Invasive Insect Webinars

Invasive Insect Webinar Series

UMass Extension’s Landscape, Nursery, and Urban Forestry Program and UMass Extension’s Fruit Program offer this series of seven webinars focusing on the impact, monitoring, and management of invasive insects in Massachusetts and the nation! Topics include the spotted lanternfly, spotted wing drosophila, brown marmorated stink bug, and were offered live in May and June 2020.

Scroll to the bottom of the page for recordings of the webinars in this series.

This FREE series is supported by the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture through grant AM180100XXXXG025. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the presenters and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA. 

A special thanks to our speakers, and to Jaime Pinero, Tawny Simisky, Sonia Schloemann, Ellen Weeks, and Geoffrey Njue for their efforts to make this series possible.

2020 Invasive Insect Webinars

Scroll to the bottom of the page for recordings of the webinars in this series.

• Research Updates: Chemical Management of the Spotted Lanternfly
  Dr. Phil Lewis, Project Leader with the APHIS Otis Laboratory
  This talk will give a brief overview of the biology and current distribution of the Spotted Lanternfly. Additional topics covered will focus on currently used treatments by arborists, alternative treatment methods and chemistries, and will wrap up with a short report on the status of a biological control effort for this invasive planthopper. 

• Overview of Spotted Wing Drosophila Monitoring and Management Options 
  Dr. Jaime Pinero, UMass Stockbridge School of Agriculture and Extension Fruit Program
  This presentation will provide an update on the most effective monitoring and Integrated Pest Management (including organic) methods to protect berry crops from SWD injury. 

• Spotted Lanternfly and Environmental DNA: Insect Monitoring of the Future
  Dr. Julie Lockwood, Professor and Chair, Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Rutgers University
  The increased numbers of invasive insects, and the huge toll they can exact, argues strongly for better tools for pest species monitoring and surveillance.  Once such tool relies on capturing the DNA shed by invasive insects as they move through their habitats, called environmental DNA (eDNA).  Much like using DNA evidence in a criminal trial, invasive insect eDNA monitoring tools allow us to pinpoint where these species have been without ever having to catch them ‘in the act’.  I’ll show how eDNA is a vast improvement over conventional methods in our ability to detect and monitor spotted lanternfly in forests, urban areas, and vineyards. 

• Green Industry and Homeowner Response to the Spotted Lanternfly in Pennsylvania
  Emelie Swackhamer, Horticultural Educator, Penn State Extension
  Pennsylvanians are fighting back in ornamental landscapes and production nurseries.  Agencies and volunteers have destroyed millions of SLF by scraping eggs and banding trees and large areas of Ailanthus altissima trees have been removed. This session will also address how garden centers and tree care services are providing options for their customers. 

• The Invasive Pest Brown Marmorated Stink Bug in Massachusetts: Biology, Monitoring, and Management
  Elizabeth Garofalo, UMass Extension Fruit Program), and Dr. Jaime Pinero, UMass Stockbridge School of Agriculture and UMass Extension Fruit Program
  The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug is a highly pervasive pest that can cause severe losses for both conventional and organic growers in a wide variety of crops. This webinar will discuss BMSB biology, distribution, monitoring, and management options that are amenable to both non-organic and organic production systems. 

• Progress towards Controlling the Emerald Ash Borer with Biological Control
  Dr. Juli Gould, Entomologist, USDA-APHIS-PPQ 
  Scientists have made considerable progress towards controlling populations of emerald ash borer by releasing parasitoids throughout the U.S. Three parasitoid species have been widely established and are beginning to show promise in protecting young regenerating ash forests. Studies also demonstrate the utility of combining insecticide treatment to save large, valuable ash trees with release of parasitoids in urban areas.
  Handout from Dr. Juli Gould's Webinar: Emerald Ash Borer Biological Control Release and Recovery Guidelines

• Invasive Insects of Trees & Shrubs in Massachusetts: 2020 Updates 
  Tawny Simisky, Entomologist, UMass Extension Landscape, Nursery, and Urban Forestry Program
  This presentation will provide a brief overview of current updates on the status of many invasive insect pests of trees and shrubs in Massachusetts. Species discussed will include gypsy moth, winter moth, emerald ash borer, Asian longhorned beetle, and a quick mention of the spotted lanternfly. Management information will be mentioned, with an emphasis on natural enemies and biological control.