BYGL September 29, 2011

Posted by Ohio State University Extension educators, specialists and other contributors in Ohio Thursday, 29 September 2011 07:00

This is the 26th 2011 edition of the Buckeye Yard and Garden Line (BYGL). BYGL is developed from a Tuesday morning conference call of Extension Educators, Specialists, and other contributors in Ohio.

In This Issue:

1. PLANTS OF THE WEEK: Perennial (Aster); Woody (Purple Beautyberry); Weed (Late Boneset); and Vegetable (Garlic).
2. HORT SHORTS: Evergreen Doesn't Mean Everlasting; Holey Tomatoes; and New Disease and Insect Bulletin Highlighted.
3. BUG BYTES: Bagworm Males Still Flying; Love is in the Air (Chironomid Midge Flies); European Hornets Cause Stem Damage;
4. DISEASE DIGEST: Disease Prevention Starts With an End of Year Garden Cleanup.
5. TURF TIPS: Mushroom Troubles and Getting to the Core of Aeration.
6. INDUSTRY INSIGHTS: Asian Longhorned Beetle Diagnostic Summary and Asian Longhorned Beetle Update.
7. WEATHERWATCH.
8. COMING ATTRACTIONS: Diagnostic Walkabout for the Green Industry; Arboblitz; Cincinnati Area Professional Green Infrastructure Network October Meeting; 6th Annual Why Trees Matter Forum; and 2012 Ohio Commercial Pesticide Applicator Recertification Conferences Set.
9. BYGLOSOPHY.

APPENDIX – ADDITIONAL WEBSITE RESOURCES.

1. PLANTS OF THE WEEK.

*PERENNIAL – ASTER (Aster spp.).

Aster is a genus containing over 600 species and cultivars of flowering plants. Plants are sun-loving and bloom in September and last well into October. Asters are an easy to grow perennial that grows well in average soils, but needs full sun. Asters come in blues, purples and a variety of pinks. All Asters are yellow in the center of the flower. They are daisy-like in appearance, even though they are a member of the sunflower family.

Many garden centers are well stocked with asters in September and October. Aster dumosus 'Woods Pink' is an aster that only grows 12-18" tall, making it a nice, compact plant for the fall garden. Flower colors in the 'Woods' series include blue and purple.

For more information, see:

• University of California

*WOODY – PURPLE BEAUTYBERRY (Callicarpa dichotoma).

This shrub is rounded with arching stems that grows 3-6' tall and as wide in some cases.  The small pink flowers appear in mid- to late summer and are not quite as noticeable as the fruit. The lavender-pink tiny fruits are in clusters (the flower is a cyme) and begin to color up in early September.  They appear along the stem and are perfectly displayed among the foliage.  The fruit color lasts until late October; the fall foliage color is a pale yellow to green.  When planted in masses, the effect is outstanding.  The purple beautyberry prefers full sun to light shade and moist, well-drained soil.  It does best in acid soil but tolerates a neutral pH.

For more information, see:

• Clemson Cooperative Extension 

*WEED – LATE BONESET (Eupatorium serotinum).

This common native perennial plant of pastures, fields, disturbed areas, and moist areas near rivers, swamps, and drainage ditches is now gracing many areas of Ohio with its masses of white blooms. This member of the aster family grows to 3-6' in height and is characterized by flat-topped inflorescences of numerous heads of white disk florets, which are utilized by many insects for both pollen and nectar.

There are 2 other species of bonesets in Ohio, tall boneset (Eupatorium altissimum) and common boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum). While their flowers are similar, bonesets can be distinguished readily from each other by their leaves. Tall boneset has leaves that are pubescent, narrower, and less coarsely serrated than late boneset, while common boneset has leaves that wrap around the stem and are without petioles. For further information on this plant please refer to [http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/late_bonesetx.htm ]

For more information, see:

• Link on Late Boneset

*VEGETABLE – GARLIC (Allium sativum).

Although GARLIC was previously discussed in BYGL on July 21, right now is the absolute best time to discuss planting garlic, so say garlic aficionados! To be successful, a planting bed for overwintering garlic must have very well drained soil or the garlic plant base and roots will rot. Often the easiest solution to address this dilemma is to use raised beds for raising garlic. This above ground level bed allows for excellent soil drainage and the soil tends to heat up quicker in the spring, which means that the developing garlic plants will begin to grow again. While the Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet HYG-1627-92- "Growing Garlic in the Home Garden" states garlic must be planted very early in Ohio (March or April) to permit full leaf development; nevertheless, the principle of planting early to develop the largest plant and leaves as is possible before bulbing starts, still holds true. In fact, the larger the plant and number of leaves, the greater will be the overall yield of garlic cloves.

Remember that it has been found that long days and warm temperatures favor bulb development in the garlic plant. As soon as bulbing starts, leaf initiation ceases. Plant garlic cloves 3-5" apart in an upright position in the row and set them at a depth of 0.5-1.0" deep. Setting the cloves in an upright position ensures a straight neck. Be sure to allow 18-30" between the rows. Individual cloves can be separated from the bulb the day for up to two days before planting into the beds. Cloves separated for longer than two days tend to dry out and shrink. In general, think in terms of "large" because the largest cloves from the larger bulbs will always produce larger bulbs, which in turn will produce the larger cloves!

For more information, see:

• Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet HYG-1627-92- "Growing Garlic in the Home Garden"
• University of Minnesota Extension- Vegetable Crop Management- "Growing Garlic In Minnesota"

2. HORT SHORTS.

A. EVERGREEN DOESN'T MEAN EVERLASTING.

Joe Boggs reported that he and his wife were amazed at the intensity this fall of the normal browning and shedding of the inner foliage on two falsecypress (Chamaecyparis spp.) trees in the Boggscape … 'tis the season. Although this loss of inner foliage is normal and occurs every year on evergreen conifers, the event can be more apparent some years which may cause concern. Of course, Joe did an obligatory check for other possible causes of inner foliage discoloration on conifers such as damage caused by SPRUCE SPIDER MITES (Oligonychus ununguis); the reddish-brown inner foliage was free of pest and disease symptoms.

Every fall BYGLers are reminded of the need to trot out one of our favorite quotes from Wisconsin naturalist and conservationist Aldo Leopold. Namely, his eloquent quote regarding the normal seasonal inner needle yellowing of evergreen conifers such as pine, spruce, firs, and even falsecypress. We get questions about why these inner needles are yellowing, browning and eventually dropping. Here is Aldo Leopold's answer written in "Sand County Almanac":

"Pines have earned the reputation of being 'evergreen' by the same device that governments use to achieve the appearance of perpetuity: overlapping terms of office. By taking on new needles on the new growth of each year, and discarding old needles at longer intervals, they have led the casual onlooker to believe that needles remain forever green."

"Each species of pine (and spruce, and fir, etc.) has its own constitution, which prescribes a term of office for needles appropriate for its way of life. Thus the white pine retains its needles for a year and a half; the red and the jack pines for two years and a half. Incoming needles take office each June and outgoing needles write their farewell addresses in October. All write the same thing, in the same tawny yellow ink, which by November turns brown. Then the needles fall, and are filed in the duff to enrich the wisdom of the stand. It is this accumulated wisdom that hushes the footsteps of whoever walks under pines."

B. HOLEY TOMATOES.

Dave, Joe, and Curtis all commented that they had been seeing numerous tomatoes with holes in them in their gardens this season. Dave even reported that he had been feeding his seemingly endless supply of holey tomatoes to his neighboring groundhog (yes, the same one that invaded his garden last year before being excluded by fencing this year). So what was causing such a waste of tomatoes? It is the TOMATO FRUIT WORM (Helicoverpa (Heliothis) zea).

This insect is potentially the most damaging insect pest of tomato. The moths lay eggs at night on leaves near green fruit at the outer edges of the plant. After the egg hatches, the larva feed for a short period of time on the foliage before attacking the fruit. They prefer to feed on green fruit and usually do not enter ripe fruit. Damage consists of deep watery cavities frequently in the stem end of the fruit. During its development, one larva may injure several fruit.

The tomato fruitworm has a wide host range and the attractiveness of tomatoes for egg laying vary with the time of year. Early fruitworm generations attack corn, particularly when it is silking, but tomatoes are preferred for egg laying over corn when the silks turn brown and dry. For further information on this insect please refer to UC IPM Online publication, "Tomato Fruitworm" [http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r783300111.html ] or Entfact 313, UK Entomology Tomato Insect IPM Guidelines [http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef313.asp ]. Control measures are listed in OSUE Bulletin 672, "2011 Ohio Vegetable Production Guide", which is available via the OSU Vegnet [http://hostedweb.cfaes.ohio-state.edu/vegnet/ ].

C. NEW DISEASE AND INSECT BULLETIN HIGHLIGHTED.

Dave Shetlar, the BugDoc, recently alerted readers in his PEST Newsletter of a Penn State bulletin that we may all want to add to our resource library. Woody Ornamental Insect, Mite, and Disease Management, a 116 page bulletin, is authored by Greg Hoover (ornamental plant entomologist) and Gary Moorman (ornamental plant pathologist. It is similar to the OSU Extension out-of-date Bulletin 504 (which only has the insect and mite control), but has an added bonus of having the disease control recommendations too. The bulletin has lots of other goodies tucked into the introductions, so take a look! The price is right as it is yours for the cost of printing. Check out the PDF at [ http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/PDFs/agrs025.pdf ]

For more information, see:

• Penn State, Woody Ornamental Insect, Mite, and Disease Management

3. BUG BYTES.

A. BAGWORM MALES STILL FLYING.

Curtis Young reported that he observed adult, male bagworms (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis) flying in and out of an infested arborvitae on September 26, 2011. These were most likely stragglers in development, but worthy of note in terms of how late into a season the adults could be observed. On the bush where the observation was made, there were numerous bags that had once been occupied by male bagworms. These bags were already vacant based on the fact that emptied pupal skins were sticking out of the bottoms of the bags. The frenzied flight patterns of the straggler males suggest that there were also straggler females on the shrubs that were still emitting sex pheromone for the males to find them in their bags for mating.

For more information, see:

• University of Kentucky's FactSheet on Bagworms
• Penn State FactSheet on Bagworms

B. LOVE IS IN THE AIR.

Curtis Young and Joe Boggs reported observing swarms of CHIRONOMID MIDGE FLIES (Family Chironomidae) over the past two weeks in western and southwestern Ohio, respectively. The cloud-like clusters of these small insects can be hauntingly beautiful as thousands of gossamer wings reflect the early morning or evening sunlight. However, the observer's perspective on the beauty of the swarms may change a bit once they learn the sordid details of inner workings within the swarms.

The midge masses are called "mating swarms," and for many midge species the swarm is composed of a throng of lovesick male midge flies.  Swarms may be massive numbering in the thousands. Every now and then, an adventurous female midge will try to fly through the aerial mass of zooming, swooping amorous males.  The males fly with their legs outstretched in the hope they will snag the female … to get acquainted.  Love is in the air!

Midge flies are very small, measuring no more than 3/8" in length. They resemble mosquitoes with their delicate wings and legs, and they make an audible "buzzing" sound when they fly.  However, midge flies do not bite and male midges flies have large, conspicuous fern-like or "feathery" (= plumose) antennae. Also, mosquitoes do not typically gather in close-flying swarms … unless it's a Stephen King movie.
There are over 760 species of Chironomid midge flies in North America. Midge fly larvae live in many types of aquatic or semi-aquatic habitats. These habitats include water in pools, ponds, lakes, slow moving streams, drainage ditches, clogged drainage tiles, containers, clogged rain gutters, and in some cases, wet soil or seepage areas. Occasionally, over-irrigated turfgrass will provide ideal midge fly larval habitat. Most species of midge fly larvae feed on living or decaying plant matter and are an important part of aquatic food chains. Many species can survive in very stagnant or polluted water. Some of the aquatic forms live in tubes or cases composed of fine particles of the substrate cemented together with salivary secretion.

Some Chironomid midge fly larvae have hemoglobin in their blood which gives them a blood-red color, and the common name of "bloodworms."  Note that the common name is spelled as a contraction to differentiate from marine "blood worms" (Glycera dibranchiata) which are "true worms" (Phylum Annelida) and are prized as fish bait.  Such are the challenges with common names!
Chironomid midge flies are considered "beneficial" owing to their status as "decomposers" in aquatic ecosystems and because they serve as an important food item at the base of aquatic food chains. While their swarms may re-appear in the same locations for several days, they are usually just a nuisance to joggers and bicyclists passing through.  However, large numbers of mating swarms have been known to present a traffic hazard because of smashed midge bodies on windshields. Of course, it is assumed some of the midges died with a smile on their midge faces!

For more information, see:

• University of Missouri FactSheet
• N.C. State Department of Entomology Insect Notes

C. EUROPEAN HORNETS CAUSE STEM DAMAGE.

Joe Boggs reported receiving a phone call from a concerned homeowner who observed European hornets (Vespa crabro) causing serious damage to the stems of dogwood, lilac, and viburnums in their home landscape in southwest Ohio. European hornets were first found in the U.S. in New York State around 1840. Since that time, the hornets have spread to most states east of the Mississippi and a few states to the west. European hornets are impressively large, measuring 1-1 1/4" in length. Their black and yellow markings on their abdomen make them look like yellowjackets on steroids; however, their head and thorax have distinct chestnut-colored markings. Yellowjackets have black and yellow markings on the head and thorax.

Technically, this non-native is the only true hornet found in Ohio. Taxonomically, our native BALD-FACED HORNETS (Dolichovespula maculata) are grouped with yellowjackets which is why they are in the same genus as AERIAL YELLOWJACKETS (D. arenaria). Unlike our native yellowjackets and wasps, European hornets can cause significant girdling damage to twigs and branches of trees and shrubs by stripping bark to the white wood. It is speculated they extract sugar from the consumed phloem tissue. It has been reported that the hornets will feed on a wide range of trees and shrubs including the aforementioned dogwood, lilac, and viburnums as well as ash, birch, boxwood, horse chestnut, and rhododendron.

European hornets construct paper nests similar to bald-faced hornets. They prefer to nest in hollow trees, but will occasionally nest in the walls of homes. Normally, the hornets behave like bald-faced hornets, wasps, and yellowjackets with only the queens produced this season surviving the winter. Under these circumstances, the new queens will soon leave the nests to seek protected overwintering sites; old nests are not re-used. However, occasionally the entire European hornet nest will survive the winter if they are sufficiently protected. Indeed, although it is rare, nests in Ohio have been observed surviving through three winters.

European hornets are reputed to be highly aggressive and their large size does make them look pretty scary. However, Joe has observed just the opposite. During past encounters with the hornet, he was able take close-up images and move branches with hornets on them without being stung or even charged by the hornets. In fact, the homeowner who called Joe offered to use her cell phone to send him some pictures! She noted that the hornets appeared far less aggressive compared to the bald-faced hornets her and her husband dealt with last season in their landscape.

Still, landscapers should be cautious around these large stinging insects. Like wasps and yellowjackets, they are capable of stinging repeatedly. The hornets also commonly fly at night and may be attracted to porch lights or lights shining through windows. They have been known to repeatedly charge windows at night inducing panic in homeowners. Activity by the hornets will soon subside for the season. While the hornets may occasionally cause harm to plants, it is becoming too late in the season to justify applying control measures.

For more information, see: Penn State University Entomology Fact Sheet NC State Entomology Fact Sheet

4. DISEASE DIGEST.

A. DISEASE PREVENTION STARTS WITH AN END OF YEAR GARDEN CLEAN-UP.

Many vegetable gardens are nearing their end for the year. While sanitation is extremely important at all times to limit insect and disease problems, it is critical at the end of the season to prevent the carry over and build up of diseases, such as Septoria, Alternaria, Verticillium, and Fusarium on tomatoes. Clean-up measures include:

*Removing all plant materials possible. Rake the soil and the top layer of mulch to remove all remnants of plant materials, including roots. Remember that insects and diseases will overwinter on weeds such as wild solanaceous plants, including ground cherry, nightshade, and jimsonweed, so it is critical that all weeds are removed. While composting is a very worthwhile endeavor, remember that home compost piles seldom reach temperatures high enough to pasteurize all of the materials inside. Therefore, be careful not to include any potentially infected/contaminated plant parts or debris from your garden in your compost. Instead, bag them up and remove from the area.

*Sanitizing all materials and equipment used in the garden. Pull up all stakes and trellises. Clean them of remnants of plant materials and soil and sterilize with a 10% Chlorox solution. Then rinse them off with a hose and allow to dry before storing for the winter.

*Storing materials and equipment properly. Tie stakes in bundles and stack them so that they won't get lost over the winter. If possible, roll up trellises and tie them securely. Store these items inside your attic, barn, or shed in an area where they are out of the way, and where rodents and other animals cannot use them as winter nests. Clean your garden tools – oil them to prevent rust and store them for winter. Consult the manufacturer’s directions on winterizing power equipment. Store leftover pesticides in their original containers and lock them up in a dry place. Prevent liquid products from freezing. Before disposing of small amounts of leftover garden pesticides or empty containers, consult the label for special precautions. Remember – the label is the law. Do not forget to wash out and dry your sprayer before hanging it up for the winter. A light coating of oil will help protect any moving parts.

5. TURF TIPS.

A. MUSHROOM TROUBLES.

Curtis Young reported observing several species of mushrooms growing in multiple places including lawns, fields, roadsides and woodlots. The recent rainy weather has brought on numerous mushrooms sometimes scattered randomly through lawns, sometimes in clusters and sometimes in rings. As reported in last week's BYGL (BYGL 2011-25), armillaria honey mushrooms had exploded on the scene. Other mushrooms that are springing up in many places include MEADOW or FIELD MUSHROOMS (Agaricus spp.), BOLETES (Boletus spp.), and FAIRY RING MUSHROOMS (e.g. Marasmius oreades). Preliminary identification of these different mushrooms can be done with relative ease, but exact identification of each of these species with 100% certainty requires greater scrutiny including production of spore prints and microscopic examination of the spores for shape and color.

Curtis decided to produce a spore print for the meadow mushrooms he observed in a number of fields. He collected a large specimen with a 10 1/2" cap, cut the stem off close to the cap and placed the cap on a white sheet of paper with the gills facing down. Within 14 hours, the cap produced a spectacular spore print of dark chocolate-brown spores on the sheet of paper. However, he went one step too far. Curtis decided to produce a second spore print from the same cap, but this time the print was started mid-morning on Friday and was not re-visited until Monday morning…BIG MISTAKE!! Even after making note of the presence of fungus gnat maggots in the stem that was removed before the first print production, it did not register that there could be maggots in the rest of the cap as well. Monday morning brought several of surprises, one was the pungent odor that greeted everyone that entered the Extension office that morning, two was the shrunken, disintegrated mushroom cap on brown, liquid-stained paper, and the several hundred fungus gnat maggots hiding under the paper and dispersed over the shelf upon which everything was sitting. Won't do that again!

Curtis also reported that others were bringing samples of mushrooms to the Extension office for identification. One client related a story to him about a service person who came to her door with a mushroom in hand and declared that the client had "edible" mushrooms growing in her lawn. To prove his point, he ate the raw mushroom in front of her. Not a good idea! As emphasized in last week's BYGL, eating wild mushrooms can be a high risk endeavor. Even expert mushroom identifiers will warn people that all wild mushrooms should minimally be cooked before eaten and never eaten raw. Curtis also repeated the adage, there are bold mushroom hunters and there are old mushroom hunters. But, there are no old bold mushroom hunters. The service person who ate the raw mushroom picked from the lawn was definitely of the bold variety.

B. GETTING TO THE CORE OF AERATION.

A question was asked amongst BYGLers regarding the best conditions and timing for TURFGRASS CORE AERATION. Lawn aeration is the term given to removal of plugs or cores, containing both soil and turfgrass from the existing lawn. The most effective aeration is done by using a self-propelled machine with hollow tines or spoons mounted on a disk or drum. This machine utilizes evenly spaced, hollow, 0.5-0.75" diameter spoons to penetrate down through the turf and into the soil. Ideally a "plug" or core of soil and turfgrass, from 3-6" deep is removed. These holes in the turfgrass and soil create multiple channels for the turf roots to access and absorb air, water, and nutrients. This "holey effect" is important because the lack of continuous soil structure, causes the soil to shift, collapse and crumble around the holes, enhancing the beneficial effects and fracturing compacted areas of soil.

Some core aerators will extract cores of soil and collect them in a drum while other aerators will just drop them on the lawn. An excellent core aeration consists of cores removed as deep as possible, preferably 2-6" deep, and core holes are 2-6" apart. Soil moisture is critical for success with core aeration. If soil is too wet, the cores stick in the hole and if the soil is to dry, the spoons or hollow tines will not penetrate down deep enough into the soil. Soil moisture is correct, when it is possible to dig down 4-6", gather a handful of soil and squeeze it together into a ball. If it is impossible for the soil to stick together, it is too dry. Flick the soil ball with a finger and if the soil dents but remains stuck together, it is too wet; however, if the soil ball crumbles or falls apart, it is at the perfect soil moisture content for aeration. Core aeration is a recommended lawn maintenance practice on compacted, heavily used areas of turf and also helps to control the buildup of thatch.

The best time to aerate cool-season lawns is in late September to mid-October. At this time, due to cooler weather and consistent moisture, most lawns are in a cycle of vigorous growth. Bear in mind that in general, most cool-season turf will recover very rapidly from aeration activities conducted during this period of growth. Competition for sunlight, water and nutrients by weeds will also be minimal during this end-of-the-season growth. Most lawns will benefit from core aeration, with the exceptions being either a first-year sodded lawn or a newly seeded one.

For more information, see:

• Virginia Cooperative Extension- "Aerating Your Lawn"

6. INDUSTRY INSIGHTS.

A. ASIAN LONGHORNED BEETLE DIAGNOSTIC SUMMARY.

Amy Stone reported that efforts have been highly successful to make Ohioans aware that they should be on the lookout in the state for the Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) (Anoplophora glabripennis) since an infestation was found earlier this season near the Village of Bethel in Tate Township, Clermont County. In fact, Amy noted that the campaign has perhaps been too successful with phone calls concerning dead or dying maples as well as other ALB tree hosts flooding into Extension offices and the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) from throughout the state. While Amy and other BYGLers expressed kudos for people keeping a sharp eye out for the beetle, all agreed that it could be helpful to provide a refined list of symptoms associated with ALB to increase the likelihood that true ALB infestations are found.

TREE HOSTS:

• ALB can potentially infest a wide range of trees; however, they have a distinct preference for ALL maples including boxwood, Norway, red, silver, and sugar. However, just because a maple tree is dying does not mean the tree is being killed by ALB!
• ALWAYS apply the standard diagnostic axiom: "Don't make the symptoms fit the diagnosis; DO make the diagnosis fit the symptoms!"

OVIPOSITION PITS:

• Every ALB infestation starts out with female beetles chewing circular to oblong-shaped pits through the bark and down to the white wood of host trees. The pits are around 1/2" in diameter.
• Adults are only present in high numbers for a few months with peek numbers occurring in July and August, so new pits are chewed in mid-summer. However, the pits will remain obvious for about a year until the wound heals. Pits are often made more obvious in the spring and fall by sap oozing out of the wound and running down the bark.
• The beetles will only lay eggs (produce pits) on LIVING stems; they will not chew new pits into cut stems. So, new pits will not appear on firewood.
• Beetles will lay eggs from the top to the bottom of the tree; pits are as likely to be seen at eye-level as they are to be located high in the tree.

BEETLE EMERGENCE HOLES:

• Adult emergence holes are perfectly round and 3/8-1/2" in diameter; large enough to easily shove a #2 pencil into the hole.
• New holes will only appear on living branches and trunks or stems that have been cut for less than one year. ALB will not lay eggs on dead stems; however, we have a number of native longhorned beetles that do infest dead or dying stems.
• Since beetles lay eggs from the top to the bottom of a host tree, exit holes may be found high in the tree while also appearing at the base of the tree.

NOTE: there are also other "hole-makers" that occur in Ohio including YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS (Sphyrapicus varius) that create 1/4" in diameter holes aligned in horizontal or vertical rows. There are also other wood boring insects such as the native clearwing moths, ASH/LILAC BORER (Podosesia syringae), and BANDED ASH CLEARWING BORER (Podosesia aureocincta), that create circular exit holes on their namesake hosts; the holes are very close to the same size as exit holes produced by ALB. However, the clearwing moth caterpillar frass looks like very fine sawdust, not like the coarse frass produced by ALB. Also, the moth caterpillars are "phloem feeders" so they do not tunnel into the xylem; the holes are much shallower compared to ALB exit holes.

COARSE FRASS:

• Frass is another name for insect excrement and ALB frass consists of very obvious wood shavings; it looks like "wood wool," or Excelsior packing material.
• The distinctive ALB frass collects on the bark, falls into branch forks, and drops onto the ground around the base of an infested tree trunk.

BRANCH BREAKAGE:

• Late instar ALB larvae tunnel and feed in the white wood (xylem) which causes substantial structural weakening of infested branches. This leads to a significant increase in branch breakage on trees infested with ALB.
• Always look at the ends of broken branches to see why the branch broke! Look for heavy tunneling across the rings of the white wood. One of the infestations in Worcester, MA, was discovered by USDA APHIS personnel examining the ends of branches broken after an ice storm.

Thinning tree canopies are NOT considered a reliable symptom of an ALB infestation. While ALB is a tree killer and infested trees will certainly loss their canopy just prior to dying, it is amazing how long heavily infested trees will appear healthy with no discernible canopy symptoms. Indeed, this is usually the most startling revelation for folks who first experience an ALB infestation; the trees just don't look infested! While maples with thinning canopies should be investigated (it's a "get out of the car" symptom), the symptoms listed above should match-up before such trees are declared to be infested by ALB.

The beetles themselves are very distinctive and have been used to reveal ALB infestations elsewhere in the US; however, descriptions of the beetle are not included here because ALB adults are all but gone for this season. The adults will not survive the winter. We will provide a good description of the beetle in next season's BYGL, when we know the beetles are out and about.

Finally, while we hope that Ohioans remain vigilant throughout the year for ALB, we also hope that this summary of what to look for with ALB will help make the diagnosis fit the symptoms. If your diagnosis matches with the symptoms listed above, please call the Ohio ALB Survey Program at the following toll- free number: 855-252-6450. You can also report your find online at the following website:  http://www.beetlebusters.info/.

For more information, see: Ohio Department of Agriculture USDA APHIS ALB Website

B. ASIAN LONGHORNED BEETLE UPDATE.

On September 28, 2011, the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) released the most recent Ohio Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) Cooperative Response Media Update. Highlights include: 3,286 ALB infested trees confirmed; 40,975 trees surveyed since July 5, 2011; and 56 square-miles under regulation (Tate Township and portion of Monroe Township in Clermont County). The complete document, and past updates can be found on the ODA website as archives.

For more information, see:

• Quarantine Map

7. WEATHERWATCH.

The following weather information summarizes data collected at various Ohio Agricultural Research Development Center (OARDC) Weather Stations spanning the dates from September 1-29, 2011, with the exception of the soil temperatures which are readings from Tuesday, September 29, 2011 at 6:05 a.m.

BYGLers across the state were on the receiving end of rain – some more than others. Erik Draper's report could be summarized as "nothin' but rain." Amy Stone reported that the Toledo area is nearly 6" above average and already the 9th rainiest on record and there is additional rain predicted prior to the end of the month. Cindy Meyer reported receiving 2-4" inches in the latest rainfall event in Butler County, but only to me topped by Joe Boggs and Dave Dyke from Hamilton County. Portions of their county received 4-6" of rain, with localized flooding.

For a link to the OARDC Weather Stations, visit:  http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/centernet/weather.htm

8. COMING ATTRACTIONS.

A. ARBOBLITZ.

A whirlwind week of woody wonders is coming to the OSU Main Campus in Columbus from October 3-8, 2011. On Monday the trees on the new Oval Tree Trail will be outfitted once more with their i-Tree environmental service signage. On Tuesday the Plant Pathology 300 class will do some tree inventories and a fungal bioblitz of key trees in the academic corridor. Wednesday brings a tree walk and discussion of the Jesse Owens oak tree project. Then from 2:00-5:00 p.m., a tree research summary, an invasive species summary, and a 2011 diagnostic summary will be held in the Ohio Union (a for pay program) along with the Arboblitz keynote address where the audience will be fueled by ample "treets". On Thursday, tree walks and tree literature are featured, and then on Friday and Saturday (before the evening OSU-Nebraska football game) afternoons there will be teams of Why Trees Matterites, undergraduate students, green industry experts and 4-H youth, inventorying and bioblitzing one of the eight sectors of trees on the OSU campus. More details to come!

B. CINCINNATI AREA PROFESSIONAL GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK OCTOBER MEETING.

The Cincinnati Area Professional Green Infrastructure Network (CAPGIN) is to hold its next meeting on October 12, 2011 from 2:45-5:00 p.m. at the Clark Montessori Junior and Senior High School, 3030 Erie Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45208.

Clark is a brand new LEED silver school that is a showcase of the latest in green infrastructure – very extensive rain gardens, permeable paving, and green roofs. The meeting will be hosted by Pam Simmons and Rose Seeger, Green City Resources, 5912 Kellogg Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45230.

All those professionally involved with landscape stormwater management are invited to attend and to consider joining CAPGIN. For more information, go to http://capgin.osu.edu/ or contact Dave Dyke at dyke.15@cfaes.osu.edu or 513 505-1202.

C. 6th ANNUAL WHY TREES MATTER FORUM.

This program will be held in Wooster, Ohio on Wednesday, October 19, 2011 at the Hilton Garden Inn adjacent to OSU's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) in Wooster and in OSU's Secrest Arboretum from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. The program will include:

• OSU Extension Why Trees Matter and Tree Campus USA Programs
• Keynote: The Politics of Urban Forestry: Real World Perspectives – Ralph Sievert, Minneapolis, MN
• Keynote: Planting Trees, Growing People – Maureen Austin, OSUE
• Urban Coyotes Living in the Urban Forest – Stan Gehrt, OSUE
• Invasive Species: From Asian Longhorned Beetle to Thousand Cankers Disease
• Secrest Arboretum: Growing for the Future

Early registration will be $60 if registered by October 7, 2011. Registration after October 7, 2011 is $70. Registration deadline is October 14, 2011.

D. 2012 OHIO COMMERCIAL PESTICIDE APPLICATOR RECERTIFICATION CONFERENCES SET.

Next year's conference dates have been set. While the events are 6 months out, take the opportunity to get them in your calendar today. Here are the dates: January 31, 2012, Kalahari Conference Center, Sandusky; February 8, 2012, John S. Knight Center, Akron; February 15, 2012, Dayton Convention Center; and March 8, 2012, Columbus Convention Center.

9. BYGLOSOPHY.

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.  ~Albert Camus

APPENDIX – ADDITIONAL WEBSITE RESOURCES:

• Buckeye Turf
• Emerald Ash Borer Information
• Ohio State University Department of Horticulture and Crop Science Plantfacts
• Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program
• The C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic (CWEPPDC)
• USDA APHIS Beetle Buster Website (Asian Longhorned Beetle)
• USDA APHIS Beetle Detective Website (Asian Longhorned Beetle and Emerald Ash Borer)

Following were the participants in the September 27th conference call: Joe Boggs (Hamilton); Erik Draper (Geauga); Dave Dyke (Hamilton); Cindy Meyer (Butler); Amy Stone (Lucas); Nancy Taylor (C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic (CWEPPDC)); and Curtis Young (Van Wert).

BYGL is available via email, contact Cheryl Fischnich  fischnich.1@cfaes.osu.edu to subscribe. Additional fact sheet information on any of these articles may be found through the OSU FactSheet database  http://plantfacts.osu.edu/ .

BYGL is a service of OSU Extension and is aided by support from the ONLA (Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association) http://onla.org/ ; http://buckeyegardening.com/  to the OSU Extension Nursery, Landscape and Turf Team (ENLTT). Any materials in this newsletter may be reproduced for educational purposes providing the source is credited.

BYGL is available online at:  http://bygl.osu.edu, a website sponsored by the Ohio State University Department of Horticulture and Crop Sciences (HCS) as part of the "Horticulture in Virtual Perspective." The online version of BYGL has images associated with the articles and links to additional information.

Where trade names are used, no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Ohio State University Extension is implied. Although every attempt is made to produce information that is complete, timely, and accurate, the pesticide user bears responsibility of consulting the pesticide label and adhering to those directions.

Ohio State University Extension embraces human diversity and is committed to ensuring that all research and related educational programs are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, or veteran status. This statement is in accordance with United States Civil Rights Laws and the USDA. Keith L. Smith, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for Agricultural Administration and Director, Ohio State University Extension, TDD No. 800-589-8292 (Ohio only) or 614-292-1868.