Best Management Practices

Spot treat with pesticides as an alternative to treating large areas. Limited pesticide applications help preserve natural enemies.

            LBAM:  Use tortricid-labeled control agents.  Spot treat actively infested plants (61).

            EGVM:  Any detection warrants immediate suppression.  The first foliar treatment should be applied before flowering (25).

            BMSB:  An insecticidal regime alternating pyrethroids and carbamates offers some control, but should not be used in the long term (71)

BB:  Broad applications of pesticides are best, early in the season when bugs emerge.  Imidacloprid are the best mean of control (3).  Foliar contact insecticides manage established populations best (75).  However sprinkling crushed Bagrada bugs around the plants has offered some control, as has a mixture of chili, soap, garlic and paraffin (93).

GWSS:  If in a quarantine area, apply foliar treatments in the presence of a CAC inspector. (41).  Apply pesticide only if more than one is found per tree (91). 

            ACP:  Check with local officials to determine if it is safe or advisable.  Flush can be used to estimate the presence of different life cycles (81).  Foliar treatments are most effective when applied to earlier instars.  Manage flush by hand, pheromone, fertilizer or irrigation in order to time pesticide applications, for both preventative and control treatments (7).  Quantifying flush (36).

            DRW:  Foliar treatments can control adult weevils.  If abiding by the Voluntary Preventative Treatment Protocol, initial applications of pesticides must be conducted in the presence of a CAC inspector (60).  Soil drenches in potted plants can help control larvae (60) (80).

            RPW:  Soil drenches and the application of systemic insecticides to the trunk.  Check local regulations for instructions.

RIFA:  Contact insecticides and soil drenches can be used for infested pots and ant hills (28).

            EGBS: Pesticide sprays don’t work, but generous sprinkles of bait can control snails if they return to the same place every night (11).  Baits do not survive high-moisture (94)