Scale Insects
Scale insects are a peculiar group and look quite different from the typical insects we encounter day to day. Small, immobile, with no visible legs or antennae, they resemble individual fish scales pressed tightly against the plant on which they ... [... more]
Virginia Tech Extension |
Hickory Leaf Stem Gall Aphid
The Hickory Leaf Stem Gall Aphid (HLSG) damages trees by causing the development of galls, or swellings, on petioles and occasionally new shoots of hickory. In spring and early summer the galls are green, leathery, and bullet shaped, varying in ... [... more]
Virginia Tech Extension |
Balsam Twig Aphid
PLANTS ATTACKED: Balsam fir, Fraser fir, Siberian fir, Subalpine fir, White spruce, Colorado blue spruce, and Juniper DESCRIPTION OF DAMAGE: Twisted and curled needles are the most apparent damage from feeding by the balsam twig aphid. Feeding ... [... more]
Virginia Tech Extension |
Pine Bark Adelgid
The pine bark adelgid was introduced from Europe and is now widely distributed in North America, occurring principally throughout the native range of eastern white pine. This insect is also found on Scots and Austrian pine. Adelgids feed on tree ... [... more]
Virginia Tech Extension |
Aphid
Aphids, or plant lice, are small, soft-bodied insects which are common pests of nearly all indoor and outdoor ornamental plants, as well as vegetables, field crops, and fruit trees. There are hundreds of different species of aphids, some of which ... [... more]
Virginia Tech Extension |
Cottony Maple Scale
PLANTS ATTACKED: Maples and dogwood primarily, but also many woody ornamentals. DESCRIPTION: Heavily infested plants will have large numbers of scales on the branches and twigs. Large numbers of feeding scales will reduce the amount of nutrients ... [... more]
Virginia Tech Extension |
Gloomy Scale
Primarily red and silver maple; also elm, hackberry, and boxelder. The bark becomes roughened and encrusted with scales. Branches and limbs die back and result in a rapid decline in tree vigor, occasionally resulting in the death of trees. ... [... more]
Virginia Tech Extension |
Oystershell Scale
Bark become cracked and scaly, trees loose vigor, foliage is dwarfed and spotted with yellow. In severe infestations may kill plant. Scale cover resembles small oyster shell. The adults are usually clustered together and in severe infestations ... [... more]
Virginia Tech Extension |
Balsam Woolly Adelgid
Native to central Europe, the balsam woolly adelgid is now distributed throughout eastern and western North America. It attacks all true firs, Abies spp., including balsam and Fraser fir. Introduced from Europe around 1900, the balsam woolly ... [... more]
Virginia Tech Extension |
San Jose Scale
Apple, pear, peach, plum, Osage orange, or ornamental trees and shrubs San Jose scale is one of the most destructive scale insects. Scale insects feed on plant juices by means of long, hollow, needle-like mouthparts inserted into the tissue of ... [... more]
Virginia Tech Extension |
Crop and Soil Environmental News, July 2000
Rod Youngman, Extension Specialist, and Curt Laub, Research Associate, The abundant rainfall this spring and summer has meant near ideal growing conditions for alfalfa in Virginia. Should these rainfall patterns continue through August, many ... [... more]
Virginia Tech Extension |
European Rose Slug
The larvae feeds on the upper surface only, skeletonizing the leaves, only the soft tissue is eaten, leaving the veins and lower epidermal tissues. The larva is yellowish green in color and partially translucent with ingested food causing the ... [... more]
Virginia Tech Extension |
