As we approach the end of bloom, growers should consider the need for any post-bloom applications. The main pest targets for these applications are mainly Sparganothis fruitworm and spotted fireworm. [Read more…]
Cranberry Insect Control Update
Cranberry beds are in full bloom. If insects have been effectively managed prior to bloom, we recommend no sprays at this time. A reminder: when bees are present, your only choices of insecticides are insect growth regulators (IGRs) such as Intrepid 2F or Bt products such as DiPel.
During bloom we recommend monitoring insect populations using pheromone traps. Pheromone traps should be used particularly to monitor activity of Sparganothis fruitworm and blackheaded fireworm, two key pests in New Jersey.
Insect Pests to Look for in Cranberry Bogs
The following insect pests bear special mention for early-season scouting in cranberry bogs.
Click images to enlarge.
Blackheaded Fireworm
Blackheaded fireworm eggs overwinter on the bed and usually hatch by around mid-May. It is important to catch the first generation, if possible, because the second generation occurs during bloom and is typically much more destructive. Blackheaded fireworm larvae can be detected by sweep net sampling and it is good idea to look along the edges of bed where vines first begin to grow.
Blackheaded fireworm is much easier to control if detected during the early part of the season.
Cranberry IPM: Sparganothis Fruitworm Degree-Day Benchmarks Provide Key Treatment Timings
Degree-day benchmarks indicate discrete biological events in the development of insect pests. For the Sparganothis fruitworm, recent studies conducted by Dr. Shawn Steffan (USDA-ARS/University of Wisconsin-Madison), Annie Deutsch (University of Wisconsin-Madison), and Cesar Rodriguez-Saona (Rutgers University) have isolated the key development events and linked them to degree-day (DD) accumulations. These degree-day accumulations can improve treatment timings for cranberry IPM programs in spring and summer.
Bug Damaging Cranberries Identified: Plagiognathus repetitus
This year we observed damage to cranberries likely caused by an unknown “mirid” bug (Hemiptera: Miridae). These insects are known as true bugs and have piercing-sucking mouthparts to suck juices out the plants. The species has now been identified by Dr. Thomas Henry, from USDA-ARS-Systematic Entomology Laboratory in Beltsville, MD, as Plagiognathus repetitus (Hemiptera: Miridae).
The insect seems to damage young leaf and flower buds. We observed deformed leaves and flowers in June. This damage appears to cause serious reduction in yield. The damage was likely caused by the nymphs in April-May, as adults were seen in June-July.[Read more…]
American Cranberry Growers Association 2014 Summer Field Day
The American Cranberry Growers Association 2014 Summer Field Day will be held on Friday August 22, 2014 at the P.E. Marucci Center for Blueberry & Cranberry Research & Extension in Chatsworth, NJ.
Click to View | Download Flyer