Managing Those Pesky Insects -Let s Get Started-

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Managing Those Pesky Insects -Let s Get Started-"

Lesley Rich
6 years ago
Views:

1 Managing Those Pesky Insects -Let s Get Started- 1

Integrated Pest Management **IPM** a combination of biological, cultural & chemical pest control methods that reduce pest damage to acceptable levels

2 Integrated Pest Management **IPM** a combination of biological, cultural & chemical pest control methods that reduce pest damage to acceptable levels while maintaining environmental integrity Identify FIRST! No see and spray Regulate, not eradicate Keep yourself, pets, family, nontargets & environment safe 2

Your Tools for IPM Horticultural choose right

sanitation Barriers---screens, row covers,

parasitoids, pathogens Pesticides---OMRI

3 Your Tools for IPM Horticultural choose right cultivars Cultural---water (salinity, ph), sun/shade Soils---soil test, texture, salinity, organics Mechanical---hand picking, sanitation Barriers---screens, row covers, hoop greenhouse Beneficials---predators, parasitoids, pathogens Pesticides---OMRI approved: minerals, soaps, botanic (esp. oils), bacterial, fungal, viral, etc.

4 Importance of Identification *It s the key to information about an unknown *Is it a pest/beneficial/harmless visitor? *Key to control information---if needed, which stage is most vulnerable? Appropriate treatment? If you need help, ASK Your County Extension Agent!!!

5 BUT FIRST! Find em! Purchase a 5-10x hand lens and start looking. Learn what pests affect which crops, evidence; learn beneficials, too.

6 More Tools to Find Those Pests As you weed or do other chores.. Scoot one of these under suspect plants; shake plants, see what s in the pan---aha! $$$

DETECT pests, DETERMINE activity periods,

7 More Tools to Detect/Track Pests Sticky traps Pheromone traps Baited traps Pheromone trap for various spp. moths, etc. Spotted Wing Drosophila Trap Helps you DETECT pests, DETERMINE activity periods, TIME treatments, etc. But you need to ID target pest!

8 Evidence of Pests ME Rice, Iowa State Univ Univ. Minnesota

9 Cutworms, Armyworms Adults: night flying; brown wings, various patterns; lay eggs at bases of plants; miller moths (harmless) Eggs: often laid in clusters, variable numbers David Cappaert, MI State Univ, bugwood.org John Capinera, Univ FL bugwood.org *Larvae: dull colors, subtle patterns; feed at night, hide in soil litter, mulch by day; chewing jaws; look in soil around bases of plants, weeds, mulches Pupae: brown, lozenge-shapes, in soil (harmless) JKalisch Univ NE bugwood org Charles Olson, USDA APHIS PPQ, bugwood.org WCranshaw CO State Univ bugwood.org

10 Loopers! (more caterpillars) Adults, larvae active in cold weather Many hosts: cole crops, spinach, leafy greens Larvae chew holes in leaves Fly at night, cold weather, too; dull, gray patterns

11 Multi-step Caterpillar Management Remove weeds in & around planting area Kill soil pests as you find them (while weeding) Plant collars for small gardens Solarization or solar soil sterilization over off-season ---replaces soil fumigants ---regulates some insects, soil-borne diseases, nematodes, weeds Insecticides? Azadirachtin, BT, more (difficult) PlastiCulture Univ MN

12 More Evidence of Pests Epitrix cucumeris WCranshaw, CO State Univ, bugwood.org Phyllotreta cruciferae CO State Univ, bugwood.org Systena blanda WCranshaw, CO State Univ, bugwood.org Epitrix tuberis WCranshaw, CO State Univ, bugwood.org

13 Flea Beetles ---More Hole Makers Epitrix cucumeris Hannah Royals USDA APHIS ITP bugwood.org Systena blanda, WCranshaw, CO St Univ bugwood.org Epitrix tuberis, ACushman, USDA SEL, bugwood.org Adults often shiny metallic colors; 1-3 mm long. JUMP! Larvae can burrow into stems, tubers, etc.

Managing Flea Beetles Incorporate organics (don t

Mulches=hiding places Insecticides? ~~control.

Spinosad may help, but may kill beneficials.

14 Managing Flea Beetles Incorporate organics (don t leave on surface) Weed control=harborage Mulches=hiding places Insecticides? ~~control. Damage usually worst on older leaves, especially early in season. a Azadirachtin, oils, soaps, pyrethrins labeled. Spinosad may help, but may kill beneficials. Increase crop diversity, cultivar diversity? Be PATIENT! Keep tending plants; they can outgrow pests, pick off damage leaves

15 Evidence of Pests

Onion Western Flower Thrips Tiny < 1/16 long;

nymphs 3-4 in soil; adults on foliage, fly,

16 Onion Western Flower Thrips Tiny < 1/16 long; wind-blown Immatures white; adults yellow, tan, brown; wings fringed Mouthparts rasp leaves & suck sap; kill cells Eggs in foliage; nymphs 1,2 feed; nymphs 3-4 in soil; adults on foliage, fly, reproduce Some transmit pathogens e.g.tomato spotted wilt; some are predaceous.

17 Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus; Thrips=Vector On Tomato, Pepper, Potato, More No Cure for Virus Destroy sick plants Alfalfa, weeds = reservoir

18 Managing Thrips---Crop Loss? Hoop house w/ screens Row covers? Avoid dusty areas Conserve beneficials Avoid broad spectrum products

19 Evidence of Pests-#4 While weeding, turn over leaves

20 Aphids: Usually Cool Weather Pests Numerous species; host specificity varies Suck sap; weaken, wilt plants; can kill Honeydew makers! Ants et al. come Crowded colonies produced winged forms Potential virus vectors (esp. winged forms) Female only colonies Live birth! (<8+/day)

Aphid Management Insecticidal soaps---not dish or laundry soap Azadirachtin, some petroleum oils, pyrethrins some microbials (PFR-97=Isaria fumosoroseus; Venerate=Burkholderia spp., str.

21 Aphid Management Insecticidal soaps---not dish or laundry soap Azadirachtin, some petroleum oils, pyrethrins some microbials (PFR-97=Isaria fumosoroseus; Venerate=Burkholderia spp., str. A396) Conserve bees (treat after they leave); short residual products allow predators & parasitoids to return sooner, also If you use row covers, check for aphids underneath regularly NO TREATMENT FOR VIRUSES IN PLANTS---OTHER THAN DESTRUCTION! 21

22 Tomato-Potato Psyllids Indoor/outdoor pest, mostly Solanaceae Some overwinter on weed roots, e.g. nightshade et al. Adults abt 2mm long; nymphs smaller Wcranshaw CSU Sucking mouthparts, nymphs & adults Psyllid yellows and/or Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum (zebra chip) KoppertBioSci Increasingly important???

23 Evidence of Pests-#5 Yellowing, curling foliage stiffly erect stems, plant deaths, poor quality Spinach Melons Beans Beets Tomato Peppers

24 Beet Leafhopper, Curlytop Vector 3 mm London Rocket (mustard weed) Adult females overwinter on weeds: mustards, kochia, tumbleweeds Transmit CTV to veggies when weeds die in spring Plant EXTRA veggies!

25 Managing Beet Leafhoppers, Curly Top? Yellow sticky cards---detection only; CANNOT trap them out Eliminate weeds in & around fields Insecticides---suppression? hoppers can transmit pathogens faster than insecticides can act Row Covers Plant Extra Plants---destroy infected ones

26 Whiteflies! Common late season pests; kill plants Sucking mouthparts, saliva?, pathogens Nymphs <2mm long, immobile; adults <2mm, fluttery flight Eggs often laid in spirals PNWHandbooks

27 Squash Bug Recognize these life stages Young squash bugs Mating pair Adult Nymphs Any squash might attract them; love winter squash, incl. pumpkins Adults overwinter in debris Excellent fliers, detectors Pierce vines, inject toxins or microorganisms(?) = dieback Eggs Azadirachtin? Hand pick? Short season? Row covers?

28 Stink Bugs Shield-shaped bugs Sucking mouthparts Salivary enzymes damage to buds, fruit, seed Eggs in neat arrays (except Bagrada (singly, in soil) Usually mid-late season pests, from weeds

29 Whiteflies, Squash Bugs & Stink Bugs -Options- Whiteflies Squash Bugs Stink Bugs Monitoring -Yellow sticky traps -Shake old plants -Turn over leaves for eggs, nymphs, adults -Die-back on vines -Shake plant -Spots, dimples on fruit Cultural, Mechanical Terminate plants Deep burial -Early crop -Row covers -Weed removal Chemicals -Azadirachtin -Some oils, soaps -Pyrethrins -Azadirachtin -Azadirachtin -Mycotrol-O -Pyrethrins -Surround (kaolin)

30 Evidence of Pests (Guess Who?)

31 Grasshoppers Chewing Jaws for Nymphs & Adults 160 species in NM! Most difficult to control Adult mobility Host preferences vary. Not all are pests. Periodic outbreaks! Different species overwinter as eggs, nymphs or adults. Did they? 5 instars + adult; 1 gen./yr

32 Nosema locustae: Semaspore or NOLO Bait? Protozoan, biocontrol for hopper hatch sites? Hatch sites not likely at your garden or farm BUT our arid environment doesn t help Only young hoppers of some spp affected (NM has 160 spp of hoppers, various stages overwinter) Slow acting NO ACTIVITY on older hoppers OR flying adults Winged adult hoppers can fly many miles

Leaves wilt first, then stems, then whole plant

33 Evidence of Pests Hosts susceptible between germination & flowering Summer squash can be affected Leaves wilt first, then stems, then whole plant Plants recover at night but wilt again Death often occurs in 7-14 days

34 Spotted Cucumber Beetle Features of Adult Beetle -abt. ¼ long; soft, elongated oval body -thorax & wing covers shiny green -6 black spots on each wing cover -antennae, legs and head black Transmits bacterial wilt & cucumber mosaic virus BW survives inside adults overwintering in weeds & debris around field Management Strategies Grow cultivars selected for resistance to BW No weeds year long; eliminate field debris at end of season (harborage) Row covers from germination to bloom (remove for pollination!) Treat: pyrethrum (Pyganic)

35 Evidence of Pests UFEntNema (Hint: Name these crops, the part affected and add worm )---voile!

36 Aspergillus fungi grow on damage Corn Earworm = Cotton Bollworm = Tomato Fruitworm = Helicoverpa zea CEWs are cannibals; one worm/ear Fall armyworms are not; can have several worms/ear

37 Corn Earworm/Tomato Fruitworm Management CORN Smothers eggs Smear oil on fresh silks several times Spray fresh silks, shuck ends with BT* several times TOMATOES Spray plants & fruit with BT* as needed Paralyzes gut; die later Affects ONLY worm stage! BT = Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki; toxin produced by this commercially grown soil bacteria will kill many common caterpillar pests Dipel, Thuricide, Biobit, others are OMRI-approved 37

38 Evidence of Pests Difficult to detect Major damage can occur over night!

39 Tomato (& Pepper) Hornworm Life Cycle-clockwise Hand pick or BT frequently

40 Management Tactics for Hornworms Hand-pick while scouting, weeding BT or Pyrethrin sprays: work best on small worms

41 Remember: New Pests May Appear Brown marmorated stink bug Tomato/potato psyllid Bagrada bug Spotted wing Drosophila And more!!! Sage/mint leafhopper

42 Are There Any Beneficial Insects? (Yes, and many are natives) Still, you need to know your pests. Some might be ordered to augment natural populations. 42

43 Spiders: Under-appreciated Predators Generalists---Accept Them

44 Phytoseiulus sp. (arbico.com) Predatory Mites---Think VERY Small (If prey levels drop too much, some of these can die out; be prepared to monitor these as well as pests) Some occur naturally; some can be purchased Neoseiulus sp. for thrips Neoseiulus sp. on spider mite Hypoaspis sp.

45 Predatory Bugs: Various Natives Minute Pirate tiny, aggressive* Damsel---occasionals Big-Eyed Predatory Stink (Podisus) ---larger, occasional Assassins---larger, aggressive, biters

46 Green Lacewings: Valuable! Adult---abt ½ long; pale green, eyes Metallic gold or copper; weak flyer Eggs---pin-head size, white, on soft pogo-sticks Can be locally common; also, can be ordered. Larvae---alligator shaped, long, hollow jaws, very active hunters; can t travel

47 NM Ladybird Beetles Where s the pests?

48 Minute Parasitoid Wasps Wasp larva inside host; specific; kills host

49 Syrphid Flies or Hover Flies Legless larvae feed on aphids; larvae may be colorful. Adults bee-like; harmless to us.

50 Tachinid Flies Probably produce better results outdoors than indoors Some species = generalists Other species = very specific ucipm.uc-davis.edu

51 Parasitic Nematodes? Expensive? May not infect all veggie pests. Replenish regularly?? May work best on insects that live in soil

52 Resources You Might Find Handy?

1)Resource for Beneficials & More Which species for which pests? Where do I order? www.birc.org/final2015directory.

53 1)Resource for Beneficials & More Which species for which pests? Where do I order? This is a 50-page print reference for multiple products, listed by pest, categorized; sources at the end. Download the whole thing at the address in the red block above.

54 2)Resources for Organic IPM? ATTRA.ncat.org NCAT = National Center for Appropriate Technology ATTRA = National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, developed & managed by NCAT.

55 Organic Treatments for Thrips? Type what you know Select PestType Drop down menu Type

56 ATTRA Results- Thrips Again, not all products listed may be registered in NV; ask your NDA or query NPIRS OMRI = Organic Materials Review Institute

57 3)Is a Pesticide Registered in New Mexico? Open Your Browser and type: state.ceris.purdue.edu Click on New Mexico

(if a product Is NOT registered, NPIRS will tell you) Fill in active ingred.

58 Is a Pesticide Registered in New Mexico? Fill in just one of these first 3 blanks for a particular product. (if a product Is NOT registered, NPIRS will tell you) Fill in active ingred. if you want to see a variety of products with that AI by different companies Remember: If you re Certified Organic or on your way to certification, your pesticide choices are limited to those that are OMRI approved

59 That Should About Do It. Questions? Comments?

Pest Management in Vegetable Gardens. Pam Brown Extension Agent Emeritus, Gardening Coach Pampered Gardeners, LLC

Pest Management in Vegetable Gardens Pam Brown Extension Agent Emeritus, Gardening Coach Pampered Gardeners, LLC pamperedgardeners@gmail.com Pest Management Involves: Providing proper cultural practices