Christmas Tree Pest Manual
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
United States Department of Agriculture Christmas Tree Forest Service Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry Pest Manual www.na.fs.fed.us NA–FR–02–14 June 2014 Third Edition Non-Discrimination Statement The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal employment opportunity provider and employer. Cover images, clockwise from top left: Dead tree, stem girdled by voles, USFS-NCRS Archive, Bugwood.org; High-quality Black Hills spruce, J. O’Donnell, MSU; Drought injury, S. Katovich, USFS, Bugwood.org; Conifer sawfly, S. Katovich, USFS, Bugwood.org; Western gall rust, J. O’Brien, USFS, Bugwood.org United States Department of Agriculture Christmas Tree Forest Service Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry 11 Campus Boulevard Pest Manual Suite 200 Newtown Square, PA 19073 Third Edition www.na.fs.fed.us NA–FR–02–14 June 2014 Editors: Steven Katovich Deborah McCullough Michael Ostry Jill O’Donnell Isabel Munck Cliff Sadof 2014 Acknowledgments First edition: This manual was originally developed as part of a U.S. Forest Service technology transfer effort to get research findings off the shelf and into the hands of people who need them. A team of scientists and pest specialists worked with a writer-editor to summarize and compile more than 10 years of research on Christmas tree pests and their control. Much of this early work was done at what was then the North Central Forest Experiment Station, headquartered in St. Paul, MN. The first edition was published in 1983. Thomas Nicholls, Louis Wilson, Darroll Skilling, and Marguerita Palmer were key contributors to the first edition from the North Central Forest Experiment Station. Kathryn Robbins and Peter Rush were contributors from the U.S. Forest Service, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry. Janine Benyus edited the first edition. Much of their original text still remains in the newest edition. Second Edition: In 1997 and 1998, the original manual was reviewed and updated. It was published in 1998 as Michigan State University Extension Bulletin E-2676 and edited by Deborah McCullough, Steven Katovich, Michael Ostry, and Jane Cummings Carlson. Third Edition: The newest edition is published by the U.S. Forest Service, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry. This edition includes a number of new pests, many of them found on fir Christmas trees. The original manual had a strong emphasis on Scotch pine. Most of the original pest descriptions remain in the manual; however, given that Christmas tree growers are growing more fir and other species, new pest problems needed to be addressed. Editors included Steven Katovich, U.S. Forest Service, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry; Deborah McCullough, Michigan State University; Michael Ostry, U.S. Forest Service, Northern Research Station; Jill O’Donnell, Michigan State University; Isabel Munck, U.S. Forest Service, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry; and Cliff Sadof, Purdue University. Extensive contributions were provided by Ronald Kelly (retired), Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation; Thomas Nicholls (retired), U.S. Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station; Jill Sidebottom, North Carolina State University; and Drew Carleton, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada. Other contributors included Richard Cowles, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station; Dennis Fulbright, Michigan State University; and Anette Phibbs and Christopher Deegan, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Numerous photographs were obtained from photographers individually and through the Bugwood.org Web site. The editors are very grateful to Juliette Watts and Sandy Clark, U.S. Forest Service, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry, for assistance in publication design and layout, editing, and a myriad of other items. CONTENTS Page Page Index A Needle Discoloration or Distortion ...................27 Common and Scientific Names of Admes Mite ......................................................28 Pests and Trees ..................................................5 Air Pollution Injury ............................................29 Index B Balsam Gall Midge ...........................................30 Potential Pest Problems By Tree Species ..........8 Balsam Twig Aphid ...........................................32 Introduction ......................................................... 11 Brown Spot Needle Blight ................................34 How to Use This Manual .................................... 11 Cyclaneusma Needlecast ................................35 What is a Pest? ....................................................12 Dothistroma Needle Blight ...............................36 Insects and Mites .............................................12 Douglas-Fir Needle Midge ...............................37 Fungi and Nematodes ......................................12 Drought Injury ...................................................38 Birds and Mammals ........................................13 Elongate Hemlock Scale ..................................39 Environmental Factors ......................................13 Eriophyid Mites .................................................40 Symptoms and Signs of Tree Injury ..................14 Fall Needle Drop ...............................................41 Discolored Foliage ...........................................14 Fir Needle Rust .................................................42 Missing Foliage ................................................15 Herbicide Injury ................................................43 Deformed and Stunted Tissue .........................15 Lirula and Isthmiella Needlecast .......................44 Pitch Flow .........................................................15 Lophodermium Needlecast ..............................46 Wood Shavings ................................................15 Naemacyclus Needlecast Insect and Pathogen Parts and Structures ......16 (see Cyclaneusma Needlecast) Root Injury ........................................................16 Pine Needle Rust .............................................48 Pest Management ...............................................16 Pine Needle Scale ............................................50 Step 1—Plant the Right Species on the Right Pine Thrips .......................................................51 Site and Invest in Quality Planting Stock ....17 Ploioderma Needlecast ....................................52 Choosing Your Trees ...................................17 Rhabdocline Needlecast ..................................53 Preparing the Planting Site ..........................17 Rhizosphaera Needle Blight of Firs ..................54 Planting .........................................................17 Rhizosphaera Needlecast of Spruce ................55 Step 2—Monitor and Scout Trees for Pests .....18 Salt Injury .........................................................57 Step 3—Use a Combination of Controls ..........19 Spruce Needle Rusts .......................................58 Manual and Mechanical Control ..................19 Spruce Spider Mite ..........................................59 Biological Control .........................................19 Swiss Needlecast .............................................60 Cultural Control ............................................20 Winter Injury .....................................................61 Chemical Control ..........................................20 Needle Feeding ...................................................63 Step 4—Evaluate Your Control Efforts .............21 Bagworm ..........................................................65 Using Degree Day Accumulation for Improving Balsam Fir Sawfly .............................................66 Timing of Insect Pest Management .............22 European Pine Sawfly ......................................67 Where to Get Help ...............................................25 Grasshoppers ...................................................69 How to Submit Materials for Identification ......25 Gypsy Moth ......................................................70 Digital Images .....................................................25 Introduced Pine Sawfly ....................................72 3 CONTENTS Page Page Jack Pine Budworm .........................................73 Scleroderris Canker ........................................ 117 Northern Conifer Tussock Moth Sirococcus Shoot Blight ................................. 118 (see Pine Tussock Moth) Sphaeropsis Shoot Blight and Canker Pine Chafer (Anomala Beetle) ........................... 74 (see Diplodia