Intergrated Pest Management

[Ryan Weber CNP]

Hi all,
       we have all come in contact with Red Spider (Two Spotted) Mite at some point in time. The horts here at Ramm Botanicals have their ideas on best plan of action to eradicate and then prevent their possible return.
Does any one have some advice they could lend on new techniques? Cultural, Chemical and Biological?

Cheers.

Ryan Weber

[Michael Gleeson CNP]

Gidday Ryan
Sorry we did not touch base at ABC Show last week. Now as for red spider. They don't like getting wet!!! I remember, some years ago now, that Alpine nursery had a heap of Picea albertiana Conica that were riddled with RS and they treated them by making sure that they were watered right into the foliage. The watering fellow had a standard Dram waterbreaker on the hose and he would direct the flow upwards into the foliage. I had a similar experience with a bonsai Picea which was decimated with RS by being inside, when I put it out under the sprinklers the plant came back to life. I guess you could look at setting up your watering such that you may get an effect. hey if it works document it and do a paper on it at IPPS, (Always the opportunist LOL) 

[Ryan Weber CNP]

Thanks Michael,
                     I have heard of that practice; just a little concerned with the amount of water being used to achieve the result. They are one of, if not the most frustrating pests to eradicate. 

Any other suggestions guys?

[Karen Seward CNP]

Hello Ryan, I am the nursery manager at a forestry research centre - re suggestion of water as part of cultural IPM strategy. Although a different crop and pest, we have a  pests in our Euc mothers called psyllids, there a little insect that gets into the fresh tip growth and if allowed to go un managed distort the growth and damage the young leaf tissue that we are aiming to capture and cause un acceptable damage. The usual course is to treat with systemic insecticide but we have found as Michael has stated, unsettling them with water does the job. Our mothers are drip feed but if during our daily IPM monitoring they are spotted,  then in warmer months the mothers foliage is given a quick blast in the mornings by a crew member with a hose with rose attached and in no time the problem is almost non existent, in the caller months when leaf surface moisture is of concern to us due to fungal issues a common garden blower is very effective for both leaf surface moisture and disturbing any insect problems. We use this IPM cultural strategy to great effect and have not had to use a chemical for either problem. Good luck hope it helps

[Michael Gleeson CNP]

Gidday Karen
What an interesting story. We are all familiar with psyllids here and they a big problem on the numerous lillypillies marketed over here on the east coast. It will be interesting to see if anybody else has tried this idea or perhaps will try the idea and report back to all of us.

Cheers Michael