Backyard Orchard News
Kate Frey: Bee Gardens Make Us Happy
Whether you plant them, nurture them, or walk through them, bee gardens make us happy. That's what...
A yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, on Salvia "Indigo Spires" in Kate Frey's pollinator garden at the Sonoma Cornerstone. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
In the Loop--on the Mustard
Ever seen this mottled brownish/blackish/grayish moth around lately? The alfalfa looper moth,...
The alfalfa looper moth, Autographa californica, nectaring on mustard blossoms in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Spreading its wings, the alfalfa looper moth, Autographa californica, is oblivious to the photographer.(Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Side view of the alfalfa looper moth, Autographa californica. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Delegate Removed from the Bulk Citrus Spray and Move Treatment List
As of APRIL 20, 2018 Delegate (spinetoram) has been removed from the list of approved insecticides for the treatment of citrus just prior to harvest for the purpose of disinfesting citrus prior to moving citrus-filled bins between quarantine zones in California. The regulations for 'spray and move' can be found on the CDFA information for citrus growers/grove managers web page and the table from that document is shown below. The reason for removing Delegate, is that it shows significantly less control of psyllids than the other treatments on the list. It is critical to achieve high kill of psyllids to ensure fruit is disinfested, so that psyllids, and potentially HLB, are not moved around the state. The alternative to 'spray and move' is field cleaning (brushing or washing fruit) and removing leaves and stems from the fruit and bins. The eggs and nymphs attach themselves to leaves and stems and the adults can ride on fruit.
In recognition of the issues related to treating citrus just prior to harvest, research is being conducted by the USDA and University of California to develop fogging and fumigant post harvest systems to disinfest fruit that will ultimately replace 'spray and move' treatments.
The Boys Are Back in Town
The boys are back in town! Well, at least one is. We don't know where the girls are. Neither,...
A male Valley carpenter bee, Xylocopa varipuncta, nectars on a a mustard blossom in Vacaville, Calif. on Sunday, March 25. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Peek-a-bee! The male Valley carpenter bee peers at the photographer. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
We have lift-off! The teddy bear bee, Xylocopa varipuncta,leaves a mustard blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
California Red Scale Males are Active in the San Joaquin Valley
Temperatures are finally starting to increase after the cold spell we had in February and the first flight biofix of California red scale occurred roughly the middle of March in the San Joaquin Valley. Degree days above the lower developmental threshold of 53oF are accumulating and have reached about 50 since March 16. When the environment accumulates 550 degree days, the first crawler generation will appear. See our California red scale degree day web site for more details. Remember that every orchard is a little different due to orientation and elevation. To obtain more precise information than our county averages, you should place temperature measuring instruments in your orchards. To learn more about treating for California red scale, see the UC IPM Guidelines for Citrus.