Landscape Message: Dec 1, 2017

"This is the final Landscape Message of the 2017 season... thanks to all of our readers for your support and continuing interest! Messages will resume in March 2018. To receive immediate notification when the next Landscape Message update is posted, be sure to join our e-mail list."

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• Winter Moth: Operophtera brumata adult emergence has been reported around November 16, 2017 in Hanson, MA (see Southeast Region report) and November 17, 2017 in Boston, MA (see East Region report). A few male winter moths have been observed in flight over the past 7-10 days in Barnstable, MA (see Cape Cod Region report). Overall, it would appear that winter moth adult numbers are relatively low, as was seen in 2016. Dr. Elkinton’s lab also reports that the number of winter moth males caught in traps and winter moth females caught in tree bands remains low, especially when compared to past populations. That being said, winter moth adult activity will continue over the next 3-4 weeks, so more information will become available shortly.

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Gypsy Moth: Lymantria dispar is overwintering in the egg stage as is typical for this insect. Although the caterpillar killing fungus, Entomophaga maimaiga, was thankfully active in the summer of 2017, some caterpillars survived through pupation and into adulthood and were thus able to mate and lay eggs. The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has released the following map of the 2017 defoliation across Massachusetts from gypsy moth, along with numbers of egg masses they counted at various locations across the state. The egg masses represented in their map are from a count of all masses visible on 10 trees (any species) from 1-acre plots. While we cannot accurately predict the population of gypsy moth for 2018, this map serves as a reminder that although the outlook is much better because of the impact of E. maimaiga, gypsy moth will not completely disappear from Massachusetts landscapes next year.

Fall Home-Invading Insects: Various insects, such as ladybugs, boxelder bugs, seed bugs, and stink bugs continue to seek overwintering shelters in warm places, such as homes. While such invaders do not cause any measurable structural damage, they can become a nuisance especially when they are present in large numbers. If you are not willing to share your home with such insects, continue to repair torn window screens, repair gaps around windows and doors, and sure up any other gaps through which they might enter the home. Brown marmorated stink bugs, Halyomorpha halys, are invasive insects that have been found in Massachusetts and can be among the offending home-invading species in the fall. For more information about the brown marmorated stink bug including how they may be distinguished from our native stinkbugs, visit https://www.massnrc.org/pests/pestFAQsheets/brownmarmoratedstinkbug.html(link is external).