Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Blog

Pathogen Alert: Late Blight of Potato and Tomato

2009-07-02T15:02:00.003-04:00

Late blight, a destructive disease caused by Phytophthora infestans, is a pathogen of tomato and potato plants that has recently been found in several states in the Northeast, including Maine, New York and Pennsylvania. The late blight has been identified on tomato transplants sold in big box stores and other garden centers under the brand name Bonnie Plants, and has also been found in a potato field in Pennsylvania. Because a few instances of late blight have now been detected on tomato plants in our state, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) is asking anyone growing tomatoes or potatoes to monitor them for signs of the disease, in order to prevent its further spread.

Late blight, the disease that was responsible for the Irish potato famine in the mid-19th century, is caused by a fungus-like pathogen that spreads through splashing rain or wind currents. Spores can disperse from one to several miles from the point of origin, with the infection spreading most efficiently in conditions of high moisture and temperatures ranging from 60° to 80°F.

Symptoms of late blight include small olive green or brown lesions on the upper surface of the foliage or the stems. Under moist conditions, there is a white, fuzzy growth on the underside of the leaves where the lesions occur, but the absence of this growth does not rule out late blight. Eventually the lesions turn black, leaves start to die, and then the entire plant dies.

This is a serious, destructive disease that can spread quite rapidly when conditions are right, infecting an entire field within days. Any gardeners who suspect they have tomato or potato plants infected with late blight should dig them up, place them in plastic bags, and dispose of them in the trash. Commercial growers wishing to control late blight should begin spraying fungicide immediately, even before symptoms are spotted. Spraying must continue regularly, using a product containing chlorothalonil, a state restricted fungicide which requires certification to use. Growers should be prepared to destroy the plants if the late blight starts to become severe.

For more information about late blight of potato and tomato, including diagnostic images, see the following websites:

If you think you have seen late blight of potato and tomato, you can report here, or call the MDAR Plant Pest Hotline at 617-626-1779.

To sign up for pest and pathogen alerts from the Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Project, visit this page.

(Photo by Rob Wick, Plant Pathologist, UMass Amherst)

The Eyed Click Beetle: Another ALB "Look-Alike"

2009-06-25T11:33:00.053-04:00

The whitespotted sawyer is not the only species which is frequently mistaken for the Asian longhorned beetle. We have received several reports recently from concerned residents who thought they had ALB on their property, but it turned out to be another "look-alike" species: the eyed click beetle (Alaus oculatus).

Unlike ALB, the eyed click beetle is harmless. It is a native species, about 1 to 1 3/4 inches long, that gets its name from its unusual appearance and behavior. On its back are two large black spots surrounded by a white outline which look like eyes and serve to frighten predators away. When it falls on its back, it snaps or "clicks" a hinged joint between its head and thorax. This action springs the beetle into the air so that it can right itself.

The eyed click beetle habitat is dominated by different species of hardwood trees than that of ALB, including cherry, apple and oak. Unlike ALB, eyed click beetles do not attack live trees. Instead, larvae pupate in rotting logs or underground after emerging from eggs laid in the soil. The diet of the eyed click beetle is also different from that of ALB, consisting of grubs during the larva stage, and nectar or plant juices during the adult stage.

If you find an eyed click beetle, you can consider yourself lucky to see this interesting insect up close and can release it "back into the wild". As always, you can report any potential Asian longhorned beetles using our web form, or by calling 1-866-702-9938.

(Thanks to Helen Rosenberger for giving us permission to use her photo)

Emerald Ash Borer found in NY

2009-06-17T21:49:00.004-04:00

The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis, "EAB") has found for the first time in Western New York. The invasive, wood-boring beetle was discovered earlier this week when USDA employees noticed suspicious damage to ash trees off of a highway in the town of Randolph, located in Cattaraugus County. So far, about 30 trees have been flagged as infested. Surveys over the coming weeks will help determine the extent of the infestation.

To prevent the spread of EAB to other parts of the state, New York is asking its residents to avoid bringing firewood to campgrounds or parks, and to instead purchase firewood from local vendors with proof of that firewood source. Also, New York is one of several states that now ban untreated firewood from entering their state. For more information about the dangers of moving firewood and other untreated wood long distances, visit http://dontmovefirewood.org/

More whitespotted sawyer beetle images

2009-06-08T15:52:00.004-04:00

Here is a another great whitespotted sawyer beetle image, sent in by Mary Malley:

This is a specimen we inspected earlier today, also whitespotted pine sawyer:

Note the distinct white half-moon shape at the top of the wing covers, behind the neck.

Here is an Asian longhorned beetle for comparison (this photo was taken in August 2008 - ALB is not expected to emerge from the trees until July):

Note that Asian longhorned beetle is a much shinier black than the whitespotted sawyer. It is also missing that distinct white half-circle at the top of its wing covers, and it has a bluish tinge to its feet.

Whitespotted sawyer beetles out and about

2009-05-21T16:08:00.008-04:00

Over the past week or so, biologists across Massachusetts and other New England states have reported seeing whitespotted sawyer beetles, the beetle most often confused with Asian longhorned beetle (ALB). The whitespotted sawyer (Monochamus scutellatus), a native beetle that attacks diseased and damaged pine trees, emerges from trees earlier in the season than ALB, which is not expected to be seen in Massachusetts until July.

Similar reports have been coming in via our ALB reporting form this week. Below is a photo, sent in today from Whitman, Massachusetts by Scott Pelletier, showing a whitespotted sawyer. This is a great shot of the beetle, making it easy for an expert to determine the species. Using the notes we've added that point out the tell-tale signs that this is a sawyer beetle, not ALB, you too can learn the difference between these two lookalikes:

(Click on the image to see it in full size)

If you see a longhorned beetle and are concerned that it might be ALB, it is always better to report it. For more information, check out this comparison of whitespotted sawyer and ALB.

(Below, for comparison: ALB - The real thing)

(Thanks to Scott for giving us permission to post his photo)

Winter moth caterpillars

2009-05-20T15:06:00.003-04:00

If you've noticed an onslaught of little green caterpillars devouring the leaves on your trees, you are not alone - winter moth caterpillar season has kicked into high gear. We are receiving many reports from our report-a-pest form of this pest attacking trees, particularly in the eastern and southeastern part of the state. Many of you seeing this damage now will remember the moth in its adult form, as it is one of few moths in flight during the winter months.

While there are a variety of treatments to protect trees from winter moth and other defoliating caterpillars, one of the most promising management techniques is the effort to develop a biological control for this pest. Biologists at UMass Amherst have been working on just such a program, but it will take several years for the biocontrol to establish, so expect winter moths to continue to be a problem. More information about winter moth is available on our fact sheet.

Now Hiring: ALB Outreach/Survey Technician

2009-05-15T10:03:00.000-04:00

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources is hiring a Contracted Seasonal Employee for the position of ALB Outreach/Survey Technician. The ideal job candidate will have excellent communication skills, a background in biology, and a drive to educate the entire state about the Asian longhorned beetle. For details, click here. Deadline to apply is May 25, 2009.

Getting the Landscape Message

2009-05-15T08:51:00.002-04:00

Now that spring has sprung, UMass Extension is back with their biweekly edition of The Landscape Message, a discussion of what's growing, what pests are around, and what you should be doing to keep your garden or yard looking great. The Landscape Message divides Massachusetts up into 8 different regions so you can get specific growing conditions for your part of the state. This week's edition notes that winter moths are active right now, mentions the emergence of Eastern tent caterpillars, and suggests you keep an eye out for hemlock woolly adelgid and viburnum leaf beetles. To get an email reminder when this newsletter comes out, click here.

Asian longhorned beetle Newsletter

2009-05-06T14:27:00.002-04:00

Issues 6 and 7 of the ALB Newsletter are now available online. To subscribe to the newsletter, click here.

Updated Invasive Plant Pages

2009-05-05T14:47:00.005-04:00

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources has recently updated the invasive plant pages on its website. Now that the "phase out" period has ended, the Prohibited Plant list has been simplified. You can also now view the list sorted by common or scientific name. If you would prefer a print version of this list, you can download it here.

The invasive plant regulations prohibit the sale, trade, purchase, distribution and related activities for all species on the list. If you have questions about the list or the regulations behind it, you can contact jennifer.forman-orth@state.ma.us or call 617-626-1735.

Worcester Students Organize ALB Road Race

2009-04-16T12:26:00.013-04:00

Students at Burncoat High School in Worcester, determined to help their neighborhood recover from the Asian longhorned beetle infestation, have organized the Burncoat “Beetle Battle” Road Race, to be held on May 2nd. Funds raised through this effort will be used to support the effort to replant in the wake of ALB-infested tree removals in the Burncoat area. In addition to the 5k run/walk, there will be family activities that aim to bring everyone out to support this neighborhood effort. To register, download and send in this form. If you are on Facebook, you can also show your support by joining the Beetle Battle FB group.

Check your trees for ALB damage!

2009-03-25T13:38:00.007-04:00

With spring having officially sprung last week, it will not be long before the trees start leafing out. That means this is your last prime opportunity to check your trees for damage caused by the Asian longhorned beetle before the leaves make it harder to see the trunks and branches. For more information, including tips on what signs to look for, check this note from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. You can also download a printable ALB damage detection sheet here.

Two oviposition sites with an exit hole in between

Fresh oviposition site.

Older oviposition site that is healing over.

ALB Newsletter, Vol. 1, Issue 5

2009-03-06T09:44:00.005-05:00

Issue 5 of the ALB Newsletter, with the latest Asian longhorned beetle news, links, events and volunteer opportunities in Massachusetts, is available here. To get the newsletter as soon as it comes out, sign up.

Now Hiring: Plant Pest Survey Technician

2009-02-25T14:37:00.003-05:00

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources is hiring a Contracted Seasonal Employee for the position of Plant Pest Survey Technician. The position will involve work for the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) Program, assisting the Plant Pest Survey Coordinator in surveying locations throughout Massachusetts for introduced insect pests and plant pathogens. For details, click here. Deadline to apply is March 11, 2009.

ALB Newsletter, Vol. 1, Issue 4

2009-02-18T15:32:00.002-05:00

Issue 4 of the ALB Newsletter, with the latest Asian longhorned beetle news, links, events and volunteer opportunities in Massachusetts, is available here. To get the newsletter as soon as it comes out, sign up here.

ALB: Before and After

2009-02-13T10:25:00.005-05:00

Tree removals in the parts of Worcester most heavily impacted by the Asian longhorned beetle infestation have been underway since January. For an idea of how seriously the beetle has impacted Worcester, here are a pair of shots from Granville Ave., showing the same view both before and after the trees were taken down. Click on each image to see it in original size:

(Photos by Kenneth R. Law, USDA APHIS PPQ)

Phase-out period for prohibited plants has ended

2009-02-10T15:36:00.009-05:00

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources regulates a list of Prohibited Plants, more than 100 non-native species that are considered invasive or noxious weeds. These plants are prohibited from sale, trade, distribution, and related activities in our state. As of January 1, 2009, the following ornamental species, which had been under a phase-out period, now fall under the same regulations as the other species on the list:

Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii)
Bell’s honeysuckle (Lonicera x bella) [L. morrowii x L. tatarica]
Bishop's weed; goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria)
Burning bush; winged euonymus (Euonymus alatus/alata)
Creeping Jenny; moneywort (Lysimachia nummularia)
Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)
Morrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii)
Norway maple (Acer platanoides)
Sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus)
Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica)

You can see the entire prohibited plant list sorted by common or scientific name, or download a print version here.

ALB Newsletter, Vol. 1, Issue 3

2009-01-30T14:15:00.002-05:00

Issue 3 of the ALB Newsletter, with the latest Asian longhorned beetle news, links, events and volunteer opportunities in Massachusetts, is available here. If you would like to subscribe to this weekly newsletter, you can sign up for this and other pest alerts here.

ALB Lookalikes

2009-01-21T09:46:00.009-05:00

Massachusetts is home to many insects that could be confused with the invasive Asian longhorned beetle, including several native longhorned beetle species. See if you can recognize the Asian longhorned beetles in the image below (click on the image to view it large):

The "Find the Asian Longhorned Beetle!" quiz is available as a high-resolution print. Use it as a single sheet, or cut out the individual squares to use for group identification activities. The answers to the quiz can be found here.

Some of the images above are actual photos sent in by Massachusetts citizens concerned that they had spotted ALB. We are grateful to the following people for allowing their photos to be used in this project: Todd Pearson, smcann, Greg Shuler, Ralph Hebert, Natasha Wright and Troy Bartlett. If you think you have seen Asian longhorned beetle, you can report it here.

ALB Newsletter, Vol. 1, Issue 2

2009-01-16T15:28:00.004-05:00

Issue 2 of the ALB Newsletter, with the the latest Asian longhorned beetle news, links, events and volunteer opportunities in Massachusetts, is available here. If you would like to subscribe to this weekly newsletter, you can sign up for this and other pest alerts here.

2009 CAPS Pest List

2009-01-15T10:04:00.013-05:00

The Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Project is part of the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS), a partnership between all 50 states and the USDA to detect and monitor exotic pests, pathogens and weeds. Each fall, the Massachusetts CAPS Committee, with members from the Mass. Department of Agricultural Resources, USDA APHIS-PPQ, UMass Extension, and non-governmental organizations with a stake in the state's agricultural resources, meets in order to decide which pests will be the focus of the next year's survey and outreach efforts. The 2009 CAPS pest list for Massachusetts is below, with species ranked in order of importance. Over the next couple of months we will add fact sheets for any species that does not already have one.

Rank	Scientific Name	Common Name	Organism Type
1	Phytophthora ramorum	Sudden oak death, Ramorum blight	pathogen
2	Anoplophora glabripennis	Asian longhorned beetle	insect
3	Agrilus planipennis	Emerald ash borer	insect
4	Epiphyas postvittana	Light brown apple moth	insect
5	Potyvirus	Plum Pox Virus, PPV	pathogen
6	Puccinia horiana	Chrysanthemum white rust	pathogen
7	Adoxophyes orana	Summer fruit tortrix moth	insect
8	Anoplophora chinensis	Rough shouldered longhorned beetle, Citrus longhorned beetle	insect
9	Monochamus alternatus	Japanese pine sawyer	insect
10	Lobesia botrana	European grape vine moth	insect
11	Lymantria dispar (Asian strain)	Asian gypsy moth	insect
12	Lymantria mathura	Pink gypsy moth	insect
13	Spodoptera litura	Cotton cutworm	insect
14	Spodoptera littoralis	Egyptian cottonworm	insect
15	Puccinia hemerocallidis	Daylily rust	pathogen
16	Globodera rostochiensis	Golden nematode	nematode
17	Globodera pallida	Potato cyst nematode	nematode
18	Polygonum perfoliatum	Mile-a-minute vine	plant
19	Heracleum mantegazzianum	Giant hogweed	plant
20	Orobanche cernua, other non-native Orobanche spp.	Nodding broomrape	plant
21	Lepidium latifolium	Perennial pepperweed	plant

ALB Newsletter, Vol. 1, Issue 1

2009-01-05T11:31:00.002-05:00

The first issue of the ALB Newsletter, which provides information about the latest Asian longhorned beetle news, links, events and volunteer opportunities in Massachusetts, is available here. If you would like to subscribe to this weekly newsletter, you can sign up for this and other pest alerts here.

New ALB Newsletter

2008-12-23T10:37:00.003-05:00

Stay informed about all of the latest Asian longhorned beetle news with a new email newsletter from the Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Project (MIPOP). The newsletter will report ALB-related happenings in our state, from news reports and updated maps to upcoming presentations and training opportunities.

To subscribe to the new MIPOP ALB newsletter, just go to our pest alerts signup page and select "Asian Longhorned Beetle." If you've already subscribed to our other pest alerts, just leave that part blank and they will remain unchanged. The newsletter will be weekly or bi-weekly, depending on how much news there is to report.

If your organization has timely ALB-related news that you would like to have included in the newsletter, email details here.

To report a potential Asian longhorned beetle sighting (adult beetles or damaged trees/firewood), use our online reporting form, or call 1-866-702-9938.

Spotting Asian longhorned beetle damage in winter

2008-12-16T15:53:00.028-05:00

Update: Download these winter ALB ID tips in printable format with photos.

While the state and the federal government are actively surveying Massachusetts for invasive, wood boring beetles, it has always been the keen eye of a concerned citizen that discovers Asian longhorned beetle when it infests a new area. Asian longhorned beetles attack a variety of hardwood trees, particularly maple, birch, willow, poplar and elm. To date, more than 4000 infested trees have been found in the Worcester area, and all will need to be removed and replaced.

The egg-laying sites and exit holes along the trunk and branches of ALB-infested trees are not easily visible when the trees are in leaf. Now that branches are bare, you may be able to more easily spot damage. Some tips:

Asian longhorned beetle adults lay their eggs in pits in the bark of the tree. Egg-laying sites, or "oviposition pits," are about 3/4 of an inch across, and look like when someone takes a bite out of an apple.
The exit holes that the adults leave as they emerge from the tree are about 3/8 inch in diameter, and are perfectly round.
If you see what looks like an exit hole, and you can reach it easily, see if you can fit the eraser end of a pencil into the hole, at least 1 inch deep.
Try to figure out what kind of tree you are looking at. ALB likes hardwood trees, particularly maple, but stays away from oak and cherry. It does not attack conifers like pine or spruce.
ALB typically leaves exit holes spread out across a tree, leaving room for each larva to develop. Series of round holes together in a line are more likely caused by woodpeckers or sapsuckers.

Report any suspicious tree damage to our website or hotline (1-866-702-9938). For more information about this pest, visit the Massachusetts Cooperative Eradication Program website.

A pile of wood from an infested maple tree

Two oviposition sites with an exit hole in between

Fresh oviposition site.

Older oviposition site that is healing over.

Asian longhorned beetle damage on maple tree in Worcester, MA. Photos by P. Douglass, J. Forman Orth and M. Bohne.

Wood boring bark beetles ID Guide

2008-12-15T14:48:00.003-05:00

A new key to the Wood Boring Beetles of the World is now available online. The key includes identification characters for ten different beetle families as well as fact sheets and many excellent photos. It was developed by the USDA/APHIS/PPQ Center for Plant Health Science and Technology (CPHST) using LUCID software, and required Java to run, so be patient and give it a chance to load the first time you use it.