1

Natural PyrethrinsLike many other useful materials,

pyrethroids evolved from a naturalproduct. A type of chrysanthemum,Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium,produces insecticides. These daisy-like dried flowers are called

By William Quarles

Over the last 20 years, therehave been significantchanges in the methods of

structural pest control. Forinstance, there has been a generalswitch from spray formulations tobaits for pests such as cockroaches.Termite baits have been developed,and sales are currently about 30%of the termiticide market (Quarles2010; Quarles 2009a).Businesses have evolved a more

professional outlook, as reflected bythe term Pest ManagementProfessional or PMP in industrypublications. This phrase is not justa change of nomenclature. Manycompanies now emphasize IPMmethods that require more knowl-edge and more training (Quarles2009b).However, a major holdover from

earlier techniques is the applicationof perimeter sprays outside struc-tures to reduce problems with ants,spiders, and occasional invaders.Residual pesticide sprays areapplied to walls and foundationsand to the soil and turf to provide apesticide barrier completely sur-rounding a building. Unfortunately,these sprays are washed off duringrainfall and end up in creeks,rivers, estuaries and wetlands(Moran 2010; Meta Research 2010).Initially, the problem was mostly

with organophosphate pesticides,such as chlorpyrifos and diazinon.Overuse of chlorpyrifos and diazi-non led to toxic contamination ofCalifornia creeks, rivers, and baysthat put aquatic life at risk(Johnson 2004).Organophosphate contamination

of water from structural pest con-

trol is no longer a problem. TheFood Quality Protection act in 1996led to a ban of organophosphatessuch as chlorpyrifos and diazinonfor structural pests (Quarles 1996).After chlorpyrifos and diazinon

were banned, water quality inurban areas of California temporar-ily improved. However, perimetersprays continued, and a major con-sequence of the organophosphateban was an increase in the amountof pyrethroids applied, and theintroduction of new materials suchas indoxacarb, fipronil, and theneonicotinoids imidacloprid, dinote-furan, and thiamethoxam (CA DPR2010; Moran 2010).

In This Issue

Pyrethroid Sprays 1ESA Report 7EcoWise News 7Calendar 9

Volume XXXIII, Number 5/6, May/June 2011 (Published October 2012)

Pyrethroid Perimeter Sprays inStructural Pest Control

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Perimeter sprays are not necessary to manage ants. Exclusion, sanitation,habitat management, spot treatments, and ant baits can get the job done.Here a liquid bait station is being filled with a low toxicity borate bait.

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2 Box 7414, Berkeley, CA 94707IPM Practitioner, XXXIII(5/6) May/June 2011

Update

pyrethrum, and the dried, powderedflowers were first used as an insec-ticide in the U.S. about 1860(McLaughlin 1973).Most of the insecticidal activity of

pyrethrum comes from naturalcompounds called pyrethrins.Flowers can be extracted with sol-vents to produce solutions ofpyrethrins. The natural pyrethrinsare useful broadspectrum insecti-cides that are still used in organicfarming and structural pest control(Farinas 2012; CA DPR 2010:Olkowski et al. 1991).Pyrethrins are quickly inactivated

by sunlight. This quick inactivationmeans that there are few water con-tamination concerns because thepesticides are usually destroyedwithin 3-12 days after they areapplied (Moore 1973).

Synthetic PyrethroidsTo make pyrethrins more resist-

ant to sunlight, however, the syn-thetic pyrethroids were developed.Examples are permethrin,deltamethrin, cyfluthrin, and bifen-thrin. These manmade pesticideshave half lives of a month or more.They are more potent insecticidesthan pyrethrins and have greateracute toxicities to mammals.Natural pyrethrins contain onlycarbon, oxygen, and hydrogen, butpyrethroids can contain in additionchlorine, fluorine, and cyanidegroups (Farinas 2012).For instance, currently one of the

most problematic pyrethroids isbifenthrin. It contains fluorine andchlorine atoms that give it longtermstability. Its half life in aquatic sedi-

ments is 8-16 months, and it is 21xmore toxic to the aquatic testorganism, Hyalella azteca, than theoften used permethrin. Anotherpyrethroid, cypermethrin, is 29xmore toxic than permethrin to H.azteca (Moran 2010; Johnson et al.2010).Because pyrethroid synthesis pro-

duces structural isomers, spray for-mulations are often complex mix-tures. Structural isomers have thesame chemical composition, buteach one has a different threedimensional structure. Some of theisomers are more potent insecti-cides than others. For instance,cyfluthrin is composed of four iso-mers. Beta-cyfluthrin is enriched ininsecticidally potent isomers and isalso more acutely toxic to mammalsthan cyfluthrin (Farinas 2012).

Pyrethroids in CaliforniaWater

Several studies have shownpyrethroid toxicity in creeks, rivers,and wetlands. Much of the contami-nation is due to stormwater runofffrom structural pest control appli-cations. Water contamination dueto pyrethroids has been foundthroughout California. During win-ter storms, more than 50% of sedi-ment samples in a 13 km (7.8 mi)stretch of the American river aretoxic to the aquatic organismHyalella azteca. The pyrethroidbifenthrin was found in 11 of 12runoff sources into the river(Weston and Lydy 2012; Moran2010).In a study of 155 sediment sam-

ples from four Southern Californiabays, estuaries, or marinas,pyrethroids were detected in 35% ofthe samples, and the highest con-centrations were found nearstormwater drains (Lao et al. 2012).When runoff from residential

sources around Sacramento,California were monitored for ayear, pyrethroids were found inevery sample. Bifenthrin was foundat levels of 73 ng/liter in water and1211 ng/g in sediments and was ofthe greatest toxicological concern.[The bifenthrin 96 hour LC50 formortality to H. azteca is 7.7ng/liter.] Stormwater runoff was of

The IPM Practitioner is published six timesper year by the Bio-Integral ResourceCenter (BIRC), a non-profit corporationundertaking research and education in inte-grated pest management.Managing Editor William QuarlesContributing Editors Sheila Daar

Tanya DrlikLaurie Swiadon

Editor-at-Large Joel GrossmanBusiness Manager Jennifer BatesArtist Diane Kuhn

For media kits or other advertising informa-tion, contact Bill Quarles at 510/524-2567,birc@igc.org.

Advisory BoardGeorge Bird, Michigan State Univ.; SterlingBunnell, M.D., Berkeley, CA ; Momei Chen,Jepson Herbarium, Univ. Calif., Berkeley;Sharon Collman, Coop Extn., Wash. StateUniv.; Sheila Daar, Daar & Associates,Berkeley, CA; Steve Frantz, GlobalEnvironmental Options, Longmeadow, MA;Linda Gilkeson, Canadian Ministry of Envir.,Victoria, BC; Joseph Hancock, Univ. Calif,Berkeley; William Olkowski, Birc Founder;George Poinar, Oregon State University,Corvallis, OR; Ramesh Chandra Saxena,ICIPE, Nairobi, Kenya; Ruth Troetschler, PTFPress, Los Altos, CA; J.C. van Lenteren,Agricultural University Wageningen, TheNetherlands.ManuscriptsThe IPMP welcomes accounts of IPM for anypest situation. Write for details on format formanuscripts or email us, birc@igc.org.

CitationsThe material here is protected by copyright,and may not be reproduced in any form,either written, electronic or otherwise withoutwritten permission from BIRC. ContactWilliam Quarles at 510/524-2567 for properpublication credits and acknowledgement.

Subscriptions/MembershipsA subscription to the IPMP is one of the bene-fits of membership in BIRC. We also answerpest management questions for our membersand help them search for information.Memberships are $60/yr (institutions/libraries/businesses); $35/yr (individuals).Canadian subscribers add $15 postage. Allother foreign subscribers add $25 airmailpostage. A Dual membership, which includesa combined subscription to both the IPMPand the Common Sense Pest ControlQuarterly, costs $85/yr (institutions); $55/yr(individuals). Government purchase ordersaccepted. Donations to BIRC are tax-deductible.FEI# 94-2554036.

Change of AddressWhen writing to request a change of address,please send a copy of a recent address label.© 2012 BIRC, PO Box 7414, Berkeley, CA94707; (510) 524-2567; FAX (510) 524-1758.All rights reserved. ISSN #0738-968X

Pyrethrum, C. cinerariaefolium

3

more importance than irrigationrunoff in transport of pyrethroidsinto urban creeks (Weston et al.2009).Analysis of outflows from urban

runoff, water treatment plants, andagricultural drains in Californiashowed nearly all urban runoffsamples were toxic to H. azteca, fre-quently exceeding toxic thresholdsby a factor of 10. Pyrethroids werealso often found in wastewatereffluent, but seldom in agriculturaldischarges (Weston and Lydy 2010).When 30 creeks in 8 geographical

locations of California were samplednear sources of residentialstormwater outflows, all 30 creeksshowed toxicity to the aquatic testorganism, H. azteca, at tempera-tures of 15°C (59°F). Pyrethroidswere found in all sediment samplesat toxic concentrations. Worst con-tamination was near Los Angeles,Central Valley, and San Diegoregions, but creek toxicity wasfound in all regions tested.Bifenthrin accounted for 67% of themean observed pyrethroid toxicitystatewide. Cypermethrin andcyfluthrin were also importantsources of pyrethroid toxicity(Holmes et al. 2008).

Pyrethroids NationwidePyrethroids are not only contami-

nating streams in California. They

are found in stream sedimentsnationwide. A recent study foundpyrethroids in 78% of stream bedsamples from 36 streams in 25states. Bifenthrin was the most fre-quently detected pyrethroid (Hladikand Kuivila 2012). Investigation ofseven U.S. cities found pyrethroidsmore often in water samples fromDallas/Fort Worth than in the othercities, suggesting a regional varia-tion of the problem (Kuivila et al.2012).

Perimeter ApplicationsAccording to Moran (2010),

“reported professional use remainsthe vast majority (nearly 90%) of allestimated urban high-usepyrethroid use, both in terms ofaquatic toxicity equivalents and interms of total pounds of pesticideactive ingredient.” Urban high usepyrethroids include bifenthrin,cypermethrin, cyfluthrin, beta-cyfluthrin, permethrin and othersshown to be a water quality prob-lem.A survey by Meta Research shows

that about 83% of the pyrethroidsused in California structural pestcontrol are applied outside. About50% of those applications areperimeter applications of pesticidesmade to control ants, spiders, andoccasional invaders. The averageperimeter treatment is a continuousband application 2 feet up (0.6 m)on walls and foundations and 5 feetout (1.5 m) horizontally on soil orturf. Hard surfaces such as patiosand driveways are often treatedduring a perimeter application(Meta Research 2010).

Pyrethroid FormulationsProblems with water quality can

vary with the pyrethroid formula-tion and with the application sur-face. Applications to impervioussurfaces cause the most problems.The most problematic formulationconsists of solid particles suspend-ed in a liquid or suspended concen-trate (SC). When different kinds offormulations were applied to turf,soil, or concrete, the greatestwashoff was seen with SC formula-tions applied to concrete (Jorgenson

et al. 2012). Washoff is greatestwhen the pesticide is applied justbefore a rainstorm, but bifenthrinand permethrin can be measured inrain runoff from concrete 7 monthsafter the initial treatment (Jiang etal. 2012).

Pest ManagementAwareness

Pyrethroids are currently themost commonly used broadspec-trum, nonfumigant insecticides inCalifornia structural pest control(CA DPR 2010). And outdoor appli-cations of pyrethroids have resultedin increased contamination of waterdue to pesticide runoff in urbanwatersheds (Moran 2010).Though water contamination with

pyrethroids continues to be a prob-lem, there are signs of some posi-tive changes. Problems with pesti-cide contamination of water led tocreation of the EcoWise Certified®Program in California in 2006(Quarles 2006). An EcoWiseCertified Service must adhere toEcoWise Standards (see www.eco-wisecertified.org). EcoWise PesticideApplication Standards are designedto reduce pesticide exposures andpesticide contamination of water(EcoWise 2012). Pest ManagementProfessionals can be trained andcertified through an online course(see www.birc.org).

3IPM Practitioner, XXXIII(5/6) May/June 2011 Box 7414, Berkeley, CA 94707

Update

Carlos Agurto of Pestec points toan ant trail.

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A borate liquid ant bait station isinstalled in a planting bed.

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4 Box 7414, Berkeley, CA 94707IPM Practitioner, XXXIII(5/6) May/June 2011

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Other certification programs suchas GreenPro Certified® and GreenShield Certified® also allow compa-nies to provide professionally recog-nized services that can reducewater pollution (Quarles 2009b).

Pyrethroids Peak in 2006Pyrethroid applications in

California structural pest controlpeaked in 2006. And CaliforniaPesticide Use Data for 2010, thelatest year with available data,show more than a 60% reduction inpyrethroid applications compared to2006 (see below). Certified services,in part, have led directly to a reduc-tion in pyrethroid applications, butcertification programs may havealso indirectly raised awareness ofthe problem. Knowledge of theproblem may have led to voluntaryreduction in overall pyrethroid use(see below).Some of the reduction seen

between 2006 and 2010 might alsobe due to the economic recession,which may have led homeowners tosave money, putting pests at alower priority. The recession mayexplain some of the pyrethroidreduction, but the use of some pes-ticides increased, and the percentreduction in pyrethroid applications(-62.5%) is greater than the percentreduction in overall pesticide use(-30.4%). Furthermore, pyrethroidsas a percentage of total non-fumi-gant pesticides declined from 34.7%to 27.9%. So there was a switchfrom pyrethroids to alternative for-mulations (see below and Table 1).

Reduction of PyrethroidsAs we see in Table 1, from 2006

to 2010, total structural pesticideapplications in California werereduced by nearly one-third, andstructural fumigants were reducedby more than 10%. Structural fumi-gants account for the major portionof applied pesticides in structuralpest control.If we look only at non-fumigant

pesticides, over the four year peri-od, non-fumigant pesticide applica-tions in CA were reduced by morethan 50% (-53.4%). Pyrethroidapplications were reduced evenmore (-62.5%). There were alsoreductions in new pesticides suchas fipronil (-61.4%) and imidaclo-prid (-36.9%) that might have aneffect on water quality. The reallygood news is that there were largereductions in cypermethrin (-71.5%),a pyrethroid with especially hightoxicity to aquatic organisms (CADPR 2010; 2006; Moran 2010).

The bad news is that applicationsof the more potent and persistentpyrethroids, bifenthrin (-35.6%) andcyfluthrins (-36.3%), that have apotent toxic effect on aquatic organ-isms have decreased less than theoverall average for pyrethroids(-62.5%). Amounts actuallyincreased compared to 2005 levels(CA DPR 2005; 2006; 2010).Also, the pesticide use data pre-

sented in Table 1 is for the wholestate of California. Pyrethroid use isnot uniform across the state, andpercentage applications in someareas may not have decreased asmuch as the statewide number(Weston and Lydy 2012).

New Label RestrictionsThe California Pesticide Use Data

show that IPM certification pro-grams and voluntary reduction bypest management companies haveled to reduced applications of mostpyrethroids. However, applications

Pyrethroid perimeter sprays are notused by EcoWise Service Providers.

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5IPM Practitioner, XXXIII(5/6) May/June 2011 Box 7414, Berkeley, CA 94707

Updateof bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, and beta-cyfluthrin have not been reducedenough in some areas to solve theproblem. The problem has beenaddressed by reevaluation ofpyrethroids by regulatory agenciesand new label restrictions onpyrethroid applications (CA DPR2012).New pyrethroid labels by the EPA

and the California Department ofPesticide Regulation generally pro-hibit applications in rainstorms andto standing water on turf and soil.Applications to impervious surfaceshave been restricted, but perimeterapplications to soil surfaces are stillpermitted.California regulations were effec-

tive starting July 19, 2012 andcover 17 pyrethroids that areapplied by California pest manage-ment businesses. Applications tovertical surfaces such as walls,foundations and fencing are gener-ally limited to spot treatments,crack and crevice treatment, pinstream treatment of one-inch (2.54cm) wide or less. But perimeterband treatments “up to a maximumof two feet (0.6 m) above the gradelevel” are still allowed on verticalsurfaces (CA DPR 2012).

Horizontal SurfacesApplications to horizontal sur-

faces such as soil surface, mulch,gravel, lawn, turf and groundcoverare limited to spot treatments, pinstream treatments, or a continuousperimeter band treatment “threefeet wide (0.9 m) or less from thebase of the building outward.” Theperimeter band treatment, however,cannot be applied to any impervi-ous surface in that area.Broadcast treatments are not

allowed within two feet (0.6 m) ofany impervious surface. Broadcasttermiticides used in constructionpretreatment must be covered withwaterproof covering before rain-storms.Applications to windows, doors,

and horizontal impervious surfacesare limited to spot treatments,crack and crevice treatments, and apin stream treatment of one-inchwide (2.54 cm) or less. Granularformulations cannot be used on

impervious surfaces and granulesapplied to soil, turf, mulch, gravelor groundcover must be swept off ifthey land on impervious surfaces.

Prohibited ApplicationsApplications during rainstorms,

applications to horizontal surfaceswith standing water, to sewers,storm drains or gutters, and todrainage systems that link to sew-ers and storm drains are prohibit-ed. However, applications under-neath eaves are allowed duringrain.Applications to horizontal sur-

faces that drain toward aquatichabitats less than 25 feet (7.6 m)away are prohibited. Application toplants, shrubs and trees is prohib-ited if there is standing water in thedripline or perimeter of the plants.Preconstruction termiticides cannotbe applied within 10 ft (3 m) of astorm drain downgradient from theapplication.Subsurface injections into soil,

injections into structural materials,rod and trench termiticides, appli-cations to underground nests,baits, foggers, and applicationsunderneath eaves are exempt (CADPR 2012).

Alternatives to PerimeterSprays

New pyrethroid label restrictionsare good news for aquatic crea-tures, but pyrethroid perimetersprays were too entrenched in thepest management business modelto be eliminated by regulators.Perimeter sprays evolved as a busi-ness model along with the explosionof suburban development in the1950s. The market was driven byhomeowners who saw pest free sur-roundings as an essential part ofgood property management. Pestcontrol companies were hired toprovide often unneeded calendarsprays as a preventive measure(Quarles 2009c).But pests can be managed with-

out perimeter sprays. An IPM pro-gram of exclusion, sanitation, habi-tat management, spot treatmentswith pesticides, and ant baits canbe effective in managing ant inva-sions. Spiders can be discouragedby destroying their webs and con-trolling their food supply (Quarles2007, Hedges 1997; Klotz et al.1997).

ConclusionPyrethrins and pyrethroids can be

useful tools for a pest managementprofessional when they are usedresponsibly as part of an IPM pro-gram. However, perimeter applica-tions of pyrethroids with long last-ing residuals and high toxicity toaquatic organisms have become aproblem. The problem has beenaddressed by IPM certification pro-grams, voluntary reduction in appli-cations, and new labels that pre-vent the most damaging applica-tions. IPM alternatives to perimetersprays are available, and IPMCertified Services in California areleading the way.

William Quarles, Ph.D., is an IPMSpecialist, Executive Director of theBio-Integral Resource Center (BIRC)and Managing Editor of the IPMPractitioner. He can be reached byemail,birc@igc.org.

Carlos Agurto installs a large KMAnt Pro® liquid ant bait station.

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ReferencesCA DPR (California Department of Pesticide

Regulation). 2005. 2005 AnnualStatewide Pesticide Use Report Indexedby Commodity.www.cdpr.ca.gov

CA DPR (California Department of PesticideRegulation). 2006. 2006 AnnualStatewide Pesticide Use Report Indexedby Commodity. www.cdpr.ca.gov

CA DPR (California Department of PesticideRegulation). 2010. 2010 AnnualStatewide Pesticide Use Report Indexedby Commodity. www.cdpr.ca.gov

CA DPR (California Department of PesticideRegulation). 2012. Department ofPesticide Regulation announces newrestrictions to protect water quality inurban areas. CA DPR Press Release,July 18, 2012.www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/press-rls/2012/120718.htm

Casida, J.E. 1973. Pyrethrum, the NaturalInsecticide. Academic Press, New York.329 pp.

EcoWise. 2012. EcoWise Certified Standardsfor IPM Certification in Structural PestManagement. Version 2.2, February 5,2011. 40 pp. Bio-Integral ResourceCenter, PO Box 7414, Berkeley, CA94707.www.birc.org/EcoWiseCertified.htm

Farinas, G.R. 2012. Analysis of PyrethroidResidues in Sediments from San DiegoCounty Streams using LiquidChromatography Triple QuadrupoleMass Spectrometry. MS Thesis, SanDiego State University. 67pp.http://sdsu-dspace.calstate.edu/bit-stream/handle/10211.10/2437/Farinas_Grace.pdf?sequence=1

Hedges, S. 1997. Ants. In: Mallis, pp. 503-599 of 1453 pp.

Hladik, M.L. and K.M. Kuivila. 2012.Pyrethroid insecticides in bed sedimentsfrom urban and agricultural streamsacross the United States. J. Environ.Monitoring 14:1838-1845.

Holmes, R.W., B.S. Anderson, B.M. Phillipset al. 2008. Statewide investigation ofthe role of pyrethroid pesticides in sedi-ment toxicity in California’s urbanwaterways. Environ. Sci. and Technol.42(18):7003-7009.

Jiang, W.Y., D. Haver, M. Rust and J. Gan.2012. Runoff of pyrethroid insecticidesfrom concrete surfaces following simu-lated and natural rainfalls. WaterResearch 46(3):645-652.

Johnson, M., B. Luukinen, J. Gervais et al.2010. Bifenthrin technical fact sheet.National Pesticide Information Center,Oregon State University Extension. 12pp.http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/bitech.pdf

Johnson, W. 2004. Diazinon and pesticiderelated toxicity in bay area urbancreeks: water quality attainment strate-gy and total maximum daily load(TDML). San Francisco Regional WaterQuality Board, 1515 Clay St., Oakland,94612. 120 pp.www.waterboards.ca.gov/.../urbancrks-diazinon/b_final_staff_report

Jorgenson, B.C., C. Wissel-Tyson and T.M.Young. 2012. Factors contributing to the

off-target transport of pyrethroid insecti-cides from urban surfaces. J. Agric.Food Chem. 60:7333-7340.

Klotz, J.H., L. Greenberg, H.H. Shorey, andD.F. Williams. 1997. Alternative controlstrategies for ants around homes. J.Agric. Entomol. 14(3):249-257.

Kuivila, K.M., M.L. Hladik, C.G. Ingersoll etal. 2012. Occurrence and potentialsources of pyrethroid insecticides instream sediments from seven U.S. met-ropolitan areas. Environ. Sci. Technol.46(8):4297-4303.

Lao, W.J., L. Tiefenthaler, D.J. Greenstein etal. 2012. Pyrethroids in SouthernCalifornia coastal sediments. Environ.Toxicol. Chem. 31(7):1649-1656.

Mallis, A. 1997. Handbook of Pest Control,8th ed. Mallis Handbook and TechnicalTraining Company. Cleveland, OH. 1453pp.

McLaughlin, G.A. 1973. History ofpyrethrum. In: Casida, pp. 3-15 of 329pp.

Meta Research. 2010. California 2009 urbanpesticide use pattern study. MetaResearch and Pyrethroid WorkingGroup. 19 pp.www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/registration/reevaluation/chemicals/pyrethroids

Moore, J.B. 1973. Residue and toleranceconsiderations with pyrethrum, piper-onyl butoxide and MGK 264. In: Casida,pp. 293-306 of 329 pp.

Moran, K. 2010. Pesticides in urban runoff,wastewater, and surface water. AnnualUrban Pesticide Use Data Report 2010.San Francisco Estuary Partnership. 38pp.www.up3project.org/documents/up3use2010_Final.pdf

Olkowski, W., S. Daar and H. Olkowski.1991. Common Sense Pest Control.Taunton Press, Newton, CT. 715 pp.

Quarles, W. 1996. Food Quality ProtectionAct. IPM Practitioner 18(10):10-12.

Quarles, W. 2006. EcoWise Certified, an IPMcertification program. IPM Practitioner28(1/2):11-13.

Quarles, W. 2007. IPM for the Argentine ant.Common Sense Pest Control Quarterly23(2/3):8-20.

Quarles, W. 2009a. IPM reduces pesticides,cockroaches, and asthma. IPMPractitioner 31(9/10):1-8.

Quarles, W. 2009b. Mainstream pest man-agement and IPM (Green) certification.IPM Practitioner 31(1/2):1-6.

Quarles, W. 2009c. Rethinking the Americanlawn. Common Sense Pest ControlQuarterly 25(1):3-10.

Quarles, W. 2010. Baits or Barriers? Fieldefficacy of subterranean termite treat-ments. IPM Practitioner 32(9/10):1-9.

Weston, D.P., R.W. Holmes and M.J. Lydy.2009. Residential runoff as a source ofpyrethroid pesticides to urban creeks.Environ. Pollution 157(1):287-294.

Weston, D.P. and M.J. Lydy. 2010. Urbanand agricultural sources of pyrethroidinsecticides to Sacramento-San JoaquinDelta of California. Environ. Sci.Technol. 44(5):1833-1840.

Weston, D.P. and M.J. Lydy. 2012.Stormwater input of pyrethroid insecti-cides to an urban river. Environ. Toxicol.Chem. 31(7):1579-1586.

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IPM Practitioner, XXXIII(5/6) May/June 2011 Box 7414, Berkeley, CA 947076

Update

By Joel Grossman

T hese Conference Highlightsare from the Nov. 13-16,2011, Entomological Society

of America (ESA) annual meeting inReno, Nevada. ESA’s next annualmeeting is November 11-14, 2012,in Knoxville, Tennessee. For moreinformation contact the ESA (10001Derekwood Lane, Suite 100,Lanham, MD 20706; 301/731-4535; http://www.entsoc.org

Indoor-Outdoor Stink BugTrap

Traps have been used for moni-toring and mass trapping stinkbugs since at least 2002, said Qing-He Zhang (Sterling International,Inc., Spokane, WA 99216; qing-he.zhang@rescue.com). In 2010,Sterling International began design-ing prototype stink bug traps forthe larger consumer market usingelements of existing RESCUE!®Japanese beetle and yellowjackettraps. By January 2011, after goingthrough 10 designs, the companyproduced a reusable RESCUE! stinkbug trap catching 50 stink bugs perday per trap. The high-tech designlures stink bugs in, but preventsthem from getting out.Multiple lures are available for

baiting the trap to catch multiplestink bug species. Traps are soldwith a two week supply of attrac-tant pheromone; seven weekpheromone supplements are alsoavailable. In early spring, instead ofpheromone an attractive blue lightcan be used on top of the trap. Theblue light is also effective indoors,and there is no odor.Recommended trap placement for

early summer is in deciduous trees,with only the bottom fins of thetrap touching vegetation. Mid- tolate-summer, traps are placed onposts with only the trap fins touch-ing the posts. Late winter, indoortraps capture stink bugs migratinginto homes where they like to spendthe winter.

The RESCUE! stink bug trap isavailable in hardware stores suchas Ace, Costco, Wal-Mart and HomeDepot. Local and national TV andradio news coverage has featuredthe trap.

Urban Citrus Psyllid Traps“Current detection methods for

Asian citrus psyllid (ACP),Diaphorina citri, in urban areasrely on the use of yellow stickytraps,” said Kris Godfrey (CDFA,1220 N St, Sacramento, CA 95814;kgodfrey@cdfa.ca.gov). “However,two new traps with a slightly moregreenish hue have been introducedand have captured more ACP adultsin some commercial citrus set-tings.”In urban Los Angeles, California

and on lemons in Weslaco, TexasACP capture was compared for fourcommercial traps, including: a yel-

low corn root trap; a yellow paneltrap; a green ACP trap; and a greenpanel trap. Yellow traps capturedthe most ACP adults in urbanareas. Traps were more effectivewhen placed in lemon or lime treesthan in kumquat trees.

Microbe DispenserControls Asian Citrus

PsyllidAsian citrus psyllid is a vector of

greening disease (Huanglongbing),which can lead to discolored, bitter,unmarketable citrus fruits andeventual tree death, said AndrewChow (USDA-ARS, 2413 E Hwy 83,Bldg 200, Weslaco, TX, 78596;andrew.chow@ars.usda.gov). [SeeJuly/August 2010 IPMP, NewInvasives Threaten California Cropsand Ornamentals] In California,Florida, and the Rio Grande Valleyof Texas, agricultural areawide

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Box 7414, Berkeley, CA 94707IPM Practitioner, XXXIII(5/6) May/June 2011 7

Conference Notes

The EcoWise Certified program isexpanding. The latest addition to thelist of EcoWise Service Providers isthe Anaheim branch of WesternExterminator Company. KeithWillingham, a longtime champion ofIPM methods and green pest man-agement will be in charge of theEcoWise service. WesternExterminator Company’s San JoseBranch was certified last year.A list of EcoWise Certified

Practitioners can be found on thewebsite at www.ecowisecertified.org.Newly certified EcoWise IPMPractitioners include Herminio Lopezof Pestec and William Denison of theDewey Pest Control Branch inPacheco.Hearts Pest Management down in

San Diego has reason to celebrate.They have just joined the EPA’sPESP (Pesticide EnvironmentalStewardship) program. According tothe EPA’s Frank Ellis, “PESP is anexciting, voluntary program toreduce the risks from the use of pes-ticides. I am pleased that your com-pany is taking a leadership role,along with our other members, in

working with EPA on environmentalstewardship.”According to Hearts CEO Gerry

Weitz, “Hearts is growing at an 11%rate via “organic company growth”with a 25% rate of growth in greenbranded services.”Gerry said, “Hearts Pest

Management is constantly lookingoutside the traditional box of IPMtoward a new and exciting role in thenatural balance of our habitat.Expanding the envelop of IPM, weare currently experimenting withindoor deep cleaning and allergenservice, focusing on those areas ofthe home that your cleaning crewdoesn’t reach.”“We now have on staff a company

blogger, Donna Walker, who hasextensive experience as a parkdocent and the San DiegoArcheological Center. She regularlywrites about insects and arachnidswith great passion and respect.”Hearts has a blog at www.heart-

spm.com/blog where you will find arecent article about Mud Daubersand a most unusual article on pre-historical pests.

ESA 2011 Annual Meeting Highlights

EcoWise News

adult ACP mortality. Dried soapprovided little residual control.The soaps killed 100% of ACP

nymphs. Egg survival was better:2% soap provided 63% egg mortali-ty. Unfortunately, about 80-90% ofthe adult parasitoid Tamarixia radi-ata were killed by the soaps. Thesoaps were relatively nontoxic to alady beetle predator, killing only 5-15%. Since “soap costs much lessthan conventional pesticides,” soapsare an alternative for organic citrusgroves and urban landscapes.

Earthworm CompostBoosts Bumble Bees &

Pollination“Soil quality enhancement with

earthworm compost increases

which results in abnormal juiceflow and dry fruit, and for whichthere is no cure, said David Hall(2001 South Rock Rd, Fort Pierce,FL 34945; david.hall@ars.usda.gov).ACP was in Florida in 1998; green-ing disease arrived by 2005. By2001, the pest reached Texas. NowACP is in all the Gulf States,Arizona and California.Two insecticidal soaps (50% con-

centrations of potassium salts offatty acids) labeled for home usewere tested against ACP and two ofits natural enemies. M–Pede® andSafer® Insecticidal SoapConcentrate were equally effectiveagainst adult ACP: 0.8% concentra-tions killed about 90% of adults;2% concentrations provided 100%

spray programs need augmentationfor infestations in residentialorchards and backyards, trailerparks, and other non-agriculturallocales.In California CDFA uses foliar

sprays and soil drenches for smallresidential ACP infestations thatmight spread to agricultural citrus.In Florida, where ACP is more wide-spread, biological control agentssuch as the parasitoid Tamarixiaradiata are released around privateresidences.Asian citrus psyllid adults are

attracted to the odor and color ofcitrus flushes. Besides a phototacticresponse to color, the pest has athigmotactic (touch) response totexture. These responses are usedto design attract-and-kill devices ordispensers to attract ACP and dis-seminate insect-killing pathogenssuch as Isaria fumosorosea for ACPcontrol on residential and organiccitrus.The USDA (Peoria, IL) has formu-

lated insect pathogens such asIsaria fumosorosea into dispenserswhich infect individual psyllids thatspread the pathogens throughoutthe pest population, potentially cre-ating epizootics. In South Texastests of the USDA pathogen dis-penser, an Isaria fumosoroseastrain isolated from whiteflies killed93% of ACP adults and nymphs infour days.

Soap Cleans Up AsianCitrus Psyllids

Asian citrus psyllid is a vector ofgreening disease (Huanglongbing),

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IPM Practitioner, XXXIII(5/6) May/June 2011 Box 7414, Berkeley, CA 947078

Conference Notes

One of the hot research topicsright now is the relationship betweenecological interactions and evolution.Usually, we think of evolution as aslow process involving many life-times. When genetic changes areseen, it is often in bacteria that havevery fast generation times.Cornell University researchers

have recently published an articlethat shows evolutionary changes canoccur in plants in as little as threegenerations. The article also showsthat apparently even negativeprocesses are needed to maintainthe biological world order.Insects eat plants and most gar-

deners and farmers see this as a badthing. The Cornell Universityresearchers wanted to measurechanges in plants that occur as aresult of exclusion of insect herbi-vores. The pyrethroid insecticideesfenvalerate was used to preventinsect attacks on stands of eveningprimrose, Oenothera biennis. Theprotected stands were compared tocontrols where insect attacks wereallowed.Plants protected by insecticides

changed genetically over the courseof three generations. Protected O.biennis stopped producing defensivecompounds such as ellagitannins.Changes also occurred in plant phe-nology. Unprotected plants have adefensive strategy of late flowering toavoid attacks of the moth, Mompha

brevivitella. Protection of the plantswith insecticide led to a geneticchange toward early flowering withinthree generations.Suppression of insects on evening

primrose had other consequences.Where insects were suppressed,evening primrose was outcompetedby dandelion, Taraxacum officinale.The insects that were feeding onevening primrose were even moredamaging to dandelion. Where insectsuppression occurred, populations ofdandelion exploded.This experiment has rather pro-

found implications. Food we eat getssome of its taste from defensive com-pounds produced by plants. Usingcalendar sprays of insecticides toconstantly keep plants insect freecould lead to changes in taste ifseeds from protected plantings arereused each year.Also, if evolutionary changes can

happen in three generations, plantsmight be able to compensate forsome of the negative consequencesof global warming. Evolutionarychanges might be fast enough tokeep up with the swift climateinduced ecological changes in somecases.Agrawal, A.A., A.P. Hastings,

M.T.J. Johnson, J.L. Maron and J.P.Salminen. 2012. Insect herbivoresdrive real-time ecological and evolu-tionary change in plant populations.Science 338:113-116.—BQ

Insecticides Cause Evolutionary Changes

Asian citrus psyllid, D. citri

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tically significant. Even further, B.impatiens colonies confined to for-age on plants from either treatmentfor 30 days, lost significantly lessweight and had lower pathogenincidence when foraging on plantsgrown in VC soil. Thus, soil qualityenhancement has significantimpacts on plant-pollinator interac-tions and can directly influence pol-linator nutrition and thereby, over-all performance and health.

Alyssum Lowers LettuceAphids

“We investigated the effects of flo-ral resources on aphid suppressionby the hoverfly Eupeodes fumipen-nis (Syrphidae) in California lettucefields, where hoverfly larvae play akey role in suppression of the let-tuce aphid, Nasonovia ribis-nigri,”said Brian Hogg (Univ of California,130 Mulford Hall, Berkeley CA94720; hoggbrian@yahoo.com).“Results link alyssum to reducedcrop damage, as aphids are prima-rily a contaminant of lettuce.” Therewere over 80% fewer lettuce aphidswhen alyssum was interplantedwith lettuce. “Although numbers ofhoverfly larvae were low overall,they were far higher in the presenceof alyssum (flowering alyssum +water) on day 18 of the experi-ment,” compared to the control(water provided) and nectar provi-sion (water + honey solution) fieldcages, said Hogg.“Increases in hoverfly fecundity

were primarily responsible foreffects on aphids,” said Hogg.“Nectar alone may not be sufficientto enhance hoverfly fecundity.”Adding floral resources to lettucefields means hoverflies have moreenergy for reproduction, as theywaste less energy traveling to dis-tant pollen sources.

Buckwheat Living Mulchfor Florida Whiteflies

“Living mulches including buck-wheat, Fagopyrum esculentum,have been reported to suppressadult whiteflies on zucchini squashplants, as well as attract beneficialinsects to the cucurbit crop,” saidJanine Razze (Univ of Florida, PO

attractiveness of flowers to pollina-tors,” and boosts bumble bee healthand fertility along with pollination,said Yasmin Cardoza (NorthCarolina State Univ, Campus Box7613, Raleigh, NC 27695;yasmin_cardoza@ncsu.edu). Whencucumber soils were amended withearthworm compost, bumble bees,Bombus impatiens, found the firstcucumber flowers faster and visitedlonger. As well as bumble bees,cucumbers in soils amended withvermicompost also had more ofother native pollinators.More than an NPK soil nutrient

availability effect was involved, asflowers had more sugars and pro-teins for pollinators. “It is possiblefor plants grown in organically

amended soils to be better hosts forpollinators,” perhaps by better floralresources boosting nutritionalvalue, said Cardoza. Moreover,bumble bee workers fed flowersfrom plants grown in vermicompost(VC) had significantly more andlarger ovarioles (egg tubes), as wellas a higher number and largeroocytes (ovary cells), which are “ameasure of nutritional quality.”“Pollen and nectar fractions of

flowers from plants grown in vermi-compost were found to have higherprotein concentration compared tothose plants grown in control soil,”said Cardoza. Nectar sugar contentalso tended to be higher in VC flow-ers, but differences were not statis-

Box 7414, Berkeley, CA 94707IPM Practitioner, XXXIII(5/6) May/June 2011 9

Conference Notes CalendarOctober 17-20, 2012. Pestworld, Annual MeetingNational Pest Management Association (NPMA),Boston, MA. Contact: NPMA, 10460 North St.,Fairfax, VA 22031; 800/678-6722; 703/352-6762www.npmapestworld.org

November 1, 2012. New Regulations and IPMfor Ants. Sponsored by UC Irvine and SantaClara County IPM. Isaac Newton Center, 70 WestHedding St., San Jose, CA. Contact: LesGreenberg, 951/827-3217

November 4-10, 2012. Biocontrol of BacterialPlant Diseases. Agadir, Morocco. Contact:www.lavcha.ac.ma/biocontrol2012

November 11-14, 2012. ESAAnnual MeetingKnoxville, TN. Contact: ESA, 10001 DerekwoodLane, Suite 100, Lanham, MD 20706; 301/731-4535; http://www.entsoc.org

December 6-8, 2012. Acres USA Conference andTrade Show. Louisville, Kentucky. Contact:800-355-5353; www.acresusa.com

January 7-12, 2013. 25th Advanced LandscapeIPM Short Course. University of Maryland,College Park. Contact: Avis Koeiman, Dept.Entomology, 301/405-3913. emailakoeiman@umd.edu

January 23-26, 2013. 33rd Annual EcoFarmConference. Asilomar, Pacific Grove, CA.Contact: Ecological Farming Association,831/763-2111; info@eco-farm.org

February 4-7, 2013. Annual Meeting WeedScience Society of America. Baltimore, MD.Contact: www.wssa.net

February 14-17, 2013. Annual MeetingAssociation Applied IPM Ecologists. HyattRegency, San Francisco, CA. Contact:www.aaie.org

February 21-23, 2013. 24th Annual MosesOrganic Farm Conference. La Crosse, WI.Contact: Moses, PO Box 339, Spring Valley, WI54767; 715/778-5775; www.mosesorganic.org

March 4-6, 2013. California Small FarmConference. Fresno, CA. Contact: www.californi-afarmconference.com

June 18-23, 2013. 70th Annual Convention, PestControl Operators of CA. Harrah’s, Las Vegas,NV. Contact: www.pcoc.org

August 4-9, 2013. 98th Annual ConferenceEcological Society of America. Minneapolis,MN. Contact: www.esa.org

August 10-13, 2013. Annual ConferenceAmerican Phytopathological Society (APS).Austin, TX. Contact: Betty Ford,bford@scisoc.org or www.apsnet.org

November 17-20, 2013. Annual ESAMeeting.Austin, TX. Contact: ESA, 10001 DerekwoodLane, Suite 100, Lanham, MD 20706; 301/731-4535; http://www.entsoc.org

Bumble bee, Bombus sp.

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needed. Barley and eggplant werethe only plants not floweringthroughout the experiment.Natural enemies such as lady

beetles, minute pirate bugs, andparasitoids were most numerous onsticky cards in plots with pots ofdill, fiddleneck, and alyssum.Parasitoid mummies (aphid biocon-trol) were highest in eggplant, pep-per, poppy, and fiddleneck; thesecould all be good banker plants foraugmentative release of aphid para-sitoids. However, fiddleneck is hardto grow and manage.

Iowa Buffer StripsCertified organic growers in Iowa

are required to have buffer strips tointercept genetically-modified (GM)pollen and pesticide drift, said KellyAnn Gill (Iowa State Univ, Ames, IA50011; kaseman@iastate.edu).Buffer strips can also be optimizedto increase biodiversity, conservepollinators and natural enemies,and aid in pest suppression.The goal is planting locally-adapt-

ed, multi-function buffer stripsresistant to invasive pests and last-ing many years. Six native perenni-al buffer strips were tested in 2 m2

(21.5 ft2) garden style plots, in partto determine how many plantspecies were best for buffer strips:1) switchgrass; 2) CP-IA (14 speciesof grasses, forbs, and legumes usedto restore prairies); 3) ‘Best Bet’MSU mix (12 of 43 species; ratedfor natural enemy attractiveness); 4)MSU 5-species subset; 5) MSU 3-species subset; 6) MSU 2-speciessubset (bare minimum mixture: cupplant & meadow zizia).About 1/3 of the midday insect

fauna sampled with vacuum deviceswere beneficial insects (17% minutepirate bugs; 9% parasitoids; 1%pollinators); 63% were herbivores.The MSU (Michigan State Univ)mixes had twice the number of ben-eficials and more biodiversity thanthe CP-IA mix optimized for Iowa.‘Best Bet’ MSU mix had the mostnatural enemies, followed by the 3and 5 species MSU subsets. Theplantings cost $15.50 per 75 ft2 (7m2) of plugs.

dropped from a seasonal average of36.6% to 13.6%.”

Greenhouse CompanionPlants

“Companion plants can providesupplemental resources for naturalenemy open rearing in greenhousesand serve as pest monitoring ortrapping tools,” said EmilyPochubay (Michigan State Univ,205 CIPS, East Lansing, MI 48824;pochubay@msu.edu). A 4-acre (1.6ha) certified organic lettuce andherb greenhouse in Michigan wasused to test the following compan-ion plants grown in pots: calendula,Calendula officinalis; dill, Anethumgraveolens; alyssum, Lobulariamaritime; poppy, Papaver somnifer-um; eggplant, Solanum melongena;pepper, Capsicum annuum; barley,Hordeum vulgare; blue hubbardsquash, Cucurbita maxima; buck-wheat, Fagopyrum esculentum; cas-tor bean, Ricinus zanzibarensis;impatiens, Impatiens balsamina;fiddleneck, Phacelia tanacetifolia;and Queen Anne’s lace, Daucuscarota.Green lacewings and minute

pirate bugs were released in plotsadjacent to the experimental plots.Pests and natural enemies weremonitored with yellow sticky cards.Organic pesticides were used as

Box 110620, Gainesville, FL 32611;jrazze@ufl.edu). “Zucchini squash,Cucurbita pepo, is a high value veg-etable crop in Florida. Plant physio-logical disorders and insect-trans-mitted diseases associated with thefeeding of immature silverleafwhiteflies, Bemisia tabaci B biotype,are serious problems for manygrowers around the state.”Biocontrol tactics and the imple-mentation of cultural control tech-niques such as living mulches havepotential to reduce whitefly num-bers and whitefly-transmitted virus-es on cucurbits.Exclusion cage experiments eval-

uated silverleaf whitefly preferentialattraction to zucchini versus buck-wheat. The study also evaluated thewhitefly predator Delphastus catali-nae. “Our findings suggest that zuc-chini squash is the preferred hostof silverleaf whitefly when comparedwith buckwheat,” said Razze.Silverleaf whitefly headed to zucchi-ni could be intercepted byDelphastus catalinae. “Delphastuscatalinae, when used in conjunctionwith buckwheat as a living mulch,could aid in the reduction of white-flies on zucchini squash and theincidence of whitefly-transmitteddiseases.”

Whitefly ParasitoidCalifornia Success

Eretmocerus mundus, anAphelinidae parasitoid of the white-fly Bemisia tabaci, was last releasedinto central California in 2000along with other parasitoids as partof a multi-agency national program.“Over the course of 9 years, E.mundus continues to be the onlyparasitoid release recovered,” saidCharles Pickett (CDFA, 3288Meadowview Rd, Sacramento, CA95832; cpickett@cdfa.ca.gov).“Today it is the dominant parasitoidattacking B. tabaci in cotton in cen-tral California. Parasitism levelsmeasured from cotton leaves withhigh numbers of B. tabaci haveremained at 20% to 35%, up fromless than 1.4% when first meas-ured. The percentage of leavesinfested by B. tabaci in the south-ern San Joaquin Valley have

IPM Practitioner, XXXIII(5/6) May/June 2011 Box 7414, Berkeley, CA 9470710

Conference Notes

Buckwheat, Fagopyrumesculentum

be a moot question, as pests alwaysseem to find a crop.]

Plum Curculio Trap TreesPesticide spraying can be reduced

99% if only perimeter or selectedinfested trap trees are treated forplum curculio, Conotrachelusnenuphar, said Starker Wright(USDA-ARS, 2217 Wiltshire Rd,Kearneysville, WV 25430; Starker.Wright@ars.usda.gov). Perimeterrows of apple trees can act as traptrees when baited with syntheticfruit volatiles such as benzaldehydeor plum curculio aggregationpheromone (grandisoic acid).Oviposition (egg-laying) scars are

evidence of plum curculio aggrega-tion, indicating baited trap treesattract the pest. Baiting trap treeswith benzaldehyde and grandisoicacid reduced plum curculio injuryto 14.6%. Plum curculio aggrega-tion was evident in baited traptrees, and decreased with increas-ing distance from the trap trees.Interestingly, electroantennogram

(EAG) activity did always predictplum curculio behavioral responses.For example, there was no EAGresponse to benzaldehyde, whichwas a good attractant in the field.Trans-2-hexenal produced an EAGresponse, but no aggregation.To prevent trap trees from com-

peting with each other, trap treeswere spaced 50 meters (164 ft)apart; the idea being to have 25meters (82 ft) on either side of thetrap tree free from competition (forplum curculio attraction). Baited

trap trees can be combined withother IPM techniques. For example,entomogenous nematodes can tar-get plum curculio in dropped fruit.

Roadside Mowing andButterfly Strips

Road ecology, a relatively newfield (1990s) involved with keepingroadside wildlife intact, has tendedto focus more on vehicle collisionswith larger animals such as verte-brates rather than invertebrateslike butterflies, said Dale Halbritter(Univ of Florida, 970 Natural AreaDr, Gainesville, FL 32611; dhalb001@ufl.edu). But butterflies to someextent are also proxies for pollina-tors and other flying insects,including beneficials. Loss of habitatto roads, habitat fragmentation, andhabitat degradation beyond the road-side are also road ecology concerns.In Central Florida, roadside mar-

gins include butterfly habitats.Thus, roadside butterfly kills andmowing impacts are concerns forthese habitats. Along the roadside,test plots were evaluated. The testplots were 600-meter (1,969-ft)lengths divided into 200-m (656-ft)treatment blocks. Treatmentsincluded no mowing; mowing everysix weeks; and mowing every threeweeks (frequent mowing). Killedbutterflies were collected within 1meter (3.3 ft) of either side of theroad edge for one flight season(April-Oct). Live butterflies weresampled along linear transects.Floral analysis (species richness &density) utilized 1 m2 (10.8 ft2)quadrants.Mowing treatments had an effect

on the abundance of live butterflies,particularly Hesperioidea (skippers)and Papilionoidea (other butter-flies). Reducing mowing frequencyis a cultural technique to increaseflowers and butterfly abundance.The least-frequently mowed areascan become “sinks” for butterfliesfrom nearby areas or act as butter-fly (i.e. wildlife) corridors betweenhabitats. The long-term goal isdesigning roadside mowing sched-ules that conserve butterflies andother pollinators, and at the sametime accommodate highway safety.

Methyl Salicylate forCranberry IPM

Methyl salicylate (MeSA), com-mercially formulated as PredaLure®,is an herbivore-induced plantvolatile (HIPV) triggering plantrelease of HIPVs and attractingpredators and parasitoids useful incontrolling aphids, spider mites, andother pests in agricultural settingsas diverse as corn fields and cran-berry bogs, said Cesar Rodriguez-Saona (Rutgers Univ, 125a LakeOswego, Chatsworth, NJ 08019;crodriguez@aesop.rutgers.edu).Insect predator responses to

MeSA lures were monitored foreight weeks in 15 commercial cran-berry bogs using paired yellowsticky traps (unbaited control;MeSA lure). Significantly more adultlady beetles and green lacewingswere caught on two of eight sam-pling dates. Significantly more adultsyrphid flies, Toxomerus margina-tus, were caught in traps withMeSA lures on most samplingdates. Syrphid flies showed a pointsource attraction to the lures,which was a surprise.Cranberry plants, which normally

produce little MeSA, were alsoexposed to variously aged MeSAlures in greenhouse tests. Freshand aged MeSA lures resulted innearby cranberry plants producingmore MeSA.Though European corn borer

(ECB), Ostrinia nubilalis is not acranberry pest, commercially-avail-able ECB egg masses were placeddifferent distances from MeSA luresto measure predation. ECB eggmass predation increased by 3%from 8% to 11% with MeSA lures.There were more syrphid flies,green lacewings, and lady beetles.Numbers of parasitoids and

ground predators from the MeSAexperiments are also being counted.A predatory mite not captured bythe yellow sticky cards wasobserved eating the ECB egg mass-es. A larger ecological question stillto be answered is: What are theecological effects on crop fields andsurrounding areas when naturalenemies are attracted to MeSA luresin the absence of pests? [This might

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Conference Notes

Plum curculio, C. nenuphar

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