UMass Landscape Message August 24, 2007

"Much of Massachusetts is now in need of rain, especially the eastern region. Many trees in coastal Massachusetts appear quite weak right now, and in certain areas they are dying. Two serious events are responsible for this double-whammy. The dying trees are mostly in areas where repeated defoliation has occurred from winter moth and forest tent caterpillar. Now, they are subjected to drought.

The hot dry weather of early August has also encouraged the pests that usually excel under such conditions, namely lacebugs and spider mites. Also, the dry conditions of eastern Massachusetts have resulted in large numbers of hymenoptera, such as yellow jackets. Many of these nest in soil. Without rain to occasionally flood them out, their numbers have increased dramatically at this time. Some nests may have 1000-2000 individual wasps right now. Humans walking on or near an underground nest disturb them greatly whereupon they become very aggressive and territorial. Many incidences of multiple stings have been reported recently."

Claire