No. 16/September 16, 2015

Tree Borers
Numerous trees are dying across Illinois. It is easy to find dead and dying maples, oaks, walnuts, ash, and other trees. Many of the dying ash are due to emerald ash borer. Many of the dying pin and red oaks in southern Illinois are due to horned oak gall. But many of the dying ash, oak, and other trees are due to the season-long drought of 2012, the July-September drought of 2013, and the severe winter of 2013-2014.

Bur Oak Blight
Bur Oak Blight (BOB) is a fungal leaf disease caused by the pathogen Tubakia iownesis. The U of I Plant Clinic has received several BOB samples over that past month. This is a relatively newly described pathogen, identified by Dr. Tom Harrington of Iowa State University. Several species of Tubakia are known to infect oak and cause minor leaf spots.

Turf Aeration
Aeration, core-cultivation, or soil aerification are interchangeable terms to describe the process of pulling plugs from the lawn, one of the best practices any homeowner or professional should do to turfgrass. It's not just for golf courses.

Invasive Species Alert: Jumping Worm Confirmed in Two Counties in Illinois 
The Illinois Department of Agriculture has announced that a new invasive species, the jumping worm (Amynthas spp.) was identified in Illinois for the first time. Until now, the closest identification was in Wisconsin in 2013. Samples from two counties in Illinois have been confirmed. Worms from DuPage and Cook counties were examined at the University of Illinois Plant Clinic and identified.

Save the Date for 2016 Illinois First Detector Workshops
We are pleased to announce the dates for the First Detector Workshops. Topics in 2016 will cover insect invaders of forests, boxwood blight, and jumping worms. Learn more about your role as a first detector, what's new with the Illinois Exotic Weed Act. Back by popular demand is the Q & A lunch session where speakers update participants on previous topics and open the floor to your questions. Plan on joining us in one of these locations--more information on how to register will be available in the coming months.