Entomology & Plant Pathology Weekly Review, March 20
Indiana Department of Natural Resources sent this bulletin at 03/20/2024 09:12 AM EDT
Weekly Review for March 20, 2024
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.
I wanted to send out an update on the progress of the spring season as it relates to beekeepers. At this point pretty much everyone should have something in bloom. Pussy willows began blooming on March 3 at my house and were in full bloom by March 11. Last year they were a little bit ahead of this year, blooming on Feb. 27, but in 2022 they didn’t start blooming until March 14.
Maple pollen has tailed off at my place and I am seeing dead nettle has really started ramping up. A lot of people will notice bees with red heads and or red pollen baskets. That is the dead nettle pollen. As of March 15, I am at about 128-130 Growing Degree Days in SE Indiana. I don’t expect to get a lot of appreciable development in plant growth for the week of March 18 with the cooler weather. Keep in mind my observations are in Ripley County and if you are south of me you’re going to see this stuff sooner. You probably already have things like dandelion or redbud in bloom. Those of you to the north are going to be a week or more behind what I am seeing.
Photo 2 & 3 – Bees on dead nettle – note the red pollen
There is not much to look at yet with regards to nursery stock. But below is a picture of a second-year black knot infection on Japanese plum ‘Methely’.
