Issue 14, August 26, 2013
Invasive Species Roundup
Spotted Wing Drosophila. Questions about spotted wing drosophila continue to come in. Damaged fruit in gardens has been seen in several locations across the state. In a recent Home, Yard, and Garden article, this small fruit fly was discussed in more detail, including information on identification and trapping.
Spotted Wing Drosophila
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug. Another invasive pest you may find in your garden this time of year is the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB). We are still monitoring the distribution of BMSB in Illinois. While this has been a "slow" year with reports of BMSB, we do regularly get calls about this insect. There are several native stink bugs, as well as a few other garden pests, that can commonly be confused with BMSB. There is lots of good information, including the photos below at www.stopbmsb.org. If you have any questions on whether the stink bug in your garden is the common brown stink bug or brown marmorated stink bug, please feel free to give me a call or send me a sample.
Thousand Cankers Disease. In another recent thousand cankers disease (TCD) update, Ohio confirmed the presence of the TCD fungus from walnut branch samples from the Butler County area, marking the first time TCD has been confirmed in Ohio. In 2012, the walnut twig beetle was found in traps in Butler County.
Visit the Illinois CAPS blog for all the latest news on invasive pests in Illinois or contact Kelly Estes (kcook8@illinois.edu) with any questions. (Kelly Estes, State Survey Coordinator, Illinois Cooperative Agriculture Pest Survey Program)
Author:
Kelly Estes