April 27, 2023

Nursery Pest Update 4/25 – 5/5/2023

Please note: The Rutgers Nursery and Green Industry Working Group is working to deliver regular pest and disease updates throughout the season. These will be in addition to important alerts, critical topics, and pesticide credit opportunities. This tool is made for you, the commercial agriculture business, so please let us know if there are particular topics you would like to see included in the regular update.

Email:  twaller@njaes.rutgers.edu Phone: 856-451-2800 Ext. 1.

Insect Pests

Projected GDD50 accumulation as of 4/25/2023 (these change throughout the season!)
Region Location 25-Apr 1-May 1-Jun 1-Jul 1-Aug
Southern Upper Deerfield (NJ50) 251 281 682 1370 2218
Central Howell / Freehold (NJ10) 188 207 537 1160 1957
Northern High Point (NJ59) 142 143 371 864 1507
Forecast: 7-month NMME based seasonal climate forecast (USPEST.ORG)

Please download and print the Rutgers Nursery and Landscape Pest Scouting Guide  or  Conifer and Christmas Tree Pest Scouting Guide and refer to this post “Obtaining your local growing degree-days (GDD)” for additional information.  (See pest scouting guides for complete list of references) 

Please SHARE what you SEE!! If you see a pest, disease, otherwise interesting or troublesome issue please report it to the Working Group by following the QR Code on the front of the Pest Scouting Guides or by filling out this reporting form.

Please continue reading for much more detailed and important information!

[Read more…]

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April 14, 2022

Nursery Pest Updates and Scouting next two weeks – initiate Red-headed flea beetle systemics now for Central and Southern NJ

This post covers three topics:

  1. Control and timing of applications for Red-headed flea beetle (RHFB) – Systemic materials should be used now to target emerging adults in May. 
    1. Please refer to this resource for timing and material selection: RHFB timeline using GDD, material selection, print-out ready (click here)
    2. Combination of resources from Danny Lauderdale (NC State), Brian Kunkel (UDel.), Tim Waller (RU)
  2. Seasonal reminders:
    1. Protectant, broad-spectrum ‘cover-sprays’ should be initiated ASAP or as plastic is removed / crops can be accessed
    2. SLF egg masses: We are all in this together should be remembered when it comes to checking loads for SLF.
      1. SLF EGG MASS GUIDE – USE FOR TRAINING (click here to download, hang up for employees)
      2. Refer to this post “Don’t let Spotted Lanternfly Impact Spring Shipping” for additional information 
  3. Pest Scouting for 100-200 Growing Degree-days (approx. next two weeks in Southern and Central NJ). 
    1. Refer to this post “Obtaining your local growing degree-days” for additional information 

Growing degree-days as  4/12/22 (~Next two weeks)

Projected GDD50 accumulation as of 4/13/2022 Note: Growing degree-day values utilize daily average air temperatures with a minimum temperature threshold (a.k.a. ‘base’) of 50F = GDD50 (max. temp. threshold set at 95F). These values are accumulated from a biofix date, such as January or March 1st in the NE USA. Provided GDD50 are scouting ranges and should be truthed.
Region Location Station 13-Apr 1-May 1-Jun
South Upper Deerfield NJ50 116 236 660
Central Howell / Freehold NJ10 114 200 553
North High Point NJ59 35 67 313
Forecast: NOAA NCEP Coupled Forecast System model version 2 (CFSv2) forecast system (3.5 months) (USPEST.ORG)

 

Crop type Common Name Scientific Name GDD Min (50F) GDD Max (95F) Reference Developmental / Target Stage
Conifer Pine engraver (Ips bark beetle) Ips spp. 100 150 4 1st adults active
Conifer Balsam twig aphid Mindarus abietinus 100 150 4 Stem mothers present (control target)
Conifer European pine sawfly Neodiprion sertifer 100 195 4 1st larvae active
Andromeda Andromeda lace bug Stephanitis takeyai 115 279 RU Nymphs (1st generation)
Azalea Azalea lace bug Stephanitis pyrioides 118 372 RU Nymphs (1st generation)
Conifer Larch casebearer Coleophora laricella 120 150 4 Egg hatch
Elm, Service berry Woolly elm aphid Eriosoma americana 121 246 2 (6) Control target
Birch Birch leafminer Fenusa pusilla 123 290 RU Adults – egg laying
Many Gypsy moth Lymantria dispar 145 200 4 Egg hatch, 1st larvae
Holly Holly leaf miner Phytomyza ilicis 147 265 RU Adults – egg laying
Many Cankerworms, inch-worms, loopers (many) 148 290 2 Larvae treatment
Yews, Rhododendrons, many Black Vine Weevil Otiorhynchus sulcatus 148 400 2 Pupation / Adult emergence
Lilac, ash, privet, many Lilac / Ash Borer Podosesia syringae 148 299 2 Adult flight
Dogwood, many Dogwood Borer Synanthedon scitula 148 700 2 Adult activity
Conifer Hemlock woolly adelgid Adelges tsugae 150 150 RU Eggs and 10% hatch
Conifer Spruce needleminer Endothenia albolineana 150 200 4 1st larvae active
Conifer Spruce spider mite Oligonychus ununguis 150 175 4 1st egg hatch
Conifer Balsam gall midge Paradiplosis tumifex 150 300 4 Adults laying eggs
Witchhazel, River birch Spiny witchhazel gall aphid Hamamelistes spinosus 171 – 6 Control target
Birch Birch Leafminer Fenusa pusilla 175 215 4 1st adults active
Birch Birch leafminer Fenusa pusilla 190 290 RU Larvae (1st generation)
Conifer Spruce spider mite Oligonychus ununguis 190 363 RU Immatures/Adults
Rhododendron Rhododendron gall midge Clinodiplosis rhododendri 192 363 RU Larvae
Honeylocust Honeylocust pod gall midge Dasineura gleditchiae 192 229 RU Larvae
Privet Privet thrips Dendrothrips ornatus 192 618 2 Typical treatment window
Holly *Native holly leafminer Phytomyza ilicicola 192 298 2 Egg hatch
Holly Holly leafminer Phytomyza ilicis 192 290 RU Egg hatch
Willows, Cottonwood, Poplar Imported willow leaf beetle Plagiodera versicolora 192 448 RU Larvae/Adults
Larch Larch sawfly Pristophora erichsonii 192 299 2 Typical treatment window
Andromeda Andromeda lacebug Stephanitis takeyai 192 303 RU Adults
Rhododendron Rhododendron borer Synanthedon rhododendri 192 298 2 Typical treatment window
Conifer Cooley spruce gall adelgid Adelges cooleyi 200 310 4 1st galls visible – Spruce
Spruce Spruce budworm Choristoneura fumiferana 200 300 5 Larvae
Conifer Douglas fir needle midge Contarinia pseudotsugae 200 400 3 Adults emerge from soil
Lilac, ash, privet, many Lilac / Ash Borer Podosesia syringae 200 299 RU Adults – 1st Treatment
References RU Rutgers Cooperative Extension – Landscape IPM Notes
Daily GDD50 =                                                                                                             (Max + Min temp.) / 2 – 50 (min temp. threshold)                             (Simple average growing degree-day, min. 50F, max 95F) 2 http://ccetompkins.org/resources/using-growing-degree-days-for-insect-management
3 https://extension.psu.edu/ipm-basics-for-christmas-trees#section-2
4 https://www.canr.msu.edu/ipm/agriculture/christmas_trees/gdd_of_conifer_insects
5 https://www.agriculture.nh.gov/publications-forms/documents/landscape-pests.pdf
6 https://extension.umd.edu/ipm/pest-predictive-calendar-landscapenursery
7 https://www.canr.msu.edu/ipm/agriculture/christmas_trees/gdd_of_landscape_insects
Unv. Del. Coorespondance with Dr. Kunkel (University of Delaware)-evolving GDD ranges
Compiled by – Timothy J. Waller, Ph.D. – Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Cumberland County Nursery Crops – twaller@njaes.rutgers.edu

Please Download these resources: (The scouting guide is for you to print and keep on hand…these are just updates)

Nursery and Landscape Pest Scouting Guide 2022 PDF (note this contains conifer pests as well)

Conifer Pest Scouting Guide 2022 PDF

Contact if seeing insects at different times: twaller@njaes.rutgers.edu (or call the Cumberland County Extension Office – 856-451-2800)

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February 4, 2022

Next Tuesday 2/8 – Nursery Sessions at the Atlantic City Agricultural Convention and Tradeshow

Please join us on Tuesday 2/8 – for a full day of nursery and ornamental educational sessions

NJ Agricultural Convention and Tradeshow – Nursery and Ornamental Sessions (Atlantic City – in-person) This upcoming Tuesday 

  • See here for a full list of speakers and here to register
  • Speaker highlight – If you have issues with Red-headed flea beetle you don’t want to miss our guest speaker Danny Lauderdale (NC State), he will be discussing control options for adults and larvae. We are EXTREMELY lucky to have this opportunity – Don’t miss this, he basically wrote the book on this pest. 
  • Pesticide credits requested

Nursery and Ornamental Tracks at the 2022 VGA

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January 24, 2022

Upcoming educational and credit opportunities – either Rutgers led or in cooperation with Rutgers RCE

Rutgers logos

 

There are numerous educational opportunities in the next few weeks that are either led directly by Rutgers RCE faculty or Rutgers faculty served on the association’s Educational Committee

Rutgers Led Programing:

1. This Saturday (1/29 – 12:00 – 1:30pm) – NJ Christmas Tree Growers Association – Annual Winter Meeting – Virtual – Open to anyone but you must register – click here  (Must upload IDs to a Rutgers Connect Secure Folder –  click here to upload Gov. ID and Pesticide license for this meeting only!) 

  • 12:00 – 12:45pm – Tim Waller and Bill Errickson – Detection and Management of Phytophthora in Christmas Trees – update from summer research
  • 12:45-1:30pm – George Hamilton – Pesticide Safety and Regulations Update
  • Pesticide credits (1x CORE, PP2, 3A, 10)

2. (2/8 – Morning and Afternoon Sessions) – NJ Agricultural Convention and Tradeshow – Nursery and Ornamental Sessions (Atlantic City – in-person)

  • See here for a full list of speakers  and here to register
  • Speaker highlight – If you have issues with Red-headed flea beetle you don’t want to miss our guest speaker Danny Lauderdale (NC State), he will be discussing control options for adults and larvae. We are EXTREMELY lucky to have this opportunity – Don’t miss this, he basically wrote the book on this pest. 
  • Pesticide credits available

Rutgers advisory to associations’ Educational Committee Events: 

1. (2/2 and 2/3) – NJ Nursery and Landscape Association – Total Pro Expo (in-person)

2. (2/23) – NJ Landscape Contractors Association – Landscape New Jersey (in-person)

 

We look forward to seeing everyone at these virtual or in-person events soon! Stay tuned for more programing as the seasons develops.

Rutgers is dedicated to protecting your privacy and keeping your personal information safe.  Upon upload, your files will be encrypted and stored to Rutgers Connect. Your information will be kept strictly confidential; used solely to meet NJDEP ID verification protocol for recertification credit; and will not be used for any other purpose. Your files will be deleted within 60 days after the training event.

 

 

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April 26, 2021

IMPORTANT NOTICE – Considerations for systemic and contact material control of Redheaded Flea Beetle – now

If you are unfamiliar with this pest

*****Please take this 5-minute survey pertaining to your concerns with Redheaded flea beetles in NJ (click here)***** 

If you are interested in donating infested plant material or conducting on-farm RHFB research. Please contact twaller@njaes.rutger.edu (856-451-2800 ext.1)

Redheaded Flea Beetle (RHFB) Considerations

Ideally when controlling high-density populations of RHFB, fall applications of long-lasting systemic materials can provide a strong knock-down of larvae populations destined to emerge in the following spring. Establishing a reserve of systemic materials in the soil and root zone late-season or early this season will greatly increase control efforts made later and can reduce the number of overall applications made specifically for RHFB.  A two-pronged approach of systemic and contact insecticides can manage active adults and larvae throughout the season.  For current season control: systemic insecticide drench or ‘sprench’ (*consider backpack units) near planting / potting-up, or a month prior to adult emergence (now for southern NJ), will provide the reserve of systemic activity required to reduce larvae and adult populations later. Contact material applications should also be considered for adult and larval treatments but must be made at sufficient volumes to guarantee ‘contact’. Contact-only driven spray regimes can provide good results, however the need to protect new growth will be ever present. When choosing materials, also consider the other pests targeted by that compound to maximize the value of your investment. Targeting the larval stage will reduce the number of adults present to lay the next generation of eggs.

Timeline for New Jersey growers and landscape professionals 

  • NOTE: Calendar date predictions based on USPEST.ORG using weather-stations for Upper Deerfield (NJ50), Howell/Freehold (NJ10), and High Point (NJ59). These are predictions and scouting should commence at least 2 weeks prior to listed dates

Please download this RHFB quick-look guide of the information provided below (click here)

Projected GDD50 accumulation as of 4/26/2021
Region Location 26-Apr 1-May 1-Jun 1-Jul Aug. 1st
Southern Upper Deerfield (NJ50) 163 231 638 1315 2158
Central Howell / Freehold (NJ10) 110 166 514 1135 1929
Northern High Point (NJ59) 61 99 313 765 1327
Forecast: NOAA NCEP Coupled Forecast System model version 2 (CFSv2) forecast system (3.5 months) (USPEST.ORG)

 

Redheaded flea beetle – life stage predictions for South, Central, and Northern New Jersey with material considerations
TARGET RANGE TARGET RANGE Upper Deerfield (NJ50) Howell (NJ10) High Point (NJ59)
Growth Stage Gen. GDD50 LOW GDD50 HIGH LOW (DATE) HIGH (DATE) LOW (DATE) HIGH (DATE) LOW (DATE) HIGH (DATE)
Egg hatch – larvae 1st 242 600 2-May 29-May 10-May 6-Jun 24-May 21-Jun
Adults                            (feeding / laying eggs) 1st 517 1028 24-May 20-Jun 1-Jun 27-Jun 16-Jun 14-Jul
POTENTIAL OVERLAP OF GENERATIONS / STAGES
Egg hatch – larvae 2nd 1570 1860 10-Jul 21-Jul 17-Jul 29-Jul 11-Aug 27-Aug
Adults                            (feeding / laying eggs) 2nd 1878 2318 22-Jul 7-Aug 30-Jul 16-Aug 28-Aug 1-Oct

Note: Updated 4/26/2021 – Estimated using USPEST.org, 3.5-month CFSv2 based seasonal climate forecast, simple average growing degree-days, min temp: 50F, max temp: 95F. Growing degree-day ranges based on Dr. Kunkel’s work out of the University of Delaware. 

  • 1st generation larvae: 242-600 GDD50 
    • Observation of larval activity on the outside of root balls occurs during this timeframe, meaning they may be active earlier
    • Systemic treatments should be initiated late fall or immediately on susceptible hosts (southern NJ)to guard plants from adult feeding later this season.
      • Materials containing neonicotinoids [4A] and cyantraniliprole [28] (Mainspring) are considered particularly fast and effective, however lack the staying power of similar chemistries such as Chlorantraniliprole [28] (Acelepryn) that takes longer to translocate from soil reserves.
      • Organophosphates (1B) Acephate (Orthene, Acephate 97UP) are also a systemic options.
    • During larval development contact materials containing bifenthrin, azadirachtin, tolfenpyrad, cyclaniliprole + flonicamid, entomopathogenic fungi (Beauveria bassiana) or beneficial nematodes should be seriously considered when attempting to knock-down forthcoming adult populations.
  • 1st generation adults: 517-1028 GDD50 
    • Feeding damages will be apparent on susceptible hosts, scout to determine best time of day for applications, materials such as Captiva Prime or another agitator may be useful in driving the beetles out of hiding (which they do EXTREMELY well).
    • Continuation of systemic materials, use contact materials to directly target the adults.
    • Keep weed populations to a minimum, adults may feed on nearby weed species such as dog fennel, pigweed, and knotweed, thus avoiding pest control efforts on susceptible crops
  • 2nd gen. larvae: 1570-1860 GDD50
    • Potential for considerable overlap of larval-adult developmental stages
    • Continuation of systemic materials, use contact materials to directly target the larvae and adults.
  • 2nd gen. adults: 1878-2318 GDD50
    • Continuation of systemic materials, use contact materials to directly target the larvae and adults.
    • Keep weed populations to a minimum
  • A third generation is suspected to be possible in the southern and central regions of New Jersey

IT IS CRITICAL TO ROTATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BETWEEN IRAC GROUPS DUE TO THE NUMBER OF POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS

DISCLAIMER: The label is the law, always refer to it for allowable host crops, use-restrictions, application rates, reapplication intervals, re-entry intervals (REI), and mix compatibility information. Production and pesticide information on this site are for private/commercial pesticide applicators and landscape professionals only, and are NOT for home gardener use. Provided materials represent examples and do not cover all possible control scenarios. Trade-names listed do not imply endorsement and are used as examples only. Please contact your local agent or chemical sales representative for more information or to discuss additional pest management options.

Boxwood Blight risk model update (4/26 – 5/1) 

Boxwood Blight Risk Assessment as of 4/26/2021
Region Location CODE 26-Apr 27-Apr 28-Apr 29-Apr 30-Apr 1-May
Southern Upper Deerfield NJ50 Very Low  Very Low  Very Low  Very Low  Very Low  Very Low 
Central Howell / Freehold NJ10 Very Low  Very Low  Very Low  Very Low  Low  Very Low 
Northern High Point NJ59 Very Low  Very Low  Very Low  Low  Low  Very Low 
Please check your local boxwood blight risk here (click here)  

 

*****Please take this 5-minute survey pertaining to your concerns with Redheaded flea beetles in NJ (click here)***** 

Please contact Tim Waller – Cumberland Co. – RCE for more information – twaller@njaes.rutgers.edu – 856-451-2800 ext. 1

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