Landscape Message: September 4, 2020

UMass Extension's Landscape Message is an educational newsletter intended to inform and guide Massachusetts Green Industry professionals in the management of our collective landscape. Detailed reports from scouts and Extension specialists on growing conditions, pest activity, and cultural practices for the management of woody ornamentals, trees, and turf are regular features. The following issue has been updated to provide timely management information and the latest regional news and environmental data.

The Landscape Message will be updated bi-weekly in September. The next message will be available on September 18. To receive immediate notification when the next Landscape Message update is posted, be sure to join our e-mail list.

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Environmental Data

The following data was collected on or about September 2, 2020. Total accumulated growing degree days (GDD) represent the heating units above a 50° F baseline temperature collected via our instruments for the 2020 calendar year. This information is intended for use as a guide for monitoring the developmental stages of pests in your location and planning management strategies accordingly.

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Insects and Other Arthropods of Public Health Concern:

• Mosquitoes: On July 3, 2020 the Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced that the eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus had been detected in mosquitoes in Massachusetts for the first time this year:https://www.mass.gov/news/state-public-health-officials-announce-seasons-first-eee-positive-mosquito-sample-0 . For more information about the first 2020 EEE detection and ways to protect yourself, visit the link above.

For current information, including searchable risk maps for both EEE and WNV in Massachusetts, visit:https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-arbovirus-update

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