Woody Ornamental Pest Update

Finally, the nice days are out-numbering the rainy ones.

The prolonged periods of wet weather set this year up to be a great year for foliar pathogens.  If damage symptoms are already present, have the pathogen properly identified if you are not certain.  Treatment with an affective fungicide or bactericide may still be an option, buy usually when damage is seen, it is too late.

I guess that most of you are tired of the brown marmorated stink bug.  Unfortunately, I think you are going to have to find a place of acceptance because they are going to be here indefinitely.  I did not hear of a “miracle cure” this winter.  As you may already know, they are hard to kill with insecticides – adults fly when disturbed, hard exoskeleton.  Synthetic pyrethroids (bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, etc.) have the most efficacy, but are non-selective and will negatively impact any beneficial insect or mite activity on treated plants for months.  In 2010, I did not see damage on ornamentals, though I did hear reports of it on both woody and herbaceous plants.  If you or your clients are concerned with plant damage, start scouting early…say the end of May…and give yourself more time to weigh management options.

If you have not heard, the Penn State University Woody Ornamental Insect, Mite and Disease Management Recommendation Guide is available.  This is an excellent resource for wholesale growers and landscape professionals written by Greg Hoover and Dr. Gary Moorman. The cost is $15 and it can be purchase at your county Extension office, or through the PSU College of Agricultural Sciences Publications website http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/Publications.asp.  You can also view/download a PDF from the same location.