ORDERDIPTERA

Flies, gnats, mosquitos…

DIPTERA

Di: two

Ptera: wings

Complete development

Chewing (larva)

Sponging or piercing sucking (adult)

DIPTERA

WINGS: 1 pairFront: membranousBack: stubs

LEAFMINER

HOSTS• Oak, holly, boxwood, juniper, pine…

LEAFMINER (Page 166)

HOSTS• Oak, holly, boxwood, juniper, pine…

LEAFMINER

DAMAGE• Blotch or tunnel in foliage• Leaf drop in late summer• Mainly visual

LEAFMINER• Several hundred species of foliage miners that can be moths,

beetles, flies or sawflies• Larva: 1/8" maggot• Adult: 1/8" mosquito-like

LEAFMINER

CONTROL• Healthy plants tolerate• Resistant cultivars

FUNGAL GNAT• One generation per month• Attracted to moist shade and organic matter

FUNGAL GNAT

HOST• General feeder

• Many feed on organic matter

• More severe in greenhouse potting soil• Potting soil sterile

FUNGAL GNAT

DAMAGE• Larva strips roots• Loss vigor, wilting

FUNGAL GNAT• Severe on propagated cuttings

• Limited roots

FUNGAL GNAT

CONTROL• Clean up debris• Yellow sticky cards for adults• Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis, (Gnatrol)• Drench soil with insecticide• Predatory nematodes

ORDERORTHOPTERA

Grasshoppers, crickets, mantids…

ORTHOPTERA

Orthos: straight

Ptera: wings

Incomplete

Chewing mouthparts

MOLE CRICKET• Southern: carnivore (4 dots)• Tawny: herbivore (plant pest)• Introduced species are problem• Native species not so much

MOLE CRICKET

• HOSTS: Turfgrass• Bermudagrass• Centipdedgrass

MOLE CRICKET

DAMAGE• Eat roots and shoots at night• Disruptive tunnels• Predatory damage

MOLE CRICKET

SAMPLING• Disclosing solution

MOLE CRICKETCONTROL• Mostly insecticidal• Biocontrol

• Nematodes• Parasitic wasp

ORDERTHYSANOPTERA

Thrips

THYSANOPTERA

Thysanos: tassel

Ptera: wings

Incomplete

Rasping-sucking mouthparts

Narrow, fringed wings (nymph wingless)

Can transmit diseases

Several generations / year

THRIPS (156)

HOSTS• Flower thrips: flowers and buds• Greenhouse thrips: feed openly on foliage

PREDATORY THRIP

THRIPS (139)

DAMAGE• Mostly harmless to woody plantsMostly harmless to woody plants• Stippling and bleaching foliageStippling and bleaching foliage• Dead spots on leavesDead spots on leaves• Tar spots underside of leavesTar spots underside of leaves

THRIPS (139)

THRIPS (139)

THRIPS (139)

MONITOR• Branch beating (paper)• Sticky traps: blue for western flower thrip, yellow for other

species

THRIPS (139)

CONTROL• Maintain plant health to tolerate• Soap and Oil• Predatory wasp release in greenhouse

Chilli Thrips-AdultChilli Thrips-Adult

11stst Instar Larva Instar Larva

Chilli ThripsChilli Thrips22ndnd Instar Larva Instar Larva

SCOUTINGSCOUTING

Chilli Thrips - Chilli Thrips - roserose

LigustrumLigustrum

PittosporumPittosporum

LigustrumLigustrum

Chilli Thrips-Chilli Thrips-ScheffleraSchefflera

Why Biological Control?Why Biological Control?•Thrips control impacted implementation of IPM programs in many ornamental crop systems.

•Chemical control in the landscape is

NOT SUSTAINABLENOT SUSTAINABLE

Franklinothrips vespiformisFranklinothrips vespiformisAdultAdult

Franklinothrips vespiformisFranklinothrips vespiformisNymphNymph

CLASSARACHNIDA

Spider mite

SPIDER MITES

Incomplete

Piercing-sucking

No wings

SPIDER MITES• Microscopic• Red southern (red), two-spotted (clear with 2 black spots)• Can complete generation in 2 weeks

SPIDER MITES

HOSTS• Herbaceous plants, fatsia, butterfly bush, conifers…

• Foliage, fruit, and flowers• Feed on lower surface

SPIDER MITES

DAMAGE• Stippling and bleaching• Webbing when populations high• No tar spots

SPIDER MITES

MONITORING• Look on underside of leaf• Branch beat over paper

SPIDER MITES

CONTROL• Miticide• Oil and soaps• Predaceous spider mites release

Koppert Biocontrol• Sachet of predatory mites

• Slow release