The information and recommendations in this newsletter are applicable to North Carolina and may not apply in other areas.
The information and recommendations in this newsletter are applicable to North Carolina and may not apply in other areas.
From: Stephen B. Bambara, Extension Entomologist
On March 14, Ellen Reeves (Ag technician in the ornamentals plant pest program here at North Carolina State University) recovered the first Asian ambrosia beetles of the season in the ethyl alcohol baited traps in Johnston County. Those of you who counseled your nurserymen and landscapers to treat susceptible plants with Astro or some other permethrin formulation last week did the right thing. It is still NOT too late to warn horticulturists about treating for Asian ambrosia beetles, but the sooner the better. Plants that are susceptible to Asian ambrosia beetles include azalea, certain varieties of ornamental cherries, Chinese elm, crapemyrtle, dogwood, fig, golden rain tree, Himalayan birch, Japanese maple, magnolia, Mexican buckeye, peach, pecan, persimmon, plum, Shumard oak, styrax, and sweetgum. Container-grown plants and plants recently installed in the landscape are particularly susceptible to Asian ambrosia beetles. The traps also had very large numbers of Xyleborinus saxeseni, an ambrosia beetle that is not quite as damaging. Three species of Xyleborus ambrosia beetles were also in the traps. Like Xyleborinus saxeseni, the Xyleborus ambrosia beetles tend to attack really stressed or dead hardwoods. An image of our trap, which is inexpensive to make and which seems to be sufficiently effective in trapping ambrosia beetles, is available at: ornamentals/. Look under "COOL" to find the link to the trap image. In addition, our Ornamentals and Turf Insect Information Note 111 on the Asian ambrosia beetle is posted at: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/Ornamentals_and_Turf/ The link to the trap under the control section of Note 111 leads to the Texas A&M trap, which we feel does not have the aesthetic appeal of the North Carolina trap. Soon we will change the link to the North Carolina trap.
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 March 20, 2000 by Stephen J. Toth, Jr.