July 10, 2015
Emerald Ash Borer Confirmed in Lee County, Iowa
The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has been positively identified in Fort Madison (Lee County) bringing to 26 the number of counties in Iowa where the destructive pest has been confirmed. This metallic green insect, which only measures about half-inch long and an eighth-inch wide, kills all ash tree species and is considered to be one of the most destructive tree pests ever seen in North America.
EPA Invites Comments on Options for Protecting the Monarch Butterfly
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting public comment on potential actions or a combination of actions that would be the most effective in reducing the impacts of herbicides on the monarch butterfly. The deadline for comments is July 24, 2015.
Dusky Birch Sawfly Observations
The dusky birch sawfly is an occasional pest of birch trees, particularly river birch. Sawflies are stingless wasps whose larvae are plant feeders.
Milkweed Insects
With all the attention to milkweeds and the decline of monarch butterflies more and more people are searching milkweeds for the monarch butterfly eggs and caterpillars. Often what they find is something else!