Asian Longhorned Beetle

Though the weather has been a wonderful breath of fresh air – literally, it may hurt us in the long-run. Lacking a deep freeze in temperatures, a mild winter won’t kill many of our insect pests. I hope you like bugs. If things don’t change soon, we’re sure to be in for a long fight in our yards and gardens this summer.

One of the insects already on the radar is a monster (body 1 to 1.5 inches long)…….and it is a bigger threat to the trees in our communities than the emerald ash borer: it is the Asian longhorned beetle. The Ohio State University (OSU) Extension’s Joe Boggs gives an excellent educational video presentation about the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) to help us know what to look for and what to do if we suspect we have an infected tree on our property. Check out the video CLICK HERE. 

The Ohio ALB infestation was found in 2011 in Clermont County, east of Cincinnati. As of late December over 5000 trees have been identified as infested and 1100 infested trees have already been removed. Unlike the emerald ash borer (EAB), it has multiple host trees – like more than 12 kinds! Yikes! Like EAB it will eventually kill its host trees. ALB is a lazy, bad flier, so we have a much better chance of eradicating it, unlike EAB.

Take the time to watch Joe’s 45 minute video and learn about ALB, where it came from, what species it eats, how to identify it, and the potential impacts it could have in Ohio. Early detection is the key, so the more people that are aware of identifying this species, the more likely we are to catch them quickly and eradicate them. It is so important to have more people aware and looking for the early signs. Learn more abuot ALB by heading to www.beetlebusters.info

Educational Opportunities

Be sure to check out the EVENTS CALENDAR tab at the top of the page to stay informed on other educational opportunities and events.

Starting with Native Plants – Three Perspectives – Feb. 4, 10am to 12pm

Learn from the experiences (and mistakes) of three people who are already using Native plants in their landscapes. Tim Sisson, President of the Western Wildlife Corridor, will share large acre habitat restoration experience. The Western Wildlife Corridor preserves land along the Ohio River in its natural state. Sandy Holt will share what she learned in her attempt to build a bird friendly, woodland backyard on two acres of a previous farm. Mary Janet Edwards will speak about design principles and incorporating natives in a more traditional design. Mary Janet runs a garden design business called “Garden Beauty for You, LLC”. Bring your questions and ideas for our panel to discuss. Directions: Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Rd Cincinnati, OH 45206. CGC is between Oak and Taft on the grounds of the Hauck Botanic Garden. Parking is available off Oak St by the CGC & in the medical center lot on the north side of Oak plus spaces is open behind the building along the paved paths.

Siebenthaler Sunday Seminar Schedule