“Neo Nico Nots” Bob Cook FCHP Southern Agricultural Insecticides, Inc.

People… Suzie MoonbeamJoey Nozzlejockey

Problem: Sucking Insects Whitefly Mealybug Aphid Scale Chinch Bug

Conventional Controls – Organo Phosphates (Dursban, Diazinon,) Malathion, Acephate – Pyrethriods Bifenthrin, etc. – Carbamates Sevin – Nicotine

Neo-nicotinoid: Imidacloprid Discovered in 1989 Systemic Does not bind with mammal nerve cells Detoxified by vertebrates Break down quickly in sunlight Binds to organic matter

Imidacloprid Drench or foliar spray Granule, liquid or tablet Required on citrus Used as a flea “drop” – (Advantage)

Red Maple, N.Y.

The Neonicotinoids Active IngredientTrade Name(s) acetamipridTristar clothianidinArena dinotefuranSafari, Zylam imidaclopridMerit, Dominion, Grubs Away, Mallet, Bandit, Benefit, Marathon, Lada, etc. thiamethoxamMeridian, Flagship

Water Solubility How much can dissolve in water for plant uptake? Mg A.I./ Liter

Persistence in the Soil Soil half-life (days)

Foliar Life (Photolysis)

Restricted Use in Europe Dec. 1, year moratorium on foliar application Not on bee- attractive plants

Subgroup (Cyano-substituted neonicotinoid) Tristar metabolizes into a non-toxic product by bees. Ng = nanogram = oz.

U.S. Bee Kill Oregon, June, 2013 Sprayed Safari on 55 Linden trees in bloom 50,000 bumble bees killed

“Bee Box” Label

Neonic’ Label, Home Depot

Colony Collapse Disorder Average loss: 30% “Mystery Disease” USDA 1880, 1920, 1960, 2006: 30-90% of hive loss “Spring Dwindle, Disappearing Disease, etc.” No dead bees. (Not in Australia)

Suspects: Varroa mites, tracheal mites, narrow genetic diversity (inbreeding) viruses, Nosema ceranae disease, lack of food, migratory stress

Alternatives? Orthene (Acephate) [1] Nursery (24 hr. REI), landscape Aphids, thrips, scale crawlers, whitefly, worms, leaf rollers, grasshoppers, ants, roaches, earwigs Not on residential lawns Highly toxic to bees!

Contacts: Pyrethroids: – Bifenthrin, [3] etc. Avid (abamectin) [6] – Mites, whiteflies Neem – Triact (extract of neem) Nursery, greenhouse, landscape Mites, whiteflies, aphids, scales, leaf miners Eggs, larvae, adults Fungicidal Oil – Parafine, Sunspray, Ultra Pure, Suffoil X, etc.

Xxpire [4C+5] Spinetoram + sulfoxaflor Works on suckers and chewers (worms, thrips) Greenhouse, nursery, non-residential

Selective Feeding Blockers Aria (flonicamid) [9C] Greenhouse, nursery, landscape 2-4 oz. /100 gallons Aphids, whitefly, mealybugs, scale, thrips Feeding stops in one hour! Endeavor (pymetrozine) [9B] Greenhouse, nursery, landscape Aphids, whiteflies 2.5 to 5 oz./100 gal.

Kontos (spirotetramat)[23] Greenhouse, nursery, interiorscape Systemic, upward, downward Mites, thrips, whiteflies, mealybugs 1x/yr. on petunias, croton, not on orchids or ferns.

Judo/Forbid (Spiromesifen) [23] Mites (broad, eriophyd, etc.) Whiteflies Residential Not on ivy, croton, draceana, Ti, geraniums, schefflera, impatiens

Mainspring (cyantraniprole) [28] Greenhouse, interiorscapes Aphids, whiteflies, thrips, worms 4 hr. REI Locally systemic, foliar or drench

Rycar (pyrifluquinazon) [U] Whiteflies, aphids, mealybugs, chili thrips Immediate stop-feed Translaminar Greenhouse only Not in Florida yet

Gentle Biologicals Botaniguard (beauveria bassiana) fungus Whiteflies, mealybugs, aphids, thrips, weevils, borers, chinch bugs Nursery, greenhouse, ag., comm. landscape, turf Preferal (Isaris fumosorosea Apopka Strain 97)fungus Whiteflies, aphids, thrips, spidermites, grubs, weevil larvae, leafminers, etc. Ag., greenhouse, nursery

Met 52 (Metarhizium anisopliae Strain F52) Fungus attaches to insects: whiteflies, thrips, mites, weevil larvae, ticks Contact Foliar every 5 days Soil drench lasts months Greenhouse, nursery, residential

Grandevo PTO ( Chromobacterium subtsugae strain PRAA4-1T ) OMRI Stomach poison: – Caterpillars, aphids, psyllids, mealybugs, whiteflies, thrips, mites. Repels bees for 4-6 days Nursery, ag. (herbs, veg. fruits), landscape, turf. 1-3#/100 gallons Grubs, 10-20#/acre Store in cool, dry place

Insect Growth Regulators Distance – Aphids, whiteflies, scale – Translaminar – Ovicidal – Not on ferns, schefflera, gardenia – Nursery, greenhouse Talus – Scale, whiteflies, mealybugs – Early, nymphs – Nursery, greenhouse, landscape

Beneficial Insects Predators – Amblyseius swirskii mite – Eats whiteflies and thrips Parasites – Eretmocerus wasp – Parasitizes larvae and adults