Ohio State University Extension Bulletin

Insect and Mite Control on Woody Ornamentals and Herbaceous Perennials

Bulletin 504


Detection and Monitoring of Insects and Mites
on Woody Ornamentals and Herbaceous Perennials

Degree-day Targets for Ornamental Plant Pests

In 1988, Warren Johnson of Cornell University produced one of the most comprehensive lists of insects and mites that attack trees and shrubs and associated degree-day (DD) activity periods. These DD periods were not developed using rigorous observations and model development. They were developed by taking yearly notes of insect and mite activities. These notes were then compared to DD charts for those same years and a range of DDs (base 50°F) were recorded.

The original list of insects and mites has been reduced to those which are of importance to Ohio operations.

Table 1. Common names, scientific names of insects and degree days (DD50) affecting ornamental plants.

  Growing Degree Days
Common Name Scientific Name min1 max1 min2 max2 min3 max3

Aphids   7 120 135 250    
Elm bark beetles Scolytus sp., Hylurgopinus sp. 7 120        
Elongate hemlock scale Fiorinia externa 7 120 360 700 2515 2625
European red mite Panonychus ulmi 7 58 240 810    
Golden oak scale Asterolecanium variolosum 7 121 802 1266    
Kermes oak scales Allokermes sp. 7 91 298 912    
Oak leaftier Croesia semipurpurana 7 35        
Oystershell scale Lepidosaphes ulmi 7 91 363 707    
Spruce spider mite Oligonychus ununguis 7 121 192 363 2375 2806
Taxus mealybug Dysmicoccus wistariae 7 91 246 618    
White pine aphid Cinara strobi 7 121 121 246 1917 2271
Tuliptree scale Toumeyella liriodendri 12 121 2032 2629    
Cooley spruce gall adelgid Adelges cooleyi-on spruce 22 92 1500 1775    
Juniper scale Carulaspis juniperi 22 148 707 1260    
Magnolia scale Neolecanium cornuparvum 22 91 246 448 2155 2800
Pine bark adelgid Pineus strobi 22 58 58 618    
Spruce bud scale Physokermes piceae 22 121 912 1388    
European pine shoot moth Rhyacionia buoliana 34 121        
Euonymus scale Unaspis euonymi 35 120 533 820    
European fruit lecanium Parthenolecanium corni 35 145 1266 1645    
Fletcher scale Parthenolecanium fletcheri 35 148 1029 1388 2515 2800
Hemlock scale Abgrallaspis ithacae 35 121 1388 2154    
Balsam twig aphid Mindarus abietinus 58 120        
Honeylocust plant bug Diaphnocoris chlorionis 58 246        
Maple bladdergall mite Vasates quadripedes 58 148 98 155    
Pine tortoise scale Toumeyella parvicornis 58 148 618 1050    
Eastern tent caterpillar Malacosoma americanum 90 190        
Gypsy moth Lymantria dispar 90 448        
Cooley spruce gall adelgid Adelges cooleyi - on fir 120 190 1500 1775    
Nantucket pine tip moth Rhyacionia frustrana 121 448 1514 1917    
Woolly larch adelgid Adelges laricis 121 192        
Zimmerman pine moth Dioryctria zimmermani 121 246 912 1917 1917 2154
Black vine weevil Otiorhynchus sulcatus 148 400        
Cankerworms (inch worms) 148 290        
Dogwood borer Synanthedon scituia 148 700        
Lilac borer Podosesia syringae 148 299        
Birch leafminer Fenusa pusilla 190 290 530 700    
Holly leafminer Phytomyza ilicis 192 290 246 448    
Honeylocust pod gall midge Dasineura gleditschiae 192 229        
Imported willow leaf beetle Plagiodera versicolora 192 448        
Larch sawfly Pristophora erichsonii 192 299        
Linden looper Erannis tiliaris 192 363        
Native holly leafminer Phytomyza ilicicola 192 298 1029 1266    
Rhododendron borer Synanthedon rhododendri 192 298 533 707    
Rhododendron gall midge Clinodiplosis rhododendri 192 363        
Lace bugs Corythuca sp. 239 363 1266 1544    
Arborvitae leafminers Argyresthia sp. 245 360 533 700 1700 2100
Boxwood psyllid Psylia buxi 290 440        
Locust leafminer Odontota dorsalis 298 533 1029 1388    
Pine needle scale Chionaspis pinifoliae 298 448 1388 1917    
Elm leaf beetle Xanthogaleruca luteola 363 912        
Elm leaf miner Fenusa ulmi 363 530        
Larch casebearer Coleophora laricella 363 618 2375 2805    
Twospotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae 363 618        
Bronze birch borer Agrilus anxius 440 800        
Azalea whitefly Pealius azaleae 448 700 1250 1500 2032 2150
Boxwood leafminer Monarthropalpus buxi 448 700        
Lace bugs Stephanitis sp. 448 618 802 1029    
Mountain ash sawfly Pristiphora geniculata 448 707        
Oak skeletonizer Bucculatrix ainsliella 448 707 1798 2155    
Spruce needle miner Endothenia albolineane 448 802        
Greenstriped mapleworm Dryocampa rubicunda 533 1645        
Bagworm Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis 600 900        
Cottony maple scale Pulvinaria innumerabilis 802 1265        
Oak spider mite Oligonychus bicolor 802 1266        
Roundheaded apple tree borer Saperda candida 802 1029 1514 1798    
Honeylocust mite Eotetranychus multidigituli 912 1514        
European elm scale Gossyparia spuria 1029 1388        
Japanese beetle Popillia japonica 1029 2154        
Walnut caterpillar Datana integerrima 1029 1514        
Dogwood sawfly Macremphytus tarsatus 1151 1500        
Tuliptree aphid Macrosiphum liriodendri 1151 1514 1917 2033    
Fall webworm Hyphantria cunea 1266 1795        
Maple trumpet skeletonizer Epinotia aceriella 1388 2032        
Twobanded Japanese weevil Callirhopalus bifasciatus 1644 2271        
Locust borer Megacyllene robiniae 2271 2805        
Growing Degree Days (GDD) = average cumulative degree days with a threshold of 50°F.

Min1-Max1, etc. = range of GDD during which pest is susceptible to control. If more than one range of numbers appear, multiple generations and/or control periods are expected.

Degree Day Accumulation Chart

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All educational programs conducted by Ohio State University Extension are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, age, disability or Vietnam-era veteran status.

Keith L. Smith, Associate Vice President for Ag. Adm. and Director, OSU Extension.

TDD No. 800-589-8292 (Ohio only) or 614-292-1868



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