Landscape Message: May 1, 2015

"Winter moth caterpillar eggs finished hatching, around April 25th,
in Hanson and the tiny black caterpillars are about the size of the tip
of an eyelash. Once the caterpillars start feeding and grow, they will
turn a light, pale green. Monitor the developing expanding buds of
maples (oak, Japanese, silver, red, Norway, sugar), birch, crabapple,
apple, beech, blueberry and other susceptible plants and manage these
caterpillars early to avoid extensive damage. Sampling several Norway
maple buds revealed 7 tiny winter moth caterpillars per bud! (That is a
lot!). Some tree buds, like oak, are still tight and not fully opened
yet, and with plant development delayed, it may be difficult to find
caterpillars initially, but continue to monitor the tree buds for winter
moth caterpillars. Warmer weather is predicted next week and we should
have more information on winter moth caterpillars and where they may be
problematic."

SOUTHEAST REGION - Deborah Swanson, UMass Extension Horticulturist for Plymouth County - Retired, reporting from Hanson.

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Common landscape winter annual weeds being observed now are:

• mouse-ear cress (Arabidopsis thaliana)
• thymeleaf sandwort (Arenaria serpyllifolia)
• downy brome (Bromus tectorum)
• shepherd's-purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)
• bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta)
• sticky chickweed (Cerastium viscosum)
• horseweed (Conyza canadensis)
• spring whitlowgrass (Draba verna)
• henbit (Lamium amplexicaule)
• red deadnettle (Lamium purpureum)
• field pepperweed (Lepidium campestre)
• Virginia pepperweed (Lepidium virginicum)
• pineappleweed (Matricaria matricariodes)
• annual bluegrass (Poa annua)
• knawel (Scleranthus annuus)
• common chickweed (Stellaria media)
• field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense)
• corn speedwell (Veronica arvensis)
• purslane speedwell (Veronica peregrina)

Report by Randall Prostak, Weed Specialist, UMass Extension Agriculture & Landscape Program, Amherst.