This document discusses integrated pest management strategies for gardening with native plants. It defines what a pest is from a human perspective and explains predator/prey relationships in nature. When non-native plants are grown in monocultures with excessive water and fertilizer, they are more susceptible to pests. The document recommends using native plants adapted to the local environment, planting a variety of species, and implementing cultural practices like proper watering to prevent pest problems. Integrated pest management is presented as a strategy that uses biological, cultural and chemical controls, with the least hazardous methods employed first. Specific pests like aphids, whiteflies and mealybugs that affect native plants are described along with monitoring and control recommendations.

1. Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden
Gardening with Western L.A. County Native Plants
Project SOUND - 2009
© Project SOUND

2. Pests, Pests, Pests
C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve
Madrona Marsh Preserve
March 7 & 10, 2009
© Project SOUND

3. What is a pest?  An organism which has
characteristics that are
regarded by humans as
injurious or unwanted
 Eats a desired plant
 Causes disease in a desired
plant
 Carries disease to a desired
plant
 May be:
 A vertebrate (deer; rabbit)
 An insect/mollusk (snail)
 A bacterium, virus or fungus
 A pest in one setting may be
beneficial in another; like a
weed, a pest may be an
organism ‘in the wrong place’
© Project SOUND

4. Predator/prey relationships in nature
http://www.champaignschools.org/science/images/foodweb.gif
© Project SOUND

5. In nature, plants fight back…
 Native plants evolved
with insects, other
animals, microorganisms
– ecosystems in balance
 Some produce
noxious chemicals or
physical barriers to
‘ward off’ natural
pests
 Some attract
‘helper species’ –
insects & even birds
 Some simply
tolerate normal
levels of predation
© Project SOUND

6. A recipe for disaster
 Plant species not native to
area; often ‘cultivars’
 Planted in mono-culture
http://jenmill.blogspot.com/2006_04_01_archive.html  Heavily watered &
fertilized – ‘plants on
steroids’
 Using overhead watering
during warm summer days
 Globalization of pests
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1118/814174806_a1348ae709.jpg
© Project SOUND

7. The ‘Old California Garden’ requires an
arsenal of ammunition…
http://www.improvementscatalog.com/home/improvements
/792923315-spray-doc-wheel-garden-sprayers.html
Issues:
 Improper use
 Overuse
 Storage
© Project SOUND

8. And the consequences are not pretty…
 Human/animal health
risks
 Contaminated soils &
http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/2002/Flawed-Frogs-Pesticide-Deformed9jul02.htm water (including street
water runoff)
 High cost of pesticides
 Beneficial species killed
 Effects on animals up
the food chain
 Pesticide resistance
© Project SOUND
http://grapes.msu.edu/images/pesticResist.gif

9. The ‘New California Garden’ is based on
a better strategy
 Plant the plants that are ‘programmed’ to be successful in your
area – these will:
 Be less stressed – and therefore healthier
 Be prepared to ‘fight’ the natural enemies
 Attract natural ‘helpers’ in their fight against pests
 Plant a variety of species – more like a natural ecosystem (not a
monoculture)
 Give the plants the appropriate gardening care:
 Appropriate levels of water
 Appropriate (often little to no) fertilizer
 Protection from other stress & injury
 Have an appropriate strategy to deal with true pests
© Project SOUND

10. Many of us have found that just including more
native species improves the ‘pest problems’ in the
entire garden
© Project SOUND

11. But you need to have a sound strategy to
dealing with certain pests…even on
native plants
And that’s where the concept of Integrated Pest
Management (IPM) provides useful guidelines
© Project SOUND

12. Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
 "Optimum combination of control methods
including biological, cultural, mechanical,
physical and/or chemical controls to reduce
pest populations to an economical
acceptable level with as few harmful
effects as possible on the environment and
nontarget organisms."
R.L. Hix,CA Agric. Magazine, 55:4 (2001)
© Project SOUND

13. What is Integrated Pest Management?
 IPM programs use current, comprehensive
information on the life cycles of pests and their
interaction with the environment.
 This information, in combination with available
pest control methods, is used to manage pest
damage by the most economical means, and with
the least possible hazard to people, property, and
the environment.’
http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/factsheets/ipm.htm
© Project SOUND

14. The IPM Pyramid – ‘first do no harm’
 Use the least invasive – and
often most effective - means
first:
 Prevention – cultural practices
 Mechanical Controls
 Naturally occurring biological
controls (native predators)
 Consider using non-native
predators
 Use chemical controls sparingly,
http://www.team.ars.usda.gov/ipm.html
as a last resort:
 Naturally occurring elements
 Biologics – chemicals made by
Non-native predators and chemical plants that are toxic to
controls have the important drawback of pests/diseases
non-specificity – they kill the good pests  Non-biologic pesticides:
with the bad.  Insecticides
 Fungicides
 Miticides
© Project SOUND

15. Some of the benefits of an integrated
approach are as follows:
 Promotes natural controls; ‘ecosystem approach’.
 Protects human health.
 Minimizes negative impacts to non-target
organisms.
 Enhances the general environment.
 Is most likely to produce long-term, beneficial
results.
 Often is easily and efficiently implemented.
 Cost-effective in the short and long-term.
© Project SOUND

16. An IPM system is designed around six
basic components
1. Set Action Thresholds
 Before taking any pest control action, IPM first sets an action
threshold, a point at which pest populations or environmental
conditions indicate that pest control action must be taken. Sighting
a single pest does not always mean control is needed. The level at
which pests will either become an economic threat is critical to
guide future pest control decisions.
2. Monitor and Identify Pests
 Not all insects, weeds, and other living organisms require control.
Many organisms are innocuous, and some are even beneficial. IPM
programs work to monitor for pests and identify them accurately,
so that appropriate control decisions can be made in conjunction
with action thresholds. This monitoring and identification removes
the possibility that pesticides will be used when they are not really
needed or that the wrong kind of pesticide will be used.
3. Preventive Cultural Practices
 As a first line of pest control, IPM programs work to manage the
crop, lawn, or indoor space to prevent pests from becoming a
threat. These control methods can be very effective and cost-
efficient and present little to no risk to people or the environment.
© Project SOUND

17. An IPM system is designed around six
basic components
4. Mechanical controls: Should a pest reach an unacceptable level,
mechanical methods are the first options to consider. They
include simple hand-picking, erecting insect barriers, using traps,
vacuuming, and tillage to disrupt breeding.
5. Biological controls: Natural biological processes and materials can
provide control, with minimal environmental impact, and often at
low cost. The main focus here is on promoting beneficial insects
that eat target pests. Biological insecticides, derived from
naturally occurring microorganisms (e.g.: Bt, entomopathogenic
fungi and entomopathogenic nematodes), also fit in this category.
6. Chemical controls: Synthetic pesticides are generally only used
as required and often only at specific times in a pests life cycle.
Many of the newer pesticide groups are derived from plants or
naturally occurring substances (e.g.: nicotine, pyrethrum and
insect juvenile hormone analogues), and further 'biology-based'
or 'ecological' techniques are under evaluation.
© Project SOUND

18. IPM plan for your garden – a work in
progress
 Requires observation &
knowledge – specific for
your garden
 Will vary somewhat with:
 Yearly weather conditions
http://www.hoodcountymastergardeners.org/Demo_2006/Demo_Construction.html
 Maturity of plants
 New plants
 Will be modified based on
your previous experiences
 Suggestion: keep a garden
notebook/journal
© Project SOUND

19. Many resources to help you
 Books – check out your
local library, or add to your
own
 On-line resources
 County Master Gardeners
 Other Governmental
resources: (see list)
 U.S.
 State & Local
© Project SOUND

20. University of California
Statewide IPM Project (UCIPM)
 Goals of the IPM Project are to:
 reduce the pesticide load in the
environment,
 increase the predictability and
thereby the effectiveness of pest
control techniques,
 develop pest control programs that
are economically, environmentally and
socially acceptable,
 marshal agencies and disciplines into
integrated pest management
program, and
 increase the utilization of natural
pest controls.
 Educational component:
 Print & on-line resources
 UC IPM Pesticide Education Program
© Project SOUND

21. Set Acceptable Pest Levels
 Find out what pests/
diseases occur in your
garden – observation
 Learn more about the pests,
their effects
http://waterroots.com/imagespests/whitefly03.jpg  What are their life-stages
 What seasons/conditions are
they associated with
 What plant species are
susceptible
 Learn how to determine
when action should be taken
http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/noni/spiralling%20whitefly.asp
© Project SOUND

22. Monitor & Identify Pests
 Base monitoring on garden
conditions: temperature &
humidity
 Look for pests on vulnerable
tissues
 Shake out the pests, then view
with magnifying glass
 Decide if action is needed
 Suggestion: keep a log of dates,
conditions in your garden journal
© Project SOUND

23. Prevention/Cultural Practices are the first
line of defense against pests
 Cultural practices: just good old garden management
practices
 Providing alternate hosts for pests
 No monoculture
 Preventing over-wintering
 Sanitation
 Proper water & nutrient management
 Correct watering
 Physical barriers
 Pruning to improve air circulation
 Weeding
 Mulching
© Project SOUND

24. Criteria for selecting a treatment
strategy are:
1. Least hazardous to human health
2. Least disruptive of natural controls
3. Least toxic to non-target organisms
4. Most likely to be permanent
5. Easiest to carry out safely and effectively
6. Most cost-effective
7. Most site-appropriate
© Project SOUND

25. Pest challenges vary with the season….
 Warmer weather & new growth
– spring/early summer
 Sucking insects
 Chewing insects
 Gall & Blister Mites
 Warm weather – summer/fall
 Foliage fungal diseases
 Borers (insects)
 Root/stem rots
(fungal/bacterial)
 Cool, wet weather –
winter/early spring
 Mollusks
 Anthracnose (fungal)
© Project SOUND

26. Sticky (Bush) Monkey Flower -
Mimulus/Diplacus aurantiacus
Scarlet Monkeyflower
Musk Monkeyflower
http://www.baynatives.com/plants/Mimulus-aurantiacus/
© Project SOUND

27. Sucking insects
 Definition: Insects that insert their mouthparts
into the sugary phloem (conducting tissue) & suck
the ‘sap’
 Examples:
 Aphids
 Mealy Bugs
 Whiteflies
 Psyllids
 Scales
 Leafhoppers
 Damage:
 Often confined to the young, succulent
growth (leaves, shoot-tips and buds
 Tissues appear puckered or crinkled
 Monitoring: watch for:
 Signs of the insects themselves –check
particularly undersides of leaves, other
protected areas
 Ants – tend to be ‘nurse’ species
 Abnormal plant growth
http://scienceblogs.com/neurophilosophy/Ant_cultivating_aphids.jpg © Project SOUND

28. Any perennial or shrub/tree with fresh
new foliage can attract sucking insects
© Project SOUND

29. Aphids: where there’s one there are many…..
 Often called plant lice, are small,
soft-bodied insects.
 They range in color from black to
green to yellow.
 Their numbers may greatly
increase in a short time and
crowding stimulates the
production of winged forms.
 They may cover the entire
surface of a leaf or stem.
 They (and other sucking pests)
can be vectors of plant viruses
(crop & ornamental plants).
 They can also weaken plants,
making them susceptible to other
diseases
http://notexactlyrocketscience.files.wordpress.com/2006/08/aphid-sap.jpg
© Project SOUND

30. Aphids – Ugly but not usually murderers...
 Preventive cultural
practices:
 Control ants
 Control weeds –
http://pmo.umext.maine.
edu/factsht/Suck.htm
particularly Brassica
species
 Mechanical Controls:
 Blast off with a stream of
water
 Use sticky strips around
trunks to manage ants
 Biological Controls:
 Lady bugs; Lacewings
 Chemical controls:
 Insecticidal Soap is usually
adequate
http://ipm.ncsu.edu/cotton/insectcorner/photos/aphid.htm
© Project SOUND

31. Whiteflies
 Monitoring:
 By placing yellow sticky cards in greenhouse &
other vulnerable environments
 Periodic inspection of undersides of leaves of
susceptible species
 Preventive cultural practices:
 Don’t purchase infested plants
 Control ants
 Encourage natural predators
 Mechanical Controls:
 Yellow sticky traps (early in infestation)
 Blast off with stream of water
http://ipm.ncsu.edu/cotton/InsectCorner/photos/other.htm  Hand-remove infested leaves
 Vacuum them up with hand vacuum
 Biological Controls:
 Ladybugs, Lacewings, parasitic wasps & mites
 Songbirds
 Chemical controls:
 Insecticidal Soap
 Chemical pesticides usually not very helpful –
resistance quickly develops
© Project SOUND
http://agriculture.gov.bb/media/plant_protection/Whiteflies2.JPG

32. Monitor particularly on citrus and
vegetable crops (and plants near them)
Ash Whitefly (Siphoninus phillyreae)
http://cekern.ucdavis.edu/Entomology/Woolly_Whitefly_Monitoring_in_Kern_Cou can attack Toyon & other natives
nty.htm
Wooly Whitefly on Citrus
 Mechanical methods and encouraging natural enemies offer best
chance for control
© Project SOUND

33.  Females feed on plant sap, normally in roots or
Mealybugs other crevices. They secrete a powdery wax
layer (therefore the name mealybug) used for
protection while they suck the plant juices.
 Monitoring:
 Check stem axils & bottoms of plant stems for
insects
 Act immediately when you see them to control
infestation
 Preventive cultural practices:
 Insect new plants – remove pests
 Control ants (which protect Mealybugs)
 Encourage natural predators
 Mechanical Controls:
 Remove by hand & destroy
 Apply rubbing alcohol with a Q-tip or cotton
ball; destroys insects & egg masses [note: try
on small area first – may damage plant]
 Biological Controls:
 Lady Bug, Lacewings, parasitic wasps –all natural
 Chemical controls:
 Insecticidal Soap or horticultural oils
© Project SOUND

34. Controlling aphids, whiteflies & Mealybugs is an
important ‘cultural practice’ for preventing other diseases
 Mealybugs are similar to
whiteflies and aphids: they
produce large amounts of
waste product (honeydew)
which coats plants and
surrounding surfaces.
 This sticky layer is a perfect
growth medium for a black
Sooty Mold fungus commonly known as
"sooty mold".
 This mold damages plants by
covering leaves and reducing
light available for
photosynthesis.
© Project SOUND

35. True Bugs
 Many are actually beneficial
http://pmo.umext.maine.edu/factsht/Suck.htm
predators
 Preventive cultural practices:
 Encourage healthy plants
 Chemical controls: not
recommended in most cases
Milkweed Bug
© Project SOUND

36. Good natural enemies are there – just
plant species that will attract them
 Green Lacewing
 Common generalist predator
 Kills: mealybugs, psyllids, thrips,
mites, whiteflies, aphids, small
caterpillars, leafhoppers, and
Green Lacewing
insect eggs
 Use common pesticides & you’ll kill
this beneficial insect
You will need to learn about
the common beneficial  Plant species in the Rose &
insects in order to recognize Buckthorn (Ceanothus) families to
and attract them provide food for Lacewings
© Project SOUND

37. Attract
these By planting
beneficial these species
insects
Bigeyed bug Native grasses
Polygonum sp. (Silver Lace Vine)
Copyright © 2007 Ron Hemberger
Hoverflies Achillea sp. (Yarrow)
Asclepias fascicularis (Narrowleaf Milkweed)
Baccharis sp. (Coyote brush, Mulefat)
Ceanothus sp. (California Lilac)
Eriogonum sp. (Buckwheat)
Prunis ilicifolia (Hollyleaf Cherry)
Ceanothus sp. (California Lilac)
Lacewings
Prunus ilicifolia (Hollyleaf Cherry)
Lady beetles Achillea sp. (Yarrow)
Asclepias fascicularis (Narrowleaf Milkweed)
Atriplex sp. (Quailbush, Saltbush)
Ceanothus sp. (California Lilac)
Native grasses
Rhamnus californica (Coffeeberry)
Salix sp. (Willow)
http://www.stopwaste.org/home/index.asp?page=402
http://www.kunafin.com/lacewings.htm © Project SOUND

38. Know all life phases of
beneficial insects
 Don’t use pesticides that will kill the
beneficial insects
 Larval stage – though ugly - is often the
‘eating’ stage
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/NE/convergent_lady_beetle.html
 Look closely at the insects (use a
magnifying glass) – what are they eating
(plant or insect)
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/NE/brown_lacewing.html
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Sa_lady-beetle-larva.jpg
© Project SOUND
Lacewing Life Cycle

39. Attract
these By planting
beneficial these species
insects
Minute Achillea sp. (Yarrow)
pirate bug Baccharis sp. (Coyote brush, Mulefat)
Eriogonum sp. (Buckwheat)
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/NE/minute_pirate_bug.html
Minute Pirate Bug
Achillea sp. (Yarrow)
Parasitic & Aesclepias fascicularis (Narrowleaf
Predatory Milkweed)
Wasps Eriogonum sp. (Buckwheat)
Tachnid flies Achillea sp. (Yarrow)
Eriogonum sp. (Buckwheat)
Heteromeles arbutifolia (Toyon)
Rhamnus californica (Coffeeberry)
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/NE/tachinid_flies.html
Tachnid Fly http://www.stopwaste.org/home/index.asp?page=402
© Project SOUND

40. Western Yarrow – Achilla millefolia
© Project SOUND
J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

41. Why Yarrow makes a good lawn substitute
 Spreads quickly, giving good
cover
 Super for banks and other areas
that can’t easily be mowed
 Spreading habit inhibits weeds
 Can be mowed – occasionally and
on high setting w/ rotary mower
 Companion plant – attracts
beneficial insects, repels others
 Does well on poor, dry, sandy
soils where other plants grow
poorly
http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/yarrow.JPG
© Project SOUND

42. Levels of Control
1. Cultural control is a preventative measure using fertilization,
plant selection, and sanitation to exclude problematic pests
and weeds.
2. Physical control is another preventative strategy. It includes,
pest exclusion; creating barriers; modifying conditions such
as temperature, light and humidity; trapping; and manually
weeding. Foods and beverages should be eaten and stored
only in designated areas.
3. Biological control makes use of a pest's natural enemies. This
strategy introduces beneficial insects or bacteria to the
environment or, if they already exist, provides them with the
necessary food and shelter and avoids using broad-spectrum
chemicals that will inadvertently kill them.
4. Chemical control is used after all other control strategies are
deemed inappropriate or ineffective. Target-specific, low-
toxicity pesticides should be applied in a manner that will
maximize the effectiveness of pest management and minimize
the exposure to humans and other non-target species. Spot
treat if possible to reduce exposure.
© Project SOUND

43. Smothering and suffocation agents - mild
 Insecticidal Soap
 It works on contact by breaking down
the target pest’s cuticle (waxy
covering) — promoting dehydration and,
ultimately, death.
 Short period of action (48 hours)
 Non-targeted – kills both beneficial
insects as well as pests
 Best use: judicious, small-scale spot
applications
 Safer’s Insecticidal Soap (the most
common brand), is used indoors or out,
is effective on aphids, cabbageworms,
earwigs, flea beetles, lace bugs,
leafhoppers, mealybugs, psyllids, sawfly
larvae, scale crawlers, squash bugs,
thrips, spider mites, whiteflies, and
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51z2EPV-efL._SL500_AA280_.jpg
more.
© Project SOUND

44. Smothering and suffocation agents - mild
 Horticultural Oil
 Coating pests with horticultural oil
blocks the passage of air through
their spiracles (breathing holes),
thus killing (suffocating) them.
 Used on dormant plants (see label
for specific product)
 labeled for use against overwintering
eggs of European red spider mites,
http://greenmethods.com/site/products/biorationals/3/#ip
scale insects, apple aphids (not rosy
aphids), bud moths, leafrollers, red
bugs, codling moth larvae, pear psylla
(adults), blister mites, galls, whitefly
nymphs, and mealybugs.
© Project SOUND

45. Sucking insects of spring/summer: review
 Monitor
 Periods of new foliage/rapid growth
 Monitor at least weekly
 Look particularly at undersides of leaves, young branch tips, flower
buds – be sure to use a magnifying glass
 Cultural Practices
 Blast affected area with water
 Hand remove
 Encourage natural predators
 Control ants
 Biological Controls
 Beneficial insects – your best line of defense
 Chemical controls
 Not usually needed (except for very bad infestations – not often seen
with native plants)
 May kill beneficial insects – so use very sparingly
 Try least toxic: Insecticidal soap
© Project SOUND

46. Ah, Summer….. the time of dusty leaves & over-watering
© Project SOUND

47. 10 years old. Almost no water other than a dust wash off every month or so.
Arctostaphylos 'Carmel Sur’ in foreground, Toyon and Western Redbud behind.
© Project SOUND

48. Challenges of the dry season
 Dry, dusty foliage
 Hot, muggy (or foggy)
days
 Appropriate watering:
 How frequently
 How much at any one time
 How to water: overhead,
drip/trickle
 What time of day to water
The stage is set for a different
cast of garden pests
© Project SOUND

49. Toyon/California Christmas Berry –
Heteromeles arbutifolia
© Project SOUND

50. Natives in the Rose Family (Rosaceae)
Shrubs
 Chamise - Adenostoma fasciculatum
 Mountain Mahogonies - Cercocarpus species
 Toyon - Heteromeles arbutifolia
 Creambush - Holodiscus discolor
 Ironwoods - Lyonothamnus floribundus
 Holly-Leafed & Catalina Cherries - Prunus ilicifolia
 CA Wild Rose - Rosa californica
 CA Blackberry - Rubus ursinus
Smaller perennials
 Pacific silverweed - Argentina egedii
 Strawberries - Fragaria species
 Wedgeleaf Horkelia - Horkelia cuneata
© Project SOUND

51. Common pests of Rose Family (think
garden roses)  Pests of new foliage
 Sucking insects
 Pests of summer
 Pests associated with dust (mostly
insects)
 Pests associated with warm, moist
conditions (mostly fungal but some
bacterial/viral)
 Diseases associated with cool, wet
conditions:
 Fungal diseases (foliage & root)
 Rosa CA vs. non-native roses
 It is relatively pest and disease free,
except if the plant is subject to
overhead irrigation, poor air circulation
and humid conditions in the shade.
 Insect pests are usually not a problem
with such a hardy plant and with so
many “beneficials” around.
© Project SOUND

52. Leafhoppers & Sharpshooters
 Leafhoppers are small, green,
wedgeshaped insects that attack many
garden, forage and fruit crops. They
suck out plant juices causing yellowing,
http://pmo.umext.maine.edu/factsht/Suck.htm
leaf-curling and stunting.
 Leafhoppers are often responsible for
the spread of plant pathogens
especially viruses and phytoplasmas
 Preventive cultural practices:
 Mechanical Controls:
 blast of water from a garden hose
 Removing infected lower leaves
 Dusting plants lightly with
diatomaceous earth
© Project SOUND

53. Leafhoppers & Sharpshooters
 Biological Controls:
 Predatory insects such as mantids and
dragonflies
http://pmo.umext.maine.edu/factsht/Suck.htm
 Spiders, green lacewings (Chrysopa spp.),
minute pirate bugs (Orius spp.), lady
beetles (Hippodamia spp.), and predaceous
mites.
 Small parasitic wasps in the genus
Gonatocerus
 Chemical controls:
 Narrow range oils, insecticidal soaps, or
kaolin clay
 rotenone, carbaryl, malathion or
methoxychlor
© Project SOUND

54. Glassy-winged Sharpshooter – reportable pest
 Carry the bacterium,
Xylella fastidiosa, that
causes Pierce’s Disease –
a serious threat to CA
grape industry
Adults are about 1⁄2 inch long
 X. fastidiosa also causes
almond leaf scorch,
phoney peach disease,
alfalfa dwarf, oleander
leaf scorch and citrus
variegated chlorosis.
 Report to County Ag.
Service if found in new
http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/AG/assets/GWSS2.gif
areas
© Project SOUND

55. Pierce’s Disease: many native plants are
alternate hosts
 Aesculus californica
 Artemisia douglasiana
 Heteromeles arbutifolia
 Juglans californica
 Mimulus aurantiacus
 Oenothera hookeri
 Philadelphus lewisii
 Populus fremontii
 Quercus spp.
 Rhammus californica
 Rosa californica
 Salix spp.
 Sambucus spp.
 Vitis californica
Blue Elderberry © Project SOUND

56.  Tiny insects with fringed wings. They feed on
Thrips pollen and tender plant tissue, rasping the
tissue and sucking the exuding sap.
 The leaves take on a silvery appearance after
the thrips feed, and plants become stunted and
deformed.
 Thrips are usually a pest of seedling plants but
http://pmo.umext.maine.edu/factsht/Suck.htm may attack plants in any stage. They attack an
extremely wide variety of woody plants.
 Certain thrips species are beneficial predators
that feed only on mites and other insects
 Monitoring:
 Thrips often feed within buds and furled leaves.
Their damage is often observed before the thrips
are seen.
 Discolored or distorted plant tissue or black
specks of feces around stippled leaf surfaces are
clues that thrips are or were present.
 Look carefully for the insects themselves before
taking action. Severe infestation foliage looks
silver-spotted
 Thrips are poor fliers but can readily spread long
distances by floating with the wind or being
transported on infested plants.
© Project SOUND
http://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/LSO/images/Thrips/ffa2-34.jpg
http://www.gardenseeker.com/plant_pests_problems/plant-pests/thrips_storm_flies.htm

57. Thrips – mostly just ugly…
 Healthy woody plants usually tolerate thrips
damage; however, high infestations on certain
herbaceous ornamentals and developing fruits
or vegetables may justify control
http://chillithrips.tamu.edu/
 Preventive cultural practices:
 Practices to conserve natural predators;
decrease dust, no pesticides
 Pull weeds
 Prune and destroy infected branches
 Mechanical Controls:
 Blast of water from a garden hose
http://virtual.clemson.edu/groups/hort/homeh
ort/images/thrips.jpg
 Biological Controls:
 Many natural predators
 Chemical controls: thrips activity does not
usually warrant the use of insecticide sprays
 Narrow-range oil, neem oil, pyrethrins combined
with piperonyl butoxide (Garden Safe Brand
Multi-purpose Garden Insect Killer, Spectracide
Garden Insect Killer)
 Malathion or rotenone only for severe problems
Toyon Thrips © Project SOUND

58. Gall & Blister Mites: ugly but not killers
 Cause blistered leaves or galled
twigs on many landscape plants
including alder, aspen, baccharis,
beech, elm, grape, linden, maple,
and walnut
Live oak erineum mites  Monitoring:
 Misshapen leaves
 Preventive cultural practices:
 Remove damaged leaves
 Mechanical Controls:
 Remove damaged leaves
Baccharis gall © Project SOUND

59. Spider Mites are tiny
 Not insects, but closely related to ticks and
chiggers. They suck out juices from leaves
and stems, causing plants to become
deformed or have a bronze or yellow
appearance
http://pmo.umext.maine.edu/factsht/Suck.htm
 Heavy infestations can cause leaf and bud
drop, serious stress and death of the plant.
 Damaged areas typically appear marked with
many small, light flecks – over slightly
cobwebby - giving the plant a somewhat
speckled appearance.
 Activity peaks during the warmer months;
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7405.html
Dry, dusty conditions favor all spider mites
 Monitoring:
 Usually plant damage—stippling or yellowing of
leaves
 Look for webbing underneath leaves
 Shake mites onto paper & observe with hand
lens
© Project SOUND

60. Spider Mites: prevention is best
 Preventive cultural practices:
 Wash dust off leaves in summer
 Don’t use insecticides (carbaryl (Sevin);
imidacloprid (Merit, Marathon) ) that kill natural
predators; severe infestations often follow
http://pmo.umext.maine.edu/factsht/Suck.htm insecticide use!
 Mechanical Controls:
 blast of water from a garden hose
 1:1 mixture of alcohol and water [test on small area]
 Plant isolation
 Biological Controls:
 Small, dark-colored lady beetles known as the
"spider mite destroyers"
 Minute pirate bugs, big-eyed bugs (Geocoris
species) and predatory thrips
 Parasitic spider Mites
 Chemical controls: not during hot weather or for
water stressed plants – test first on a few leaves
Few insecticides are
effective for spider  Insecticidal soap
mites and many even  Horticultural oils (Sunspray)
aggravate problems  Sulfur
© Project SOUND

61. Chewing insects are
also active in summer
 Definition: Chewing insects eat
plant tissue such as leaves,
flowers, buds, and twigs.
 Indications of damage: uneven or
Cabbage Looper broken margins on the leaves,
skeletonization of the leaves, and
leaf mining.
 The damage they cause (leaf
notching, leaf mining, leaf
skeletonizing, etc.) will help in
identifying the pest insect.
 Examples:
 beetle adults or larvae,
 moth larvae (caterpillars)
 many other groups of insects.
© Project SOUND

62. Is it a sucking or a chewing pest?
 Sucking pests, such as aphids,
leafhoppers, scale insects and whiteflies,
produce these symptoms:
• Discoloration (yellow or brown) and necrotic
(dead) spots on leaves or petals;
• Wilted appearance of plant or plant parts;
• Curled, malformed leaves and petals; and
• Shiny, sticky “honeydew” or black-colored
coating of sooty mold.
 Chewing pests, such as caterpillars,
beetles, grasshoppers and leaf-cutter
bees, produce these symptoms:
• Holes in foliage or stems;
• Discolored areas on the surface or margins
of leaves or petals;
• Severed stems, leaves or buds or wilting of
stem or cane (limb girdling);
• Wilting of plant (root damage by white
grubs or other root feeders); and
• Semicircular holes in leaf margins (leaf-
cutting bees).
© Project SOUND

63. Botanical pesticides: natural but not
harmless for control of chewing insects
 Pyrethrum is extracted from the flowers of a chrysanthemum grown in Kenya and
Ecuador. It is one of the oldest and safest insecticides available.
 Mode of action — Pyrethrum (and synthetic pyrethrum) paralyze insect’s nervous system.
 Used for – aphids, scale insects, spider mites, thrips, caterpillars and many other leaf-
feeding pests
 Rotenone or rotenoids are produced in the roots of two genera of the legume
family: Derris and Lonchocarpus (also called cubé) grown in South America.
 Mode of action: shuts down cellular metabolism
 It is both a stomach and contact insecticide; toxic to many species of insects in many
different insect orders (caterpillars, beetles, flies, etc.).
 Mild human toxicity; ? Risk for Parkinson’s Disease
 Eugenol (Oil of Cloves) and Cinnamaldehyde (derived from Ceylon and Chinese
cinnamon oils).
 Mode of action – similar to Pyrethrum
 Used for: chewing insects like beetles – but general insecticide
 Nicotine is extracted by several methods from tobacco
 Mode of action – nervous system conduction; convulsions, death
 effective against most all types of insect pests, but is used particularly for aphids and
caterpillars--soft bodied insects.
EcoSMART™ plant oil-based pesticides
© Project SOUND

64. Neem Oil/ Azadiractin
 Neem oil extracts are squeezed from the
seeds of the neem tree and contain the active
ingredient azadirachtin
 Rather sensational insecticidal, fungicidal and
bactericidal properties, including insect
growth regulating qualities.
 Mode of action--Azadirachtin disrupts molting
by inhibiting biosynthesis or metabolism of
ecdysone, the juvenile molting hormone.
 Used for:
 Azatin® is marketed as an insect growth
regulator, and Align® and Nemix® as a
stomach/contact insecticide for greenhouse and
ornamentals.
 Many leaf chewing insects including Gypsy moth
larvae, imported cabbage worms, leafminer
species’ larvae and pupae, various leafrollers,
various loopers, grasshoppers, beetles, mealybug
species’ immatures, sawfly larvae, sweet potato
and silverleaf whitefly immatures, and
webworms
© Project SOUND

65. Read & follow
directions
 Mix pesticides according to
label instructions. Don’t use
more or less concentrate
than the label recommends.
Mix only as much material
as you need for the
application.
 Wear protective clothing
as specified on the label.
 Label a set of mixing and
measuring tools that are
used only for insecticides
and fungicides, and store
them with the products.
© Project SOUND
http://rayssupplycompany.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=42

66. More pesticide safety tips
 Keep pets and people away from the area
where you store, mix, and apply pesticides.
Stay away from a treated area for as long as
the label directs.
 Do not spray on a windy day or when air
temperatures will be above 85°F before the
spray solution dries.
Clean equipment and mixing tools as soon as
http://www.gemplers.com/img/pesticide-storage-area-126066.jpg

you finish spraying.
 Dispose of pesticides properly
 After spraying, change your protective
clothing and bathe. Wash the clothes you
were wearing separately from your regular
laundry.
 Keep records of where and when you
sprayed, what pesticide you used, and how
much you used. Give the treatment time to
work, then evaluate and record your results.
© Project SOUND
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/WATER/U/storedispose.html

67. Black Spot - Diplocarpon rosae fungus
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG1163.html
 Occurs during warm, damp/humid weather; spores overwinter in infected
canes & fallen leaves
 Preventive cultural practices:
 Provide good air circulation, appropriate sunlight conditions
 Don’t over-water; no overhead irrigation
 Remove & dispose of infected leaves; don’t handle plants when foliage is wet
 Cut back & dispose of infected canes; dispose of fallen leaves
 Chemical controls: fungicides – copper, sulfur & Neem Oil
© Project SOUND

68. Currants & Gooseberries – Ribes spp
Pink-flowering Currant - Ribes sanguineum Chaparral Currant - Ribes malvaceum
White-flowering Currant - Ribes indecorum Catalina Perfume - Ribes viburnifolium
© Project SOUND

69. Common pests/diseases of Ribes species
 Fungal Diseases
 Leaf Spot or
Anthracnose
 Cane Blight
 Powdery Mildew
 Rusts
 Virus and Virus-like
Diseases
 Insects & Mites
 Sucking insects
 Gall formers
 Stem borers
http://www.ars-grin.gov/cor/ribes/ribsymp/ribsymp.html © Project SOUND

70. The ‘Disease Triangle’ – the key to
understanding plant pests & diseases
 Proper environment
 Warm, wet conditions
Currant
 Overhead watering
 Poor air circulation
 Cultural (prevention)
controls are mostly
about making the
environment
inhospitable
Fungal species
© Project SOUND

71. Powdery Mildew - Sphaerotheca pannosa
fungus
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG1163.html
 Susceptible: Rose family, Dogwoods, Honeysuckles, Sycamores, Willows, Sunflower
 Occurs during warm, damp/humid weather; spores overwinter in infected wood &
fallen leaves
 Preventive cultural practices:
 Provide good air circulation, appropriate sunlight conditions
 Don’t over-water; no overhead irrigation
 Remove & dispose of infected leaves
 Cut back & dispose of infected branches; dispose of fallen leaves
 Chemical controls: fungicides – copper, sulfur, horticultural oils & Neem Oil
© Project SOUND

72. Rusts – large group of foliage
fungi attacking many plant
species
 Occur during warm, damp/humid
http://gardeningwebguide.com/GardeningBlog/category/garden-pests/
weather; spores overwinter in
infected wood & fallen leaves
 Preventive cultural practices:
 Provide good air circulation,
appropriate sunlight conditions
 Don’t over-water; no overhead
irrigation
 Remove & dispose of infected
leaves
 Cut back & dispose of infected
branches; dispose of fallen leaves
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/pub360/notes/rasporustf1.jpg
 Chemical controls: fungicides –
copper, sulfur, horticultural oils &
Neem Oil
© Project SOUND

73. Natural Compounds as preventive
measures: fungal diseases
 Example: Copper-Sulfate
 Copper-Sulfate Spray or Dust Copper
Bordeaux substitute is an organic fungicide
containing 7% copper sulfate (metallic)
 Effective in preventing a wide range of various
blights, spots, certain rots, downy and
powdery mildew, leaf blister, anthracnose,
scab, stem canker, Septoria spp. and
Stemphylium spp. leaf molds and more.
 No insecticidal qualities, and will not burn
plants.
 Must be applied early (when plants dormant)
 Appropriate cultural practice for fungal prone
species like Currants
© Project SOUND

74. Fungal Canker
Diseases
 Cause: several types of fungi
that invade bark injuries &
infect connective tissues of
trunk
 Monitoring: a killed area or
http://www.extension.umn.edu/projects/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/p-cankermaple.html
blister on the bark, a branch
or the trunk of an infected
tree. May ooze.
 Preventive cultural practices:
 Promote overall tree health;
don’t over-fertilize
 Prevent trunk/branch
wounds
 Proper pruning; dormant
season
 Call an experienced arborist
or County Dept. of Ag.; early
treatment can help
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/Ptlk/1407a.html
© Project SOUND

75. Fireblight - Erwinia amylovora
 Bacteria that infects the new spring
growth in Rose family
 During warm, wet weather the bacteria
ooze in brown droplets from cankers and
are spread by pollinators and splashing
water to the flowers and then to twigs.
 Verify the presence of fireblight by
peeling back newly infected bark-the wood
will have a reddish-brown discoloration.
 Prune diseased wood back at least 6 inches
into healthy tissue. Entire branches (even
whole plants) may need to be removed.
 Do not put prunings into a compost pile;
dispose of them in the green waste.
 Sterilization of the pruning instruments
between each cut with a 10% bleach
solution.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7414.html © Project SOUND

76. Mature trees, when stressed, are
susceptible to stem-boring insects
 Drought stress
can be avoided
by supplemental
winter watering
when needed
goldspotted oak borer (GSOB)
© Project SOUND

77. Stem Borers: Longhorned borers, bark &
ambrosia beetles, clearwing moths, twig girdlers,
flatheaded borers
 Willows, Cottonwood/Poplar, Sycamore,
Oak, Juniper, Pine, Ceanothus, currants
 Monitoring: particularly for old or stressed
trees/shrubs
 Bark staining
 Bore holes
 Frass; pupal cases [Clearwing Moths]
 Preventive cultural practices:
 Encourage vigorous, healthy plants
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/cleveland/projects/projects/oa
 Prevent stem/root injury
k-borer/
 removing weakened, injured, dying, and
dead trees
 Mechanical Controls:
 Biological Controls:
 Parasitic nematodes
 Chemical controls:
© Project SOUND

78. Diseases that affect soils
 More common in areas previously used for
agriculture, vegetable gardening, palm
trees
 Caused by fungal or bacterial pathogens in
the soils
 Enter plants via the roots
 Very difficult to control – require soil
sterilization
© Project SOUND

79. Blights & Branch Die-back
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FRUIT/DISEASE/verticilliumwil.html
 Causes:
 Verticillium wilt—Verticillium fungi
 Fusarium wilt - Fusarium fungi
 Root Rot fungi
 Susceptible:
 Strawberries, caneberries
 Vegetable crops (tomato)
 Woody trees (many)
 Monitoring:
 Symptoms: Decline in twig and leaf growth. Dieback in individual twigs and
branches. Foliage becomes light green to chlorotic and then may scorch by
midsummer. A discoloration of the inner bark may occur.
 Leaves on one or more branches suddenly wilt, turn light tan, and die. Dead
leaves generally remain on the tree throughout the growing season.
© Project SOUND

80. Blights & Branch Die-back
 Preventive cultural practices:
 Keep plants healthy; don’t stress by
over- or under watering
 Remove Verticillium-susceptible
weeds, such as lamb's quarters,
amaranth (pigweed), nightshade
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/DISEASES/oak
brdieback.html
 Remove and dispose of affected
plants, including roots
Oak Twig Blight
 Solarize affected soils
 Chemical controls: consult a licensed
arborist or County Agent
© Project SOUND

81. Root, collar & crown rots
 A large number of root rots are
caused by members of the water mould
genus Phytophthora.
 Favored by high soil moisture and soil
temperatures in poorly drained soils.
 More common in soils with prior
Azaleas, Avocado, Citrus
Brown streaks on roots  Monitoring:
 Plants wilt at midday and may recover
at night (ultimately, plants yellow and
die).
 In trees, sparse growth and slow
decline.
 Feeder roots have blackened tips,
brown streaks or appear to be rotting.
 Mushrooms around tree base indicate
final stages.
http://www.ca.uky.edu/agcollege/plantpathology/ext_files/PPFShtml/PPFS-OR-W-5.pdf © Project SOUND
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/notes/oldnotes/odin13/od13a.htm

82. Root/collar/crown rots
 Preventive cultural practices:
 Proper drainage and irrigation,
particularly in clay soils; consider
berming to increase drainage
 Choose species that can tolerate
poorly-drained soils
http://ag.arizona.edu/PLP/plpext/diseases/trees/Ash/GRR2.html
 Never cover root collar with dirt
or mulch
 Don’t damage roots
 Buy only healthy plants
 Weed around the tree/shrub
 Remove and destroy infected
plants, roots
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/notes/oldnotes/odin13/od13a.htm
 Chemical controls: Call experienced,
licensed arborist for infected trees
© Project SOUND

83. Sudden Oak Death Syndrome - Phytophthora ramorum
 Kills CA native oaks and other
trees/shrubs in N. CA & OR (for now)
 Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia),
Coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica),
CA Buckeye and Honeysuckle
(Lonicera hispidula) and others are
susceptible. Disease symptoms have
not been well characterized on these
hosts at this time.
 Leaf lesions are characteristically
round with a bulls-eye appearance of
alternating light and dark rings
© Project SOUND

84. A number of other native
broad-leaf species harbor
Phytophthora ramorum in
California and Oregon (See the
complete list in Part 1.). Little
is known about the role of Evergreen huckleberry
these species in the life cycle Vaccinium ovatum
Toyon Heteromeles and spread of the disease. The
arbutifolia pathogen is difficult to culture
from many of these species,
and is difficult to diagnose
because of the presence of
other foliar diseases.
Bigleaf maple Acer
California buckeye macrophyllum
Aesculus californica
California honeysuckle Pacific madrone Wood rose
Lonicera hispidula Arbutus menziesii Rosa gymnocarpa
© Project SOUND
All photos: Garbelotto Lab, UC Berkeley http://www.suddenoakdeath.org/ppt/Virtual%20Training%20Part%202.ppt#324,8,Slide 8

85. And now we’re back to the rainy season…
….with it’s own unique set of pest challenges
© Project SOUND

86. Snails & slugs
 Preventive cultural practices:
 Don’t over-water
 Remove dead leaves from
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/images/snail.jpg
ground
 Mechanical Controls:
 Mechanical picking
 Trapping: under boards or
newspapers
 Pans of beer or sugar water
 Copper bands (for tree
trunks)
 Biological Controls:
 Encourage birds, toads
 Chemical controls:
 ‘Non-toxic’ Iron phosphate
snail bait – ‘Sluggo’ brand
© Project SOUND
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/06/18/article-1027544-01A4B50C00000578-51_468x315.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1257/942909073_87997125e8.jpg?v=0

87. Sycamore anthracnose - Gnomonia leptostyla
 The only serious disease of sycamores; will not kill
the tree.
 Common in cool wet weather of spring.
 Monitoring:
 First symptoms appear on young leaves as they unfold.
 Older leaves turn brown, and dead areas occur along
the leaf veins. Brown areas eventually include the
whole leaf.
 The ends of twigs may be killed back 8 to 10 inches.
 Cankers may develop on the tree trunk and main
branches
 Preventive cultural practices:
 Proper tree spacing and pruning to promote good air
circulation
 Gather and destroy all fallen leaves and twigs.
 Prune out all infected twigs and branches and destroy
them. Remove the dead, cankered tissue down to
healthy wood.
 Dry winters weaken trees, increasing the effects of
diseases. To reduce this problem, water trees once a
month during dry winters.
 Chemical controls:
 Chemical sprays normally are not necessary to control
anthracnose
© Project SOUND

88. So, go out to your garden and get to know it’s insects
© Project SOUND