How to Manage Pests

UC Pest Management Guidelines

DESCRIPTION OF THE PESTS

Thrips are small, slender insects with mouthparts developed primarily for sucking and rasping. The adults measure about 0.04 inch (1 mm) in length and have two pairs of fringed wings, carried lengthwise over the back.

DAMAGE

Western flower thrips is both a beneficial insect (it feeds on spider mites) and a pest (it can damage flowers and shoot tips during the early growth stages or occasionally, if populations are severe, immature fruit). Both the young and adults cause damage by rasping and puncturing surface cells. This results in a silvering, and sometimes deformation, of the leaves: edges of leaves tend to curl downward.

MANAGEMENT

Discing weeds before they flower can lessen attraction of the field to thrips. Do not disc after weeds have flowered as thrips will move to crop plants. Monitor with yellow or blue sticky traps placed in field from seedling through flowering period to determine the magnitude of the thrips population. Be sure to determine that thrips-related damage is occurring and consider treating only if the population is causing serious damage to shoot tips, flowers, or fruit. Unnecessary treatments can cause spider mite buildup.

Organically Acceptable Methods
Weed management and sprays of the Entrust formulation of spinosad are acceptable in an organically certified crop.

Common name		Amount/Acre	R.E.I.+	P.H.I.+
(trade name)			(hours)	(days)
The following materials are listed in order of usefulness in an IPM program, taking into account efficacy, pesticide registrations, information related to natural enemies and honey bees, and environmental impact. Not all registered pesticides are listed. Always read the label of the product being used.
A.	SPINOSAD
	(Entrust)#	2–2.5 oz	4	3 (1–cucumbers)
	(Success)	6–8 fl oz	4	3 (1-cucumbers)
	MODE OF ACTION GROUP NUMBER1: 5
	COMMENTS: Do not apply more than 0.45 lb a.i. spinosad/acre/season. Rotate with an insecticide that has a different mode of action.
B.	SPINETORAM
	(Radiant) SC	5–10 fl oz	4	1–cucumbers
	MODE OF ACTION GROUP NUMBER1: 5		3–other cucurbits
C.	METHOMYL*
	(Lannate) 90SP	0.5–1 lb	48	see comments
	(Lannate) LV	1.5–3 pt	48	see comments
	MODE OF ACTION GROUP NUMBER1: 1A
	COMMENTS: For use on cucumbers, melons and summer squash only. PHI is 1 day when 0.5 lb or less for 90SP or 1.5 pt or less for LV formulations is used; when more than 0.5 lb (90SP) or 1.5 pt (LV) is used, PHI is 3 days.
D.	DIMETHOATE
	(Dimethoate) 2.67 EC	Melons: 1.5 pt	48	3
		Watermelons: 0.75–1.5 pt	48	3
	(Dimethoate 400) 4EC	0.5–1 pt	48	3
	MODE OF ACTION GROUP NUMBER1: 1B
	Comments: Only labeled for use on melons and watermelons. Highly toxic to honey bees.
+	Restricted entry interval (R.E.I.) is the number of hours (unless otherwise noted) from treatment until the treated area can be safely entered without protective clothing. Preharvest interval (P.H.I.) is the number of days from treatment to harvest. In some cases the REI exceeds the PHI. The longer of two intervals is the minimum time that must elapse before harvest.
1	Rotate chemicals with a different mode-of-action Group number, and do not use products with the same mode-of-action Group number more than twice per season to help prevent the development of resistance. For example, the organophosphates have a Group number of 1B; chemicals with a 1B Group number should be alternated with chemicals that have a Group number other than 1B. Mode of action Group numbers are assigned by IRAC (Insecticide Resistance Action Committee). For additional information, see their Web site at http://www.irac-online.org/.
*	Permit required from county agricultural commissioner for purchase or use.
#	Acceptable for use on organically grown produce.

PUBLICATION

UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines: Cucurbits
UC ANR Publication 3445
Insects and Mites
E. T. Natwick, UC Cooperative Extension, Imperial County
J. J. Stapleton, UC IPM Program, Kearney Agricultultural Center, Parlier
C. S. Stoddard, UC Cooperative Extension, Merced & Madera counties
Acknowledgment for contributions to Insects and Mites:
R. L. Coviello, UC Cooperative Extension, Fresno County
L. D. Godfrey, Entomology, UC Davis
C. B. Fouche, UC Cooperative Extension, San Joaquin County
C. G. Summers, Entomology, UC Davis/Kearney Agricultural Center, Parlier
J. B. LeBoeuf, AgriData Sensing, Inc., Fresno
M. Murray, UC Cooperative Extension, Colusa/Glenn counties

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