Our Crapemyrtle Bark Scale Team has successfully conducted a Q&A session on February 28, 2022 in response to recent CMBS reports. Recording of the Q&A session is available here!
The team appreciates Dr. Emily Mueller and Dr. Kasey Yturralde for helping to organize this Q&A session and sending us the questions. Below is the list of timestamps and related questions available in the video.
0:15 Introduction of the team (Dr. Mengmeng Gu, Dr. Erfan Vafaie, Laura Miller, Dr. Yvette Zhang, Dr. Yan Chen, Dr. David Held, and Dr. Hongmin Qin)
5:08 Q1. What are the effects of CMBS?
12:22 Q2. How far do they move?
27:45 Q3: How close do we need to keep trees spaced apart? For example, if a crape myrtle has a bad infestation, should we assume nearby trees will be susceptible, how far is far enough away?
28:57 Q4: What are the ideal environmental conditions for CMBS?
We’ve had some severe cold winter temperatures and seek your thoughts on these extremes on CMBS potential survival?
40:20 Q5: For Zone 8, expected to have 2-3 generations. Should we assume 2 gen in DC, more in the future?
50:58 Q6: When should we start monitoring?
52:12 Q7: Can we get a further detailed protocol for scouting for CMBS crawlers?
- Does it matter which branches we put the double-sided tape?
- How exactly do you remove the tape and count crawlers without messing up the tape?
55:29 Q8: We have a large amount of alternative hosts (boxwoods, beautyberry, etc), and should we be monitoring these species along with crapemyrtle?
57:45 Q9: What have you been considering a ‘high’ infestation versus a ‘low’ infestation?
Are there any estimated thresholds?
1:00:16 Q10: Is there some threshold of infestation, above which it is no longer feasible to use pesticides, when trees should just be removed?
1:02:05 Q11: What are the best sanitation practices after pruning a tree with CMBS infestation?
1:03:05 Q12: Is CMBS the only scale of its kind on crapemyrtles?
1:04:37 Q13: Can application of systemic insecticides on highly visible trees (to public) be an effective strategy?
1:14:41 Q14: When urban foresters and arborists are inspecting prospective trees for planting, where should they focus their inspection to improve detection of CMBS? Should it be focused on the trunk, branches, or both (the entire tree?)?
1:17:11 Q15: Are there any policies in the nursery industry regarding movement of CMBS hosts out of areas with CMBS? Are there any quarantines?
Is there any sort of certification for selling hosts out of areas with CMBS?
1:19:34 Q16: Do nurseries and tree farms know about CMBS?
1:20:28 Q17: Should we even continue planting crape myrtle?
1:21:21 Q18: Are there any differences in susceptibility?
Is cultivar susceptibility potentially dependent on bark type?
1:24:16 Q19: How are homeowners being advised with regard to CMBS?
1:31:08 Q20: Are there any good CMBS management plans developed by cities/municipalities?
1:32:25 Q21: What are parasitoid and hyperparasitoids?
