Arthropod Management Update

More DD Accumulations....

Also on the UVM Apple Orchard website, we are posting the estimated DD accumulated from January 1, 1999,  using 50 F as a base for 5 sites:  So. Burlington, Shoreham, New Haven, Bennington, Walpole, NH.

The following contains the most recent posting as of this writing:

By estimating the DD that have accumulated at your orchard, you can then refer to the next chart and get an indication of when certain arthropod events are expected to occur.

And Still Another Chart....

A Quick Summary for Monitoring Apple Arthropod Pests

Enclosed in this newsletter is a chart that very quickly summarizes when monitoring should occur plus threshold levels for major arthropod pests.  It is based on information from the 1999 University of Mass. March Message and the 1999 Cornell Cooperative Extension Publication: Pest Management Recommendations for Commercial Tree-Fruit Production.   I apologize for the small print but, as it is, I had to leave a lot of details out to be able to fit it on one sheet.  Please refer to the above listed publications for further details.

At the UVM Horticulture Research Center in South Burlington,  the cool temperatures have  affected insect activity.  We have just started to  trap leafminers in pheromone traps this week as the temperatures reached into the 50's F;  also, we have only caught a few tarnished plant bugs on white rectangular visual traps.  But, insect activity will increase as temperatures warm up into the 60's F.


Pre-Bloom Oil Application

Not only is oil a mainstay in European red mite management, a 2% oil treatment at Half-Inch Green can control the nymphs of San Jose Scale.   Good coverage of the trees is critical for both mite and scale management.  A 1X concentration, or applying 300 gal/A of spray volume, is preferable but, if conditions (weather, speed, calibration) are optimal, a 3X, or 100 gal/A, can give acceptable results.   Do not concentrate oil above 3X.