⭐Update 1: ACP HLB Outreach Day is tomorrow, March 5 at LREC Conference Room!
Asian Citrus Psyllid and Huanglongbing will be held Lindcove Conference Room on Thursday, March 05, 2026. This is a great opportunity for citrus pest control advisors and growers to learn about the current status of ACP and HLB in California and hear from grower liaisons and regulators on current regulations and mitigation measures, ongoing research efforts, and interact with the speakers. This field day will also provide hands-on training to identify Asian citrus psyllid on a trap card and conduct mock sampling of new flush and tap sampling. If you haven’t already registered for the event, here is the registration link. Registration link: Click here to register. ). 0.5 laws and 3 other hours approved for CE units.
⭐Update 2: CRS Biofix called for March 1 in Kern, Tulare, and Fresno Counties
The California red scale season has now begun. Many PCAs report that they started catching male flight on pheromone trap cards between March 1–3 across Kern, Tulare, and Fresno Counties. We caught fliers in trap at Lindcove REC on March 2. As of now, male captures have not yet been reported from Madera County. These early male flights mark the beginning of the first generation and signal that growers and PCAs should begin closely monitoring orchards for crawler activity in the coming weeks. You can monitor degree days by using UCIPM Weather Model for California red scale. The weather model will calculate the accumulated degree days for you.
How to interpret CRS DD and incorporate it into CRS IPM: It takes 550 Degree Days (heat units above the lower developmental threshold of California red scale) from Biofix day (March 1 for 2026) to first generation crawler emergence. UCIPM recommends treatments be applied when the population consists of mainly of immatures, as immatures are the most susceptible to treatments. Second generation flight will occur at 1100 DD after the Biofix, and second-generation crawler emergence begins at 1650 DD. By using the CRS Degree day model, we are able to predict the seasonal phenology of CRS, thereby making targeted applications. My team will be monitoring degree days and updating them on the LREC website. Stay tuned!
⭐Update 3: New issue of News in the Subtropics is online
The latest issue is now available, featuring new research updates and practical information for growers, PCAs, and industry professionals.
Featured Article:
Field Trial Results You Can Use: Citrus Thrips Insecticide Research
This article highlights how to access field trial results published on Arthropod Management Test Journals. The article includes results on recent field trials evaluating insecticide performance against citrus thrips, providing practical insights to help guide management decisions during the critical fruit development period.
Also in this issue:
- Irrigation Practices and Water Management in Avocados
- Asphyxiation in Orchards
- Cellulase Activity in Mulches and implications for soil health
- Guava Pest Alert
- Putting Bees to Work to Identify Sunblotch