Like last year, we have reports of high numbers of spongy (= gypsy) moth larvae in cranberry beds near wooded areas. This is the same time that we observed them last year. Looking at the weather conditions, it is expected to rain and be windy and cold on Friday 06 May (tomorrow) and Saturday 07 May. At this moment, the larvae are small (early instars) and because it will be cold in the next few days, I don’t expect them to grow, or be active, that much. Thus, I think it is best to wait until early next week to spray to control them, if needed. The weather looks better next week.

Biology. Spongy moth has one generation a year. It overwinters as eggs. Eggs hatch at this time of the year (we should have already passed peak egg hatch). First instars “balloon” on silken threads from infested trees onto nearby cranberry beds. Thus, spongy moths tend to be one of the earliest caterpillars to show up in cranberry beds, usually during the first week of May. Observed larvae are mostly early instars and will feed on the terminal buds. Although less common, it is also possible that eggs overwintered on the bog floor and that older larvae will crawl later in the season onto beds from surrounding trees.

Scouting and Control – Spongy moth larvae are quite easy to detect by means of sweep net sampling and are easy to control with most of the insecticides at our disposal. The action threshold for spongy moth is an average of 4.5 larvae in sets of 25 sweeps. We recommend the use of Intrepid, Delegate, Altacor, Exirel, or Verdepryn if populations exceed action thresholds. These are reduced-risk insecticides that are very effective against lepidopteran pests.

This article has been adapted from an article written by Dr. Christelle Guédot, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and published in the Cranberry Crop Management Journal – Volume 35, Issue 1

Fanfare is a not a new insecticide, having been first registered with EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) in 1985, but it is new to the cranberry industry. Fanfare is the second pyrethroid that can be applied to cranberry, with Danitol being the first. Fanfare is registered for use in Wisconsin on several crops including bushberries, caneberries, grapes, pears, and strawberries, yet cranberry is NOT on the label. Fanfare received a supplemental label specifically for cranberry in 2021 and this will expire in December 2024 unless it is renewed by the registrant. Fanfare is marketed by Adama Essentials under the formulations EC or ES with 2 lbs of active ingredient per gallon as an Emulsifiable Concentrate (EC) or Suspension Concentrate (ES). Adama will likely work to get cranberry added to the label but in the meantime, every grower that purchased and plans to use Fanfare this season MUST have the supplemental label (in addition to the label) in hand as cranberry is not on the official label.

Mode of action and effect. The active ingredient in Fanfare is bifenthrin. Fanfare is in the class of the pyrethroids (IRAC group 3), which have a mode of action that targets the sodium channels on the axon of the neurons. Pyrethroids cause a prolonged depolarization of the neuron from a prolonged influx of sodium into the neurons, leading to repetitive nerve activity that can result in hyperexcitation, paralysis, and death. Fanfare is an insecticide with foliar activity that is fast acting by contact or ingestion of treated plant surfaces. Affected insects will rapidly stop feeding, become paralyzed, and eventually die.

Fanfare has broad spectrum activity on several insect species, found on the supplemental label for cranberry, including fruitworms, tipworm, fireworms, spanworms, flea beetle and white grub adults. In our trials in NJ, Fanfare was very effective at controlling leafhoppers. Leafhoppers are not specifically mentioned as target pests on the supplemental label; however, in NJ, you are allowed to use products on pests not present on the label, as long as the product is labeled for the crop you are applying it to.

Application restrictions. Fanfare may be applied by ground equipment, chemigation, and air, and specific recommendations are provided for the different application methods regarding direction for use, spray drift requirements, and buffer zones. Buffer zones from aquatic habitats are specifically stated in the label, with a minimum 10-foot wide vegetative strip of grass or other permanent vegetation between the field edge and aquatic habitats. For more information on mixing and spraying, and all other considerations, please see the product label.

Environmental impacts. Fanfare is extremely toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates and cannot be applied directly to water. It must be used with care (see buffer zones restrictions) when applying in areas adjacent to bodies of water. Fanfare is highly toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment or residues on blooming plants. Do not apply Fanfare when bees are foraging and until flowering is complete. The label also emphasizes the risk to endangered species and prohibits the use of bifenthrin in areas that could result in exposure to endangered species.

Recommendations. Overall, Fanfare is recommended against leafhoppers before bloom to target leafhopper nymphs. The reason for this recommendation is that we already have great products to target other insect pests at our disposal that have much lesser impacts on the beneficial insects, including pollinators and natural enemies of these pests. The environmental concerns raised above and the acute toxicity of this compound play an important role in recommending limiting the use of Fanfare to a single pre-bloom application to minimize pesticide residues and environmental impacts. Finally, a 3-day water holding is highly recommended when using this product to allow the product to bind to soil particles and reduce movement of the product in the water system.

Please check with your handlers before using a new product as handlers may have restrictions on certain products for domestic and/or foreign markets. Handlers may extend PHIs beyond the number of days stated on the label to reduce residues, so please always check with your handlers. As of 2022, several handlers have imposed a 120-day PHI on this product. And as always, make sure to read the labels before using any pesticide.

Resources. You can find the labels for Fanfare at the following links:

Fanfare EC Label: http://www.cdms.net/ldat/ldC86005.pdf

Supplemental Label for Fanfare EC for cranberry use: http://www.cdms.net/ldat/ldC86002.pdf

Fanfare ES Label: http://www.cdms.net/ldat/ldB3C005.pdf

Supplemental Label for Fanfare ES for cranberry use: http://www.cdms.net/ldat/ldB3C000.pdf

This article was written by Ocean Spray, Lindsay Wells-Hansen (Sr. Agricultural Scientist) and Dave Jones (Agricultural Scientist), who were kind enough to share the information with all New Jersey growers. Independent growers should consult their handlers for PHI restrictions and any other limitations before making purchases or applications.

Beginning in 2022, the use of chlorpyrifos (e.g., Lorsban) is no longer allowed in any capacity for either EU or non-EU Qualified fruit. This includes existing stock – NO chlorpyrifos may be used going forward, even if a grower has already acquired the material in a previous season. While the loss of this broad-spectrum material is a challenge, we have several efficacious materials that can be used as a chlorpyrifos replacement for pre-bloom insect control. The list below includes some of these materials and highlights which insect pests can be targeted with each insecticide. We’ll focus on pre-bloom management of two pest groups: (1) Lepidoptera pests (Leps) which are caterpillar species including Sparganothis, fireworm species, spanworms, cutworms, etc. and (2) blunt-nosed leafhoppers (BNLH).

• Acephate (e.g., Orthene). This material will control both BNLH and Leps. There is historical concern among some growers that acephate used prior to bloom deters pollinator activity and reduces yield. This was investigated by the WI Ag Science team in 1990/1991 and again in 2020/2021 and no significant relationship between pre-bloom acephate and pollinator activity/yield was ever observed.
• Spinetoram (e.g., Delegate). Spinetoram is a strong material for managing Leps but is NOT effective for controlling BNLH. This material is a valuable rotational material because it is specific in its efficacy, thus preserving beneficial insects.
• Sulfoxaflor (e.g., Closer). This material is ONLY useful for the control of BNLH. It will NOT work against Leps, but it can be applied in conjunction with a lep-specific chemistry (like Delegate) if control of both pest groups is needed at the same time.
• Fenpropathrin (e.g., Danitol). Currently ONLY available for use on non-EU Qualified fruit. This pyrethroid insecticide is relatively new to the industry. The pyrethroid class is relatively broad-spectrum and should provide control of both BNLH and Leps.
• Indoxacarb (e.g., Avaunt). This material should work well on most Leps, but there is some evidence that it provides moderate to poor efficacy against Sparganothis. Its efficacy against BNLH is unknown, but it is not listed as a strong material for leafhoppers in other crops.
• Methoxyfenozide (e.g., Intrepid), Tebufenozide (e.g., Confirm), and Novaluron (e.g., Rimon). These three materials are insect growth regulators (IGR’s) that ONLY target Leps. None of these materials will provide control of BNLH. Intrepid and Confirm are both minimally toxic to bees and can be applied during bloom, but Rimon should NOT be applied during or immediately prior to the bloom window.
• Cyclaniliprole (e.g., Verdepryn). Currently ONLY available for use on non-EU Qualified fruit. Verdepryn is another relatively new material to the industry. It is a diamide, which is the same class of insecticide as Altacor and Exirel. The diamides generally provide strong control of Leps. The efficacy of Verdepryn against BNLH is not currently known.
• Bifenthrin (e.g., Fanfare/Capture). This pyrethroid insecticide is newly available to the cranberry industry in 2022. A 120-day PHI restriction has been placed on the material for EU-Qualified fruit this year. The PHI restriction for non-EU Qualified Fruit is 45 days. This material is also restricted to a single application per season. It will provide control of both BNLH and Leps.

Growers are reminded that the 2022 OSC Code Book should be consulted prior to the application of ANY of these materials. Application timing is particularly critical with the softer chemistries on this list; weekly scouting must be incorporated in order to deploy them effectively. Many of these materials are hard on bees – always consult the label for bee health hazards prior to application.

After years of debate, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced on August 18, 2021 that this year will be the last that the insecticide chlorpyrifos (the active ingredient in Lorsban) will be allowed for use on food crops, including cranberries. This means that use of chlorpyrifos will no longer be allowed on cranberries in 2022 and thereafter. For more information, please see the press release here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-takes-action-address-risk-chlorpyrifos-and-protect-childrens-health.

In New Jersey, cranberry growers have mainly used chlorpyrifos early in the season to manage blunt-nosed leafhoppers as well as other insect pests such as Sparganothis fruitworm, blackheaded fireworm, and spotted fireworm. Growers can find alternative insecticide options for managing these pests in the Commercial Cranberry Pest Control Recommendations for New Jersey https://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.php?pid=E308.