Indiana Department of Natural Resources sent this bulletin at 08/04/2021 07:40 AM EDT
Weekly Review for August 4, 2021
This informal report by the Division of Entomology & Plant Pathology is a commentary on insects, diseases, and curiosities division staff encounter on a week-to-week basis. Comments and questions about this report are welcome and can be sent to your respective Inspector.
The DNR’s Natural Resources Building is the place to be during the Indiana State Fair. The fair runs July 30 to Aug. 22, excluding Mondays and Tuesdays.
Located in the northwest area of the fairgrounds, we have great information on wild animals, invasive species, and responsible recreation.
Ren Hall (Nursery Inspector & Compliance Officer) - RHall@dnr.IN.gov
I’ve still been seeing Japanese beetles and their feeding damage frequently at nurseries, although many growers have said this year they don’t seem as severe as in previous years. However, some trees such as lindens and this ‘Pink Flair’ cherry tree always seem to be the most heavily hit. I also found cypress gall midge on bald cypress. At another nursery, I found scale insects on hostas and boxwoods, neither of which I’ve ever seen before. I’m unsure of what species they are. Last, I found necrotic ringspots with healthy green tissue in the middle on Alsobia.
I suspect this is water damage based on seeing similar symptoms on Streptocarpella in the past and mistaking it for impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) prior to lab testing. Both plants, along with African violets, are very susceptible to water damage on their leaves. The grower indicated the plants were just bought from a wholesaler a couple of weeks ago. I did not find any thrips or their damage at this greenhouse, but out of an abundance of caution, I’ve sent a sample to the Purdue Plant & Pest Diagnostic Laboratory (PPDL) for virus testing because if it turns out to be INSV, it’s better to find out quickly and remove the flat of plants before it can spread to other plants, since it is insect vectored.
