Landscape Message: Dec 2, 2016

This is the final Landscape Message of the 2016 season... thanks to all of our readers for your support and continuing interest! Messages will resume in March 2017. In the meantime, to receive immediate notification when the next Landscape Message update is posted, be sure to join our e-mail list.

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Drought Conditions Update: Greater than 99% of Massachusetts is currently under official drought status, of that approximately 98% of the Commonwealth is classified as at least 'Moderate Drought', 64% is classified as 'Severe Drought', and approximately 41% is classified as 'Extreme Drought'. For more information see http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Home/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?MA.

For UMass Extension drought resources for landscapers, see https://ag.umass.edu/news/dry-dry-dry-resources-for-landscapers.

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Winter Moth: Operophtera brumata adult emergence has begun. Emergence began in some areas around November 10th according to reports from the Elkinton lab. Adult moths have been seen in areas such as, but not limited to, Dennis, East Bridgewater, Falmouth, Hanson, West Bridgewater, and Wompatuck State Park in Hingham, MA. Male winter moths have wings and are able to fly. They are light colored moths with a band of black marks extending across the tip of the wings. Adult female winter moths have greatly reduced wings (and are sometimes said to be wingless) and are incapable of flying. No management options are recommended or effective against the adult moth stage of this pest. Adult winter moths do not feed. Females will lay the eggs that will hatch next spring, approximately between 20-50 accumulated growing degree days, base 50° F. Typically, this occurs between late March (warm years) and early-mid April (cooler years). Each female is capable of laying 150-350 eggs. At the time of egg hatch, it is the tiny caterpillars that will wriggle between expanding bud scales and begin feeding within the buds of their hosts, such as oak, maple, apple, crabapple, and blueberry.