Tips on Managing Insects & Mites Leanne Pundt UConn Extension www.ipm.uconn.edu An Equal Opportunity Employer and Program Provider.
Outline Fungus Gnats Thrips Spider Mites Broad Mites Aphids Mealybugs What s New
Fungus Gnats Broad host range Life cycle (egg to adult) 21-28 days Problem in propagation areas, especially succulent cuttings Spread diseases (Thielaviopsis, Fusarium, Verticillium)
Fungus Gnats Sanitation, Sanitation, Sanitation Sample of media, keep moist for three weeks Avoid overwatering, clean & dry greenhouse Steinernema feltiae (Nemashield, Nemasys) Stratiolaelaps scimitus (H. miles) apply once Dalotia coriaria, apply once Gnatrol (repeated applications needed) Insect Growth Regulators: Distance, Citation, azadirachtin (many)
Beneficial Nematodes Nematodes provide 6 to 8 weeks control Repeated applications needed Optimum media temperatures 60-70 F (range 50-80 F) Above 88 F nematodes die Watch soil and water temperatures during summer Oxygen needed, so agitate water
Thrips Wide host range, cryptic habit, rapid generation times, widespread resistance
Thrips Rotation Programs Widespread resistance to Conserve, few new options Long rotations better than shorter rotations Two to three applications with same MOA before switching Conserve> Pylon> Overture > Avid (i.e. standard rotation) If add Botanigard WP, Met 52EC, Grandevo to standard rotations there was no difference Reduces selection pressure, costs Kivett, J. 2015. Efficacy of Entomopathogenic Organisms, Beauveria bassiana, Isaria fumosoroseus, Metarhizium anisopliae and Chromobacterium subtsugae against the Western Flower Thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis, under both laboratory and greenhouse conditions. MS Thesis, Kansas State University
Insect Killing Fungi and Thrips WFT adults generally more susceptible to infection than nymphs Nymphs shed cuticle more frequently and have thicker cuticles than adults Apply early before have overlapping generations Optimum conditions ( > 90% RH; 68-86 F) Mycotrol WPO and ESO are new organic formulations of Beauveria
L. Pundt, UConn Greenhouse whitefly pupae infected by the beneficial fungus Beauveria bassiana on underside of tomato leaf. Note brown discoloration. Place leaves in plastic bag to see sporulation of Beauvaria.
Thrips What s Working? Excellent Mainspring Good to Excellent Aria, Avid, Overture, Pylon New Products Grandevo - variable (no to good control) Captiva (soybean oil, garlic oil, capsicum extract) Raymond Cloyd will be evaluating this spring http://ir4.rutgers.edu/ornamental/summaryreports/thripsdatasummary2015.pdf Thrips Efficacy Summary, 2015, The IR4 Project
Thrips predatory mites N. cucumeris Breeder piles 4 to 6 weeks control Food storage mite
Thrips Mini Sachets Place in shade Avoid direct sunlight High temperatures speed up mite development Low RH, reduces egg laying Use when crops are spaced For hanging baskets, do not place on side of pot where they may fall off Consider 3 to 4 mini sachets per shuttle tray
Thrips- What s New Mini sachets for propagation Purchase liners from rooting station using mini-sachets to avoid long lasting harmful pesticide residues N. cucumeris or A. swirskii predatory mites Swirskii works better at the end of the crop when temperatures are warmer
How do they work? Consumption Life cycle (egg to adult) 18 to 24 days
How do they work? Harassment Attack second instar thrips, up to 40x hour Spend less time feeding (-25%) Survival reduced (- 50%) Life span (- 40%) Reduced plant damage (- 40%) Non-consumptive predator effects on a primary greenhouse pest: Predatory mite harassment reduces Western flower thrips abundance and plant damage. Jandricic, Schmidt, Bryant and Frank. 2016 Biological Control (95) 5-12. New Insights into Biological Control by S. Jandricic. Greenhouse Canada. August 13, 2015
Thrips Mass Trapping From Russell IPM
Wide host range (300 plant species) High reproductive potential Short life cycle 68-86 F, 30-50% RH optimum Widespread resistance to miticides Spider Mites
Look on underside of lower leaves, along the mid-vein.
Spider Mites Avoid over-fertilizing plants, especially N2 based fertilizers Remove pet plants Keep plants well irrigated; water stressed plants have higher concentrations of amino acids Overhead watering; increases RH, washes some mites off leaves Remove weeds
Spider Mites Avid & generics - T Floramite - RR, O, BCA Shuttle O - RR, O, BCA Akari- RR, O Sanmite - O Pylon - T, (G) (plant safety) BCA = compatible with biological controls T = Translaminar RR= reduced risk O = Ovicidal (against mite eggs) G = greenhouse use only TetraSan T, O Ovation O, BCA Hexygon O Judo T, O, BCA (plant safety) Sultan BCA New Group 25 Organics Suff Oil X, Triact 70, M-Pede D. Gilrein Cornell
Spider Mites What s Working? Contact miticides: Floramite, Sanmite, Translaminar miticides: Pylon, Avid From Mite Efficacy: A literature review (2012) http://ir4.rutgers.edu/ornamental/summaryreports/miteefficacyd atasummary2012.pdf
Spider Mites Phytoseiulus persimilis Release over lower leaves, late in day, best on smooth leaved plants P. persimilis eats all stages of spider mites Lay 15% to 32% fewer eggs (TSSM) if the spider mites smell scents of P. persimilis and the dead spider mites that they have eaten Predatory mites Pear shaped, fast moving Eggs are oblong
Amblyseius andersonii Available in bulk and minisachets Tolerates wider temperature range (42-104 F) Feeds on spider mites, broad mites, cyclamen mites, fungal spores, pollen.
Broad Mites
Broad mites Eggs have a row of diamonds About the same size as the adults (0.25 mm) Females lay up to 40 eggs Egg to Adult 7 to 10 days (50 to 65 F )
Broad Mites Increasing problem Clean and disinfect greenhouses before plants come in Discard infected plants? Translaminar Miticides (Avid, Pylon, Judo) Release more N. cucumeris or A. swirskii when doing predatory mite releases for thrips and spider mites
Aphids In greenhouse, all aphids are females Give birth to 100 live female nymphs D. Gilrein
Aphids Avoid over-fertilizing plants, especially with high N fertilizers Remove all weeds Inspect incoming plants
Aphids - What s working? Excellent Tristar Mainspring (preventive drench) Aria (not pansies) Good to Excellent Rycar good bloom safety Endeavor Aphid Efficacy, Literature Review and Summary, 2015 http://ir4.rutgers.edu/ornamental/summaryreports/aphidefficaysummary2 015.pdf
Aphid Banker Plants Aphid Banker Plants in a Greenhouse IPM Program, Step by Step Aphid Banker Plants NE Greenhouse Update
Hover Flies or Syrphid Flies Lobularia seems better than alyssum, according to growers Bidens also very attractive Thrips attracted to Lobularia Lavender, Top Purple Brownbridge, 2016
Larvae Feed on aphids and other soft bodied insects
Got Aphids on Callies? May be Foxglove Aphids, Green peach Aphids, or Tobacco Aphids
Foxglove Aphid D. Gilrein, Cornell Shiny light yellowish green aphid with dark green patches at the base of the cornicles, and black markings on legs & antennae.
Green Peach Aphid L. Pundt, UConn Look for a pronounced indentation between the base of the antennae, with protrusions that aim toward each other.
Tobacco Aphid Tobacco aphid Myzus nicotianae Photo s by D. Gilrein
Mealybugs See in leaf junctures, underside of leaves and stems Females lay up to 600 eggs Life cycle ~ 60 days
Mealybugs Avoid high N2 fertility Remove heavily infested plants Contact insecticides against young nymphs or crawlers Thorough coverage, repeated applications Insecticidal soap, wait a day, Suff Oil X Aria and Tristar, Aria and Talus? Systemic insecticides do not provide complete control because MB feed on stems where active ingredients are less available High pressure sprays (2x a week)
Mealybugs Cryptolaemus (Mealybug Destroyer) Warm temperatures needed, above 70 F Release larvae (hot spots), use distribution boxes Release adults (prefer eggs ) Repeated releases needed Jandricic, S. Floriculture IPM for Mealybug. onfloriculture, July 31, 2015
Diamondback Moth Pale green larvae feed on underside of leaves. New England Vegetable Management Guide https://nevegetable.org/ Section on Vegetable Bedding Plants and Transplants Grayish brown moth with line of white or pale yellow diamonds down the middle of its back.
Cabbage Whitefly Highly attractive to kale, and Brussel sprouts, kalettes Originally from Europe Serious pest on pansy in one LI greenhouse Encarsia formosa parasitized cabbage whitefly (not Eretmocerus)
Red headed flea beetles Adults late June, early July Woody ornamentals: hydrangea, Ilex, Itea, Vaccinum Herbaceous Ornamentals: Asters, Chrysanthemum, Coreopsis, Rudbeckia, Salvia, Sedum, Veronica, Zinnia
Greenhouse Scout from Cornell University (itunes) Summarizes information on biocontrol of common greenhouse pests and an interactive interface for collecting, organizing of scouting date and product application for insect management.
Biobest Pesticide Side Effects App (free, itunes, Android)
What is this?
Aphidius colemanii, a parasitic wasp used against aphids. For more photos of insects on sticky cards, see Identifying Some Pest and Beneficial Insects on Your Sticky Cards On the UConn IPM website http://ipm.uconn.edu/documents/view.php?id=888
Broad mite damage on salvia For more photos see: Tips on Scouting Spring Ornamental Crops on the UConn IPM website http://ipm.uconn.edu/documents/view.php?id=893
Fungus gnat larvae are nibbling on the leaf For more photos see: Tips on Scouting Spring Ornamental Crops on the UConn IPM website http://ipm.uconn.edu/documents/view.php?id=893
Thrips feeding damage on Tarragon For more photos see: Tips on Scouting Herb Bedding Plants http://ipm.uconn.edu/documents/view.php?id=889
Diamondback Moth Larvae For more see: Tips on Scouting Vegetable Bedding Plants on the UConn IPM website http://ipm.uconn.edu/documents/view.php?id=894
Root Aphids For more see: Tips on Scouting Herbaceous Perennials: Insect and Mite ID on the UConn IPM website http://ipm.uconn.edu/documents/view.php?id=901
Foliar spray injury Only specific cultivars of verbena ( pink or red) Associated with plant stress Tristar and Capsil used Plants did grow out of it
What s New on UConn IPM website Tips on Scouting Herb Bedding Plants Tips on Scouting Herbaceous Perennials: Insect and Mite ID Tips on Scouting Spring Ornamental Crops Tips on Scouting Vegetable Bedding Plants Tips on Scouting Herbaceous Perennials: Diseases
Upcoming Meetings Northeast Greenhouse Conference Boxborough, MA November 9 & 10, 2016 www.negreenhouse.org Biological Control Meeting UConn Storrs, CT, June 21 Plant Nutrition Workshop, CAES, New Haven, CT, Sept 27
Updates New England Greenhouse Update www.negreenhouseupdate.info CT Greenhouse Message www.ipm.uconn.edu See under Greenhouse section of website
Questions? leanne.pundt@uconn.edu