Landscape - Current Pests

The following are some current pest reports from the Ornamental's Hotline newsletter from Delaware Cooperative Extension.

We are still seeing twig dieback from earlier infections of bacterial blight on willow oak, pear, and cherry. Trim back at least 12 inches below the affected area when dry. With all the lush new growth (Saturday's sprinkle followed by sunny days), be on the lookout for aphids and whiteflies infesting the new growth of annuals and perennials. Japanese beetle populations are much lower than expected so far this year. Azalea whitefly was noted on deciduous azaleas. More lace bugs starting up on Franklinia, oak, and other species; 2nd generation Euonymus scale crawlers should be active anytime. Hort oil (as temps permit), insecticidal soap, Distance, Safari are all good options for control. Brian Kunkel (bakunkel@udel.edu) is still looking for sites with Euonymus scale infestations.