The following insect pests bear special mention for early-season scouting in cranberry bogs:

Blackheaded fireworm – Blackheaded fireworm eggs overwinter on the beds 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 a good idea to look along the edges of beds where vines first begin to grow. Remember: blackheaded fireworm is much easier to control if detected during the early part of the season.

Blackheaded fireworm larva

Spotted fireworm – overwinters as a 2nd instar larva. They complete two generations a year. Larvae feed between uprights they have webbed together. First-generation larvae injure the foliage causing it to turn brown as if burned. In New Jersey, first generation adult moths emerge the first week of June, followed by a second-generation of adult emergence in early August. Eggs are laid in masses on weedy hosts. Larvae from second-generation adults emerge in mid-August, and may feed on fruit. Populations of spotted fireworm are regulated by their natural enemies, in particular Trichogramma wasps that parasitize the eggs.

Sparganothis fruitworm – This insect is a serious pest in most cranberry-growing states. Sparganothis fruitworm completes two generations a year and overwinters as an early-instar larva. Larvae from the 1st generation feed on foliage. In New Jersey, first generation adult moths emerge from mid-June through the first weeks in July; pheromone traps are commonly used to monitor adult flight and population size. Second-generation eggs are laid on cranberry leaves, and larvae will feed on fruit.

Cranberry blossomworm – Adults lay their eggs in October in cranberry beds. The eggs overwinter and hatch over a period of several weeks. Early instars can be found during the first week of May. Larvae go through 6 instars to complete development. Because the first instars feed during the day (and also at night), scouting can be done during the daytime using sweep nets to estimate larval abundance. Larvae turn nocturnal during the later instars. At this time, night sweeping (9 pm – 1 am) is recommended for sampling. Larvae complete their development by June-July. Older instars are very voracious and capable of destroying 100 blossoms within a 3-week period. There is a pre-pupal that lasts until the end of August and a pupal stage that lasts until October. Adults emerge from end of August to end of October.

Spotted fireworm larva

Lepidopteran Pests Monitoring and Control – Use sweep netting for monitoring early lepidopteran pests (pre-bloom). A sweep set consists of 25 sweeps and 1 sweep set is recommended per acre (this may vary depending the size of bogs). The action threshold for false armyworm, blossomworm, other cutworms, and gypsy moth (we use a combined threshold from adding all these caterpillars per sweep) is an average of 4.5 caterpillars in sets of 25 sweeps. For brown and green spanworms is an average of 18 per sweep set. The action threshold for blackheaded fireworm and Sparganothis fruitworm is an average of 1.5 per sweep set. We recommend the use of the reduced-risk materials Intrepid, Altacor, Exirel, or Delegate if populations exceed action thresholds. These are reduced-risk, softer insecticides that are very effective against lepidopteran pests. More information on these (and other) lepidopteran pests will be provided as the season progresses.

Sparganothis fruitworm larva

Leafhoppers –Blunt-nosed leafhoppers transmit cranberry false blossom disease. This leafhopper has one generation a year. Nymphs may be found from the end of May, while adults are found in highest numbers during July. Eggs are laid in August-September. The eggs overwinter and hatch in May or June. The nymphs go through 5 instars to complete development.

Leafhopper Monitoring and Control: Leafhopper nymphs can be sampled using sweep nets (as described above for lepidopteran pests). Nymphs before bloom are small; thus, you may need to freeze the samples (to kill them), and then count the number of nymphs under a microscope or using a magnifying lens. There is no threshold based on sweep net counts, so decisions should be made by comparing current numbers with prior infestation history and/or incidence of false blossom disease on those beds.
In cases of high numbers of blunt-nosed leafhopper nymphs, we recommend application of a broad-spectrum insecticide, such as Diazinon (no aerial applications allowed) or Lorsban (only pre-bloom applications allowed for Ocean Spray growers). Broad-spectrum insecticides will disrupt biological control particularly the natural enemies (predators and parasitoids) of Sparganothis fruitworm, so their use should be restricted only to areas of high leafhopper populations.

Blunt-nosed leafhopper nymph

Cranberry blossomworm larva

Figure 1. Fertilizer rates

Cranberry plants originate from relatively nutrient-poor environments, but commercial cranberries receive fertilizer to improve plant growth and yield. Increased fertilizer use may influence plant resistance to insect pests.

At the P.E. Marucci Blueberry & Cranberry Research Center, a study by Elvira de Lange, Vera Kyryczenko-Roth, Jennifer Johnson-Cicalese, Joan Davenport, Nick Vorsa, and Cesar Rodriguez-Saona looked in detail at the effects of fertilizer on herbivore resistance in greenhouse-grown cranberry plants. Six cranberry varieties were tested: Howes, Early Black, Potter, Stevens, Franklin, and Crimson Queen. The fertilizer regimes were 0, 0.5, 2, and 4g NPK controlled-release fertilizer.

We first confirmed that increasing fertilizer rates enhanced nutrient availability in cranberry leaves. Indeed, N concentrations in plants exposed to the highest (4g) fertilizer rate were almost 3 times higher than those in plants without (0g) fertilizer. Also, we confirmed that increasing fertilizer rates enhanced plant growth. Indeed, upright lengths and weights of plants exposed to the highest fertilizer rate were 5 and 10 times higher, respectively, than those of plants without fertilizer (Figure 1).

Then, we studied the effects of fertilizer on weight gain and mortality of three important insect herbivores: spotted fireworm, sparganothis fruitworm, and gypsy moth (Figure 2). Cranberry uprights were encased with a small transparent plastic cage, with tops and bottoms made out of foam (Figure 3). One larva was placed per cage, and weighted after 7 or 14 days. All three herbivores gained more weight on plants subjected to higher fertilizer rates – for all cranberry varieties. Also, the herbivores experienced lower levels of mortality on plants subjected to higher fertilizer rates. This improved insect performance on plants with high nutrient availability may be due to improved quality of the plants as a food source, and/or reduced levels of defensive compounds.

To study a possible reduction in levels of defensive compounds, we measured levels of proanthocyanidins (PACs) in cranberry leaves. PACs are involved in defenses against herbivores, as well as microbes. Increased fertilizer rates reduced PAC levels for all cranberry varieties, which may account for the observed increases in larval weight gain. However, gypsy moth larvae gained the most weight when feeding on Franklin, the variety with the highest PAC levels, and gained the least weight when feeding on Potter, the variety with the lowest PAC levels. Thus, at least for gypsy moth, additional defensive compounds are likely involved in cranberry resistance to insect pests.

Studying the effects of fertilizer on resistance to herbivorous insects in cranberry may contribute to the development of better practices for integrated pest management, and help to optimize cranberry health and yield.

Figure 2. Cranberry pest

This study is published in Agricultural and Forest Entomology: https://doi.org/10.1111/afe.12335

We thank Rob Holdcraft, Kristy Adams, Dan Rice, and Lindsay Wells for assistance with the experiments. Funding was provided by Hatch Project No. NJ08192 and the New Jersey Blueberry and Cranberry Research Council Inc.

Figure 3. Insect cages

Cranberry plants produce volatiles when attacked by herbivorous insects, which can be used by beneficial insects, such as predators and parasitoids, to find food or hosts. Synthetic volatiles could potentially attract additional beneficial insects to cranberry fields, reducing insect damage and resulting in reduced yield losses. These volatiles could be used also to monitor the abundance of beneficial insects in agro-ecosystems.

At the P.E. Marucci Blueberry & Cranberry Research Center, a study by Drs. Elvira de Lange, Jordano Salamanca, James Polashock, and Cesar Rodriguez-Saona looked in detail at the emission of volatiles in different cranberry varieties (Figure 1), as well as the effects of synthetic volatiles on attraction of natural enemies of herbivores.

To study plant volatile emissions, we placed greenhouse-grown cranberry plants in bags, and sucked air out of the bags with small pumps (Figure 2). The air passed through a trapping filter with an adsorbent material, trapping the volatiles. Analysis revealed that volatile emissions in response to herbivory differed among cranberry genotypes. At the molecular level, we studied the expression of genes that are involved in the biosynthesis of these volatiles. We harvested leaf material, and found that the expression of two genes associated with volatile biosynthesis did not differ among the cranberry genotypes. These results indicate that other, not yet identified, genes may play a role in regulating volatile emissions in cranberry plants.

In the field, we placed yellow sticky traps (Figure 3), with or without a vial containing synthetic volatiles. We found that the volatile methyl salicylate, alone or in combination with other volatiles, increased the number of syrphid flies captured on the sticky traps by 6-fold. However, methyl salicylate repelled some natural enemies (i.e., megaspilid wasps). Similarly, the volatile

Figure 1. Cranberry genotypes

(Z)-3-hexenyl acetate repelled ladybeetles. Thus, the responses of natural enemies to synthetic volatiles in cranberry beds varied from repellency to attraction.

Experimentally changing plant volatile emissions may have some positive effects on biological control by attracting natural enemies, but can also have some serious negative consequences. Not only beneficial insects could be attracted, but herbivorous insects could be attracted as well. Also, certain natural enemies could be repelled. There is a possibility that when volatiles are present, but prey or hosts are absent, natural enemies learn to stop responding to the presence of volatiles. Our results indicate that, when practiced with care, synthetic volatiles may contribute to sustainable pest management practices in cranberry through the monitoring and recruitment of desirable natural enemies.

Figure 2. Volatile collection apparatus

This study is published in the Journal of Chemical Ecology: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-018-1043-0.

We thank technicians Vera Kyryczenko-Roth, Rob Holdcraft, and Kristy Adams, as well as the summer students in 2014 and 2015, for assistance with the experiments. Funding was provided by Hatch Project No. NJ08192 and the New Jersey Blueberry and Cranberry Research Council Inc., Cranberry Institute, Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association, Canadian Cranberry Growers Coalition, and Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.

Figure 3. Sticky trap baited with synthetic volatiles