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Since we don't have a dedicated sub for pest insect - related issues / alerts, figure it is time to start one, Specifically for all of us here in the western and Southwestern US. While " bad " bugs like Emerald Ash Borer, Spotted Lantern Fly, NWS, SAPW, Citrus Psyllid, RIFA, and various Fruit flies have been grabbing news headlines and thread titles at various times here and in CA ..and in other parts of the west, They aren't the only things everyone should be aware of / looking out for, esp. in a warming climate where more ...not so wonderful.. insect pioneers moving north ..by themselves, or by hitching rides across oceans may turn up alongside those most people might welcome seeing in their yards. If anyone out in this part of the world catches wind of new bad bug alerts, post em' here.. ..That is what this thread is for For the moment, besides New World Screw Worm, there are a couple of other imminent threats for us to watch for.. Have / enjoy grass in your yard? This newly encountered mealybug from abroad will not be your friend. Not encountered outside TX ...yet, ..but has been spreading around at a pretty quick pace. https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/pasture-mealybug/ Next up, another bugger ( also from abroad ) currently causing havoc TX and the southeast, that has serious potential ( because it targets Cotton and numerous important crops / ornamental plants ).. https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/monroeco/2026/02/06/the-two-spot-cotton-leafhopper-identification-symptoms-and-management/ Another unusual " leafhopper " that was encountered at the AZ / Mex. border earlier this year. 1 ( or two... ? ) species of it's genus occur in the region that aren't much of a bother. The encountered sp. could be an issue, if it starts moving north from where it currently occurs in Mexico. First time the species has been found in the U.S. as well. https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/first-nation-insect-encountered-commercial-shipment-leafy-greens-area Hate Fire Ants? ..These make them look tame, ....and could turn up in / become an issue in -at least- parts of the Western U.S. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/04/09/invasive-asian-needle-ants/89517643007/ https://homegrown.extension.ncsu.edu/2025/06/11/asian-needle-ants-in-north-carolina-what-to-know/ Most people don't realize it but yes, yes indeed, we do have Ox Beetles here in the desert, 2 sps in fact.. Don't seem to be much of an issue you hear much about though. That said, ..it may not be long before they turn up in CA., where they could cause trouble.. Blue, Aloeus Ox Beetle and Strategus cessus range in AZ. Purple = yet to be determined sp. observation. S. cessus range highlight: ...A possible threat, down the line??? Coconut Rhino Beetle in Hawaii? = bad.. CRB now observed around Puerto Vallarta?, = Unfortunately... Closer up of where it has been observed /encountered down there... Yet to hear of any " Western U.S. establishment " issues but ..Ol' Spotted Lantern Fly encounters keep turning up on this side of the Rockies. Bleepin' buggers........

Final August update = ** Now up to 9 cases in Sonora... A very interesting note here as well: in last weeks update, the initial detection was made, " supposedly " closer to the Son / Sin. state line. In both updates this week, there is no grey dot ( = represents inactive cases on the map ) in that area. Instead, the " active " current hot spot appears roughly half way between the before mentioned state line, and the AZ / Son. border, Specifically in the Yecora / Maycoba region of Sonora.. At the same time, when looking through the full case descriptions list ( Below where the map is located on APHIS' website, there is no mention of the Sonoran detections.. Interesting......... Regardless, ..NWS = getting uncomfortably close to the borderlands. ....Beyond Sonora... - Total cases nearing 200 in both Chihuahua, and Durango... - Closing in on 300 in Coahuila... - Total case count now over 100 in Sinaloa.. - Nuevo Leon = Approaching 900 cases.... - Closer to home = TX added one case this week, bringing their total case count to 47 ...Only 3 of which were recorded thru all of August. Still intrigued no cases have turned up in wild animals though. WX pattern heading into September continues to look wetter for this side of Mexico / U.S. Southwest, with the potential for several tropical threats that could help disperse flies faster if one ( or more ) of those systems makes a solid run up the Gulf ( of CA ) / slams head on into central and /or northern Sinaloa, or Southern Sonora over the next 4 weeks. Will be watching how things evolve thru next month very closely.

Zoom in. Looks like a Livistona. Is there a long dry season there?

Do you have any other Brahea available? Aculeata? Thanks

Transwood is my favorite Woodii cross followed by Arewood. The Trans cross @Brian and I have is Trans x Lat. Agree though completely on the characteristic conundrum. Who knows. I’d imagine it has to do with both maturity and lineage. @Brian , here’s a few pics of my infant. I’d say it looks a bit stretched but it’s in blazing sun in the hottest part of my yard close to my stucco wall so I know it’s not that. Super cupped leaflets, significant shine on the top, flat colored and ribbed on the bottom. Grows very upright à la Trans. -dale

Agree looks like L mariae to me. I was going to say re what’s wrong that there’s a dead stump of another in the back right so it looks like this group isn’t healthy and the one in focus might be the on the way out too.

What would the larva be feeding on? The dudleya? Can you tell what the cocoons are made of?

Totally agree with that. You'll grow the Sabinaria regardless of whether you make your money back on it, because you enjoy the challenge and love the plant, if you happen to sell a few along the way the costs are slightly defrayed...but really it's irrelevant, because you'll do it anyway. Try explaining that to an accountant - their head would explode! That's the real strength of a small business based on a hobby - passion - and you've got it in spades Richard, so power on.

Check my post on chelated iron. I had a trispinosus that looked identical to that if not worse. I hit it with a few applications of chelated iron and it is throwing a beautifull true color flush now! Cant wait to cut off the old leaves.

Found some South American palm weevil cocoons and a hatchling when I dumped out a pot that had some dudleyas I was repotting. I’ve never heard anything like this before. There’s no infested trees close by. Although my neighbors have lost several CANARY ISLAND palms in the last few years. Damn critters are adapting to different environments, im gu

Hot 107F out there at 12:36PM, but not quite as bad as it has been at the same time over the last .....several... days. Can thank more clouds hangin' around today for that. We'll see just how far we reach into the 110s thru the afternoon. Strom chances - wise? ..pretty low for the valley ..thru at least the afternoon /early evening. If it occurs as has been hinted at in the morning forecasts, possible that a large blowup of storms across the borderlands / northern Sonora sends a long tracking outflow / gravity wave north toward the area, which could generate some widely scattered, elevated showers / storms overnight. We'll see.. Bigger thing on the map this afternoon = Impressive stream of moisture peeling off Iselle into Central CA. leading to widely scattered light showers and possibly a few storms rolling into parts of the Bay Area later ( Note the lightning strikes offshore of Monterey atm. Areas of So. Cal. south of Santa Barbara? not out of the question a few showers keep trying to pop up somewhere down there this afternoon. Storm chances locally only increase from later tonight forward, as temps head down. Clouds around today should help create a perfect backdrop to this evenings Lunar Eclipse.

These *Brahea armata* palms are beautiful. Those who own them will be fortunate.

Those are quite a bit larger than how they looked in other shots.. Avoid Chipolte like the plague ( ..I hear their burrito bowls are to die for though, lol ) but will have to make a stop to look em' over when roaming around down there soon.

Definitely my current favorite cycad 😁 I just got a Microcycas caloma today

@Tracy do you think it might have a deficiency such as Mg or Mn? Why does my leaves look so yellow and stunted?

Washies have split leaf bases. You can see by the trunk scars that this palm does not. I agree that it's L. Mariae and is having a bad hair day.

Kim, I don't have data on the exact amount of rainfall, but my big plastic wheelbarrow was filled to the brim halfway thru the storm. I would guesstimate about 15 to 20 inches. The shade cloth was blown off one of my shade houses and one of my canopy shelters was blown apart. My power was off for three days (lucky compared to some in Puna).

Meg, Over the years have you noticed that this palm is any larger than the typical S. minor, and whether older leaves fold as they do on typical S. minor?

We are getting some hard rain now, lots of puddling int he yard, a good soaking that started off with a few intermittent mild showers an hour and half ago.

For me nothing was burned in February except crotons and a few satakentia leaves. We did not see lower than 32F but we had frost, that is what got the satakentias. 30(?) 10-15 foot Cocos planted in a field a half a mile south of me were 3/4ths burned brown, they are still recovering.

I will take it...sending a message

I want the Brahea Clara. How do I order to ship?I am interested in purchasing the 5 gallon Brahea Clara for shipp5 to Geprgia. I sent an email and tried to call but no answer.

I can offer a 2 gallon seedling, 1" base,13" planted height, roots just starting to pop out of the bottom of the pot. Plant shipped in pot for zero root disturbance. 16 pounds shipped to Atlanta by UPS ground using pirate ship.com costs $30; plus $40 for the plant = $70 total for this exact plant. Hopefully you can find a better deal closer to you. Shipping prices have gotten very expensive lately due to the cost of fuel. 🤷‍♂️ aztropic Mesa, Arizona

Did these do better than C. macrocarpa in the February, Florida freeze? I sure hope so

Thanks for sharing, friend Richard. Those palm trees look very exotic.