Integrated Pest Management April 2000 ATTRACTANTS - Colorado potato beetle (CPB) has been remarkably adaptive to pesticides, but a new discovery may open new avenues for control research. J. Dickens with USDA has identified several different chemical blends that attract CPB. Additionally, he has found chemical combinations that attract spined soldier bugs and two-spotted stink bugs, two important predators of CPB. (Agr. Research, 2-00) DUST MITES - S.C. Johnson is recalling AlleCare, Dust Mite Powder, and Dust Mite Allergen Spray for Carpet and Upholstery. Consumers reported cases of respiratory problems, including asthma attacks. The products have been pulled from store shelves. Consumers should consult their physician before using these products. Call S.C. Johnson if you have questions: 1-877-255-3722 (toll-free) FEDERAL NEWS - The White House is reviewing a little-noticed Executive Order that would eliminate the use of organophosphate and carbamate insecticides on federal facilities. The draft order would require federal agencies to stop using OP/carbamate insecticides by the end of this year. The implications of the Order are enormous. What message is sent to the public if USDA has to stop all use of OP/carbamates? It would appear that this development would be the end of these two important pesticide groups. It is certainly important to manage pesticide risks, but it is foolhardy to simply eliminate important technologies without trying to reduce risks through other means. (NASDA News, via Chemically Speaking, 1-00) GENETICS - Some plants produce a protein that prevents proper development of fall armyworm; the gene encoding for that protein has been isolated. The next step is transferring the gene of other plants to test the efficacy against fall armyworm. The world's largest seed company has signed an agreement with USDA to investigate the use of the gene in vegetables. For more information, contact Paul Williams at 601-325-2735. (Agr. Research, 2-00) HONEYBEES - Plastic strips impregnated with fluvalinate are sometimes inserted into honeybee queen cages during shipment to combat Varroa mites; new findings indicate injury to queen bees as well. The fluvalinate strips are intended to assure the delivery of queen (and attending drones) that are free of this important pest. R. Currie found that fluvalinate strips caused increased queen mortality and supersedure. Additionally, the strips do not provide 100 % control of Varroa Mites on the queens. Currie does not recommend continued use of fluvalinate for this purpose. (APIS 1-00) LABELING - The EPA plans to release their report on the Consumer Labeling Initiative soon. The Agency, pesticide manufacturers, and public interest groups have been working to make pesticide labels more meaningful for consumers. Among other things, the group recommends bulleted text, simpler language, and more white space. Additionally, hazard information should be placed under the signal word, and first aid statements should be improved. Anyone who has tried to comprehend pesticide labels will applaud this effort. Look for the notice at the EPA web site: www.epa.gov/pesticides. (Via Chemically Speaking, 1-00) LAWNS - Chiggers (red bugs) are moving into lawns from nearby weeds or woody areas. They are almost invisible to the naked eye and attach themselves to your skin and release a poison that causes irritation and itching. A warm soapy bath will help remove them from your skin. For outside use on lawns, label rates of Sevin, dursban or diazinon will control them. MOSQUITOES - Scientists at USDA are making progress toward finding an effective mosquito attractant. A good attractant could be the basis for new, safer forms of mosquito control and monitoring. Upon learning that some attractive components transferred from human skin to glass, U. Bernier has been trying to discover what chemical components attract the mosquitoes. D. Kline has also found dirty socks and Limburger cheese to be very attractive to mosquitoes. Interestingly, Kline reports that the main ingredient in the cheese is a bacterium found on the human foot. For more information, contact the scientists at 352-374-5931. (Agr. Research, 2-00) ORNAMENTALS - Eastern tent caterpillars are active on a variety of deciduous hosts, including wild cherry, apple and crabapple. This defoliator overwinters in brown egg masses encircling the smaller twigs of the host tree. Eggs (150-300 per egg mass) hatch about the time that the leaves begin to unfold. The newly emerged larvae gather at a branch fork and construct a tent-like web from which they venture out during the day to feed on new foliage. The eastern tent caterpillar favors wild cherry, apple and crabapple but will also attack peach, pear, plum, hawthorn and some shade trees. Trees sometimes contain several nests and can be completely defoliated in 2-3 weeks. Control is best accomplished when webs are first noticed and the larvae are small. If nests are within reach, they can be removed with a stick or broom. This should be done in the evening, when the larvae are inside the nest. Insecticidal sprays are also effective. Registered products include Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), carbaryl, chlorpyrifos, diazinon and malathion. Lace bugs are attacking our azaleas and other ornamentals. The small, brownish to black insects are about 1/2 inch long with lacelike wings. They puncture the underside of leaves and suck sap from the plants. The leaves develop brown to black splotches with damage similar to spider mite injury. Control this pest with label rates of malathion or orthene. Leafminers and psyllids are active now. Cygon or Orthene are among the systemic insecticides that may be used for control. Other alternatives include malathion, diazinon or sevin. The feeding of psyllids causes a cupping of terminal leaves and reduced tip growth. The nymphs of these small sucking insects are gray-green and covered with a white, cottony or waxy material. Leafminers are small, yellow to orange maggots that produce blotches or blister-like mines in the leaves. If moderate to high infestations are already occurring, one of the systemic insecticides as Cygon will give best control. May beetles, elm leaf beetles and other leaf beetles begin attacking our ornamental shrubs and trees in April. May beetles are about 1 to 2 inches long and vary in color from light yellowish-brown to brownish-black. They feed at night on the foliage of numerous woody plants. Elm leaf beetles are about 1/4 inch long and are yellowish to olive-green with a black stripe along the margin of each wing cover. Elm leaf beetles feed only on the foliage of the elm tree. Control leaf-feeding beetles with label rates of diazinon, malathion or sevin insecticides. Scales are a serious problem to our ornamentals. Control of these pests should begin in April and continue through October. Begin applications in the spring with a summer-weight oil spray. Time this spray so there will not be any danger of temperatures falling below 40o F or rising above 80o F. The next step would be to use foliar sprays of cygon, diazinon, malathion, orthene or sevin directed at the crawlers as needed. The last step would be a fall application of summer-weight oil. Once the scales are under control, one or two preventive foliar sprays should be applied. Sprays should be directed to cover the undersides of the leaves. Read labels carefully. PESTICIDE REUSE - People will soon be reusing pesticides they had stored for the winter. They should examine stored pesticides carefully before using them this growing season. Check containers for leaks, cracks, tears, and erosion. Clean up spills and transfer contents of a damaged container to a clean one with the same labeled pesticide. If disposal is necessary, dispose according to label instructions. PETS - Ticks will probably be out in high numbers this spring. Dogs pick ticks up while running in fields or wooded areas close to residential areas. Once fully emerged, female ticks drop from our pets and may lay 4,000 to 6,500 eggs on the ground. On hatching, "seed" ticks crawl upward on an object and attach themselves to a host (dog, human, etc.). Treat dogs 4 weeks or older with a formulation of sevin or malathion. See individual labels for usages. Some dips may be purchased at local co-ops for control of ticks infesting dogs. Follow label directions carefully. POULTRY HOUSES- House flies in poultry houses are a major problem for our poultry producers. Management of manure so it is not conducive to fly breeding is the most effective means of control. Dry manure management is practiced by many and can be effective when manure moisture content is 30 percent or less. Chemical control should be considered as supplementary to sanitation land management measures aimed at preventing fly breeding. Several pyrethrins (Atroban, Ectiban or Permectrin) are recommended for fly control as well as dichlorvos. Feed-through larvicides are available for use in caged layers. Read labels carefully. SAFETY - Last summer in Missouri, a farmer nearly lost his life by ignoring one the basic tenets of pesticide safety. John Atwill unknowingly contaminated his drink can while loading a spray rig with insecticide. After a short time, Atwill began to see double and became 'fuzzy minded'. By the time he walked back to the barn, Atwill was staggering. A friend took Atwill to the hospital for emergency treatment. Fortunately, the friend called the hospital and told them what insecticide Atwill had ingested. The doctors were waiting with an antidote, and Atwill soon recovered. What if Atwill had collapsed in the field? What if the friend had not been home? NEVER eat or drink around pesticides! (Delta Farm Press 1-14-00) VEGETABLES - Flea beetles are attacking most any plant grown in our gardens. They are small, shining, round black or striped. They are found on leaves and jump readily when touched or approached. They emerge in the spring to mate and lay eggs on the leaves or roots of plants. Damage is caused by adults feeding on leaves. This damage is most severe in seedling stages. Sevin, thiodan, diazinon, malathion or methoxychlor will control them. Check label for crop use and read precautions. WHEAT - Aphids, armyworms and Hessian flies may infest our winter wheat this spring. If 30 or more aphids are found per head, treat with cygon, malathion or methyl parathion. If 5 to 7 small armyworms are found per square foot treat with sevin or lannate. If Hessian flies are found (between leaf sheath and stalk), please call. There are no chemical controls for this pest; however, we need to know its' distribution in our state. YELLOWJACKETS AND WASPS - The first effective lure for yellowjackets and wasps may be on the market within a year; it is the first to attract most of the aggressive yellowjackets and wasps. Other baits made with sugars or meats either attracted too many nontargets (e.g. honeybees) or spoiled too quickly. The new lure uses compounds produced by bacteria and fungi as they consume sugars. J. Pat Harris Extension Entomologist