Ornamental pests
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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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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…
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Silverleaf whitefly, also known as the sweet potato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae; Fig. 1), attack a wide range of plants, from ornamentals to warm-season vegetables in the U.S. Whiteflies are active from mid-July to mid-October and are found gather together on the underside of the leaves during the daytime (Fig. 2). Although 76 whitefly species are known to exist in the southeastern U.S., only a few species, such…
Posted in: Turfgrass insect pest -
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…
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Scale insects are very common pests of landscape trees and shrubs yet are often overlooked when scouting. They can, however, be responsible for chlorosis, branch dieback, or, ultimately, death of the plant. Wax scales fall into the soft scale group as they produce soft, cottony, powdery, or waxy covers that cannot be separated from the…
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The dogwood borer, Synanthedon scitula (Harris), can be a destructive pest of many ornamental trees in nurseries and landscapes. Adults of dogwood borer are moths (Fig. 1). Because the wings of these moths are clear, they are referred to as clearwing moths. The name “dogwood borer” was derived because they readily attack flowering dogwood, Cornus florida L., common in…
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Distribution Thrips parvispinus is an invasive thrips species recently reported in Georgia (Fig. 1). It is widespread in Florida. In 2020, it was first reported and identified in the continental US from Florida. Previously, it was reported from Hawaii. It is native to Asia (such as China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, and the Philippines) and…
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The flatheaded appletree borer (FAB) (Chrysobothris femorata) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) (Fig. 1) is a polyphagous (feeds on multiple tree species) pest native throughout North America that impacts specialty crops such as fruit, nut, and ornamental trees. In Georgia, nursery growers face mild to moderate levels of infestation depending on local beetle population size and favorable environmental…
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The lantana lace bug, Teleonemia scrupulosa Stål(Tingidae: Hemiptera), is a serious pest of lantana (Lantana camara L.). Although lantana is regarded as an invasive weed in the U.S. and worldwide, many popular cultivars are sold and planted in residential and public ornamental landscapes and gardens. Previously, the lantana lace bug was introduced deliberately to several countries…
Posted in: Ornamental pests