An unwelcome sight has plagued our coastal forests for years now. Dead redbay trees line the roadways and mar our coastal forests in southeastern N.C. These trees are dead because of an invader—a non-native fungus carried from tree to tree
In 2015, an outbreak of the yellow-poplar leaf mining weevil caused widespread browning and defoliation of yellow-poplar trees in western N.C. The event was unexpected, as this native insect causes insignificant damage most years. Now, three years later, this weevil
In 2002, an uninvited guest made itself at home in the U.S. when the redbay ambrosia beetle was unintentionally introduced near Savannah, GA. By itself, the beetle would probably not be a big deal. However, it carries with it a
They say “don’t sweat the small stuff”, but as laurel wilt continues to spread in North Carolina, some may begin to question that advice. A microscopic fungal spore carried by a beetle about the size of a poppy seed is