Pests and diseases

Blog

Oriental chestnut gall wasp – an update

What has happened with OCGW in the UK since it was first found in 2015?

Chris Malumphy  •  27 Jun 2018

Blog

Can you help us to understand the distribution of Gypsy Moth in Britain?

Expert entomologist Max Blake gives us an insight into the lifecycle of the gypsy moth and how you can help us monitor it's distribution.

Max Blake  •  19 May 2018

Blog

‘Palmageddon’ heading our way

Anybody visiting tourist resorts in the Mediterranean today will likely encounter large numbers of dying and dead palms. What is the reason for this ‘palmageddon’ in the Mediterranean?  

Chris Malumphy  •  13 Apr 2018

Blog

Along the wayside

Pine processionary moth (PPM) caterpillars present a similar concern as their Oak counterparts. They can weaken trees by defoliation and pose a hazard to public health.

Katie Blain  •  19 Feb 2018

Blog

Oak powdery mildew - what's all the fuss?

Find out more about what causes powder to cover oak leaves in late summer.

Elsa Field  •  16 Jul 2017

Blog

Managing Sweet Chestnut Blight in the South West

Forestry Commission England’s Tree Health team plays an important role in the protection of England’s trees, woods and forests.

Emily Fensom  •  23 Jun 2017

Blog

Negative data is good!

One of the key messages we give Observatree volunteers is that you don’t have to find something to make a survey worthwhile or valuable.

Ellie Barham  •  08 Mar 2017

Blog

Simulating a longhorn beetle outbreak

Find out about the creation of the longhorn beetle outbreak training trees, based at the Yorkshire Arboretum.

Ellie Barham  •  14 Feb 2017

Blog

Globose scale, a southern European pest of plum and peach, heading our way

Chris Malumphy from Fera Science Ltd provides us with an overview of globose scale and what threat it poses to UK trees.

Chris Malumphy  •  06 Sep 2016

Blog

The ups and downs of Dutch elm disease

Despite the fact that Dutch elm disease has been known and studied for almost 100 years, myths about this tree disease are not in short supply.

Joan Webber  •  21 Jul 2016