Strength Management

Strength Management

           As we enter a New Year it is often a good idea to review the way we manage our business, our staff, our teams as well as ourselves.   In doing so it may be a good idea to take an inventory of the strengths within each of those entities.   We are all born with a certain set of talents.  Talents that often are referred to as strengths.   Some of us are simply better at some things than others.  Our personalities as well as physical attributes play specific roles in developing those talents.

          Recently, I was privileged, as a few of you, to listen to an excellent presentation by Chris Keating, District Sales Manager with Toro Company.  Some of the following material came, with permission, from his presentation.   This information is provided as food for thought and to help you begin thinking about the strengths you have and those of your company.
 

Let the Rabbits Run

           Imagine there is a meadow.  In that meadow there is a duck, a fish, an eagle, an owl, a squirrel and a rabbit.  They decide they want to have a school so they can be smart, just like people. With the help of some grown-up animals, they come up with a curriculum they believe will make a well-rounded animal:  running, swimming, tree climbing, jumping, and flying.
          On the first day of school, little br’er rabbit combed his  ears and went hopping off to his running class.There he was a star.  He ran to the top of the hill and back as fast as he could go, and oh, did it feel good.  He said to himself, “I can’t believe it.  At school, I get to do what I do best.”  
The instructor said, “Rabbit, you really have talent for running.  You have great muscles in you rear legs. With some training, you will get more out of each hop.” The rabbit said, “I love school.  I get to do what I like to do and get to learn to do it better.”
           The next class was swimming.  When the rabbit smelled  the chlorine, he said, “Wait, wait!  Rabbits don’t like to swim.”  The instructor said, “Well, you may not like it now, but five years from now you’ll know it was a good thing for you.
            In the tree-climbing class, a tree trunk was set at a 30º angle so that all the animals had a chance to succeed.  The little rabbit tried so hard he hurt his leg.
            In jumping class the rabbit got along just fine; in flying class he had a problem.  So the teacher gave him a psychological test and discovered he belonged In remedial flying. In remedial flying class, the rabbit has to practice jumping off a cliff.  They told him if he’d just work hard enough he could succeed.  
           The next morning he went to swimming class and the instructor said, “Today we jump into the water.”  “Wait, wait.  I talked to my parents about swimming.  They didn’t learn to swim.  We don’t like to get wet. I’d like to drop this course.”  The instructor said, “You can’t drop it.” “The drop-and-add period is over.  At this point you have a choice: either you jump in or you flunk.” The rabbit jumped in.  He panicked!  He went down once.  He went down twice.  Bubbles came up.  The instructor saw he was drowning and pulled him out.  The other animals had never seen anything quite as funny as this wet rabbit who looked more like a rat without a tail.  So, they chirped and jumped and barked and laughed at the rabbit.  The rabbit was more humiliated than he had ever been in his life.  He wanted desperately to get out of class that day.  He was glad when it was over.
             He thought that he would head home, and his parents would understand and help him.  When he arrived, he said to his parents, “I don’t like school.  I just want to be free.” “If the rabbits are going to get ahead, you have to get a diploma.” The rabbit said, “I don’t want a diploma.” The parents said, “You are going to get a diploma whether you like it or not.” They argued and finally the parents made the rabbit go to bed.  In the morning the rabbit headed off to school with a slow hop.  Then he remembered that the principal had said that any time he had a problem to remember that the counselor’s door is always open.  
              When he arrived at school, he hopped up in the chair by the counselor and said, “I don’t like school.” And the counselor said, “Mmmm, tell me about it.” So the rabbit did.  
             The counselor said, “Rabbit, I hear you.  I hear you saying that you don’t like school because you don’t like swimming.  I think I have diagnosed that correctly.” “Rabbit, I’ll tell you what we’ll do.  You’re doing just fine in running.  I don’t know why you need to work on running.  What you need to work on is swimming.  I’ll arrange it so you don’t have to go to running anymore and you can take two periods of swimming.”  When the rabbit heard that, he just threw-up!  
       As the rabbit hopped out of the counselor’s office, he looked up and saw an old friend, Wise Old Owl, who cocked his head and said, “Br’er rabbit, life doesn’t have to be that way.  We could have schools and businesses where people are allowed to concentrate on what they do well.”
Br’er rabbit was inspired.  He thought that when he graduated he could start up a business where the rabbits would do nothing but run, the squirrels could just climb trees, and the fish could just swim.  As he disappeared into the meadow, he sighed softly, “Oh, what a great place that would be.” 

             So how does this reflect on your company, staff, or personal life?    Are you a rabbit or a fish?  No this question has nothing to do with characters from Chinese Zodiac but with your strengths or those of your business.    When we can focus on our strengths instead of our weaknesses we can develop successful and lives which translate into successful, efficient businesses.  The moral of this story is that everyone needs to be in the place they belong and using their talents or strengths efficiently to be successful.  Rabbits don't swim and fish can't run!

            Unfortunately, many of us spend a lot of time trying focus on our weaknesses and those of our teams instead of letting the “rabbits run” and the “fish swim” we spend excessive time trying to cross-train everyone.   “Trying to succeed in an area in which you are weak will lead to a negative self-concept.  When we focus on a weakness, it takes on a life of its own, and begins to smother our strengths.”   This low self-esteem, whether it is with individuals on our teams or within ourselves leads to low morale within the entire organization and spreads like wild fire.  Having the wrong people in positions they really aren't talented for is never effective.  Low morale within an organization is not productive and results in higher cost of doing business and often failure.

       As you make your New Year’s resolutions be sure to stop and look at your personal strengths, those of your staff members, as well as those of your company.  Where can you focus your energy and be most productive?  If you have a small company it may mean out sourcing or sub-contracting those tasks that you are weak in.  If you have a larger company it could mean restructuring the organization so that the right people are doing what they do best.    And yes it could mean encouraging individuals that have strengths that don't fit your organization to move on to positions where their strengths can be used more effectively.

For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.

A New Chapter: CALS Strategic Plan 2013

A New Chapter: CALS Strategic Plan 2013

Want to be a part in making input into the future of NCSU's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences as well as Cooperative Extension?  Then you might want to read this article and consider coming to one of the listening sessions listed in the article. There is also a survey that you can fill out online at any time.

http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/strategic2013/cals-strategic-plan-2013


There is a listening session near you!





For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.

Christmas Tree Pest Alert

Some of you are selling Christmas Trees and may have customers come back wanting to know what to do with the tiny critters that decide to wake up on their trees once they are warm and cozy in their homes.

PEST ALERT
December 20, 2012

From: Steve Frank, Extension Entomologist

Uninvited Holiday Guests: Part 1

Christmas trees like other crops have many pests that feed on them. Also like other crops, they are grown outside. Thus, many insect species may be unfortunate enough to stop for a rest just as the tree is bundled up and trucked to your local box store. Every year people report arthropods that have hitchhiked into their house on a Christmas tree. Here are a few of the most common.

Cinara sp. aphids feed on Christmas trees and are sometimes present at harvest time (http://www.freshfromflorida.com/pi/pest-alerts/christmas-tree-aphids.html). These critters feed on tree sap and are often mistaken for ticks once inside a house. They are easily distinguished from ticks because they have 6 legs whereas ticks have 8. In addition they are round whereas ticks are flat. These aphids cannot survive long without a living tree and will soon fizzle out as the tree dries.

Spruce spider mites are another Christmas tree pest that could come in on your tree. You would have to be looking very hard to see these guys. They are very small.


Spruce spider mite. Photo: Ward Strong, BC Ministry of Forests, Bugwood.org.

Cooly spruce gall adelgids are Christmas tree pests and super interesting (http://www.bugoftheweek.com/BugOfWeek_52C.html). They have a complex life cycle in which they alternate between two hosts. The produce galls that look like cones that actually contain hundreds of young aphids.

It is important to remember that all of these pests feed on live trees. The will not set up shop under your couch or on your dog. As the tree dies so will they. If there are more than you can handle then return the tree and pick a new one. It is very unlikely you would get another infested tree even from the same dealer.


Uninvited Holiday Guests: Part 2

We discussed arthropod pests of Christmas trees that people find once they bring trees into their home. In this article we will discuss arthropod hitchhikers that do not feed on Christmas trees but were unlucky enough to be on one when it was cut, bundled, and shipped. When you get home with your tree these critters may wander off and startle the kids or amuse your cat but will not cause harm to people or become permanent residents of your home. They do not want to be there any more (probably way less) than you want them there.

Many arthropods spend the winter as eggs that their parents laid in the fall. The eggs typically hatch when warm weather comes in the spring. However, if the eggs are on a tree that you place in front of your warm yuletide fire they will hatch (please don’t put your Christmas tree near a fire, yuletide or otherwise).

Spiders frequently lay eggs on trees and hitchhike into homes on Christmas trees. Spider hatchlings get around in nature by climbing to the top of plants and ballooning on silk threads. Essentially they get blown around and hope to land in a good spot. In your living room there is probably not much wind (though Grandpa always complains about the draft) but they will still string silk around the tree as they try to catch a breeze. Eventually they will give up and crawl off the tree where you might spot them on the wall.

Praying mantids are a fun insect to rear. The egg case looks like brown foam from which hundreds of small mantids emerge. The young mantids are an inch or so long and very quick. They climb all over and really freak people out who aren’t expecting them. Young mantids are hungry, voracious predators so maybe they will eat the other bugs you didn't know you had. A lot of bugs live in your home no matter how clean it is. Our friends at http://www.yourwildlife.org can tell you all about this.

People also report adult and larval lady beetles or green lacewings. Of course people often find Asian multicolored lady beetles in their house that come in through vents and cracks to spend the winter. It is possible that adult or larval lady beetles of other species could be hunkered down for the winter on your Christmas tree along with green lacewings and their larvae. Green lacewings are beautiful delicate insects as adults and predators as larvae. They are very cool to watch and to feed if you happen to have some other bugs lying around.

As we mentioned yesterday, Christmas trees are a natural product grown outdoors. Any insect that happened to land on a tree and get bundled up will emerge in your living room. Other things we have found include bark beetles, psyllids, stinkbugs, weevils, and moths. Just vacuum them up. It is very unlikely any human pest, like ticks, or structural pest, like termites, would ever get transported on Christmas trees. So don’t worry. Watch the cat go crazy and enjoy the wildlife.






For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.

New Nursery Crops Website/Portal

New Website for Nurseries

Dr. Anthony Lebude

NC State Department of Horticultural Science has introduced three new information portals for commercial nursery crops (Fig. 1), landscape and floriculture.  The sites are intended for growers and Cooperative Extension Agents in North Carolina.  The portal covers the main areas of production, for example, water, substrates, IPM, cultural practices, diagnostics, plant choices for problem areas and more.  News and upcoming events are kept current and there are wholesale prices listed for common green and hard goods in the green industry to gauge their average in the state.  Use the portal to learn about a new challenge to the green industry at your own pace.  For example, there are primary documents that tell the whole research story about a new production practice but that may be too technical for you, instead you might read an extension article that makes the information more practical for North Carolina growers, or read a similar article in a trade publication that might be more broad-based for the southeast, but contain many of the same concepts. There are photos to describe the practices and in some cases videos and podcasts to show you some of the concepts being used in production.  As always, there are links to other relevant information on important topics.
To access the information visit:

nurserycropscience.info
floriculture.nurserycropscience.info
landscape.nurserycropscience.info

Thank you!!

For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.

Pest News for Week of September 17

ORNAMENTALS AND TURF

From: Steve Frank, Extension Entomologist

Fall Pest Cleanup

Fall is a good time for nurseries and landscapers to consider dormant oil applications for spider mite and scale management. It is also a great time to scout for these critters. After leaves drop you can get good coverage of trunks and branches where scales and mites are overwintering. Scouting is also easy in the fall because scales are often overwintering in their adult, or near adult stages, which are (a little) larger and easier to see. Without leaves it is also much easier to see the scales. Trees that have scales should be examined in spring to determine if live scales are still present and if further treatment is necessary. The squish test will give you a good idea if scales are alive. If you squish some scales with your finger nail and juice comes out they are alive. If it is dry and crumbly they are dead. Most horticultural oils have a low and high rate listed that may even indicate that they should be used on growing or dormant trees respectively. On dormant deciduous trees you can safely use the high rate. 

As a side note, I have seen a lot of wax scale on conifers and broad leaf evergreen plants. I probably see them a lot because they stand out so much. Right now most are juveniles about half the size of the adults.

Rose Bud Caterpillars

This is not a species of caterpillar but several generalists that will feed on rose plants and particularly the buds. Tobacco bud worm and corn earworm are the most common culprits. They are active throughout the year and I found some on my knockout roses this week. This does not usually cause extreme damage but can reduce flowering if you have a lot of caterpillars present. 

      

There are many incidental and beautiful caterpillars out now such as the American dagger moth. I have catalogued some pictures and information on my blog: http://ecoipm.com/

General caterpillar information:http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/Ornamentals_and_Turf/shrubs/note07/note07.html

From: David Orr, Extension Entomologist

Soldier Beetles on Flowers

The margined leatherback (Chauliognathus marginatus) is one of two soldier beetles commonly seen feeding on nectar and pollen on garden flowers in the late summer and early fall. Sometimes they can be quite numerous and cause concern for gardeners. However, they do not damage plants and can be considered beneficial. The adult of this beetle can be predatory on small insects such as aphids, while the larvae feed on ground-dwelling invertebrates such as slugs and insects. Occasionally, the larvae can be found inside of damaged produce such as tomatoes that have split from rainfall, or been opened up by caterpillars.

Adult margined soldier beetles have somewhat flattened bodies and soft, leathery wing covers rather than the hard covers found in many beetles. They can appear clumsy as they 'stumble' around flower heads on their long legs looking for both food and mates. Margined soldier beetle larvae look velvety and soft, and their legs are small and hard to see. This can make them appear similar to caterpillars. However, if you watch them carefully they have no legs near their rear end so they move by dragging their bodies along using the 3 pairs of legs under their thorax. Caterpillars, on the other hand, use either an "inchworm" or slinky type movement to lift up and bring their back legs closer to the front ones. 

For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.

Pest News for September 10

ORNAMENTALS AND TURF

From: Steve Frank, Extension Entomologist

Yellownecked Caterpillars

Adult yellownecked caterpillars, Datana minstra, occur in June or July and lay eggs on deciduous shrubs and trees. They will feed on many fruit and ornamental trees including birch, elm, oak, maple, Prunus spp. and others. They feed gregariously in late summer. They consume entire leaves except large mid-veins and can rapidly defoliate trees or cause significant damage. I found the caterpillars pictured below in the forest on a bush I couldn't identify because every leaf was gone. Scouting for small caterpillars can help reduce damage and improve control if it is needed. Caterpillar management information is available: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/O&T/shrubs/note07/note07.html. See more caterpillars on my blog: http://ecoipm.com/.


Redheaded Pine Sawfly

The redheaded pine sawfly, Neodiprion lecontei, is a pest of pines in ornamental landscapes, nurseries, and plantations. Adults emerge in spring and a second generation occurs in mid-summer. Eggs are laid on many 2 and 3 needled pine species such as Jack pine, loblolly pine, and red pine. Sawflies are not flies and the larvae do not turn into butterflies. They are non-stinging herbivorous wasps. They can defoliate trees and bushes in the landscape. Since they are gregarious it is sometimes possible to prune off an infested branch and remove all the larvae. Management for sawflies is similar as for caterpillars though not all the insecticides will work so check the label. Horticultural oil is a good bet especially for small larvae. Formulations that contain azadirachtin or spinosad are also effective. For sawflies and caterpillars, management of full grown caterpillars is generally not warranted. The damage is already done and they are hard to kill.


From: Mike Munster, Ornamental Pathologist, Plant Disease and Insect Clinic, and Kelly Ivors, Extension Plant Pathologist

Poinsettia Scab

Poinsettia scab, caused by the fungus Sphaceloma poinsettiae, was found on a sample from a commercial greenhouse this week. It has been six years since the PDIC last diagnosed this disease in a North Carolina poinsettia crop. As the name implies, this fungus causes leaf spots and stem lesions, but the most noticeable effect is an abnormal elongation of the poinsettia stem. The purple leaf spots may develop a light tan center, and they sometimes have a yellow halo. The surface of the spot is characteristically puckered, which is best seen under magnification. An olive-colored, velvety layer of spores may be present on the spots and stem lesions. These spores are spread to other plants via water splash. Long-distance transport occurs on infected planting material. This disease cannot survive between seasons in North Carolina in the absence of a poinsettia crop. For a good summary of the disease, see the 2001 APSnet publication by Mike Benson et al. (http://www.apsnet.org/publications/apsnetfeatures/Pages/PoinsettiaFlower.aspx). Growers should be sure they get clean stock and should scout points for leaf and stem symptoms. Keeping leaf wetness to a minimum will help reduce the advance of the disease. Apply azoxystrobin (Heritage), trifloxistrobin (Compass O), triflumizole (Terraguard) or triadimefon (Strike) to protect plants.




For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.

Pest News for September 1

ORNAMENTALS AND TURF

From: Steve Frank, Extension Entomologist

Lacebugs Other Than Azalea Lacebugs

Numerous additional lacebugs were discovered in the landscape this week. These lacebugs have been around most of the year, but the damage is becoming especially apparent. Sucking insects damage plant cells and as the cells die necrotic spots and stippling become more apparent. This can be exacerbated by plant stress and drought. Lacebugs and damage on service berry and oak were discovered this week. Of course, sycamore and cotoneaster always incur damage from the sycamore and hawthorn lacebugs, respectively. A pyracantha plant on campus was especially loaded down with hawthorn lacebugs. Upon closer look, fire ants tending aphids on the tips of the branches were seen. Often ants that are tending aphids will kill all other herbivores that would compete with the aphids and predators that would kill the aphids. In this case the ants didn't seem to be tending the lacebugs, but were also not destroying them. The lace bugs were definitely benefiting from not having predators around though!

At least six species of scales can be found on liriope. Most of the time scales do not cause extensive damage. Whatever building you are located, it probably has liriope planted outside and that liriope probably has scale. However, plants in stressful environments or nurseries may be more susceptible to infestations that could degrade plant aesthetics. The armored scales most common on liriope are hard to distinguish, but cause small yellow spots where they feed. Often they are at the base of leaves out of site of you and predators.


From: Mike Munster, Ornamental Pathologist, Plant Disease and Insect Clinic

Rose Rosette on the Rise

Those of you living in the Raleigh, North Carolina, area may have read the article in the News and Observer on Saturday, August 25, 2012 about the removal of several rose bushes from the Raleigh Rose Garden and from a traffic circle on Hillsborough Street. The reason: they had been diagnosed with rose rosette. This disease has been known in North America for decades, but it has become more common in our area over the last two years. Only roses are affected.

Symptoms and Diagnosis. Symptoms of rose rosette can vary depending on the variety of rose involved. They include elongated flexible shoots, proliferation of shoots leading to “witches' brooms”, excessive development of thorns (soft or not), leaf deformation, retention of juvenile red coloration in shoots, flower abnormalities, decreased cold hardiness, and plant death. There is a molecular test that can be used to confirm the presence of the virus that causes rose rosette, but we do not currently offer that service at the North Carolina State University Plant Disease and Insect Clinic. Instead the diagnosis is based on symptoms and can range from definitive (when the “hyperthorniness” is seen) to tentative. Not all symptoms may be present in any given plant. In particular, shoot proliferation and leaf deformation can be misleading, since they can be caused by exposure to low doses of the herbicide glyphosate. If you observe these two symptoms alone, do some sleuthing to see if drift might have occurred.

Cause and Spread. Rose rosette was only recently proven to be caused by a virus, but it has long been known to be transmitted by the microscopic eriophyid mite Phyllocoptes fructiphilus. These are not the same as the more familiar spider mites. Small size makes up for their lack of wings, and these mites can be carried about on air currents, perhaps by other insects. There is some experimental evidence that rose viruses can move through natural root grafts, but no published studies have looked specifically at rose rosette transmission via this mechanism. The risk of spreading the virus on pruning shears appears to be very low, but it is a good general practice to sanitize knives and shears frequently during pruning operations anyway. Of course propagating from infected plants or grafting onto infected rootstocks would be very likely to result in infected roses.

Management. The jury is still out on how to best manage rose rosette, so the following recommendations are provisional. This could be called the "RSVP" approach: removal, spacing, vigilance, and patience.

Removal. Since viruses become systemic in their hosts, pruning may not be sufficient. If a bush has only one affected cane, pruning that cane as close to the ground as possible might get ahead of the infection, but we have no data to show that this is effective. Removal of infected plants is the safer course of action. Plants should be bagged before digging or as soon thereafter as possible, to reduce the chance that the mites will scatter on the wind and carry the virus to nearby roses. Remove enough of the roots so that the infected plant does not re-sprout. Also remove any nearby (within 100 to 150 meters) weedy multiflora roses that may be serving as a reservoir of the virus. The virus and mites should die quickly after plants are chipped, so properly composted municipal mulch should not be a source of the disease. As a precaution, vehicles used to transport diseased plants should be closed or covered.

Spacing. Given the mobility of the mites and the possibility of root grafts, plant roses far enough apart that roots or branches don’t touch. Fragments of small roots left in the soil after plant removal should pose no risk. As long as there are no other infected roses nearby, replanting can be done immediately.

Vigilance. Examine any new plants (purchase, trade, or gift) to be sure they are symptom-free. That does not guarantee that they are healthy, since symptoms can take from 17 days to 9 months or longer to show up. Keep an eye on established plantings, too. Finally, keep a close watch on areas were diseased plants were removed, to be sure they do not sprout again.

Patience. As plant pathologists and entomologists continue to do experiments over the next several years, we'll be in a better position to know what works and what doesn't. Breeding also takes time. Perhaps some of the resistance in our native species like Rosa setigera and Rosa carolina can be brought into cultivated types.

What about spraying? There is no effective chemical treatment for plants infected with rose rosette or any other virus. According to Steven Frank in the North Carolina State University Department of Entomology, there is no evidence to suggest that pesticide applications directed at the mites will reduce the spread of rose rosette. It is certainly no substitute for removing an infected plant from the landscape.


From: David Orr, Extension Entomologist

Grub-Killing Wasps For Your Lawn

The large colorful hunting wasps, Scolia dubia (Order: Hymenoptera; Family Scoliidae) may look intimidating, but are harmless to you unless you grab one and force it to sting in self defense. Adults are most numerous late in summer (usually August) and are present now on flowers (see August 17 post for example) and hovering over lawns in search of food for their young. Their larval food is actually grubs, primarily green June beetle larvae that feed on and damage grass roots in lawns.

The adult grub-wasps dig into the soil when they “smell” (anyone who has seen holes made by skunks in their lawn knows this is possible) a grub, sting it to paralyze it, then lay an egg on it. The paralyzed grub is then helpless to defend against the hatched grub-wasp larva that will consume this fresh food supply until it is fully grown. The grub-wasp larva then pupates in the soil, ready to emerge as an adult the following summer. If there are enough of these wasps in your yard, they can help reduce the numbers of grubs in your lawn, providing natural control of pests
(http://www4.ncsu.edu/~dorr/What%20is%20Biocontrol/natural_control.html).

Here's a video of a grub-wasp feeding on nectar:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cD9sxsDvNz8&feature=player_embedded
 Grub Killing Wasp





For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.

Pest News for August 27 2012

ORNAMENTALS AND TURF

From: Steve Frank, Extension Entomologist

Azalea Caterpillars

Azalea caterpillars, Datana major, are among our most attractive caterpillar species. They feed primarily on Rhododendron spp. and are most evident late in the summer. There is one generation of this pest each year. Adults lay eggs on the underside of azalea leaves where the small caterpillars feed gregariously. As they grow the caterpillars take on the coloration seen in the picture below. Unfortunately, by the time they are noticed azalea caterpillars can consume a lot of foliage and defoliate a shrub. Scout for these caterpillars by scanning shrubs for bare twigs then look closer to investigate. If you find a group of them just prune the branch out. In larger infestations or nurseries there are several insecticides active on caterpillars but any product works best on small stages.

Information can be found at http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/O&T/shrubs/note07/note07.html.




For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.

Pest News for week of July 20th

ORNAMENTALS AND TURF

From: Steve Frank, Extension Entomologist

Japanese Maple Scale in the Nursery and Landscape

Japanese maple scale, Lopholeucaspis japonica, is active now and much of the summer. It is a small, oystershell-shaped, armored scale introduced to the U.S. from Asia. Japanese maple scale is found in several eastern U.S. states, including CT, DE, GA, KY, MD, NC, NJ, PA, RI, TN and VA, as well as Washington D.C. Japanese maple scale has a wide host range that in addition to maples (e.g.,  Japanese maples, red maples, paperbark maples, and sugar maples), includes Amelanchier, Camellia, Carpinus, Cercis, Cladrastis, Cornus, Cotoneaster, Euonymus, Fraxinus, Gledistia, Ilex, Itea, Ligustrum, Magnolia, Malus, Prunus, Pyracantha, Pyrus, Salix, Stewartia, Styrax, Syringa, Tilia, Ulmus, Zelkova and others.
   
Although the lifecycle of this pest has not been fully examined, two generations a year are expected in the mid-southern U.S. First generation crawlers emerge in mid-May, and the second generation in early August. Management efforts are complicated by the extended crawler emergence that results in first and second generational overlap. Thus, the most recent sample we received had every stage - egg to adult - present at the same time.
   
Adult scales and crawlers are very small and most readily observed on bark of dormant deciduous host plants, but can also be found on foliage. The waxy coating on the body of male Japanese maple scales is white and females, eggs, and crawlers are lavender. The most work on this scale has been done by Paula Shrewsbury and Stanton Gill at the University of Maryland. Paula Shrewsbury recently gave webinar as part of the National IPM Webinar Series run by Kelly Ivors and I. Archived presentations can be found at: http://ecoipm.com/ipm-webinar/ipm-webinar-archive/. See more information on Japanese maple scale and other maple pests in our new book: http://ecoipm.com/extension/extension-resources/
   
A link to the University of Maryland fact sheet is: http://ipmnet.umd.edu/nursery/docs/JapaneseMapleScale-UMD2011.pdf.


Ants Increase Pest Abundance

As you know from family picnics, ants are voracious scavengers of sweets. Although this results in many household problems it can also increase outdoor pest problems. Aphids, mealybugs, soft scales and other sap-suckers drink lots of phloem and excrete the excess as honeydew. Ants will often ‘tend’ these insects and gather each drop of honeydew as it is produced. Ants protect the pests from predators so they can preserve this abundant food source. Many researchers have found that pests become much more abundant when tended by ants and fire ants in particular. Thus if you see a trail of ants going up a tree chances are there are scales or some other pest they are tending. Often by blocking the ants with tangle foot or using fire ant bait you can eliminate the pests. As soon as ants do not protect the pests, natural enemies hammer them.





For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.

Irrigation Contractor Law Change

Change in Irrigation Contractor's Law

Recently during the Short Legislative Session a bill was passed that may directly affect some of your constituents. Although the bill was initially a stand alone and did not make it to the floor for a vote, a portion of the irrigation contractor's bill was "attached" to an unrelated bill. The bill is SB847, Section 65.8, a and b.

http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2011&BillID=SB847&submitButton=Go

Irrigation Contractor's License Board Amendment

SECTION 65.8.(a)

G.S. 89G-3 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

"(17) Any person who can document 10 years in business as an irrigation contractor as of January 1, 2009, can document competency in the practice of irrigation construction or irrigation contracting, as determined by the North Carolina Irrigation Contractors' Licensing Board, and meets all other requirements and qualifications for licensure may be issued an irrigation contractor's license under Chapter 89G of the General Statutes, without the requirement of examination, provided that the person submits an application for licensure to the Board prior to October 1, 2012."

SECTION 65.8.(b)

The North Carolina Irrigation Contractors' Licensing Board shall notify the North Carolina Cooperative Extension of the provision for licensure of experienced irrigation contractors without the requirement of an examination as provided in G.S. 89G-3(17) as quickly as practicable upon the effective date of this section.



For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.