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11-20-2007, 07:53 PM
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Gold Oak Member
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Lake Geneva, WI
USDA Zone 5
Posts: 1,219
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Pest of the Year 07
Here's a variation on the Plant of the Week game, for your Thanksgiving enjoyment. Just don't blame me if it spoils your appetite! 
Pest of the Year 07 was by far the most devastating insect to attack southeastern Wisconsin's trees and shrubs.
Private message me with your guess at the insect's identity.
Bonus points if you can name the genus of trees mowed down in the pix.
Don't post your answer in the thread! |
11-20-2007, 07:55 PM
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Gold Oak Member
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Lake Geneva, WI
USDA Zone 5
Posts: 1,219
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From what I understand, after the adults emerge from the ground in late spring to early summer, they climb/fly onto woody plants, scratch vertical slits in the bark, and lay eggs in the slits to start the life cycle again.
POTY 07 has also been known to make a little noise...
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11-20-2007, 08:00 PM
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Gold Oak Member
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Lake Geneva, WI
USDA Zone 5
Posts: 1,219
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Many of the scratched branches snap under their own weight, dessicate, then finally fall to the ground where the larvae can burrow back in the ground.
The snapped branch is visible in the left middle of this picture.
Eventually this tree had to be removed from the center focal point of my front entrance garden and relegated to the "Dawg" garden behind the garage.
Many different genus of woody plants were effected in the area, and the damage was extensive even on venerable trees.
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11-20-2007, 08:03 PM
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Gold Oak Member
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Lake Geneva, WI
USDA Zone 5
Posts: 1,219
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The good news is, POTY 07 tastes like peanut butter. Yum!
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11-20-2007, 08:06 PM
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Gold Oak Member
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Lake Geneva, WI
USDA Zone 5
Posts: 1,219
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Just don't eat the wings. Yuck!
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11-20-2007, 08:10 PM
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Gold Oak Member
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Lake Geneva, WI
USDA Zone 5
Posts: 1,219
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And like all fine cuisine, POTY 07 is best washed down with a cold High Life on a hot summer day.
Bet you wish you had some for your Thanksgiving table, but you'll have to wait another 17 years, cause that's the next time Pest of the Year 07 will back.
Happy Thanksgiving everybody! It's all about the gravy from here out.  |
11-20-2007, 10:48 PM
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Administrator
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Wisconsin
USDA Zone 4
Posts: 7,446
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GTX: Where the pests are chewed and eaten, washed down with a cold one. lol  |
11-20-2007, 11:41 PM
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Gold Oak Member
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Middle of Ohio
USDA Zone 5
Posts: 394
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I just want to know who the hungry man is. I thought I took COMPASS with you in Deleware and didnt recall you looking like Mr Hungry. lol.
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Sales are vanity, Profit is sanity, and Cash is King.
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11-21-2007, 01:15 AM
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Seedling
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Join Date: Jul 2006
USDA
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PM sent...tooooooo easy!
Happy Turkey Day!!
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...he said with a sawdusty sneeze, "I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues. And I'm asking you, sir, at the top of my lungs--"
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11-21-2007, 01:30 PM
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Gold Oak Member
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Phoenix
USDA Zone 9
Posts: 162
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They don't do much damage around here. No way I got the tree right.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Bill
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Yes, this is Phoenix. Yes, it's REALLY hot here. Yes, I love it.
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11-28-2007, 08:43 AM
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Gold Oak Member
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Lake Geneva, WI
USDA Zone 5
Posts: 1,219
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Last call on Pest of the Year 07!!!
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11-28-2007, 06:53 PM
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Gold Oak Network Member
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Join Date: Apr 2003
USDA Zone 5
Posts: 1,079
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Stumped on the tree 
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Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Beer in one hand - Nacho's in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming : Woo Hoo, what a ride!
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12-05-2007, 08:11 AM
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Gold Oak Member
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Lake Geneva, WI
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Sorry about the delay wrapping this up...been busy racing the onset of winter.
Pest of the Year '07 is the seventeen year cicada.
The genus it did so much damage to is Acer, with two ravaged species shown, Acer pseudosieboldianum, Korean or Full-moon Maple, and Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood', Japanese Maple.
Pest of the Year also beat the snot out of Katsura trees, Beechs, and even old growth Oaks!
Congratulations to agla, chesie, Lanelle, Hamons, Forge, Inspired, Fine Edge, tom, and Greensmith, who correctly identified the pest.
Bonus points -- redeemable at any eatery featuring fried Cicadas-- go to Forge, Hamons, dan deutekom, Fine Edge, tom, agla, and Greensmith, who all identified the genus in the pix.
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