INSECTS AFFECTING FORESTS IN ARKANSAS

Oct 2013

USDA Forest Service, Southern Region, Forest Health Protection

Joe Pase, Texas A&M Forest Service

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Most Damaging Insects The most well known pest of southern

pines is the Southern Pine Beetle The SPB currently is in outbreak

status in Mississippi. Efforts to find SPB in Arkansas through trapping have found very low numbers.

The trap numbers are not zero, but have not been more than ten SPB in any one trap/date

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SPB in Mississippi

More than 1000 SPB spots detected More than 80% treated or have gone

inactive Most treated with cut and leave due

to problems with the market Funding from federal sources

difficult to organize and procure due to budget constraints

Thinning study says there are positive benefits to thinning pulpwood size timber to reduce SPB hazard.

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SRS Bark Beetles

Southern Pine Beetle

Black Turpentine Beetle

Pine Engraver Beetles

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SRS Bark Beetles

Bark beetles have four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Note there are several larval stages (called instars). As the larvae feed, they grow in size. Once beetles reach the adult stage, they never increase in size.

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SRS Bark Beetles

Bark Beetle Activity Is Often Associated with Lightning Strikes

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Some Common External signs of Pine Bark Beetle

ActivityPitch TubesBoring Dust

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Southern Pine Beetle

Winding S-shaped galleries typical of SPB

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Southern Pine Beetle

Completes 7 generations per yearSPB outbreaks are cyclic, reaching outbreaks

every 7-9 years, or longer (last outbreak in AR ended in 1995)

Multiple-tree infestations may expand rapidly without control

Prompt direct control can reduce losses by 90%

Slow growing or injured trees are most prone to initial attack

Even healthy pines will be attacked and killed as infestations expand

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Southern Pine Beetle

Active SPB Infestation

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Ips Engraver Beetles

Ips Kill; Single Tree

Ips Top Kill

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Ips Engraver Beetles

Scattered attack pattern typical of pine engraver

beetles

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SRS Defoliators

It can be said that for every tree there is a worm.(Theophrastus, ca. 300 BC)

Joe Pase, Texas A&M Forest Service

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Fall Webworm

Fall webworms build webbing around branches where they are feeding. They feed on a variety of hardwoods as well as cypress (left photo).

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Fall Webworm

Young larvae of fall webworms skeletonize the leaves.

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Gypsy Moth

Introduced, exotic pest from Europe

Moved SE from NY to VA and threatening NC

Prefer oaks, basswood, birch, poplar, sweetgum, etc.

Defoliation is mid-summer, June and July

No damage threshold

Mark Robinson,US Forest Service,

www.Forestry Images

Haruta Ovidiu, Univ. of Oradea, www.Forestry Images

Jon Yuschock, www.Forestry Images

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Gypsy Moth

Egg masses may be present over winter until April-May

Larvae present June-July Adult moths present

late July-August

Jim Occi, BugPics, www.Forestry Images

Steve Katovich,US Forest Service,

www.Forestry Images

John Ghent, US Forest Service, www.Forestry Images

USDA APHIS, PPQ, www.Forestry Images

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Eastern Tent Caterpillar Forest

Tent Caterpillar

Forest tent caterpillars (“foot prints” along back) don’t make tents

Eastern tent caterpillar

Eastern tent caterpillar

Forest tent caterpillar

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Eggs that have hatched

Tent caterpillars overwinter as eggs encircling twigs of host plants

Eggs that have not hatched

Eastern Tent Caterpillar Forest Tent Caterpillar

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Eastern Tent CaterpillarForest Tent Caterpillar

Forest tent caterpillar can defoliate thousands of acres of bottomland mixed hardwood forest in many areas of the southern U.S.

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The eastern tent caterpillar is especially fond of wild cherry, plum, and hawthorn. Distinct tents can be found in the early spring at branch junctions.

Eastern Tent Caterpillar Forest Tent Caterpillar

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The eastern tent caterpillar larvae are easily identified by the solid, light-colored line down the center of their back.

Eastern Tent Caterpillar

Forest Tent Caterpillar

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Defoliat

ors

Complex of Fall Defoliators

Orangestriped oakworm

Spiny oakworm

Pinkstriped oakworm

Yellownecked caterpillar

Walnut caterpillar

Maybe some others

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Defoliators

Walnut Caterpillar

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Defoliat

ors

Walnut Caterpillar

WALKINGSTICKS

WALKINGSTICK DEFOLIATION

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SRS Boring Insects

15026 Red oak borer 15065 Nantucket pine tip

moth 15087 Emerald ash borer

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Red Oak Borer

Round-headed borer

Almost exclusively on red oaks, occasionally on white oaks

Mostly an issue with lumber degrade, but associated with oak decline (later)

Two-year life cycle Adults emerge

mostly in odd numbered years

Joe Pase,Texas A&M Forest

Service

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Red Oak Borer

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Red Oak Borer

Emergence holes are large and round

Warty bark defects may be prior generation damage that the tree has closed over

Fresh attacks or emergence holes can be sappy

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Nantucket Pine Tip Moth

Young pine and Christmas tree plantations (1-5 years old) are very susceptible. Larvae bore in growing tips of terminal and lateral branches.

Ronald F. Billings, Texas A&M Forest Service, www.Forestry Images

James A. Richmond, USDA Forest Service, www.Forestry Images

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SRS Nantucket Pine

Tip Moth

Young pine plantation showing heavy tip moth infestation

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SRS Asian Longhorned

BeetleAsian longhorned beetle has not yet been found in the South, but the threat of introduction from the northeast or Ohio is substantial.

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Asian Longhorned Beetle

In the South, there is a longhorned beetle that is somewhat similar to the Asian Longhorned beetle. The cottonwood borer is a native beetle that infests cottonwood and willow. It is usually not considered a serious pest. Every year we get calls from a person who says they have found the Asian longhorned beetle, but it has always been the cottonwood borer.

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SRSEmerald Ash Borer, A Coming Problem for Arkansas

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SRS Emerald Ash

Borer

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SRSEAB Map 2013

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SRS EAB 2013

ONF FLT

Many others joining in the “Don’t Move Firewood” campaign

ONF FLT

ONF FLT

Firewood Poster:‘generic’ version in use in Region 8 (Including AR)

Will EAB Become a Problem in Arkansas?1. There are 224,910 acres of WRP plantings in Arkansas.2. There are 278,182 acres of WRP plantings in LA3. There are 176,948 acres of WRP plantings in Mississippi

ONF FLT

EAB Purple Trap

ONF FLT

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Authors This presentation assembled by:

Dale A. Starkey, Plant Pathologist and Forest Health Monitoring Program Manager, USDA Forest Service, Southern Region, Forest Health Protection

H. Joe Pase,(photography) Entomologist, Texas A&M Forest Service

James D. Smith, Entomologist, USFA Forest Service,

Southern Region, FHP October, 2013