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Ornamentals and Turf |
Peachtree borers are caterpillars of a clearwinged moth. The moths resemble wasps, but of course the moths do not sting. These moths emerge throughout the growing season, but the vast majority of them are in flight between August 15 and September 15. Consequently, most of the borers can be managed preventively by spraying esfenvalerate, permethrin, cyfluthrin or other pyrethroid insecticide around September 1. The pyrethroid insecticides require three or four applications spaced every two weeks. The moths lay eggs at the base of peaches, plums, cherrylaurels, and ornamental cherries. From these eggs hatch tiny, white caterpillars that bore into the bark and tunnel in the cambium at the base of the tree. If many borers infest a tree, the cambium may be completely girdled beneath the bark and the tree will die. The borers pupate inside the infested tree during late spring and summer and then emerge as moths a few weeks later. Look for gummy plugs containing frass or partially projecting pupal skins. Pheromone traps are available (see http://www.gemplers.com or http://www.greatlakesipm.com on the Internet). It is important to spray to prevent further borers from invading the tree. The only other control is to try to gouge the borer out from under the bark without injuring the tree excessively.
Hibiscus plants POTENTIALLY infested with Pink Hibiscus Mealybug (PHM), Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green), originating from a Florida nursery have apparently been shipped to approximately 30 states in the U.S. including North Carolina. The Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry (FDACS-DPI) has contacted the NCDA&CS. In cooperation with the nursery, NCDA&CS & APHIS have compiled a list of those places which have received shipments. At this date, there have not been any PHM detected in the shipments to North Carolina.
Visit http://spdn.ifas.ufl.edu/Pest_alert.html for a field key to PHM. A link to a pdf file of an August 4, 2004 FDACS-DPI press release is also on this web page. This press release indicates that live PHM were positively confirmed in a shipment of hibiscus that arrived in Louisiana last week.
To repeat, this message only serves to alert you that North Carolina has received shipments of Hibiscus plants from an infested nursery in Florida and of the POSSIBILITY that North Carolina may have received infested shipments. Plants sent to NC went to Lowe's and WalMart and, thus, are most likely to be purchased by consumers. Any samples of hibiscus that you might receive with mealybugs should be sent to the PDIC for identification. The NCDA currently has specialists inspecting the affected stores.
History: In Florida, PHM was first detected in 2002. Currently, PHM is considered established in a few south Florida counties, but it is a regulated pest. PHM is commonly first noticed on various ornamental plants, but it is also capable of infesting several fruits, vegetables, and other crops grown in the south.
Please see the following websites for more general information:
http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/pi/enpp/ento/pink.htm
http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/orn/mealybug/mealybug.htm
http://www.mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/lso/PinkMealybug.htm
Employment and program opportunities are offered to all people regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.
Last modified on August 30, 2004 by Stephen J. Toth, Jr.
