Alaska IPM

09/01/2026

🫐 Calling all blueberry harvesters! When you’re out picking blueberries please keep your eyes peeled for larvae (or “worms”) that live inside of blueberries. From submissions I received last summer, Alaska is home to at least 3 different larvae that live inside of blueberries, but the most common one is a pinkish-colored moth larva. These seem to be a natural part of our blueberry ecology in Alaska, but despite how common they are, not very much is known about these insects so I’d like to gather more information about their habits and distribution in Alaska. These are most commonly found in coastal areas of Southcentral and Southeast Alaska inside the fruits of oval-leaf blueberry and Alaska blueberry, but they may be found elsewhere or on other blueberry species as well, I welcome all sightings of these from around the state!

🐛If you see one, please take a photo and EMAIL the following information to [email protected] :
1. Location (either trailhead/area description, street address, or gps coordinates)
2. Date observed
3. Species of blueberry, if known
4. Please attach a photo of the caterpillar to your report for verification.
Thank you!

Some folks have been concerned about berry spots being published publicly. No need to fret! The distribution maps created for this kind of work are on a broad, state-wide scale, which means the points on the map are so large that they cover the entirety of a small town. To see some examples, check out how community science helped map the distribution of the fireweed flower gall midge in Alaska, published in 2024! https://www.akentsoc.org/doc/AKES_newsletter_2025_n1_a05.html

08/31/2026

What's this, an early fall leaf? Look again! This tricky little moth is called the sharp-lined yellow (Sicya macularia). The yellow and brown coloration of this late-season moth is excellent at blending in with fall foliage. The larvae feed on various trees and shrubs, but don’t do much damage and are not considered to be a problem in the garden. The larvae are also camouflage experts, with a twig-pose being their impression of choice. Next time you see a suspicious yellow leaf take a second look, it might be a moth in disguise!

Alex Wenninger, IPM Research Professional
[email protected]

08/27/2026

Bug of the Week! This week’s bug of the week is the False Pinion moth, Litholomia napaea. This species falls into a group of moths known as Dart moths, which also happens to be one of our largest moth families in the state. The stout, hairy, triangular moths come in a wide diversity of colors and patterns making separation of the species a bit tricky. Adults of L. napaea are a medium sized moth, about ¾ inch in resting length. Overall they are grey or white to red with many darker wavy lines running perpendicular to the wing. When at rest, and looking triangular, one of the helpful ways to identify L. napaea is to look at the spots on the forewing. The first spot to look at can be found about the middle of the wing, and is called the orbicular spot. This spot may be white, or a ring of white with a grey interior, but it will be more oblong than circular. Further rear on the wing will be another spot, called the distal spot. This rear one will be kidney bean shaped and will have a halo of white highlighting it. Other than those spots there is a thick wavy line cutting across the wing in between those spots which also helps.

The caterpillars feed during the summer on a number of broadleaf hosts, like alder, cottonwood, and willow. Once well fed they drop to the ground and pupate with adults showing up in late August to September. The return of this moth in the fall is a sign winter is coming. They will overwinter as adults, so we will see this moth in the spring as well. They usually wait till the host trees are putting out yummy fresh leaves to lay eggs and ensure their caterpillars have food. There is not a good description of the caterpillar for this species, but most dart moth caterpillars have a mix of chevrons on their dorsum and often a light lateral line. Although they have some pretty skookum camouflage, they don’t always use it. I found one the other day on the bright red of our outdoor fire alarm. Since they are nocturnal, once found you can often get a good look at them to really appreciate the complexity of their wing pattern.

Joey Slowik, IPM Technician
[email protected]

08/21/2026

❗❗Reminder❗❗Titles are due TODAY August 21st for AKISP Annual Workshop.

Join us at Centennial Hall in Juneau on October 27-29 for the annual Invasive Species Workshop! This year’s theme is ‘The Power of Proactive Conservation: Eyes on the horizon, solutions on the ground.' For more information, visit the workshop page: https://alaskainvasives.org/?page_id=134‼

08/20/2026

Bug of the Week! This week’s bug of the week is the Clearwing grasshopper, Camnula pellucida. As grasshoppers go, the Clearwing is one of our smaller species. Grasshoppers go through what we call incomplete metamorphosis, which means the young just look like the adult. So, no life altering transformation like in the Butterflies. As they grow they also develop wings, with only the adults having truly functional wings. So, if you see a grasshopper fly, that’s an adult. For the Clearwings, adults in Alaska arrive in the middle of July and trickle into August. The males are smaller than the females at about ¾ of an inch, while the female may reach an inch. When at rest the Clearwing’s wings have noticeable mottled forewings. When they take to the air, or you catch one, you can see how the rear wings are clear. The adults and nymphs usually lack reddish hues often seen on many of our other species. But this species has a wide distribution so there is lots of variation.

This species, like many other grasshoppers, will mate in the summer and lay their eggs in a clutch in the soil near host plants. These clutches have about 20 eggs in them and in this species there often are areas where many females lay their clutches near each other. Partially because of this aggregation of eggs, as well as other factors like climate, this species can become a major agricultural pest on grains, their preferred food. Pest outbreaks seem to build up over a few years but can reach population sizes which cover thousands of acres. Thankfully for us they are most pesty on early grain seedlings, which is also when they are not quite running yet because of our short summer. But if the conditions are right, they still can flourish, impacting mid-season grains growth and overflowing into our vegetable gardens in the early fall.

Joey Slowik, IPM Technician
[email protected]

This image is from inaturalist.org

08/19/2026

🦋 Fieldwork perk: making unexpected local friends! 🐉

Alaska is home to more than 30 species of dragonflies! These fierce predators provide natural pest control, feeding on mosquitoes, flies, gnats, and other flying insects. 🦟🪰

Dragonflies are often confused with damselflies. One easy way to tell them apart? Dragonflies hold their wings straight out at rest, while damselflies fold theirs back. 👀

✨ Fun fact: Alaska’s state insect is the four-spotted skimmer dragonfly!

📸 Photo by Melanie Graeff, sedge darner, Aeshna juncea.

08/17/2026

Learn more about bird vetch and how you can remove it from your yard or garden!

🌸🧗‍♀️ Is this purple, flowering vine climbing its way through YOUR neighborhood? You’re not alone! Check out this video below by the UAF Cooperative Extension Service to learn more about the history of bird vetch in Alaska and what you can do to remove it before it takes ahold of YOUR yard/garden.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu7FsnFDRqc

📸 Bird vetch climbing up a flowering fireweed plant along the banks of Portage Creek

P.C. Maura Schumacher and Caleb Slemmons/National Ecological Observatory Network

08/12/2026

Learn more about the 2026 Invasive Species Workshop here: https://alaskainvasives.org/?page_id=134

The AKISP Workshop Planning Committee invites you to submit a presentation title for the 2026 annual workshop!

To accommodate the busy field season, at this time we are only requesting titles. If you would like to give a talk, please submit the title by August 21st! Submissions and more information can be found on the website: https://alaskainvasives.org/?page_id=134

Parker Bradley/ADFG giving a presentation during the 2025 Annual Workshop. PC: L Weingartner/UAF.

08/06/2026

Aphid invasion! 🐜🌱 These tiny, pear-shaped insects use piercing mouthparts to suck plant sap and can quickly build large colonies! Aphids reproduce rapidly, with many species giving birth to live young without mating, allowing populations to explode in the right conditions. When colonies become crowded, winged aphids develop and disperse to start new colonies. This cluster may simply be the result of one aphid finding a perfect feeding spot. Plant stress and high nitrogen can contribute to outbreaks, but sometimes it’s just a matter of being in the right place at the right time!

IPM strategies for aphid management:

🌱 Avoid excessive fertilization. High nitrogen levels can cause plants to put on lots of new, tender growth which is attractive to aphids. Using slow-release fertilizer formulas can help moderate nitrogen release.

🏡 Plan your garden thoughtfully. Choose varieties that are well-suited to our cooler Alaska climate. Avoid aphid-prone plants, or place them in areas where honeydew secretions won't become a nuisance (e.g. away from decks, vehicle parking areas, etc.).

🧑‍⚕️ Reduce plant stress. Follow the seed packet or label instructions and place plants in their preferred amount of sun/shade and soil conditions. Provide supplemental water during hot/dry periods.

🔎 Monitor your plants regularly to catch pest issues when they are still small. Small infestations of aphids can easily be removed with a damp cloth. Prune and discard heavily infested stems.

❌ AVOID broad-spectrum insecticides. Broad-spectrum insecticides can have unintended consequences for other insects in the garden, including pollinators and natural predators of aphids. Spot treatments of products containing insecticidal soap or neem oil can be used as needed. Before purchasing and applying any pesticide product, read the label, and be sure to follow all label directions.

❌ DO NOT release commercially-available convergent lady beetles. Not only are they ineffective, but they are wild-collected outside Alaska, and harbor diseases that can be spread to our native lady beetles.

07/30/2026

Bug of the Week! This week’s bug of the week is the potter wasp, Symmorphus cristatus. These smaller black and yellow wasps resemble some of our more common nest building wasps, the yellowjackets, but instead live solitary lives. Adults are about ½ inch in total length. They are typical wasp colors: black and yellow with yellow marks behind the head and at the wings, but they only have three bands on their abdomen. They are also overall more slender than any of the yellow jackets. They differ from the yellowjackets in that they do not have a queen. Instead, each female bee provisions nest cells for her own young. Because they live solitary lives, they also are not defensive of their nests the way yellowjackets are. Their sting is used to paralyze prey. Yes, this is one of those wasps.

They build their nests often in hollowed out willow twigs or abandoned beetle tunnels which they modify. Inside these tunnels they bring their paralyzed prey, often a third instar of some leaf beetle. They stuff in the prey, lay an egg on it, seal it up, and do it all over again. In one tunnel there will be several chambers with prey and eggs which will hatch to feed on the beetle larvae. They will use both mud and chewed up willow to make the chamber plugs and the main tunnel seal. Eventually, the wasp larvae mature and tunnel out and you have the next generation of wasp. The species is found across North America. In some areas they are very particular in which they only select the third instar of the Willow Leaf Beetle Chrysomela aeneicollis. In other areas they are less discriminatory but do seem to like third instars of leaf beetles. I’ve never found one of their nests but do often see the wasps. Perhaps I need to spend more time chasing them back to the nest in the future.

Joey Slowik, IPM Technician
[email protected]

The photo is from inaturalist.org