r:oRES1 PEST SURVEY REPORT PEST REPORT Virginia Division of Forestry P. 0, Box 3758 Charlottesville, VA 22903 January, 1983 GENERAL: The Gypsy moth remains the The USDA reports that treatments aimed number one pest of immediate concern in at eradication were applied to 38 Virginia; activity centers around isolated infestations in 14 States in finalizing plans by the Virginia 1982, including Oregon, Washington, Department of Agriculture and Consumer California, North and South Carolina, Services (VDACS) to assist by Alabama, Arkansas and Indiana. cost-sharing in suppression of low-level populations in northern In West Virginia, moderate to heavy Virginia; the method of treatment of defoliation is expected in localized scattered spot infestations in and areas in and around Harper's Ferry and around Richmond, Gloucester and Handcock, MD.; West Virginia has Northumberland Counties and in the applied for Federal funds for a Norfolk area. Proposed quarantined suppression project in 1983. areas for 1983 (from which a group of "restricted articles" could not move to Tigner found large numbers of egg uninfested areas without official masses at WV line (Rt. 9) and on Short inspection) include the counties of Hill Mountain in Loudoun County in Frederick, Clarke, Loudoun, Warren, December, but little evidence of high Fauquier, Fairfax, Prince William, populations west of Winchester along Stafford, including Arlington and the WV border. The VDACS is continuing Alexandria, plus the northern half of their egg mass survey in northern Shenandoah County and the Northwest Virginia and in and around larval finds edge of Culpeper County. Citizens in the more isolated infestations. As within these areas will be notified of of December 5, 1982 the VDACS had the quarantine restrictions when the found: borders are finalized by late February, County/ II Larval II Egg Egg Mass The annual inspection of Christmas tree City Sites Masses Sites lots in Virginia for egg masses of the Arlington 47 10 -r GM was completed by the VDACS in Clarke 8 40 7 mid-December, 1982, From 546 sales Fairfax 302 101 43 lots visited and 214,000 trees Fauquier 12 16 9 inspected, only 8 lots were not in Frederick 4 l l compliance with certification Loudoun 38 32 6 requirements. Only one sales lot, in Pr. William 61 Tidewater, was infested with egg Stafford 3 2 2 masses, where 15 trees were destroyed. Warren 2 1 1 CUlpeper 3 4 2 Shenandoah 3 Several locations with significant egg of applying various intervention mass densities noted by VDACS strategies, such as insecticides, inspectors include 16 at Clarke County virus, parasites, etc. to selected Fairgrounds; 17 at one location areas. Extensive monitoring of the vicinity of, Shenandoah Retreat (Clarke gypsy moth populations and an extensive Co.); 1 at Oak Grove Campground data base on forest types, recreation (Westmoreland Co.); 1 at intersection areas, watersheds and infestation Rts. 748 and 610 (West.Co.); scattered centers will be developed. egg masses in small numbers noted through Fauquier, in Culpeper (Catalpa) The Southern Pine Beetle is the second 3 in Spotsylvania (I-95 Rest Stop); 2 pest warrantingconcern for 1983, in Gloucester Co.(Bena). Although bark samples taken in the late summer and early fall of 1982 at the A meeMng sponsored by the VDACS to Naval Weapons Station and Pocahontas -1cquaint city and County administrators State Forest indicate only a moderate .,f the cost-sharing proposal for GM level of activity in 1983, samples from ·,uppression was held in Fairfax on Dec. several other areas (New Kent, Halifax 2. With only $50,000 available from the and King and Queen Counties) show State for 1983, the proposal calls for attack to emergence ratios of 1:4 to no cost-sharing for manpower--only 1:8, indicating a continuing and chemicals, blologicals, traps, etc. increasing problem in those areas in would qualify. Alexandria has 1983. Recent aerial survey flights by allocated $30,000 to $40,000 for gypsy district personnel in Halifax County moth suppression in 1983, which will (26 new spots); in Cumberland County include purchase of a sprayer. (2 spots); Lunenburg Co.CO); New Kent (1), Charles City (0) and James City '.!'he TJSFS has been conducting egg mass (4) indicate a potential upswing in searches on federal land where multiple activity. Severe damage also reported male moth catches or larval sightings on Colonial Parkway at Williamsburg. were noted in summer of 1982, Recent SPB and turpentine beetles also f:lnds include several masses at Prince reported in a new spot (10 trees) in William Forest Park (Prince William Virginia Beach and in 6 trees Sussex County); several at Quantico Marine Co. Base, Quantico, VA; 22 along the George Washington Memorial Parkway; Wolf Trap In the second halt of 1982, VDF Park (5); Manassas Natlonal Battlefield surveyors conducted aerial Park (52). No egg masses were found reconnaissance for SPB (1,475,325 A.), following searches at Fort Story, gypsy moth (1,206, 900 A) other hardwood Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, defoliators (952,630 A.) and oak wilt the Dismal Swamp NWR, and Little Creek (558,770 A); ground surveys were Naval Amphibious Base. conducted for the introduced pine sawfly (73,314A), Virginia pine sawfly A new Gypsy Moth Committee is being and associated species (32,000 A); cone organized at Virginia Tech by Dr. and seed insects (220 A.); nursery Sidney Poe. A brainstorming session by pests (100 A); white pine blister rust top scientists on future gypsy moth (1006 A) and pinewood nematodes (3A). research needs is scheduled at PA State Evaluations ranging from relatively University February 1-2, primarily to simple to rather complex were completed gain support for funding of research for the SPB, cone and seed insects, proposals. chestnut blight, mycorrhizal plots, white pine blister rust, gypsy moth and The IPM Pilot Project in Maryland has sweetfern blister rust. been funded with $500,000 (USFS Pest Management & Research) for 1983. The As a result of our federally funded project will explore the practicality evaluation/demonstration of machinery suitable for thinning pine stands, Ray Martin, a pulpwood dealer with a lence (lessened virulence :Ln the host). yard in Victoria, purchased a Case Mycovirus strains that J.na::;tivate or Uniloader (modiHed for woods work with kill the host can be a problem (in shear) for harvesting and thinning mushroom production) and an asset work# (inactivation of the Chestnut blight fungus). Virginia has received special use labels for two chemicals used for Sticky bands to catch (and predict rodent control in such commerci.al population trends) of the fall . products as ROZOL and MR.• RAT GUARD II cankerworm have been evaluated (except (conta1ns chlorophacinone) and a second at Bull Run). Heavy defoliation is product containing 2% zinc phosphide e:tpected at Iron Mt. (Smythe/Grayson (in pelleted form), available in Cos.) and moderate to heavy defoliation products such as ZP Rodent Bait. The of Middle Fork of Helton Creek and Pine Zinc Phosphide is about 40¢ a pound, Mt. (Grayson Co.) and at High Knob the materials containing (Wise Co.) Pocosin Cabin (Greene Co. chlorophacinone about $1.25/pound; the on Shenandoah National Park is expected latter is considered more effective but to suffer moderate to heavy defoliation is more toxic to other animals. in 1983. Light defoHation expected at Hidden Valley Lake in Washington Co. Introduced pine sawfly cocoons and at Mountain Lake in Giles Co. collected by Severt in several locations in SW Virginia in early Nov. REPORTS FROM FORESTED DISTRICTS: 1982 showed 31% parasitism by Rainfall - Portsmouth 3.78";Courtland Monodontomeris dentipes (100 cocoon 2.51"; Accomac 4.58" (November). sample.) The smaller (male) cocoons Portsmo•ith 61. 54"; Courtland 4 7. 96"; showed noticeably higher parasitism, Accomac 51. 91" (December). Southern most probably because the males spin Pine Beetle & Black Turpentine beetle earlier than the female larvae. found in Virginia Beach on Loblolly (10 trees); Shot.hole Borer - Chesapeake, 6 A recent Canadian publication li.uks the white oak; Turpentine beetle 011 pine in ~ffects of climate on population Virginia Beach. outbreaks and declines of a number of defoliators of conifers and hardwoods, Halifax reports red headed pine sawfly The forest tent caterpillar, spruce damage; Beaver damage to planted hudworm and jackpine budworm were found stands. SPBB activity in Cumberland to be favored by warm weather during County on 5 acres; City of Williamsburg May to July and August to October. Two reports i+ acres. Sussex Co.- SPBB on other major pests--the large aspen 6 trees. White Pine aphid infested 16 tortrix and the larch sawfly--are acres in Floyd County and Dogwood twig favored by cool weather during May to borer in Indian Valley on one July. dogwood. An excellent summary article on Myco­ C. L, Morris, Chief viruses in fungi i.s found in "Plant Insect & Disease Brauch Disease", Vol. 66(12)p.1106 (Dec. 1/24/83 REPORTS FROM FORESTED 1982). It points out that viruses in DISTRICTS: Ra infail""- Salem - .fungi are as common as in vertebrates 2.9l"(Sept), 4.62" (Oct) Staunton - and flowering plants. In some genera 1. 9 ° of fungi, such as Penicillium and Aspergillus, most of the species examined have been virus-infected, whereas in other fungal genera viruses have not been found so far. The presence of a mycovirus in a. fungus does not necessarily imply hypoviru- .. , A ( FOREST PEST ·REPORT' r le . Vi~ginia Division of Forestry ' · · · P. 0 . .Sox 37:'.>8 · Cna~.1.ottesv~lle, VA 2290J-07Jv . April, 17U 3 ,. ~ GtHEitAL: Unusual.ly warm ueatu~;. in GYSl'Y t,~0'1'11: \;inter deli be ..· at ions tlle late fall of l,ol a1ic, in :,1·a:.:ch over 7 stat,e and loc.al governments are speedect 11atcl1ir,i,-; of _at least one p1.ne ready to do &att.Le · \~ :1th tne [;ypsy uefo l.1.ato~, t tie VJ.rginia pir~e sawfly, ·: moth, exp.ected to· hatch in no:.: t i1.ern· 'virginia Hl late Aprii.