West Virginia University Dr. John F. Baniecki, Extension
Specialist in Plant Pest Management Program - New York City has
been infested with Asian longhorned beetles that have already
caused 5,000 trees to be removed. As a remedy, imidacloprid is
going to be injected into hardwood trees in an effort to reach
the larvae of the beetle. The beetle has the potential to cause
more tree damage than Dutch elm disease, chestnut blight, and
gypsy moths combined ($41 billion in damage by the USDA's
estimate). (Environmental News Network) http://www.enn.com. -
USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) cooperators have
recently elucidated a scenario in which caterpillar-infested
tobacco plants released compounds during the day and night.
Those released at night were repellent to female moths, who are
looking for sites to deposit eggs. This information is in
addition to that which demonstrated corn seedlings released
chemicals that attract parasitic wasps when fed upon by
caterpillars. (USDA ARS News Service) www.ars.usda.g