December 22, 2025

Farm, Fisher, and Aquaculture Wellness Study

The Rutgers Cooperative Extension Department of Family and Community Health Sciences is conducting a study to understand the impact of industry stressors related to the Farm, Fishery and Aquaculture industries.

As a member of the Farm, Fishery and Aquaculture industry, you are being invited to take part in this research. Your participation in the study is completely voluntary. If you agree to take part in this research, you will be asked to respond to survey questions that relate to your knowledge and experience about industry stressors. The survey takes approximately 5 minutes to complete and no information that can identify you will appear in any professional presentation or publication.

The survey and additional information can be found here: Farm, Fisher, Aquaculture Wellness Study

 

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates Tagged With: , ,
August 25, 2025 , and

Ornamental IPM Webinar – Next Session Tuesday 8/26 plus upload from 8/12 RU PDL guest

Still time to Sign up for the remaining 2025 sessions- Rutgers Ornamental IPM Program

Please visit our new –Rutgers Ornamental IPM Program Website (click here)

Join us for the next session Tuesday 8/26/25 

Topics covered:

  • 1.Beneficial insect: Dragonflies​
  • 2. Leafcutter bees                   ​
  • 3. Fleahopper​
  • 4. Nostoc​
  • 5. Nickel deficiency in River Birch​
  • 6. Tulip tree & Magnolia soft scales​
  • 7. Douglas-fir needle midge​
  • 8. Slugs/snails​
  • 9. Banded ash clearwing moth borer​
  • 10. Verticillium wilt

Previous webinars:

 

 

 

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Plant Diagnostic Lab, Turf Tagged With: , , , , , ,
July 28, 2025 , and

Box tree moth confirmed in MD, VA, and expanded quarantines in MI, OH. Plus+ IPM webinar recordings and 8/12 session

Box tree moth has been detected in MD and VA.

Additionally quarantines have been expanded (7/21/25) in counties of Michigan and Ohio: Click here for: APHIS Expands Box Tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis) Quarantines in Michigan and Ohio (July 2025)

Click here for: Maryland BTM confirmed in Washington Co., MD.

Click here for: Virginia BTM confirmed at four sites in Clarke and Loudoun Counties, Va.

Efforts are being made to eradicate the pests at these locations & no additional quarantine information is available at this time. More information to follow.

Box Tree Moth – Resources:

Still time to Sign up for the 2025 – Rutgers Ornamental IPM Program

(Join us for the next Session Tuesday 8/12/25 – Rutgers Plant Diagnostic Lab – Rich Buckley (Guest Speaker))

Previous webinars:

Please visit our new –Rutgers Ornamental IPM Program Website

 

 

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Turf Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
June 5, 2025 , and

Bagworms + PEST ALERTS (SCALE crawlers) + Ornamental IPM 5/27 Recording Upload

Days old bagworm size

Bagworms should begin hatching NOW through – 4 weeks in NJ, beginning in the southern regions. Now is an optimal time to get this pest on your radar and prepare materials or approaches to attack first/second instar caterpillars. The control window for this pest is typically between 600-900 GDD50  when they begin to hatch and become airborne, i.e. the “ballooning” phase. It is important to check for egg-hatch prior to applications for greatest chemical efficacy, and to continue scouting as they often hatch and develop at asynchronous rates.

It is critical to target these insects EARLY! We need to target when they are as small as shown in the image. 

Bagworm management – mechanical: If eggs have not hatched: hand-remove sacs/bags. Typically female/egg filled sacs are higher in the canopy so keep that in mind while scouting. This removes the problem from the field or landscape.

Treatment options for Lepidoptera (caterpillars) to have at the ready – containing: B.t. (Bacillus thuringiensis), spinosad , bifenthrin ), cyfluthrin, carbaryl, chlorantraniliprole, cyclaniliprole, cyclaniliprole + flonicamid, Lambda-cyhalothrin, cyantraniliprole, Indoxacarb.  NOTE – Lethal pesticide doses are important, as sub-lethal doses can trigger early pupation, making the pest all but invincible to chemical or biological treatments. Follow label exactly.

Still time to Sign up for the 2025 – Rutgers Ornamental IPM Program

(Join us for the next Session Tuesday 6/10/25)

Note we have clearwing borer lures and wing or delta traps, scale crawler tape, and yellow sticky cards available to commercial grower program members at our Cumberland (twaller@njaes.rutgers.edu) and Monmouth (william.errickson@njaes.rutgers.edu) RCE offices.

ALERTS:

  1. Scale crawler emergence throughout the state
  2. Bronze Birch Borer (BBB) and Emerald Ash Borer approaching adult emergence
  3. Clearwing Borer adult flight – still capturing clearwings
  4. Red-headed flea beetle (RHFB) egg hatch – adult emergence
  5. Bagworm reminders – be vigilant

UPLOADS 5/27 SESSION: (contains information on flathead borers (Bronze Birch, Emerald Ash), Armored scales, bagworms, Volutella blight in Boxwoods, Mildews)

  1. Click here for a PDF of May 27, 2025 webinar
  2. Click here for VIDEO of May 27, 2025 webinar

Previous webinars:

(click the ‘Read More’ below for complete dates in S-C-Northern NJ per pest)

 

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Turf, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
May 19, 2025 , and

Ornamental IPM 5/13 Recording Upload – NUMEROUS PEST ALERTS

Still time to Sign up for the 2025 – Rutgers Ornamental IPM Program

(Join us for the next Session Tuesday 5/27/25)

PREVIOUS SESSION: (contains information on boxwood pests, armored scales, needlecast diseases, oomycetes )

  1. Click here for a PDF of May 13, 2025 webinar
  2. Click here for VIDEO of May 13, 2025 webinar

Note we have clearwing borer lures and wing or delta traps, scale crawler tape, and yellow sticky cards available to commercial grower program members at our Cumberland (twaller@njaes.rutgers.edu) and Monmouth (william.errickson@njaes.rutgers.edu) RCE offices.

ALERTS:

  1. Scale crawler emergence throughout the state
  2. Spruce spider mite activity and damage
  3. Boxwood Blight Risk Model for next 7days
  4. Bronze Birch Borer (BBB) approaching adult emergence
  5. Clearwing Borer adult flight – time to monitor / treat
  6. Red-headed flea beetle (RHFB) egg hatch – adult emergence
  7. Oomycete material considerations

Previous webinars:

 

(click the ‘Read More’ below for complete dates in S-C-Northern NJ per pest)

 

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Turf Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
May 1, 2025 , and

Ornamental, including Christmas Tree – IPM Updates (Week of 5/1)

Some important actual and anticipated pest emergences as of 5/1/25

  1. Boxwood leaf miner emergence in southern NJ – monitor locations now.
  2. Crapemyrtle aphid appearance in southern NJ
  3. Bronze Birch Borer (BBB) approaching adult emergence
  4. Red-headed flea beetle (RHFB) egg hatch – adult treatment with systemic applications
  5. Clearwing Borer adult flight – time to monitor
  6. Conifer scale crawler emergence anticipated
  7. (click the ‘Read More’ below for complete dates in S-C-Northern NJ per pest)

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Turf