Ohio State University Extension Can Help You With Your Lawn and Garden Problems

BROWN RECLUSE BITES AGAIN-MAYBE NOT!

Bites attributed to brown recluse spiders have been circulating in the news again, yet most likely the "bites" are misdiagnosed. The Ohio Department of Health (ODH), Division of Vector Borne Diseases keeps records of brown recluse identifications in Ohio, and states "they are rarely seen in Ohio". In fact, even in the southern states where they are common and dwell within homes and buildings, very few bites have actually been documented.

In many cases, the so-called bites are actually an infected puncture wound from items encountered in the home, landscape, or other surroundings, or occasionally from a weed, insect or spider. If not cleaned and covered, any puncture wound can become infected. Wounds which do not begin to improve within a few days should be examined by a doctor, instead of waiting until the infection worsens.

If a brown recluse spider is suspected, contact the local county extension agent or the local ODH branch, for verification. If it can not be identified from a telephone call, the spider should be placed in a plastic bottle containing rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol), and clearly labeled with the inquirer's name, address, phone number, and sent to the C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic (614-292-5902) for identification. It is extremely important that these spiders be properly identified and recorded with ODH, to keep their records viable. An excellent factsheet can be found to help with identification at http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2061.html .

NEW WEEVIL IN OHIO

The annual bluegrass weevil, Listronotus anthracinus, commonly known as the hyperodes weevil, was discovered last week on a golf course near Cleveland Ohio. Although suspected to be in Northeastern Ohio since it has been found in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New York, and other New England states, this weevil has never been confirmed as being established in Ohio.

Joe Rimelspach received a sample via the CWEPPDC, in which the annual bluegrass had vanished, leaving only fairly healthy creeping bentgrass. After some sleuthing and digging, he and his grad student found two weevils that were identified as the annual bluegrass weevil. This weevil has the characteristic snout of its family and is 1/4" (4.5mm) long. It is black and rough-textured with small hairs and gold scales on the wing covers. It becomes active in early spring whereupon the females lay eggs in the base of turfgrass stems and inserts 2-9 eggs. As the larvae develop, they tunnel down the main stem to then crawl out to feed on the crown and other organic debris. After several weeks, they burrow below the thatch to pupate, and then emerge as adults for a second generation in late June-July.

Because the sample did not show any diagnostic symptoms, Joe visited the course and found areas along the collar of the green with small brown, depressed spots, very similar in appearance to leaf anthracnose disease. As he fingered the yellowing annual bluegrass, grass flew out as if it had been cut at the base of the stem. Sure enough, when he cut a sample for closer examination, he saw the typical "U" shaped notched stem base, made by the tiny, white, legless larvae; and pupae under the soil surface!

The importance of this new pest in Ohio only demonstrates the importance of accurate diagnoses and submitting a representative sample for diagnosis. The superintendent was wise enough to check the declining turfgrass for insects instead of treating for the "obvious" symptoms of anthracnose, and Joe was inquisitive enough to investigate the situation further, and dig deeper for the answer.