"Spongy moth (Lymantria dispar; formerly called gypsy moth), is an invasive pest of hardwood trees in forests and yards. The caterpillars prefer the foliage of oak and other shade trees, but also attack conifers. Spongy moth caterpillars can defoliate large trees during outbreaks, and most homeowners object to the numerous hairy caterpillars and their abundant droppings raining out of infested trees. Since its introduction to Massachusetts in 1869, spongy moth has spread throughout the northeastern US, down in the mid-Atlantic, around the Great Lakes, and into Canada. Most of Virginia is generally infested with spongy moth, but it may not cause widespread defoliation every year."

This publication focuses on non-native invasive plants. It includes characteristics common to many non-native invasive plants, describes several methods of control, and provides resources for readers to learn more.

Ailanthus, also known as tree-of-heaven and paradise-tree, is a major nuisance to foresters, farmers, and homeowners alike. Its prolific seeding, ability to sprout from roots and stumps, rapid growth, and ability to grow just about anywhere, make it a serious competitor and threat to native species and cultivated crops.

Size: about 0.75 inch (1.9 cm) Color: Black and yellow-brown Giant resin bees are large with a cylindrical body and large jaws. They have a dark head and abdomen with yellow-brown hair on the face, thorax, and the first segment of the abdomen behind the "waist." The wings are a transparent brown color that darkens toward the tips. Male giant resin bees have a truncated, squared abdomen while the females have a more tapered, pointed abdomen. Giant resin bees can be distinguished from bumblebees and carpenter bees by their cylindrical bodies and the appearance of their abdomens. Giant resin bees do not have hairy abdomens like bumblebees, nor are their abdomens shiny like carpenter bees. Hymenoptera: Megachilidae Megachile sculpturalis Smith.

This extension publication presents results from a consumer sensory evaluation study conducted at Virginia Tech, in which 67 untrained consumers assessed wild-caught Chesapeake Bay blue catfish. Skinless fillets were steamed without seasoning to evaluate natural flavor attributes. Participants rated the fish favorably, with an average overall liking score near 6 (like slightly) on a 9-point hedonic scale, indicating moderate to good acceptance. Consumers who gave the highest scores described the fish as having crisp, smooth, and tender texture with creamy, buttery, and sweet flavor notes. The Chesapeake Bay brackish water environment contributed to distinctive sensory characteristics, though some consumers noted subtle astringent or pungent notes manageable through proper harvest timing and post-harvest handling. Based on these findings, the publication recommends preparation methods emphasizing surface texture (e.g., breading, pan-frying), rapid chilling and cold chain maintenance after harvest, and marketing strategies highlighting wild-caught status, regional authenticity, and environmental stewardship. The results provide a science-based foundation for developing Chesapeake Bay blue catfish as a commercially viable, premium seafood product that simultaneously supports invasive species management and Virginia's seafood economy.

The invasive blue catfish has become one of the most ecologically damaging species in the Chesapeake Bay, with an estimated biomass of 500 million pounds across Bay tributaries and commercial landings exceeding 6 million pounds by 2022. Standard filleting recovers only about 25% of the fish as marketable product, leaving 75% as underutilized byproducts. Research conducted at Virginia Tech's VSAREC demonstrates that an integrated bioprocessing approach can convert these waste streams into four high-value product categories: protein hydrolysates from frames and heads ($5-$10/kg), calcium and phosphate minerals from bone residue ($3-$5/kg), purified fish oil from viscera ($8-$15/kg), and collagen from skin ($20-$30/kg), with skin containing approximately 49% collagen. Proximate analysis of Chesapeake Bay blue catfish byproducts and optimization of enzymatic hydrolysis, lipid extraction, and collagen recovery processes are reported. Economic analysis indicates that byproduct value can realistically increase from $0.20/kg to $0.60-$1.00/kg through these processing strategies.

Spotted lanternfly (SLF) was first detected in Virginia in 2018. SLF is native to China and is also found in India, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Researchers believe SLF likely arrived from Asia through commercial trade, possibly two years earlier than when it was first detected. SLF continues to spread through Virginia and the eastern US. It is highly invasive and can spread rapidly when introduced into new areas. The invasiveness of SLF is attributed to its wide host plant range and a lack of natural enemies in invaded areas.

Spotted lanternfly is an invasive pest that is continuing expansion through Virginia. It now occupies the entire Shenandoah Valley and most of the Piedmont. It can be extremely damaging in vineyards, potentially killing vines. This fact sheet discusses its management in vineyards.

Después de varios años de propagación continua en Pensilvania, la mosca linterna con manchas (por sus siglas en ingles “SLF”; Foto. 1) en enero de 2018 se encontró por primera vez en Winchester, Virginia. La zona de infestación inicial (primavera de 2018) incluía aproximadamente 1 milla cuadrada.

Spotted Lanternfly Life Cycle. The Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) overwinters in an egg mass (diagonal lines) that begins shiny gray but quickly turns to a dull brownish gray. The eggs hatch late April to early May and the nymphs (red bars) are present until late July when they become adults (yellow bars). Adults start to lay eggs in September. The life stages can overlap and, depending on the time of year, multiple stages can be found at the same time.

Spotted lanternfly arrived in Virginia in 2018 and is spreading across the state. This invasive pest strongly prefers feeding on tree of heaven, Ailanthus altissima, but it also feeds on many other plants. SLF is a pest of grapes and can be a nuisance around residences.

The northern giant hornet (NGH; Vespa mandarinia) was first found in North America in 2019, when individual NGH were seen in the upper northwestern Washington state and across the border in British Columbia, Canada. Individual NGH were seen in 2020 and several nests were destroyed in 2021. No NGH or its nests were found in 2022 or 2023. To date, no NGH have been found outside of this small area of Washington state and British Columbia.

Native to South America, both red imported fire ant (RIFA, Solenopsis invicta) and black imported fire ant (BIFA, Solenopsis richteri) have been found in the US since the 1930s. Imported fire ants are now widespread across the southern US and have been reported in Virginia since 1989. RIFA and BIFA hybridize and produce fertile offspring in areas of the US where both species are found. The S. invicta x richteri hybrid fire ant zone in the US includes Georgia, Alabama, central Mississippi, and Tennessee. Recently in 2022, hybrid ants were detected for the first time in Virginia in Lee County and in several nearby counties in southeastern Kentucky. Hybrid fire ants are well established in eastern Tennessee as well.

Allium Leafminer (ALM) (Phytomyza gymnostoma), an invasive pest first detected in the United States in 2015, has spread through onion-growing regions in the Northeast and Midwest. This pest targets commercial alliums such as onions, garlic, leeks, chives, and shallots, causing significant injury to crops.

This publication is to alert clientele to be on the lookout for a federally regulated pest, the two-spot cotton leafhopper, which was discovered in the mainland United States in 2024 and was found in a North Carolina county bordering Virginia in 2025. It provides information on pest identification, plant injury symptoms, scouting, and what to do if one suspects they have found the two-spot cotton leafhopper.

Corn earworm threatens crops like soybeans, cotton, peanuts and specialty produce across Virginia. Most arrive via annual migrations from the south. Thanks to support from the Virginia Soybean Board, pheromone traps were deployed statewide in 2025 to track moth flights. The new Corn Earworm Moth Tracker helps users to anticipate pest outbreaks — reducing crop damage and unnecessary pesticide use. Support for trap deployment and monitoring has been made possible by the assistance of Virginia Cooperative Extension Agents Neil Clark, C. Taylor Clarke, Elizabeth Cooper, Jason Cooper, Helene Doughty, Roy Flanagan, Trent Jones, Grace Kunkel, Rosemary Life, Robbie Longest, Mike Parrish, Theresa Pittman, Livvy Preisser, James Reiter, Stephanie Romelczyk, Sara Rutherford, Nathan Sedghi, Mackenzie VanLandingham, and Megan Williams; along with support from Thomas Kuhar, Professor, Entomology, Virginia Tech; and Kemper Sutton, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, Entomology, Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Virginia Tech.