are
white with a brown head and have two
reddish-brown spots on the back, near the head.
There is one generation a year. Larvae overwinter
under bark. Adult emergence peaks around early to
mid-May, but occurs continually from April to
October because eggs are laid for several months.
Look for brown frass around wounds and bark
cracks. Remove loose bark with a knife. Larvae
may be found in short tunnels under bark near
wounds.
An early April application of a long residual
insecticide to the bark should prevent
infestation. An additional application may be
necessary in late May. Kousa dogwood appears
resistant to this borer.

52
Dogwood borer
53
Cottony Maple Scale (Pulvinaria innumerabilis)

Adult females are about 3/16 inch long. They are
black, flat, and oval. The 1/4-inch white cottony
ovisac, or egg sac, is deposited on bark.
Crawlers appear in June and immatures in summer
on the underside of leaves. There is one
generation a year. Immatures overwinter on twigs.
Preferred hosts include maple, elm, hawthorn,
dogwood, sycamore, poplar, and linden.
Look for white ovisacs on bark in early spring.
During the summer, look on underside of leaves
for flat, yellow immatures sucking sap from leaf
veins where honeydew and sooty mold are found on
the host plant.
Apply dormant oils to bark to kill overwintering
nymphs. Horticultural oil or insecticidal soap
can be applied to leaves during the summer to
control crawlers

54
Cottony Maple Scale (Pulvinaria innumerabilis)
55
Key Pests of Gardenia

Citrus whitefly
Armored scales (tea, greedy and oleander)
Cottony cushion scale

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Whitefly larvae and an adult
58
Whiteflies

Adult whiteflies range from 1/16 to 1/8 inch in
length. Most species resemble tiny white moths.
Identification is easiest using the scale
insect-like pupal stage.
Whiteflies have numerous hosts, including
rhododendron and azalea, ash, dogwood, sycamore,
sweetgum, honey-and black locust, barberries,
redbud, roses, and herbaceous plants like
hibiscus and verbena, among others.
When honeydew, sooty mold, or leaf yellowing is
observed, examine the underside of leaves for
feeding adult and immature stages of whiteflies.
Ants foraging on leaves may indicate the presence
of whiteflies.
Rake up and destroy fallen leaves. If honeydew or
damage are objectionable, spray the underside of
leaves with soap or oil to conserve beneficials.
Remove heavily infested leaves. Predators and
parasites usually keep these pests at low levels
in the landscape. In the nursery application of
systemic insecticides or IGRs may be required.

59
Tea scale
60
Cottony cushion scale damage on pittosporum
61
Vedalia lady beetle larva and adultfeeding on
cottony cushion scale
62
Vedalia beetle larva
Cottony cushion scale female with eggs
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Key Pests of Holly

Holly leafminers
Florida wax scale
Southern red mite
Two lined spittlebug
Armored scales (tea, oleander, greedy, euonymus,
pit)

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Holly Leafminer (Phytomyza ilicis)

Adult flies are about 1/8 inch long and black.
The larvae are 1/8 inch long yellow maggots that
tunnel through leaves, creating serpentine mine.
Eggs are usually deposited in the midrib or leaf
margin and early mining occurs there. There is
one generation a year. Larvae overwinter in
mines. Hard, late frosts extend adult egg-laying
activity and increase the pest population.
Summer to fall mining occurs in the midrib. The
obvious, linear, yellowish-green mine in the leaf
surface occurs the following spring. Several
mines per leaf cause premature leaf drop. Adult
females of this imported fly puncture tender new
holly leaves to feed on plant juices.
In heavy infestation, use systemics for larvae in
March of late summer. Contact insecticides may be
used for adults in early May, but this is the
least desirable technique because beneficial
parasites may be killed

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Two lined spittlebug
69
Twolined Spittlebug (Prosapia bicincta)

Adults are about 1/4 to ½ inch long, smoky brown
to black in color, broadly oval, convex, with
prominent eyes. They have two bright orange
stripes across their wings. Adults sometimes are
called froghoppers. Nymphs are smaller, usually
pale greenish-yellow, and covered by frothy
bubbles called spittle. Two generations occur per
year.
The immature stages are found in turfgrass and
adults may be found on numerous woody
ornamentals, especially hollies.
Look for active adults beginning in early summer.
The second generation of adults usually appears
in August/September. If spittlebugs are coming
from surrounding turf, don't allow a heavy thatch
layer to accumulate in the turf. Where possible,
avoid locating susceptible host plants (hollies)
near centipedegrass, a favored host for nymphal
development.

70
Wax scale on holly
71
Wax Scales (Japanese, Florida, orIndian wax
scale) Ceroplastes spp.

Adult females are about 1/4 inch long and
reddish. They are covered with a gummy, white wax
that look like a dunce cap. Immatures resemble
cameos with the developing areas of white was not
yet completely covering the reddish body. There
is one generation a year. Adult females
overwinter on bark.
Wax scales feed on many shrubs and trees, but
Japanese holly, Chinese holly, euonymus, boxwood,
firethorn, spirea, barberry, and flowering quince
are preferred.
Large numbers of foraging bees, wasps, hornets,
and ants on dense shrubs may indicate wax scale.
Look for honeydew and sooty mold. Look on twigs
and small branches for all wax scale stages.
Crawlers begin hatching in early summer in
Georgia.
Beginning in May, examine female wax scales on
leaves and branches every one to two weeks and
determine when eggs begin to hatch. Remove
heavily infested twigs or branches. Infested
twigs and branches must be sprayed thoroughly
with horticultural oil, insecticidal soap, or a
contact or systemic insecticide after egg hatch
and when crawlers are present on the plant to
achieve effective control.

72
EUONYMUS SCALE (Unaspis euonymi)

Covers of adult females are about 1/8 inch long,
brownish black, and are oyster shell shaped. Male
covers are smaller, thinner, and white. Crawlers
are yellowish orange and are most often found on
new growth. Fertilized adult females overwinter.
There are four overlapping generations a year.
Light infestations on bark cause no obvious
damage. In heavy infestations, the white covers
of males are easy to spot on the leaves and the
leaves develop yellow spots.
Always examine Euonymus japonica to discover
infestations before they cause damage. Carefully
examine bark on a few stems to detect light
infestations. Examine plants for presence of
predators and parasites.
Time application of horticultural oil,
insecticidal soaps, or other contact insecticides
for the presence of crawlers

73
Euonymus scale
74
Key Pests of Juniper

Spruce spider mites
Bagworms
Juniper Scale

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Spruce Spider Mite (Oligonychus ununguis)

Adults are about ½ mm long. They have eight legs
and are yellowish-green when young. When mature
and fully fed, they are grayish-black with a tan
area behind the mouthparts. Immature forms are
smaller and lighter in color. Eggs are oval to
circular and reddish brown. There are several
generations a year. Eggs overwinter on bark and
needles.
This cosmopolitan pest prefers spruce, pine,
hemlock, and arborvitae. Cedar, yew, larch,
cryptomeria, dawn redwood, fir, Douglas fir, and
false cypress also may be attacked.
At the first sign of stippling on needles, tap
branches over white paper and count the dark,
slow-moving spider mites. Note the presence of
white, fast-moving phytoseiid predatory mites and
the minute, black lady beetle mite predators.
Concentrate monitoring activities from March
through June and September through November.
Spraying is not recommended unless stippling
damage exceeds ten percent of green foliage more
than ten spider mites, on the average, are tapped
from a tree's branches and beneficial mites and
beetles are not found in all branch samples. Use
dormant oil sprays when overwintering eggs are
abundant. In the growing season, use summer oil
or insecticidal soap sprays if predator
populations are present.

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78
Sampling for mites pest and predator mites
79
Juniper Scale (Carulaspis juniperi)

Mature female covers are circular, white, and
about 1/16 inch in diameter. Male covers are
smaller, elongate, oval, and white. Shed skins
incorporated into the cover are yellow. There is
one generation a year. Adult females overwinter
on needles.
This imported armored scale insect prefers
juniper, but has also been collected from Leyland
cypress and cedar. Yellow crawlers are present in
late spring.
Dormant oil spray will reduce the number of
adults that successfully overwinter, but usually
does not provide adequate control. Use
horticultural oil or insecticidal soap to control
crawlers in late spring. Systemic insecticides
may be used to reduce heavy populations of scales
in late summer and fall.

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81
Key Pests of Lantana

Whitefly
Lantana lace bug

82
Whitefly and lantana lace bug

11 lantana cultivars evaluated for resistance to
greenhouse and silverleaf whitefly and lantana
lace bug
Larger-leaved cultivars very susceptible and may
serve as indicator plants

83
Key Pests of Maple

Cottony Maple Scale
Green Striped Mapleworm
Tip Borers
Leafhoppers
Flatheaded apple tree borer
Japanese beetle
Asian ambrosia beetle
Aphids

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Cottony Maple Scale (Pulvinaria innumerabilis)

Adult females are about 3/16 inch long. They are
black, flat, and oval. The 1/4-inch white cottony
ovisac, or egg sac, is deposited on bark.
Crawlers appear in June and immatures in summer
on the underside of leaves. There is one
generation a year. Immatures overwinter on twigs.
Preferred hosts include maple, elm, hawthorn,
dogwood, sycamore, poplar, and linden.
Look for white ovisacs on bark in early spring.
During the summer, look on underside of leaves
for flat, yellow immatures sucking sap from leaf
veins where honeydew and sooty mold are found on
the host plant.
Apply dormant oils to bark to kill overwintering
nymphs. Horticultural oil or insecticidal soap
can be applied to leaves during the summer to
control crawlers

86
Cottony Maple Scale (Pulvinaria innumerabilis)
87
Aphids
Aphids often attack new growth on plants early
in the year
Wooly aphids on Maple
88
Flatheaded Appletree Borer (Crysobothris femorata)

Adults may reach ½ inch in length. They are oval,
flattened beetles, metallic greenish bronze above
and brassy below. The wing covers have wavy,
light-colored indentations. The white larvae,
commonly called flatheaded borers, are expanded
just behind the true head, which is black. There
is one generation a year. Larvae overwinter in
galleries inside the host plant.
Preferred hosts include sycamore, red maple,
silver maple, willow, oak, tuliptree poplar, elm,
beech, hickory, apple, pear, dogwood, and black
walnut.
Larvae bore fairly large, irregular cavities in
phloem tissue of the main trunk and larger
branches. Young trees and trees under stress are
particularly attractive to this pest. Larvae are
usually found boring into the base of trees.
Small trees often are killed.
Adults run over bark and are quick to fly. They
are most active on exposed, sunny bark of
weakened trees from early March through May and
early September through October.
Maintain vigor through use of good cultural
practices. If numerous adult beetles are noted on
bark, spray the trunk and major branches with an
approved residual insecticide

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90
Maple Bladdergall Mite and MapleSpindlegall Mite
(Vasates quadripedesand V. aceriscrumena)

Adults of these two eriophyid mites are not
visible without a hand lens. They live in
circular and spindle-shaped galls. They are white
to clear in color, 0.15 mm long, cigar-shaped
with only four anterior legs. There are several
generations a year. Adult forms overwinter in
bark cracks.
While control measures usually are not necessary
in the landscape, pyrethroid application when
leaves first flush may prevent new galls in the
nursery. Where feasible, affected leaves can be
removed on plants not scheduled for sale.

91
Maple bladder gall
92
Key Pests of Oaks

Orange striped oakworm
Lecanium scale
Insect galls

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94
Obscure scale on Oak
This scale has been attacked by fungus
Parasite emergence holes are visible on these
scale covers
95
Obscure Scale (Melanaspis obscura)

Fully enlarged adult female covers may reach 1/8
inch in diameter. They are circular, brown to
gray, slightly convex, with central shed skins
that are black when rubbed. Male covers are
smaller and broadly oval. This species develops
in overlapping aggregations. There is one
generation a year. Immatures overwinter and
crawlers appear in July.
Look on three to four-year-old branches for
overlapping gray scale covers. Scrape off covers
to determine viability of a population because
covers of dead scales may remain attached. In
midsummer, live adult female scales are light
purple. Scout in mid-July to determine amount of
crawler activity. Look under covers in the
dormant season for the small, yellow immatures to
see if dormant sprays are needed. Look for holes
in covers to estimate level of parasitism.
Concentrate dormant oil sprays on three- to
four-year-old growth to reduce overwintering
populations. Spray summer oil in late July to
kill newly settled crawlers. Several parasite
species are active when the scale crawlers appear
in July. Avoid synthetic insecticide sprays at
this time.

96
Orange Striped Oakworm
97
Orangestriped Oakworm (Anisota senatoria)

Adult moths are about 1-1/4 inches long with
wings closed. They are reddish brown,
translucent, with a submarginal dark stripe and a
white spot on each forewing. Mature larvae are
about 1-1/2 inch long. They are black with eight
orange-to-yellow stripes and two black spines
behind the head. Adults first appear in early
summer. Pupae overwinter in soil.
This native notodontid moth caterpillar prefers
to feed on oaks, but it also attacks hickory and
birch.
The caterpillars are gregarious and early instars
feed by skeletonizing the leaf surface. Older
caterpillars are defoliators and may consume all
but the leaf midrib. Defoliation usually occurs
one branch at a time when populations are small.
Look for signs of localized skeletonization
turning to defoliation on host tree branches.
Where this species is a serious problem, a
black-light trap can be used to determine the
first adult appearance and the relative size of
each generation.
Manually destroy aggregations of young larvae
when they are detected on small trees.
Application of Bacillus thuringiensis or
horticultural oil will control young larvae.
Contact insecticides often are required to
control large caterpillars.

98
Oak Lecanium (Parthenolecanium quercifex)

Fully developed adult females are about 1/4 inch
long. They are oval to almost circular, highly
convex and light to dark brown. Crawlers are pale
yellow. There is one generation a year. Immatures
overwinter on twigs.

99
Key Pests of Oenothera

Altica flea beetles

100
Other insect pests

Oleander aphid on Asclepias
Eastern tent caterpillar
Fall webworm

101
Oleander aphid

24 Asclepias taxa evaluated
Gradients in susceptibility suggest options in
high density aphid areas

102
Oleander aphid

A. tuberosa and A. physocarpa maintained better
appearance
Numerous natural enemies colonize milkweed plants
with aphids

103
Eastern Tent Caterpillar (Malacosoma american)

Adult moths are about 1 inch long. They are light
brown with two white diagonal stripes across each
forewing. Mature larvae may reach a length of 2
inches or more. This is the only common
caterpillar with a white stripe down the back.
There is one generation a year. Pupae overwinter
in cocoons in debris on the ground.
Silken webs in tree forks at budbreak are
indicative of this pest. In peak population
years, preferred hosts can be defoliated.
Look for the black 3/4 inch-long egg masses on
preferred hosts in the dormant season. Look for
silken webs in the branch forks of preferred
hosts in early March.
Prune out the egg masses during the dormant
season. Mechanically destroy the web contents
when first discovered. Time insecticide
application for the presence of young larvae.

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Fall Webworm (Hyphantria cunea)

Adult moths are about 3/4 inch long with wings
folded. Wings are all white or white with black
spots. Bases of front legs are orange-yellow.
Mature larvae are about 1 inch long and may occur
in two color forms those with black heads are
yellowish white and those with red heads are
brown. Both forms have paired black tubercles
running down the back. They are covered with
long, silky gray hairs. There are four
generations a year. Pupae overwinter in flimsy
cocoons in protected places.
Preferred hosts include mulberry, walnut,
hickory, elm, sweet gum, poplar, willow, oak,
linden, ash, and apple and other fruit trees.
The caterpillars produce a "web" of fine silk
over terminals. They feed inside the silken web,
which they enlarge to take in more foliage as
they grow.
In early spring, examine the south side of tree
crowns for the first signs of webbing over
terminals. Insecticides must penetrate the"
nests" to provide good control

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Key Beneficial Insects

Lady beetles
Ground beetles
Tiger beetles
Rove beetles
Syrphid flies
Long-legged flies
Robber flies
Spined soldier bugs
Predaceous damsel bugs

Minute pirate bugs
Predaceous plant bugs
Assassin bugs
Big-eyed bugs
Green lacewings
Brown lacewings
Parasitic wasps
Parasitic flies

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Predatory beetles
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Ground Beetles (Carabidae) are predaceous as
adults and as larvae. There are some seed feeding
species. They are active on the ground primarily
at night. Adult beetles vary in size from 1/4 to
1 inch or longer. Many species are metallic,
while others are plain brown or black.
Lady Beetles (Coccinellidae) are among our most
important beneficials. Adults and larvae feed on
aphids, scale insects, mites, mealybugs, other
soft-bodied insects and their eggs. Lady beetle
adults are oval-shaped. Most are orange or
reddish with black markings.
Lady beetle larvae are elongate, covered with
spines, and dorso-ventrally flattened. Often they
are brightly colored with spots. Some larvae are
covered with white waxy secretion like mealybugs.
Adults and larvae are voracious feeders on
aphids, a single individual consuming hundreds of
aphids during its lifetime.
Rove beetles (Staphylinidae) have shortened
elytra (wing covers) that leave the segments of
the abdomen visible giving these beetles their
characteristic appearance. Most species are
slender and elongate from 1/16-1/2 inch long.
Typically they are reddish-brown to black. Many
species are predaceous, some feed on decaying
organic matter helping to recycle needed
nutrients in the landscape.
Tiger Beetles (Cicindellidae) are very active,
often metallic beetles 1/2-3/4 inch long. They
are difficult to collect because of the speed
with which they run or fly. Larvae live in
burrows in the soil and ambush prey as it goes
by.

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Earwigs
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Earwigs (Dermaptera)

Many species are predaceous. Earwigs vary in
size, some of the larger species are 3/4-1 inch
long. They are usually brown and may have
stripes.

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Predators in the True Bug group
113

True Bugs (Hemiptera) is a group that contains
several generalist predator species. These
insects all have piercing-sucking mouthparts
which they use to impale their prey and extract
fluid. The beak is usually carried beneath the
body, but can be pointed forward or downward
while feeding. The usual prey for these insects
are other soft-bodied insects of small to
intermediate size. Representatives of these
predators include
Assassin Bugs (Reduviidae) generally appear oval
or elongate and are often black and orange-red or
brown. They are larger than most of the other
predaceous bugs, especially the giant wheel bug.
Assassin bugs have a head that has a particularly
long and narrow appearance. They feed on most
other insects and will inflict a painful bite if
handle
Big-Eyed Bugs (Lygaeidae) are stout bodied
insects, about 1/8 inch long with prominent eyes
that give the insect its name. These insects are
slightly larger than chinch bugs. They may have
similar coloration, but are always broader across
the head than the area just behind (shoulders).
Chinch bugs, on the other hand, have a narrow
head, never broader than the area directly
behind. Often big-eyed bugs can be found with
populations of chinch bugs and it is important to
be able to distinguish predator from pest.
Big-eyed bugs also feed on caterpillars and
insect eggs.
Minute Pirate Bugs (Anthocoridae) are 1/8 - 1/4
inch long. These insects are black and white as
adults and have colorful yellow-orange-brown
nymphs depending upon instar. Gardeners notice
the painful bite that this small insect produces.
It is an effective predator of thrips and the
eggs of many insect and mite species.
Predaceous Damsel Bugs (Nabidae) are 1/8 - 3/8
inch long and may be cream colored to dark brown
to black depending on the species. The most
common species are slender, elongate insects that
are most active in mid summer. They feed on eggs
and immature stages of many pest insects.
Predaceous Plant Bugs (Miridae) are less well
known than other predaceous true bugs, but have
been shown to be active predators of thrips, lace
bugs, aphids, moth eggs and other insects of
importance in the landscape.

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Predatory flies
115

Long-Legged Flies (Dolichopodidae) are small,
about 1/4 inch with very long legs in relation to
the body and usually metallic blue or green in
color. Adults and larvae are predaceous and are
often found near woodland streams or other wet
areas. Predaceous Midges (Cecidomyiidae) Most
members of this group are gall makers on plants
but there are some predaceous members of the
family that feed on aphids. These larvae look
much like syrphid larvae, but smaller.
Robber Flies (Asilidae) are 3/4 - 1 1/4 inch
long and vary in appearance. Some are quite stout
while others are long and slender. The face is
usually bearded and the head is hollowed out
between the eyes. Adults are predaceous on many
kinds of insects and usually capture their prey
in the air. Larvae are soil-dwelling and
predaceous on such things as white grubs.
Syrphid Flies (Syrphidae) are sometimes called
flower flies because they are commonly found on
flowers or hover flies for their behavior in
flight. Most of these flies are yellow with brown
or black bands on the abdomen. Some resemble
wasps, many mimic bees.
Syrphid larvae are maggot-like and predaceous on
aphids and other soft-bodied insects. They have
no legs or visible head capsule and are
translucent.

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Spiders and mites
117

Mites are more closely related to spiders than
they are to insects. Mites do not have antennae
like insects do, or segmented bodies or wings.
They are usually very small and often go
unnoticed. Most mites have an egg stage, a
six-legged larval stage, and two eight-legged
stages before becoming an adult. Phytoseiid mites
are the major group of natural enemies that
attack certain kinds of pest spider mites. It is
especially important to conserve predatory mites
in the landscape to prevent pest mite outbreaks.
Other insect pests are also eaten by predatory
mites including whiteflies, thrips, and certain
insect eggs.
Most predaceous mites are somewhat pear-shaped
and shiny, with noticeably long legs. They may be
bright red, yellow, or green depending on what
they've been eating and appear "see-through".
Predaceous mite eggs are usually oblong instead
of spherical like the eggs of pest mite species.
Predaceous mites are also much more active and
mobile than pest mite species.

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Spiders are all predators, but have many
different lifestyles. Some make webs and wait for
prey to come to them while others are active
hunters. Spiders are important predators in the
landscape and are very common in trees, shrubs,
grass, and herbaceous plant beds. Most spiders
are general predators, feeding on a wide variety
of prey. Their are a number of spider species
that may be found in the landscape. All have two
body parts, an abdomen and a cephalothorax
(combined head and thorax), and eight legs.
Spiders tend to avoid people and most are
harmless to humans. Spider complexes are believed
to be important in reducing several kinds of
nursery pests.

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Thrips
120

Thrips (Order Thysanoptera) are very small,
narrow insects with fringes on the edges of their
wings. Many species are recognized for their
plant feeding (pest) habits, but there are many
predaceous members of this insect order. These
important predators of mites and small,
soft-bodied insects are commonly black, yellow or
brown as adults and clear or translucent
white-yellow as immatures, although some are a
distinctive reddish-orange in color.

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Lacewings
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Lacewings (Chrysopidae, Hemerobiidae)

Both green lacewings and brown lacewings are
predators, green lacewings are more common. They
are often found on weeds, shrubs, and other
cultivated plants. Adult green lacewings are
about 3/4 inch, brown lacewings are smaller.
Adult and larval brown lacewings and larval green
lacewings feed on soft-bodied insects, especially
aphids, and mites. Adult green lacewings may be
pollen-feeders or they may be predaceous. Most
are greenish in color with copper eyes and the
network of veins in the wings that gives them
their name.

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Praying mantids
124

Praying Mantids (Mantidae) are comparatively
large insects. Some may be as long as 3 in. Our
native species are much smaller, however. Usually
they are green, gray, or brown. Their raptorial
front legs are covered with stout spines that
help them grasp their prey.
Mantid egg capsules contain 200 or more eggs
neatly arranged in rows. They are deposited on
twigs and stems and then the frothy mass hardens.
It is very unlikely that praying mantids can
suppress key pests in the landscape to the extent
necessary

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Parasitic wasps and flies
126

Parasites are defined as organisms that live in
or on the body of their host during some part of
the parasite's life cycle. Parasitoids are a type
of parasite that may consume part or all of its
host's tissues resulting in the death of the
host. The most abundant parasitic insects are
flies or wasps. Parasitic insects usually require
only one host to complete their development, in
contrast to predators which require several.
Parasitic insects may be responsible for
controlling several pests, however, when they
oviposit, or lay eggs, on a number of hosts.
Parasitic Wasps are a large group of beneficial
insects and are extremely important in biological
control. Many wasp families contain
representatives of the parasitic life style. Most
of these wasps are very small lt1/8 inch and are ,
therefore, rarely seen. A large number in fact
attack the egg stage, completing their entire
life cycle inside minute insect eggs.
Parasitic wasps lay their eggs in or on the host
and the immature stage of the wasp feeds on the
hosts tissues. The parasitic wasp may emerge from
its host to pupate, or it may pupate within the
body of its host. Wasp larvae that develop inside
the host are called endoparasitic. They leave
evidence of parasitism when they chew a small
hole in their host's body to emerge. That small
circular hole indicates that parasitism is
occurring in the pest population. Insects that
you may find parasitized this way include scales,
aphids, whiteflies, lace bug eggs, leafminers and
caterpillars. Other parasitic larvae live on the
outside of the host's body and are called
ectoparasites. Both endo and ectoparasites may
spin numerous white cocoons for pupation, another
obvious indication of parasitism.
Parasitic Flies are abundantly represented by the
family Tachinidae, with about 1,300 North
American species. They vary tremendously in
appearance. Many just resemble a common husefly,
while others look like bees or wasps. These flies
deposit an egg or in some cases, a live larva, on
or near the body of their host. The tachinid
larva burrows into its host and consumes the
internal tissues. Numerous kinds of insect pests
are attacked by tachinids.

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Pests to be on the lookout for January- December

Insects that are active or that can be scouted
for (SC), pruned out (P), sprayed (S), or treated
with dormant oil (D) are listed in the following
slides during the months where these activities
would be appropriate.
See individual plant based calendars in previous
slides for more details.

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January