Insectary Notes JULY/AUGUST 2004

Editor’s Overview

Didn’t I just send out one of these things? The summer has flown by and once again we have an article-packed issue of the Insectary Notes. To answ er some questions about the scorched look of our roadside alders, I’ve w ritten a Focus on the Alder Flea . Say W hat and Quotes . . . And it’s time again for the yearly Focus Index ... an alphabetical attempt at listing the Things it took me years to learn ... articles from July 1993 to July 2004. This is a good page to “ tab” in your Notes binder. The one thing that unites all human beings, Thanks again to long-time friend of the regardless of age, gender, religion, economic newsletter, Gerald Gloade, w ho sent me the status, or ethnic background, is that deep down classic text from the Abbott and Costello “Who’s inside, we all believe that w e are above-average On First” skit ... the updated version. There are drivers. days I feel I’m living the “ Who’s on First” Universe. There is a very fine line betw een “ hobby” and Thanks to everyone who sent me their email “ mental illness” . addresses. Our electronic mailing list cont inue to grow. If you had to identify, in one w ord, the reason w hy the human race has not achieved, and w ill never achieve, its full potential, that w ord would be “ meetings” .

PDO PEST ALERT

Be on the lookout for defoliated balsam fir ... After investigating recent reports of suspicious damage/brow ning of balsam fir in the Cape Breton Highlands, IPM staff have confirmed an outbreak of the Eastern Blackheaded Budw orm as w ell as Whit emarked Tussock Moth. These have caused light to moderate damage to older fir stands in the ‘Til next month Fielding/Centre/Miners Road area of the Jacqui Highlands. Jacqui Gordon If you notice any defoliated stands of Editor balsam fir, please let us know. You can contact Bob Guscott at 758.7215.

Telephone: 902 758 701 4 or 7015 or 7070 or 7069 Fax: 902 758 321 0 2 Insectary Notes July/August 2004

Insect Focus Jacqui Gordon It’s the time of year w hen we notice the alders on the side of the road taking a real beating. Although the general opinion on alders can range from scourge of the earth to a welcome privacy screen, many w onder what is happening to them and will they recover.

Alder ( ambiens)

The alder flea beetle (aka the alder Control or the alder leaf flea beetle) can be found across Canada. The feeding of the larvae and adults Generally no control is recommended as alders will cause the leaf damage that is evident now. usually recover from the defoliation.

Description Adults can be prevented from entering houses by The adult beetle is oval-shaped and about 5mm patching holes in screens, filling cracks around long. The colour ranges from cobalt blue to windows, and blocking any other sources of entry. metallic blue-green. The larvae are about 8mm long w hen mature. They are brown to black on the upperside and Along with a couple of good images of larval yellowish underneath. The head is shiny black. feeding, this site has many other forestry images. Life History There is one generation per year. The winter is http://www.forestryimages.org/browse/ spent in t he adult form. In the fall, the adults seek out a place for hibernation in the leaf litter. If no subimages.cfm suitable spot can be found in leaf litter, a nearby shed or house can provide shelter. This is w hen References they can become a nuisance to homeow ners. In the spring, the adults come out of Rose, A.H. and Lindquist, O.H. 1982. Insects of hibernat ion, resume feeding, and eventually lay Eastern Hardw oods. Canadian Forestry Service, eggs on the foliage. The larvae are most often Forestry Technical Report 29. seen from mid-June to late August. They feed in groups and skeletonize the upper and underside of Johnson, W.T. and Lyon, H.H. 1988. Insects That the leaf surface. Pupation occurs and the adult Feed on Trees and Shrubs, 2nd Edition. Comstock emerge. Publishing Associates, Cornell University Press. The adults feed on the remaining leaves for a brief time and then find a cozy spot to spend the w inter. Project Update Damage The larvae feed in groups on the upper and West Nile Virus underside of the leaf surface and skeletonize the Jeff Ogden entire leaf. Adult beetles chew holes in the leaves. The survey for mosquitos and WNV inf ected The damage gives the leaves a scorched birds continues. As of 2 September 2004, there appearance. have been no positive dead birds found in NS. 402 In the fall, the adults can become a nuisance as birds have been sent for testing. 17 pools of they seek out a place to spend the w int er. When mosquitos have been sent for testing. All have populations are high they can enter homes and come back negative. out-buildings in great numbers. Although they do Mosquito surveys and bird testing w ill continue no physical damage, their presence alone causes until 1 October 2004. concern. Insectary Notes July/August 2004 3 Insect Focus Index ...... July 1993-July 2004

Another year gone by and it’s time for the annual index of Insect Focus articles. If you are missing any articles of interest, just give me a call at (902) 758-7014 and I’ll send out the copies.

Ages of Trees ...... Apr 2000 European Pine Shoot Moth ...... Sept 1996 Alder Flea Beetle ...... July/Aug 2004 European Spruce Bark Beetle ..... Sept 1996 American Dog Tick ..... Apr 99, May/Apr 02 Fall Cankerworm ...... Oct 1993 Ants in Lawns ...... July 1998 False Pow derpost Beetles ...... Jan 1994 Asian Longhorn Beetle ...... Aug 98, July 99 Fleas ...... Feb 94, May 98 Asian Gypsy Moth ...... Nov 1993 Forest Insect & Disease Survey .... May 1999 Bacillus thuringiensis ...... May 1996 Forest Tent Caterpillar ...... May 1994 Bagworm Moths ...... July 1994 Fruit Flies ...... Oct/Nov 98, Aug 99 Balsam Fir Sawfly ...... Sept 1998 Fungus Midge ...... Dec 2000 Balsam Gall Midge ...... May 1999 Giant Garden Slug ...... Oct 1996 Balsam Twig Aphid ...... June 1999 Giant Water Bug ...... June 1998 Balsam Woolly Adelgid .... Apr 98, Jan/Feb 01 Gouty Oak Gall ...... May/June 2001 Balsam Fir Decline ...... Nov 1999 Great Grey Slug ...... Oct 1996 Bed Bug ...... May 1998 Greenstriped Maplew orm ...... July 1995 Beech Bark Disease ...... Dec 1999 Ground Beetles ...... May/June 2001 Biocontrol of Purple Loosestrife . Feb 97, Mar 97 Gypsy Moth ...... June 1994 Biting Insects ...... June 95,May/June 00 Gypsy Moth Biocontrol ...... Jan 1997 Black-legged Tick ...... July/Aug 2002 Gypsy Moth in NS ...... Mar 1995 Black Vine Weevil ...... Jan/Feb 2001 Hairy Chinch Bug ...... July 1999 Blow Flies ...... Aug 1999 Hardw ood Discolouration ...... Aug 1999 Brown Spruce Longhorn Beetle .... July 2000 Hemlock Borer ...... May/Jun 2004 Brow ntail Moth ...... Jan 1999 Hemlock Looper ... Aug 93, Nov 94, Sept/Oct 02 Bruce Spanw orm ...... Oct 1993 Hylobius weevil ...... Apr 1997 Bug Zappers Exposed ...... July 96, June 98 Hypoxylon Canker of Poplar ....Mar/Apr 2003 Carpenter Ants ...... Oct 1994 Ice Damage ...... March 1998 Carpet Beetle ...... May/June 2003 Indian Meal Moth ...... Mar/Apr 2004 Chinch Bugs ...... July 1999 Insects as Food ...... Jan 1996 Clust er Flies ...... Dec 1993 Jack-O-Lantern Fungi ...... May 1995 Deathw atch Beetles ...... Jan 1994 Ladybird Beetles ...... Sept/Oct 2001 Deer Tick ...... July/Aug 2002 Ladybugs ...... Sept/Oct 2001 Drugstore Beetles ...... Feb 1999 Larder Beetle ...... Jan 1995 Due Diligence ...... Feb 1996 Leatherjackets ...... June 96, May/June 02 Earwigs ...... Apr 1995 Lice ...... Oct 94, July/Aug 01 Eastern Blackheaded Budworm ..... Oct 1997 Longhorned Beetles ...... Jan 94, Aug 00 Eastern Dwarf Mistletoe ...... Sept 1994 Maggots Nurse Wounds ...... Feb 1996 Eastern Spruce Beetle ...... July 1993 Millipedes ...... Oct 1999 Eastern Tent Caterpillar ...... May 1994 Mimic ...... Dec 1994 Emerald Ash Borer ...... Jan/Feb 2003 Moisture Stress ...... May 1998 European Marsh Crane Fly . June 96, May/June 02 Mosquito Magnetism ...... July 1997 4 Insectary Notes July/August 2004 Mosquitoes ...... May/June 2000 The Provincial Entomologist’s Moth Flies ...... Dec 2000 ..... No-see-ums ...... July/August 2002 Notes and New s .... Pale Winged Grey ...... Jan/Feb 2004 T According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the People Pressure Diseases .... Aug 96, Nov 96 Dog Days of Summer are over ... this of course means hurricane season is here. I think I’ll board Pine Shoot Beetle ...... March 1999 up my office w indow now! Pine Spittlebug ...... July 1996 The insect situation has not been bad so far Pitcher Plant ...... June 1994 this year. The hot, muggy w eather has brought Plantwatch ...... Mar 2000 more biting flies on line and, despite how some callers felt, I am not responsible for those “ clouds Pseudoscorpians ...... April 1996 of mosquitoes that darken the sky” . I am but the Rosy Maple Moth ...... July 1995 bearer of bad news. Salt Damage ...... Mar/Apr 2001 Ants still remain the front & centre problem for Satin Moth ...... June 1997 many homeowners, especially carpenter & field Saw flies on Conifers ...... July 1996 ants. I can find no one in Canada w orking with this insect group. While working my way through some Seedling Debarking Weevil ...... Apr 1997 rather out-of-date identification keys, I did manage Silverfish ...... April 1999 to draw up more of “ Eric’s Rules of Insect Snow Fleas .... March 94, Feb 98, Jan/Feb 02 Systematics.” (See Bits & Pieces) Sowbugs ...... Nov 95, Dec 99 White pine has been hit hard this year with a Spiders ...... Sept/Oct 1995 number of different pests. White Pine Weevil & White Pine Blister Rust are the number one insect Springtails ...... Mar 94, Jan/Feb 02 & disease (respectively) that have been causing Springtime & Wildfire ...... Mar 1996 distress for property ow ners. Spruce Budworm ...... Sept 1993 The news regarding the emerald ash borer in Spruce Beetle (Eastern) ..... July 93, Mar 95 Ontario isn’ t good. This alien insect w as expected Spruce Cone Maggot ...... June 1994 to kill all the ash trees in the Windsor in five years. How ever, the infestation is moving much faster Straw berry Root Weevil ...... Dec 2000 than expected & it is now predicted that all the Sugar Maple Borer ...... Mar/Apr 2001 ash trees in this area will be dead in 18 mont hs. Sw iss Needlecast ...... May 1996 Work crew s removing dead & dying trees cannot Toxic House Plants ...... Feb 1999 keep up w ith the beetle, despite their best efforts. Tree Banding ...... June 95, Nov 99 It is now expected that the emerald ash borer will destroy 20% of the tree cover in Essex County Tree Injury ...... Aug 96, Nov 96 w here Windsor is located. True Pow derpost Beetles ...... Jan 1994 The good new s is that the humid w eather has Western Conifer Seed Bug ... May/June 2001 resulted in a couple of building insect populations White Grubs ...... Sept 1999 being hit w ith disease. Pockets of gypsy moth in White Pine Weevil ...... Aug 1994 the western region of NS have suffered high mortality. The Pale Winged Grey (also in the Whitemarked Tussock Moth ...... Jan 1998 Western Region) has been struck down in areas Whit espot ted Saw yer ...... July 2000 w here it had high population numbers. For both Winter Caterpillars ...... Feb 1998 insect s the disease agent seems to be a fungus. Winter Insects ...... Feb 95, Feb 99 I am an opt imist , by nature. How ever a Winter Moth ...... Oct 1993 definition by James Cabell made me think how others may look at me. “ An optimist proclaims that Woolly Alder Aphid ...... Sept 97 w e live in the best of all possible worlds ... the Yellow -bellied Sapsucker ...... July 1996 pessimist fears this is true.” Yellowheaded Spruce Sawfly ...... Aug 2000 ‘Til next time, Yellowjackets & Paper Wasps ..... Sept 2000 Eric Eric Georgeson, Provincial Entomologist Insectary Notes July/August 2004 5

Costello: Which w ord in office for w indow s? Bits and Pieces Abbott: The Word you get w hen you click the blue In today’s world, Bud ABBOTT and Lou “W”. COSTELLO’s famous sketch “ Who’s on first/” might Costello: I’m going to click your blue “ W” if you don’t have turned out something like this ... st art w ith some st raight answ ers. OK, forget that . Costello calls to buy a computer from Abbott ... Can I w atch movies on t he Int ernet? Abbott: SuperDuper computer store. Can I help you? Abbot t: Yes, you w ant Real One. Cost ello: Thanks. I’ m set ting up an of fice in my den Cost ello: Maybe a real one, maybe a cart oon. What I and I’m thinking about buying a computer. w atch is none of your business. Just tell me w hat I Abbott: Mac? need! Costello: No, the name’s Lou. Abbot t: Real One. Abbott: Your computer? Cost ello: If it’ s a long movie I also w ant to see reel Cost ello: I don’ t ow n a computer. I w ant to buy one. 2,3, & 4. Can I watch them? Abbott: Mac? Abbot t: Of course. Costello: I told you, my name’s Lou. Cost ello: Great! With w hat ? Abbott: What about Window s? Abbot t: Real One. Cost ello: Why? Will it get st uf fy in here? Costello: OK, I’m at my computer and I want to Abbott: Do you w ant a computer with Window s? w atch a movie. What do I do? Costello: I don’ t know . What w ill I see w hen I look in Abbot t: You click the blue “ 1” . the w indow s? Cost ello: I click the blue one w hat ? Abbott: Wallpaper. Abbott: The blue “1". Cost ello: Never mind t he w indow s. I need a computer Cost ello: Is t hat different from the blue w ? and softw are. Abbott: The blue “ 1" is Real One and the blue “ W” is Abbott: Softw are for Window s? Word. Cost ello: No. On the computer! I need something I can Costello: What w ord? use to w rite proposals, track expenses, and run my Abbott: The Word in Office for Window s. business. What have you got? Costello: But there’s three w ords in “ office for Abbot t: Office. w indow s” ! Costello: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend Abbott: No, just one. But it’s the most popular Word anything? in the world. Abbott: I just did. Costello: It is? Cost ello: You just did w hat ? Abbot t: Yes, to be fair, there aren’ t many ot her Abbott: Recommend something. Words in the w orld. Costello: You recommended something? Cost ello: And that w ord is real one? Abbott: Yes. Abbot t: Real One has nothing to do w ith W ord. Real Cost ello: For my of fice? One isn’ t even part of Office. Abbott: Yes. Costello: STOP! Don’t start that again. What about Cost ello: OK, w hat did you recommend for my of fice? financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track Abbot t: Office. my money w ith? Cost ello: Yes, for my of fice! Abbott: Money. Abbott: I recommend Office w ith Window s. Cost ello: That’ s right . What do you have? Costello: I already have an office with w indow s! OK, Abbott: Money. lets just say I’m sitting at my computer and I want to Cost ello: I need money to t rack my money? type a proposal. What do I need? Abbott: It comes bundled w ith your computer. Abbott: Word. Costello: What’s bundled w ith my computer? Costello: What w ord? Abbott: Money. Abbot t: Word in Office. Costello: Money comes w ith my computer? Cost ello: The only w ord in office is office. Abbot t: Yes. No extra charge. Abbott: The Word in Office for Window s. (contd L) 6 Insectary Notes July/August 2004

Costello: I get a bundle of money w ith my computer? The Dogwood Saw fly How much? Eric Georgeson Abbott: One copy. Cost ello: Isn’ t it illegal to copy money? Recently, Susan Hurzowy sent in some sawfly Abbot t: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money. larvae found on a dogwood tree. Much to my Cost ello: They can give you a license to copy money? dismay, I was unable to identify the beast right Abbott: Why not? THEY OWN IT! aw ay. It w ould have been bad enough if this w as a small dark coloured nondescript larva but no, this was bright yellow underneath with rows of black A few days later ... spots on top and over 27mm long! After a bit of Abbott: SuperDuper computer store. Can I help you? searching I identified it as the Dogw ood Saw fly. (I Costello: How do I turn my computer off? knew I should have guessed at the name w hen I Abbott: Click on “START ...... first saw the darn thing!) The Latin name for this insect is Macremphytus tarsatus (Say). The adults emerge betw een the first Eric’s Laws of Insect of June and the middle of July. The f emale can lay Systematics up to 100 eggs on the underside of a single leaf. 1. Latin names are never After egg hatch, the young larvae feed together on spelled the way you think the leaf. After the second molt, the larvae become they should be. covered with what looks like a white powder and 2. Any insect w ith a species begin to consume entire leaves except for the name of perplexus or midvein. The final molt is when the larvae look like confusus w ill not be fun to key out. what I have described above and when they have 3. If the insect’s identification depends on a one last burst of feeding frenzy. And now is also specific structure then that w ill be the part that got w hen the homeow ner notices the leaves disappear broken off. off the dogw ood. The larvae soon drop out of the 4. Beware of those key couplets that are longer tree and go in search of a place to overwinter. The than 500 w ords. larvae like to hibernate in rotting w ood but even 5. Do not drink and key insects at the same time. this can be a problem f or t he homeow ner. If they 6. The only specimen, in some drawers of hundreds can find no rotting boards on the ground then they of specimens, that gets eaten by a crazed larder w ill happily burrow int o composition w ood fiber beetle is the determined specimen from Ottaw a. w allboard or even clapboard siding. This is bad 7. Bew are of those couplets that end in “ None of enough but woodpeckers can detect the larvae in the above” . the wood and in the process of getting a meal do 8. Any key that is longer than 300 couplets will be furt her damage to the side of the house. tw o weeks of your life well wasted. (If you’re It is thought that the colour changes of the lucky) larvae is for protection. The w hite colour of the younger larvae looks like bird dropping and this w ould fool its enemies. The same w ith the spotted Insectary Notes colouration of the last larval instar. It helps the larva to blend into the duff and litter under the bushes. July/August 2004 To try this out, I took some larvae home and Published by: dropped 20 under my dogw ood tree. Then retreated Integrated Pest Management off to one side and gave them tw o minutes to NS Dept of Natural Resources disappear. While w aiting it daw ned on me t hat PO Box 130 Shubenacadie perhaps I hadn’t thought out this part of the Nova Scotia, B0N 2H0 experiment far enough ahead. After scampering Insectary Notes is published six times per year for back to the bush I found that it w as true t hey employees of the Dept. of Natural Resources, those certainly could blend in well for only four could be found. Upon reflection I realized I didn’t like that interested in forestry and forest insects, and bush very much anyw ay and the good new s is I entomologists. Subscriptions are free. should have no shortage of saw flies to work w ith Editor: Jacqui Gordon Subscriptions: (902) 758-7014 next summer at home.