Alfredo Martinez Espinoza, Ruchika Kashyap and Garrett Hibbs
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Summary Spring dead spot continues to be a major problem for turfgrass managers in Georgia. It is one of the more difficult diseases to manage because acceptable control is usually not obtained in a single season. Selecting proper nitrogen and potassium fertilization, thatch management and soil conditioning are important cultural practices that can help in…
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The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Fig. 1), is native to North America. Fall armyworm caterpillars are identified with an “inverted Y-shaped” sign on their head capsule (Fig. 1A). Fall armyworms are active throughout the year in the tropical region of Florida (from Tampa to Miami), southern Texas, and northern Mexico. Fall armyworm…
Posted in: Turfgrass insect pest -
Magnolias are a common plant species in southern US landscapes, as they are evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs. Native to Asia and the Americas, magnolia species are popular trees because of their attractive flowers, foliage, aesthetic value, requirements for low maintenance, and adaptability to the southern US climate and soil conditions. Magnolia scale (Neolecanium…
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UGA Department of Plant Pathology and UGA County Extension Coordinator Coweta County GA Turfgrass disease samples keep coming to our Department of Plant Pathology Plant Disease Clinics. Gray leaf spot (GLS) is showing up now, which is earlier than historically seen and a bit further north (Coweta County) than expected for this time of the…
Posted in: Turfgrass disease -
Bristly roseslug sawfly, Cladius difformis (Fig. 1), is a common species of roseslug in Georgia. The larval stages feed on rose leaves and cause extensive damage. Native to Europe, the bristly roseslug sawfly was accidentally introduced to the continental USA, a few decades ago. This roseslug is particularly problematic on rose shrubs in ornamental landscapes. Another roseslug common in the southeastern…
Posted in: Turfgrass insect pest -
The spotted lanternfly (SLF), Lycorma delicatula (White) (Fig. 1), is a non-native planthopper that can feed on a wide range of trees in the USA. SLF is native to China, India, and Vietnam and was first detected in Pennsylvania in September 2014. Since its initial detection, SLF has been confirmed in 12 additional states: New…
Posted in: Ornamental pests -
The Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis, ALB; Fig. 1) is an invasive insect pest native to China and North and South Korea that threatens many hardwood trees in forests and landscapes in the USA. The pest is also referred to as the roundheaded borer because the segment below the head is round-shaped. The larval stages of ALB…
Posted in: Ornamental pests -
Owning or caring for a tall fescue lawn? Bentgrass green in the golf course? Then it’s time to scout for Brown patch (caused by Rhizoctonia solani) and Pythium blight (caused by Pythium spp). These diseases are often the most serious diseases on cool season grasses, especially on tall fescue, bentgrass and ryegrass in Georgia. Brown…
Posted in: Turfgrass disease -
The juniper scale, Carulaspic juniperi (Fig. 1), is a sporadic pest of juniper, cypress, and cedar trees in nurseries and landscapes in Georgia. Native to Europe, the juniper scale is now widespread in the eastern US. It is an armored scale where the wax cover is not a part of the insect body but rather…
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The box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis (Fig. 1) is an invasive pest of boxwood (Buxus spp.). It was introduced in New York in 2021 and is now reported in Michigan, Ohio, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and South Carolina—and a distribution center in Tennessee. It is not reported in Georgia. The native range of box tree moth…