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Tag: Journal of Integrated Pest Management

What’s Eating Your Pine Needles? Sawflies, Probably

Conifer sawflies are common herbivores throughout North America. Typically little more than a nuisance to individual trees, large outbreaks are capable of defoliating thousands of forested acres in a very short time. A new review in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management summarizes what we know about conifer sawflies in eastern North America, provides an identification key for larvae and outlines management options for both managed and natural landscapes.
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Closeup of the underside of a tree leaf, held vertically, showing more than a dozen small greenish-black caterpillars gathered closely together as they eat away at the leaf.

Much Ado About Nothing? End-of-Summer Defoliation Heats Up

While their damage may be unsightly, many common caterpillar species that emerge in late summer to munch on tree leaves are generally not a significant threat to tree health. A new guide in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management takes a closer look at these late-season defoliators and offers tips for management.

Closeup of a elm zigzag sawfly larva, light green and slightly translucent in color, feeding on a green leaf. The larva has eaten a gap into the leaf from the edge that is roughly the shape of the larva but wider. The leaf and sawfly are photographed against a white background.

Here We Go Again: Meet the Elm Zigzag Sawfly, Another Non-Native Forest Pest

The elm zigzag sawfly (Aproceros leucopoda) is now established in several places in North America. This non-native forest pest can be a threat to elm species and hybrids and is capable of large defoliation events. Will it turn into a full-blown invasive species, or simply co-exist with native herbivores in natural and urban forests? At this point, we don't know. A new review highlights elm zigzag sawfly biology, ecology, and management strategies in the U.S.

Closeup image of a fly on a solid medium gray background. The fly's body is dark brownish-black in color, while its head and hind wing stubs (halteres) are yellow, as well as the joints linking leg segments. Its wings, extended vertically above the fly, are transparent with light brown veins.

U.S. Quinoa Crops Threatened by Little-Known Fly Pest

Quinoa's emergence as an attractive, climate-resilient crop in the U.S. has been met with a fresh challenge from a stem-boring fly species, Amauromyza karli, previously known in Canada. While research is scant on this new pest, a new profile in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management outlines what we know—and what we need to find out—about reducing its impact on quinoa.

What’s in a Nest: Scavenger Turns Major Pest in Chicken Houses

Lesser mealworm beetles (Alphitobius diaperinus) evolved to live in bird nests, and in broiler chicken houses their populations explode. A new pest profile in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management outlines why lesser mealworms are exceptionally challenging to manage in chicken houses and identifies key research needs for future progress.