Four Ohio bugs make good candidates for Best Pest of the Midwest.
While some little creatures roaming the state can peacefully coexist with Ohio's human population, other insects are getting away with plant homicide unscathed. And some — like Asian long-horned beetles — are making sure their targets die slow deaths.
Invasive species can wreak havoc on crops and other plants. Here are four that the Ohio Department of Agriculture is concerned about:
Asian long-horned beetles
Also known as "starry skies beetles" and "white-spotted longicorns," Asian long-horn beetles are black with white spots and large antennae and can be up to an inch-and-a-half long. Native to China and the Korean Peninsula, they chew through tree trunks, often causing attacked trees to die within 15 years of infestation. Trees of interest to these menaces include maples, elms and buckeyes.
The department is currently attempting to eliminate an infestation of Asian long-horned beetles in Clermont County in southwestern Ohio. Sighting reports can help the Ohio Department of Agriculture identify new potential invasions around the state.
Spotted lanternflies
Spotted lanternflies are invasive, plant-hopping insects from China. They pose a "major concern" for grape, orchard, tree fruit and hop growers, said Dan Kenny, the Ohio Department of Agriculture's plant health division chief.
The insect's appearance can vary depending on life stage, according to the Ohio Department of Agriculture website. Young spotted lanternflies have black backs with spotted white dots. Later in development, they retain the white dots but sport red backs with black stripes. When they reach adulthood late in the summer or early in the fall, they are about an inch long with colorful wings.
Source: dispatch.com
Photo Credit: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture; pexels-amber-shadow
Categories: Ohio, Crops