Assessment of Semiochemical Repellents for Protecting Walnut Trees From Walnut Twig Beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Attack in a Commercial Orchard Setting in California

The walnut twig beetle, Pityophthorus juglandis Blackman, the vector of thousand cankers disease (TCD), poses a significant threat to North American walnut (Juglandaceae Juglans) trees. Despite discovery of TCD-related tree mortality over a decade ago, management options are lacking. This study represents the culmination of several years of investigating the chemical ecology of P. juglandis […]

Field Biology of Scolothrips sexmaculatus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) as a Predator of Tetranychus pacificus (Acari: Tetranychidae) in California Almonds

Biological control of tetranychid spider mites in California almonds has predominantly been associated with predatory mites in the family Phytoseiidae. However, changes in production practices, including shifts to more sustainable chemical control programs, have resulted in a trophic shift leading to the predominance of six-spotted thrips, Scolothrips sexmaculatus Pergande, as the primary mite predator. Over […]

Lethal and Sublethal Effects of Two Commercial Insecticides on Egg Parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) of Green Stink Bugs (Hem: Pentatomidae)

Pistacia vera L. is one of the most important horticultural crops in Iran. The stink bugs Acrosternum arabicum and Brachynema germari are two of the key pests that cause significant direct and indirect damage on Pistacia vera. Egg parasitoids have been considered as potential biological control agents of pistachio green stink bugs. Among them, Trissolcus […]

Evaluation of Sticky Traps for Monitoring Scolothrips sexmaculatus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and Stethorus punctum (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) as Predators of Spider Mites in California Almonds

Changes in almond production practices have caused sixspotted thrips, Scolothrips sexmaculatus Pergande, and the coccinellid beetle, Stethorus punctum LeConte, to replace phytoseiid mites as the dominant predators of spider mites in California almonds. We conducted a series of field studies to evaluate nine commercially available adhesive traps for S. sexmaculatus and S. punctum and found […]

Management of Navel Orangeworm (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Using Four Commercial Mating Disruption Systems in California Almonds.

The navel orangeworm, Amyelois transitella (Walker), is the most significant pest of California almonds. Direct feeding on the kernel by the larvae causes reductions in salable crop, crop quality, and exportability. Pheromone mating disruption (MD) targeting navel orangeworm is a relatively new technique with the potential to improve management. In 2017, we used replicated ~16-ha […]

Microwave Use in the Control of Ephestia kuehniella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Dried Fig and Raisin and Effects on Fruit Sensory Characteristics.

Microwave heating is an environmentally friendly method for killing pest insects and here its efficacy in the control of a pest species of dried fig and raisin was assessed. Dried fig and raisin samples were infested with Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae and heated in a microwave oven at power outputs of 450, 720, and 900 W for […]