ORNAMENTAL INSECT MANAGEMENT

A Field Guide to Common Texas Insects
Author: Bastiaan Drees and John Jackman
Size: 14 K - Submitted: 02/2003

Aphids in Texas Landscapes (B-6047) (pdf)
More than 250 species of aphids, often called "plant lice," feed on agricultural and horticultural crops throughout the world, and several can be a problem in Texas landscapes.
Author: Bastiaan M. Drees

Aphid Management
Over 250 species of the superfamily Aphidoidea feed on agricultural and horticultural crops throughout the world (Blackman & Eastop 1984). Pest aphids tend to have a wider host range than economically unimportant species.
Author: Bastiaan M. Drees

Application Equipment
The best application equipment for a particular situation is that which provides thorough coverage within a reasonable amount of time and with reasonable effort.

Armyworms in Texas Landscapes
Armyworms can destroy lawns, shrubbery, vegetable gardens and flowers, as well as many agricultural crops. The locations of their attacks vary each year throughout the state. They are most severe in the fall of the year when they defoliate plants rapidly in usually unpredictable sites.
Author: John A. Jackman

Boxelder Bugs
Boxelder bugs and other closely related insects are found throughout most of Texas and feed on several kinds of trees. In the fall they enter houses to find shelter for the winter and become a nuisance to many homeowners.
Author: Philip J. Hamman

Considerations for Purchasing and Releasing Biological Control Products
Purchasing and releasing natural enemies for control of insect and mite pests is an attractive alternative to the potential hazards associated with chemical insecticides (i.e., toxic effects on non-target organisms, development of pesticide resistance and persistence in the environment).
Authors: Bastiaan M. Drees, Allen Knutson

Calculating Dilutions and Site Size
Applying the correct amount of pesticide is a must for responsible, effective pest management. The pesticide label and other recommendations tell you how much to apply.

Catfacing Insects on Peaches
Several species of insects that feed on peaches early in the growing season cause a gnarling and distortion of the fruits called catfacing. Plant bugs and stink bugs, largely responsible for this type of injury, suck the sap from the fruit.
Author: James V. Robinson

Chinch Bugs in St. Augustine Lawns (L-1766)
The southern chinch bug, Blissus insularis, is one of the most important insect pests of St. Augustine-grass in Texas. Although most damaging in Gulf Coast regions and in the southern half of the state, chinch bugs can be a problem anywhere St. Augustinegrass is grown.
Author: M.E. Merchant, R.L. Crocker

Deodar Weevil Outbreaks in Virginia Pine Plantings (UC-003)
Virginia pines grown as Texas-grown Christmas trees can be killed by infestations of the deodar weevil (Pissodes nemorensis Germar),also known as the northern pine weevil. Trees are usually observed to begin dying in December, but mortality can continue to occur through mid-March.
Author: Bastiaan M. Drees

Developing a Management Plan for Pesticides and Irrigation Runoff
The relationship between growing medium, air, and water is one of the least understood aspects in the production of greenhouse and nursery crops.

First Japanese Beetle Collected in Texas
Japanese beetles, Papillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabidae), are serious pests of turf and ornamental plants in the states east of the Mississippi river except Florida, Mississipi and Minnesota. This is an imported pest species and has previously not been reported from Texas.
Author: Bastiaan M. Drees

Fungus Gnat Management
The term, fungus gnat, applies to a number of species in the insect order Diptera, family Sciaridae (dark winged fungus gnat species Bradysia coprophila, impatiens and paupera).
Author: Bastiaan M. Drees

Gall-Making Insects and Mites (pdf)
Galls are the result of the abnormal growth of plant cells. They are caused by insects, mites, nematodes, bacteria or fungi.
Author: Bastiaan M. Drees

Greenhouse Mites
Four groups of mites are important in the greenhouse (Table 1): 1) spider mites (two-spotted spider mites); 2) false spider mites or flat mites; 3)broad and cyclamen mites; and 4) bud, gall, rust or eriophyid mites. Mites are small and are thus difficult to identify.
Author: Bastiaan M. Drees

Home Remedies, Repellents, & 25(b) Products
There are a whole host of "actions" a nursery crop producer can use to try to manage insects in the greenhouse/nursery operation. However, many "novel" methods can be costly and sometimes, ineffective.
Author: Bastiaan M. Drees

Insect, Mite and Releated Pest Suppression Products for use in Commercial Ornamental Plant Pest Managment Programs - 1997
Author: Bastiaan M. Drees

Insects Associated with Woody Ornamental Plants in Texas
There has been increased interest by horticulturists and the public in recent years in utilization of woody plants as ornamentals for urban landscapes in Texas. This has involved plants of traditional usage as well as native plants adaptable to home, commercial, park and roadside plantings.
Authors: H.R. Burke, J.A. Jackman, M. Rose

Integrated Pest Management for Greenhouse Crops
Integrated pest management for greenhouse crops is complex, and each problem situation or production objective is accompanied by a wide range of potentially acceptable solutions.

Lesser Peachtree Borer
Trunks and limbs of peach and plum trees may be severely injured by the lesser peachtree borer. The feeding of the borers in the wood weakens or kills the tree or limbs and provides entry for rot-producing organisms and shot hole borers.
Author: James V. Robinson

Managing Insect and Mite Pests in Vegetable Gardens (B-1300 11/98)
Vegetable gardening can be an entertaining pastime and a source of fresh produce that is difficult to surpass. Producing your own vegetables adds to the enjoyment of consuming them and may be lucrative compared to purchasing produce.
Author: John A. Jackman

Managing Insects and Related Pests of Roses (B-6068)
Texas is well known for roses. In the Tyler region, roses are grown commercially in greenhouses and outdoor nurseries, where field-grown cut flowers, potted miniature roses, bare-root roses for use in landscapes, and potted roses for the garden-center trade are produced.
Author: Bastiaan M. Drees, Brent Pemberton, Charles L. Cole

Managing the Sweet Potato Whitefly
The sweetpotato/silverleaf whitefly has become a widespread difficult-to-control pest of Texas greenhouse and nursery crops since 1987. It is the number one pest of poinsettia grown in Texas nurseries, and control failures have been reported for most conventional insecticides.
Author: Bastiaan M. Drees

Oriental Fruit Moth
The oriental fruit moth is an important pest of peach varieties which mature fruit in late June or July. Some damage to plum tree twigs may occur, but the fruit is not attacked.
Author: James V. Robinson

Peach Twig Borer
The peach twig borer is the major pest of peaches in Central Texas. Although it is present in the eastern portions of the State, it is usually of minor significance. The name of this insect should not be confused with that of the peach tree borer which attacks the trunks of peach and plum trees in East Texas.
Author: James V. Robinson

Peachtree Borer
The peachtree borer is often the most destructive insect attacking mature peach trees. The injury is often minimized or overlooked, particularly in orchards in which weeds and grass are permitted to grow around tree trunks.
Author: James V. Robinson

Pest Management in Greenhouses
Pest management programs should be designed to meet a specific production objective. In greenhouse production, this objective is usually to produce undamaged pest-free plants.

Pest Management for Texas Grown Virginia Pine Production (UC-027)
The production of Virginia pine trees for use as Christmas trees in the Texas upper coast area is a pest management challenge. There are a number of important insect pests which affect production.
Author: Bastiaan M. Drees

Pest Management Training Programs Available for TCE
Greenhouse and nursery operators and their employees have a need for access to pest management and pesticide safety training (Note: TAEX faculty can use these materials as take-home material for providing Continuing Education Units for individuals maintaining a Texas Department of Agriculture only for private applicators and only if accompanied by a worksheet, e.g., some type of written exercise, for return as proof of completion).
Author: Bastiaan Drees

Planning Arthropod Pest Management Through the Year (UC-005)
Design integrated pest management (IPM) programs for arthropod pests around production or maintenance objective(s). To achieve this goal, implement a program using a combination of management tactics (cultural, mechanical, physical, biological, chemical and regulatory methods) that are the least expensive, most effective and least detrimental to the environment.
Author: Bastiaan M. Drees

Plum Curculio
Extensive damage to peaches and plums is caused by the plum curculio. Holes appear in the fruit as the adults feed and deposit eggs.
Author: James V. Robinson

Sampling and Monitoring for Pests and Their Natural Enemies
Various methods have been devised to sample, or estimate the numbers of, arthropods on trees and shrubs. Many of these procedures were first developed for use in agricultural crops, but several have resulted from investigations on landscape ornamental pests.

Scale Insects on Ornamental Plants (B-6097)
Scale insects damage landscape plants, shrubs and trees. This publication explains how to control scale insects economically without damaging the environment, including sampling for scale crawlers, using natural enemies and applying pesticides.
Authors: Mark A. Muegge and Michael E. Merchant

Scale Insects on Peaches and Plums
San Jose Scale is one of the most destructive pests of stone fruits in the United States. Damaging infestations develop before growers are aware of the insect's presence, because of the small size and obscure coloration of the scales.
Author: James V. Robinson

The Walnut Caterpiller (L-1835)
The walnut caterpillar is a serious threat to pecan, hickory and walnut trees. It also endangers oak, willow, honey locust and certain woody shrubs. The caterpillars develop in large clusters and rapidly defoliate ornamental and orchard trees if not controlled.
Author: John A. Jackman

Western Flower Thrips on Ornamental Plants (UC-017)
Thrips are bladder-footed insects from the order Thysanoptera, meaning fringed wings. There are 6,000 thrips species in the United States.
Authors: Bastiaan M. Drees, Charles L. Cole

White Grubs in Texas Turfgrass
White grubs are the larval stage of insects commonly known as May or June beetle (or Junebugs). Almost 100 species live in Texas, most of which do not cause significant economic damgae to crops or horticultural plantings. A few species, however, commonly damage turfgrass and other cultivated plants.
Author: M.E. Merchant, R.L. Crocker

Wood-boring Insects of Trees and Shrubs (B-5086 8-99) (pdf)
Many insects feed and make their homes in the bark, trunks and branches of shade trees and shrubs in Texas.
Authors: Bastiaan M. Drees, John A. Jackman, Michael E. Merchant