In 2015, an outbreak of the yellow-poplar leaf mining weevil caused widespread browning and defoliation of yellow-poplar trees in western N.C. The event was unexpected, as this native insect causes insignificant damage most years. Now, three years later, this weevil is popping up once again. The yellow-poplar leaf mining weevil can be found throughout the […]
In 2002, an uninvited guest made itself at home in the U.S. when the redbay ambrosia beetle was unintentionally introduced near Savannah, GA. By itself, the beetle would probably not be a big deal. However, it carries with it a deadly weapon: a fungus capable of killing redbay trees and other plants in the laurel […]
They say “don’t sweat the small stuff”, but as laurel wilt continues to spread in North Carolina, some may begin to question that advice. A microscopic fungal spore carried by a beetle about the size of a poppy seed is killing trees across our coastal plains landscape. And there’s not much we can do about […]