Old World woodwasp trapped in New York
Cornell Univ. identified a single specimen of Sirex noctilio, an Old World woodwasp, in a trap in Fulton, N.Y. This species has devastated up to 80% of pine forests in New Zealand, Australia, South America and South Africa. "The potential damage from this exotic woodwasp could be monumental," said Richard Hoebeke, Cornell senior extension associate in entomology. Federal and state agencies are setting traps trying to find evidence of establishment, according to Cornell. The pest, native to Europe, Asia and northern Africa, likely arrived in New York on packing material. A beneficial nematode has been an effective biocontrol in the Southern Hemisphere.

New spruce pest found in Connecticut
This spring, spruce needleminer was found for the first time in North America in Connecticut 's Litchfield, New Haven and Tolland counties, according to the North American Plant Protection Org. The pest, Batrachedra pinicolella, attacks spruce, fir and sometimes pines. It is widespread throughout Europe and eastern Russia and causes needle loss and discoloration.

Connecticut invasive-species battle continues
The Connecticut Legislature is continuing its work on an invasive plant bill that would allow towns to adopt their own bans. Currently, state law prevents Connecticut 's 169 towns from adopting their own plant bans until Oct. 1. Legislation introduced in the Senate would extend the restrictions on town-level bans until Feb. 1, 2006, with no municipal plant bans taking effect until May 15, 2006. The threat of town-level bans is being used to pressure the green industry to agree to additional plant bans in 2006, said Bob Heffernan, Conn. Nursery & Landscape Assoc. exec. sec. The dispute centers around 20 plants on the state's invasive plant list that have significant economic value to the green industry, including Euonymus alata, barberry and Norway maple.

Government approves new mosquito repellants
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added 2 substances to its list of effective mosquito repellants: picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus. These ingredients join the old standby, DEET, which was the sole substance recommend by the center for many years. "Products containing DEET, picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus are all excellent choices," said CDC director Julie Gerberding.

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