- (Focus Area) Pest Management
- Author: Michael Hsu
Nut orchard hygiene key to control carpophilus beetle, say UCCE, UC Integrated Pest Management experts
Since the first reports of a new almond pest – the carpophilus beetle (Carpophilus truncatus) – came in during fall 2023, it has become clear that the beetle is widely dispersed across the San Joaquin Valley.
“My lab has identified infestations from every county in the San Joaquin Valley; we have found infestations in both almonds and pistachios, and we will likely find infestations in walnuts this fall,” said Houston Wilson, a University of California Cooperative Extension entomology specialist at UC Riverside. The California Department of Food and Agriculture has confirmed the beetle's presence in Stanislaus, Merced, Madera and Kings counties.
Historically a major threat to almond production in Australia, the beetle – as larvae and adults – feeds directly on the nut kernel. In California, some almond growers have lost 10 to 15% of their yield – a “significant economic loss,” according to Jhalendra Rijal, University of California integrated pest management (IPM) advisor for the region. Given the prominence of almonds as a commodity, even a 1% overall reduction statewide represents an approximately $70 million loss.
“This year there has been a lot more reports from PCAs [pest control advisers]; they're sending me the pictures of the damage and beetles,” said Rijal, noting that the increase is likely due to greater awareness of the pest.
To help almond growers identify the carpophilus beetle and develop management plans, Rijal, Wilson and their IPM colleagues have put together a visual ID guide for the beetle and the damage it causes, as well as telltale signs of navel orangeworm (Amyelois transitella) and ant damage. In particular, the experts would like PCAs and growers to differentiate between the carpophilus beetle and navel orangeworm, another key pest in almonds.
“Even though their way of causing damage looks more or less similar, we're dealing with two different types of insects,” Rijal explained. “One is a Lepidoptera moth [navel orangeworm], and the other one is a beetle – many of the management practices and biological controls would be different for these two different things.”
To control carpophilus beetle, ‘sanitize, sanitize, sanitize'
One crucial cultural practice for managing both pests, however, is destroying the remnant “mummy” nuts – the nuts that remain in the orchard postharvest. They serve as overwintering habitat for the carpophilus beetle, as well as its sustenance for the next generation of beetles in spring.
“The best way to manage this pest is to do the orchard hygiene – continuing the winter sanitation, destroying the nuts that are on the ground and on the tree and on the berms,” Rijal said.
Based on observations in Australia and locally, carpophilus beetles tend to rely more on mummies on the ground, whereas navel orangeworm generally favors mummies in the tree canopy. Correctly identifying the pest – with help from the new ID guide – enables growers to better target and prioritize their management efforts, Rijal said.
“What we are strongly emphasizing is that growers need to sanitize, sanitize, sanitize to control both pests,” Wilson added.
Correct identification of the pest would also prevent unnecessary application of insecticides, as those used for controlling Lepidoptera such as navel orangeworm would be largely ineffective on the beetle.
Indeed, another insight shared by Australian experts is that the carpophilus beetle cannot be controlled just by insecticide.
“Insecticides are not very efficient, given the cryptic nature of these beetles; exposing these beetles to the insecticide is very hard,” said Rijal, noting that the beetle spends most of its life cycle protected inside the nut.
Reporting carpophilus beetle infestation helps researchers
This harvest season, Rijal advises almond growers to harvest as efficiently as possible, to minimize the number of mummies that need to be cleaned up. And because signs of damage (like damaged hulls and frass) are most obvious during harvest time, Rijal said growers should review the new guide, using the photos and other resources to help identify potential pests.
If the grower or PCA suspects a carpophilus beetle infestation, they should contact the UCCE farm advisor in their area.
Scientists are looking to expand their knowledge about this relatively new pest to California. In the coming weeks, for example, researchers are planning to survey for the carpophilus beetle in the Sacramento Valley.
“Technically it has not been found there, but we suspect that we'll find it this fall when we go looking for it,” Wilson said.
Researchers are also collecting samples from infested orchards to better understand the biology of the species, as well as how it progresses through and responds to seasonal and climactic changes. In addition, they are analyzing data from a trial study of an insecticide that might be used as a supplemental control measure.
“This is our first full season dealing with this insect, and there are still many things we need to understand,” Rijal said. “We are continuing our research efforts on all fronts.”
/h3>/h3>/h3>- Author: Esther N Lofton
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Just a few more weeks of summer remain! As the weather begins to shift, you may need to adjust your landscaping practices to prevent and monitor for fall pests. The UC IPM Seasonal Landscape IPM Checklist is a monthly guide to help you avoid common pests of landscape plants.
Here are some general tips for the month of September to prevent pests and their damage in the garden and landscape. Visit the checklist online to see more pest management to-dos for your region.
- Monitor citrus plants for signs of pests such as Asian citrus psyllid or leafminers.
- Adjust irrigation to account for any change in weather and increased rainfall.
- Inspect apple, citrus and especially Prunus species (e.g., stone fruit) for bacterial blast, blight, and canker. Remove entire affected branches in the summer, making cuts several inches away in healthy wood.
- Check for aphids. Most established plants can tolerate aphid feeding. On small plants, knock aphids off with a strong stream of water or apply insecticidal oils and soaps to manage.
- Check for signs of powdery mildew on apple, crape myrtle, grape, rose, and stone fruits.
- Manage ants around landscapes and building foundations using insecticide baits and trunk barriers.
- Look for leaffooted bugs feeding on fruit and nuts such as almonds, pistachios, and pomegranates.
Don't see your county on the checklist or want to provide feedback? Let us know!
![Pest tips for September. Pest tips for September.](http://ucanr.edu/blogs/UCIPMurbanpests/blogfiles/108625.png)
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
UC Davis Distinguished Professor Emeritus Howard Ferris can.
Internationally recognized for his “exceptional, wide-ranging and unparalleled contributions to nematology” over a 64-year career, Ferris is a newly elected Honorary Member of the Society of Nematologists (SON), the international organization's highest award.
Ferris received the well-deserved award at SON's 63rd annual conference, held in Park City, Utah.
“Dr. Ferris has devoted most of his adult life to the field of nematology,” according to the SON statement read at the awards ceremony. “Similar to the ecological concepts that are central to much of his work, his research record of over 200 peer-reviewed publications has created a web of connections that touch a huge number of nematologists across the world.”
The award, first given in 1968, is an honor achieved by only 2 percent of the membership. Ferris, who served on the UC Davis faculty for 36 years, is the 36th nematologist and the third UC Davis faculty member to receive the honor. SON awarded UC Davis professor Merlin Allen (1912-1974) the honor in 1970, and Dewey Raski (1917-2014) in 1988.
"Howard's contributions and dedication to the discipline of nematology are remarkable in their impact,” said UC Davis Distinguished Professor of Nematology Steve Nadler, former chair of the Department of Entomology and Nematology, and a member of the nominating team.
UC Davis Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Entomology Frank Zalom of the Department of Entomology and Nematology and director of the UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program (UC IPM) for 16 years, and a past president and Honorary Member of the Entomological Society of America, said Ferris is “perhaps the premier IPM research nematologist of our time.”
He developed and continues to maintain Nemaplex and Nemabase, “two of the most important online nematology resources available,” wrote the trio of nominators, Inga Zasada, USDA-ARS research plant pathologist, Oregon State University; Professor Larry Duncan, University of Florida; and Nadler. “It is unlikely that there is a nematologist in the world that hasn't used the online resources that Howard created.”
A curious student or an established nematologist who has forgotten something can find what they need in Nemaplex, which covers all things nematode including taxonomy, methodologies, biology, ecology, management,” the nominators wrote, adding that it is a “virtual encyclopedia of nematodes…There are also online tools for selecting cover crops and making economic threshold decisions.”
Nematology Defined. Ferris defines nematology as "Unsegmented roundworms; they inhabit freshwater, marine and soil environments, in fact almost any environment that provides sources of carbon and water. Many are free-living, feeding on microbes and on small animals and plants and so contributing to critical ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling and regulation of communities," Ferris says. "Others are important parasites of plants and animals, including humans. Estimates, although difficult to substantiate, are that 80 percent (4 out of 5) multicellular animals on the planet are nematodes. That is numbers of individuals, not numbers of species.”
Ferris launched Nemaplex in 1987, and since his “retirement,” devotes at least three days each week to developing it and associated databases. The online resource covers the biology, ecology, and management of plant and soil nematodes.
Ferris began his career in nematology as a research scientist for the Tobacco Research Board of Zimbabwe, and then obtained his bachelor's degree in botany and zoology in 1964 from the University of London; his nematology diploma in 1965 from the State Agricultural University, Wageningen, Netherlands; his master's degree in zoology in 1968 from the University of London; and his doctorate in plant pathology in 1972 from North Carolina State University.
Born in England, Howard emigrated with his family to South Africa in 1946 and to Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia) in “about 1950.” His family moved to New Zealand six years later, then returned to Zimbabwe in 1958. He finished high school there in 1960.
His first peer-reviewed publication? In 1969. Since then, he's published 221 additional peer-reviewed papers,” his nominators wrote. “More than 30 of his publications have received over 100 citations."
Ferris was elected a Fellow of SON in 1995, served as an associate editor of the Journal of Nematology in the 1980s, and organized SON's 28th annual meeting at Davis in 1989, and SON's 38th annual meeting in Monterey in 1999. He was selected a UC Davis Distinguished Professor in 2012. His other honors include the 1984 Ciba-Geigy Recognition Award for Excellence, presented at the First International Congress of Nematology, Guelph, Ontario, Canada; and the 1983 Dimock Lecture at Cornell University.
He has keynoted symposia in the United States, Scotland, Australia, Brazil, The Netherlands and South Africa, and delivered invited lectures in Belgium, Costa Rica, the United Kingdom, and Spain and Mexico, among others. In addition, he has presented international short courses on nematode identification and soil ecology twice in Costa Rica, and also in Nicaragua and Mexico.
“I am honored to have been associated with graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and visiting scientists who have enriched my career and have gone on to be very successful and productive in their own careers as researchers, teachers and leaders in various fields of endeavor,” Ferris said.
What does he do in his leisure time?
“I've been a lifelong-- but very slow--runner which would now be better described as a shuffler,” he joked. In fact, he's run the Comrades Marathon in South Africa several times, and "a few 50 milers in California"--the California International Marathon 20 plus times; and the Western States 100.
He and his wife, Cynthia Hayes, a retired adjunct professor of criminal justice at Sacramento State University and a retired private investigator, reside in Shingle Springs. His goals? “Stay happy and healthy, continue to enjoy UC Davis and to continue to develop Nemaplex!
![Nematologist Howard Ferris traveled to Culiacan. Mexico in December 2015 to present a short course on nematode ecology Nematologist Howard Ferris traveled to Culiacan. Mexico in December 2015 to present a short course on nematode ecology](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/108559.jpg)
![Nematologist Howard Ferris (foreground) giving a short course on nematode ecology and soil health at the Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica in 2015. Nematologist Howard Ferris (foreground) giving a short course on nematode ecology and soil health at the Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica in 2015.](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/108560.jpg)
![This is the Nemaplex website that nematologist Howard Ferris launched and maintains. (Screen shot) This is the Nemaplex website that nematologist Howard Ferris launched and maintains. (Screen shot)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/108570.jpg)
- Author: Thomas J Getts
I have gotten quite a few calls about blister beetles this year. There was a newspaper article up in Modoc that caused some stir, and was picked up by a lot of social media pages. So, what are blister beetles and why do we care?
Blister beetles get their name for a reason. They contain the toxin cantharidin, which can be excreted when they are threatened, or crushed which causes bad blisters on the skin. While this is problematic they typically are not drawn to humans, and blisters can be avoided by not handling them. Where they pose a larger problem is as a contaminant of hay, where they can be crushed/killed and incorporated into a bale posing as a potential toxin to be consumed by livestock.
Photo One: Blister Beetle on Musk Thistle next to a Roadway
Let's take a step back. What are blister beetles and why are they a subject of conversation now? There are numerous native blister beetles in California. Some are striped, some are brightly colored, but most of the ones I have been seeing are black or grey. The immature larvae of blister beetles feed on the eggs of grasshoppers or ground dwelling bees. I don't have to tell anyone in the Intermountain region, we have had quite a few bad grasshopper years which has led to an increase in blister beetle populations. Typically, the adults lay eggs right on top of the egg beds of grasshoppers. I'd be on the lookout for blister beetles the rest of this year, and definitely next year as they feast on the eggs underground. (So, they are not all bad as they kill some hoppers!).
Photo Two: Grasshoppers flying away from an ATV in a pasture up in Modoc County
As adults, they can consume forage, but typically they are drawn to flowers and consume pollen. (Different species have different preferences.) I have mainly seen them on roadsides, trail sides, and rangelands where there are flowering plants. In hay fields I have only seen them in “native hay pastures” that have wildflowers. However I have gotten reports of them being on the edges of some alfalfa fields that have started to go to bloom.
For livestock generally they are only problematic when they get caught up in a bale. How many is too many? This is a good question. Numerous extension publications cite research done back in the 80's looking at how many blister beetles it would take to kill a horse (horses are more susceptible to the toxin than cattle of sheep). As with all toxin's it often depends on numerous factors, and there is not a single number of beetles that will kill a horse every time. The amount of toxin per beetle can vary by species of beetle as well as within species of beetle. From the research done in the 80's the cantharidin content per beetle ranges from 0.5mg to 5mg, and is toxic to horses at the tune of 1mg/kg. This means that there can be a huge range of how many beetles it will take to kill a horse (see table one). With that being said while it may take a significant number of beetles to kill a horse, as few as five beetles can start to cause colic.
Table one: Adapted from Capinera et al. 1985. J. Econ. Entomol. 78:1052-55.
So, what do you do about the beetles? One of the best things to do is scout fields before they are cut to make sure you do not have them in the field. While it might be counter your management objectives to maximize yield during the mid-season cuttings, cutting alfalfa or clover before bloom can reduce the incentive of beetles to move into hay fields. It is also important the keep a clean hay field, and reduce the number of weeds that may flower in the field drawing the beetles in. There are insecticides like (Sevin- carbaryl, or Warrior- lambda-cyhalothrin) which are effective at killing blister beetles in forages, but may pose their own drawbacks. While most of the beetles should die and fall down to the ground after an insecticide application, there is still some potential for them to be incorporated into the hay during the cutting and raking process. Likewise, the pre harvest intervals for these materials can delay cutting and could require driving over a lot of hay, if an aerial applicator is not available. Cutting around infested patches or isolating/discarding hay that may be contaminated, could be a prudent strategy. Likewise waiting until the beetles move out of the field could be an option.
Photo Three: Blister beetles on clover in a "native" hay meadow in the Intermountian region
There are over 300 species of blister beetles in North America, and not all have been tested for their Cantharidin content. When haying especially using modern equipment with conditioners, I urge you to be cautious, and take time to scout fields before cutting, especially if that hay is going to the horse market.
For more information there are some excellent extension publications online from UCIPM, Colorado State University and North Dakota State.
Photo Five: Blister Beetle on Feral Rye next to the Susan River in Lassen County