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Pest Control in Orchards Controlling Pests in Backyard Orchards Pest Control in Your Home
Updated March 14, 2005
Calendar - Guide to Orchard Planning
Controlling Pests In Apples
Calendar - Guide to Orchard Planning
Degree Day Accumulation Formula
Codling Moth Control Using Intrepid 2F
This product does not harm your beneficial insects (like bees)
For application timing of Intrepid 2F, to obtain maximum results, you must determine when the codling moth eggs will hatch and become larva. It is the larval stage of the codling moth that does the damage to apples. Products like Intrepid 2F control the larval stage of the complete metamorphic cycle of this moth.
Step One: Determine the Bio Fix for the Codling Moth. This is the day that you have determined that you have caught adult codling moths on two consecutive nights in your codling moth traps. If you fail to do this, then you can use the date that you have determined that your orchard has begun to bloom. This is not as accurate, but it will suffice.
Step Two: Calculate the accumulated heat units (see Degree Hours to determine how to do this) from the date you establish the bio fix. You will need to anticipate the day you will be applying the larvicide (Intrepid 2F). You will want to apply Intrepid when your degree hours is between 200-250
Step Three: When using Intrepid 2F the label recommends you should apply 4 oz. Per 100 gallons or 16 oz/ac.
Step Four: The label for Intrepid 2f recommends you apply a second application 10-14 days after the first. This will cleanup any larva that hatches out late.
Step Five: The label for Intrepid 2f recommends you apply a third application when the accumulated heat units is 1250 from the date you establish the bio fix. Again, you will need to anticipate the day you will be applying the larvacide (Intrepid 2F). (this will average about 8-9 weeks after bio fix)
Step Six: The label for Intrepid 2f recommends you apply a follow-up application 10-14 days after the 3rd spraying. This will cleanup any larva that hatches out late. We did not do this and still had excellent control (Albuquerque/Belen area, 4800 ft elevation)
Step Seven: A possible fourth application at 2400 DD (to coincide with 3rd generation egg laying) can be made, but we do not do it at this time. We are too close to harvest for our early August varieties and we would be applying this spray around the first week of August.
06/24/03|094 048 076|058 006| 080|14 4.1|698.7|0.00| 0.37|19.0 1264.3| 0.28
08/08/03|096 066 082|072 018| 086|08 2.8|529.9|0.00| 0.27|27.2 2403.5| 0.22
08/09/03|101 068 083|081 015| 088|11 2.8|570.9|0.04| 0.30|28.5 2431.9| 0.24
08/10/03|102 063 079|088 016| 086|11 2.6|523.2|0.00| 0.28|25.6 2457.6| 0.22
Formula:
(Maximum temperature + Minimum temperature)/2 - 50 degrees = Degree Hours
(75+40) = 115
(115/2) = 57.5-50 = 7.5 Degree Hours
Upper and lower thresholds of 80 degrees and 50 degrees are to be used.
For example if the upper threshold is 88 degrees you would use the maximum of 80 degrees if the lower temperature for a morning is 32 degrees you would use the lower cutoff of 50 degrees in your calculation.
(Note: we are changed to thresholds of 88/50/50 based on California (UC Davis))
We received our weather data from NMSU at the following web site:
http://weather.nmsu.edu/cgi-shl/cns/oldformat.pl
05/04/03|072 041 059|043 011| 066|14 5.4|605.0|0.00| 0.28|11.4 260.5| 0.22
Applied Intripid on May 4, 2003 when Degree Days reached 260.5 (using 88/50/50) Second application on 5/21 (10-14 days after first application based on label)
05/21/03|089 044 066|072 009| 075|07 2.2|671.5|0.00| 0.31|19.0 545.3| 0.22
545.3 DD (this was a clean up spray for CM larva that hatched out late and would have missed the first spray (because effectiveness is less than 21 days) Applied late due to wind and breakdown of air-blast sprayer.
Friday, Mar 28, 2003 Larry Sagers Horticultural Specialist Utah State University Extension Service Thanksgiving Point Office © All Rights Reserved
Most of us are accustomed to changing the oil in our cars and even oiling various pieces of mechanical equipment around the home. Ironically, ``oiling'' our trees and other woody plants is still a mystery for many gardeners. Various oils have been used for centuries to control certain insect and mite pests. Oils have recently regained popularity for managing scale, aphids and mites on fruit trees and other plants.
The popularity of oil has increased for several reasons. Oils are an organic spray and are popular with gardeners who prefer to grow organically. Oils are relatively inexpensive when compared with other insecticides. Oils are exceptionally safe to people and non target animals, including bees. Oils do not produce objectionable odors and generally are not as damaging as many solvent base insecticides.
Obviously, a product with that many good points has some weaknesses. Oils are strictly contact spray and must cover the pest to be effective. Spray oils have a tendency to cause plant injury or phytotoxicity in some situations. That means they will burn or otherwise damage the leaves of the trees. Oils may also stain some surfaces such as car finishes or dark colored house paints. Oil sprays are particularly effective against the various scale insects that attack fruit trees and ornamentals. They offer partial control of eriophyid mites and other mites that commonly affect our trees. They are effective against the Cooley spruce gall adelgid and a variety of aphids.
The reason that oils work well and insects have not developed resistance to them is that oils are not poisons. Oils kill insects by suffocation. Insects breathe through tiny holes or pores in their exoskeleton. Spray oils plug these holes and prevent pests from breathing. Oils are called dormant sprays, but this is misleading. Pests become active when temperatures rise above 50 degrees for several days in succession. Spraying too early means the insects are not active and are not as likely to be controlled by the spray.
Trees must be starting to grow, with the buds opening slightly. Spray pome (apple & pear) fruits when green tips show on the leaf clusters. Stone fruits are sprayed when flower color is visible. Sprays should be completed before the trees start to blossom, as oils can affect pollination.
If other insecticides are added, the mixture will be toxic to bees. Thorough application is extremely important. Sprays must cover the target pests that try to hide under the buds or rough bark. Avoid spraying the tree trunks and the soil surrounding the tree. Most predator mites over winter on the tree trunks and in the soil. Spraying these areas increases problems with plant feeding mites.
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