What’s spotted, hops from leaf to leaf on six legs, and loves to drink sugary tree juices? If you're picturing some kind of alien monster, you are not far off! The insects pictured above are Spotted Lanternfly nymphs. This week, I joined members from local branches of the Virginia Department of Forestry in a training exercise where we learned identification and control methods for the Spotted Lanternfly. This insect is a non-native species of planthopper that is wreaking economic havoc on the agriculture industry along parts of the east coast. Population spread is becoming increasingly difficult to control because females will lay their eggs on nearly any surface (including but not limited to: plants, recreational equipment, outdoor household items, building materials, and yard decor). Currently, Fredrick County contains the only known breeding population of these pests in the state of Virginia. To reduce population spread, there is a quarantine in place to restrict the transport of materials outside of the county, and there are also regulations for vehicular travel between the county and the remainder of the state. Put on your best pair of Spotted Lanternfly search goggles and don’t hesitate to report any potential sightings to your local Extension Office. More information about the SLF can be found HERE. Westminster Canterbury is continuing care retirement community in Winchester, Virginia situated next to 14 acres of woodland habitat, complete with accessible walking trails that encourage community members to explore the outdoors. During the week we were invited to visit the campus and discuss plans to develop a tree identification guide for residents and their families to utilize while walking the trails. Once developed, the guide will consist of QR codes that can be scanned from a mobile device and provide information about a particular tree’s natural history. It was a great opportunity to meet with the team who have assembled to implement this program for all of their friends and neighbors. We joined them on a walk through the trails and identified nearly every tree that crossed our paths. I am excited to see where the community members take this project in the future. I would also like to give a special thanks to Jim Wilcox and Judi Booker for inviting us to their home and ensuring that all Westminster Canterbury visitors enjoy the natural landscape as much as they do! In 2014 the Virginia Department of Forestry used a large plot of land at the Conway Robinson State Forest in order to plant several acres of shortleaf pine. Unlike other trees, shortleaf pine saplings devote a large portion of their energy towards root development, rather than vertical shoot growth. As a result of their slower vertical growth, competing pine species (like loblolly pines) may begin to grow in the same area and eventually shade out the smaller shortleaf saplings. Luckily, the Virginia Department of Forestry is only one call away! This week, we began flagging any of the shortleaf pines we could find hidden beneath the sea of loblollies at the Conway. It was tough work, wading through greenbrier and blackberry thorns, and it was even tougher to be confident in identifying the trees as shortleaf (since the saplings of the two species look nearly identical). Now that we have a couple dozen shortleaf pines tagged throughout the property, the next step will entail “releasing” the saplings of surrounding vegetation, cutting back competing growth and giving them a better chance at reaching tree adulthood. Stay tuned for more details about this project! If you happened to be visiting Conway Robinson State Forest anytime on Friday, June 14th, you were probably stopped by someone walking around the parking lot in her snazzy new Virginia Cooperative Extension polo and Virginia Department of Forestry hat. Friday morning, I began surveying Conway Robinson visitors so that we can get a better idea of what attracts people to the forest. The survey results will be analyzed and used to develop educational materials for future visitors to the Conway. I had some great conversations with people who have been coming to the forest for years, along with a few groups who had never visited the property before. Everybody was outside enjoying the beautiful weather and many graciously listened while I shared information about the forest and the plants and animals that live there. It is always refreshing to meet community members who are genuinely passionate about nature preservation. There are not many places like Conway Robinson State Forest left in Northern Virginia, so it is especially important that we maintain it for our future!
3 Comments
TL
6/15/2019 09:18:21 pm
The pictures of the lanternflies really gave me the heebie-jeebies, but that ssssuperb snake pun redeemed the whole thing!
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Adam Downing
6/15/2019 10:58:19 pm
Excellent blog, you had a full and interesting week as evidenced by your engaging blog. Well done!
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April Johansson
6/18/2019 07:42:09 am
My son and his girlfriend went on a hike at Conway Park on Friday - I wonder if they ran into you? I'll have to ask them :) Love your blog, and your enthusiasm for what you do - it definitely shows through in your writing and your photographs! Keep it up!
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