A report on a very hungry caterpillar
Gypsy moths are non-native. They’re considered invasive. The caterpillars feast on oak and many other hardwood leaves, and can defoliate whole trees. By leaving them alone, Andrew wonders if he’s endangering his backyard oak and even the local biome.
“Do I leave them alone, try to get rid of them, somewhere in between? Is there an in between?” he asks.
Reassuringly, there probably is, says Michigan State University entomologist Deb McCullough. She’s studied gypsy moths for years, and says, though the voracious caterpillars can be a nuisance, there’s no need to panic over them.
Oak Wilt Awareness Month in Michigan
Monique Sakalidis, Michigan State University, Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences and Department of Forestry, and Ruth Dorando Marcy, MSU Extension -
April 27, 2021
This campaign raises awareness about oak wilt prevention guidelines: avoid wounding trees between April 15-July 15, seal accidental wounds, do not move firewood, and take prompt action to control outbreaks.
By proclamation of the governor, May has been designated as Oak Wilt Awareness Month in Michigan to bring statewide attention to the value of oaks to Michigan’s environment, recreation and wood products industries, and the need to raise awareness about prevention and management of oak wilt, a disease killing red oaks across the state every year.
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Lab focuses on addressing emerging forest diseases
Michigan trees and the native and invasive diseases that attack them are at the center of research performed by Monique Sakalidis, MSU pr
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Lab focuses on addressing emerging forest diseases
Michigan trees and the native and invasive diseases that attack them are at the center of research performed by Monique Sakalidis, MSU pr
Check out this story on FarmersAdvance.com: https://www.farmersadvance.com/story/news/2021/04/21/michigan-trees-and-the-native-and-invasive-diseases/7260203002/
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Lab focuses on addressing emerging forest diseases
Work includes addressing oak wilt in Michigan
Michigan trees and the native and invasive diseases that attack them are at the center of research performed by Monique Sakalidis, MSU professor in the departments of Forestry and Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences.
Sakalidis
Her lab develops molecular tools that identify pathogens within a few hours, a process that could take weeks using traditional methods. She works closely with the plant and pest diagnostic labs at MSU and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) to move these tools into application.
While she studies exotic pathogens, Sakalidis is also concerned with native pathogens that are becoming empowered by stress and climate change.