submitted by Plantnut nerdus written by Lloyd Eighme, retired entomologist Washington State University You may have wondered what insect cuts such neat circles from the edges of leaves on your rose bush. It makes the leaves look a bit ragged, but I hope you will forgive the little leafcutter bees that do that because they are […]
Dear First Detectors and All, Attached please find the WPDN Fall 2015 News. The news covers: – The bacterium, Xylella fastidiosa, the causal agent of Pierce’s disease in grapes, now found in pear in Oregon and in olive in Apulia, in southeastern Italy. The article discusses the various subspecies of the bacterium, their origin, and […]
Written by Sarah F. The bug in question is a regular old stink bug. The one we are concerned about is the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug or Halyomorpha halys . The specimen does have banded legs and no banding on the abdomen or antannae. It does have positive notches on the pronotum. You can see it […]
contributed by Sarah F. Heads up for these new bugs on the block! Their scientific name is Rhyparochromis vulgaris. A common name is tuxedo bug. They are appearing in large numbers all around the Puget Sound area. They live outside in mulch, stumps, woody debris piles and are fast runners. They like to come into the house […]
Written by Madame Parsley I spend some of each day wandering , looking and learning in my yard. This is today’s magnificent find. I now have them in a jar for I.D. I don’t know who they are or what they are doing with their rear ends are stuck together and I can guess. I […]
These bugs are new to our area. I first saw them last fall around the back door of a farm house in Chimacum by the hundreds. They are much like lady bugs or box elder beetles, if you are familiar with either of those species. They just want to get warm and find a place […]
Written by Linda P. I just took this picture of mature tent caterpillars ready to leave the nest on my Douglas Fir tree…. really early in the year (March 14) … so check your trees and try to catch these buggers before the infestation spreads.
Written by Madame Parsley I was presented this (photo above) at the Yard and Garden Series plant clinic. There are four critters held down with scotch tape in the bag. they qre 1-1.5mm in length. All that was with it was a name , email and phone number. I was told they were “mites” and […]
Written by Madame Parsley The samples were crisp and brittle when they got to us. Three spiders; two of the same species and one smaller and reddish. Many insect are identified by their mouth parts, genitalia, pedipalps, spinnerets, and other body shapes which can be tricky and get as technical as flower or plant ID […]
Written by Jill B. At a recent Jefferson County WSU plant clinic, a client brought in fruit with tiny worms in them. The fruits were blackberry, strawberry and cherry. The plant clinicians suspected Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD). SWD is a soft fruit pest and has been spotted around the PNW since 2009 Since […]
