November 18, 2019 I’ve set up winter moth tree wraps at 3 locations this month. In past years, when winter moth populations were high, I set up tree wraps in as many as 13 locations. Tree wraps cause winter moth females to pause below the wrap and deposit eggs before continuing up the tree. In […]

RI Department of Environmental Management and the University of Rhode Island are hosting information sessions on Spotted Lanternfly, an invasive planthopper that is currently spreading throughout the Mid-Atlantic. This is a fast-moving and destructive plant pest, and your cooperation is essential to aid in early detection and rapid response in Rhode Island. Information sessions are […]

A few people asked me today about affects to their crops  from aerial spraying insecticides for mosquito control. Aerial spraying with Anvil 10+10 started September 8th and will continue through September 9. I talked to the chemical company representative for Anvil 10+10. He explained that Massachusetts has applied the same insecticides (Sumithrin & Piperonyl Butoxide) […]

Hi Fruit Growers, I’ll make no comment about the depressing weather. Trees do look happy, though. At last week’s Twilight Meeting at Tougas Family Farm the general consensus was it’s been a pretty easy thinning season and the crop looks good. Do you agree? I’ve heard from one grower who thinks his McIntosh thinned a […]

In Greenville at the end of the day on 5/30/19, we were at 150 DD. And it looks like we’ll reach 220 DD on June 5, and 250 DD about June 6th.  So next week looks like a good week to spray for codling moth.   Greenville May 15 May 16 May 17 May 18 […]

Codling moth management                                                                                                                         5/28/19 Many growers in RI have had problems with codling moths the last couple of years. It seems as though codling moths are resistant to Imidan. Here are a few basic things to know to help you manage codling moth: Adult codling moths start emerging between McIntosh bloom and petal fall and […]

Codling moth management                                                                                                                         5/20/19 Many growers in RI have had problems with codling moths the last couple of years. It seems as though codling moths are resistant to Imidan. Here are a few basic things to know to help you manage codling moth: Adult codling moths start emerging between McIntosh bloom and petal fall and […]

Cool weather is curbing plant and insect development. Winter moth caterpillars are still first and second instars – so very small caterpillars. It is a good time to scout your apple, pear, and blueberry buds for winter moth caterpillars and damage. Over the last few days apples and blueberries were scouted in Portsmouth, Little Compton, […]

Winter moth eggs started hatching around April 10. Not many hatched until we received warm weather last week. By Friday, April 19, about half of eggs monitored in Charlestown, RI had hatched and two days later about 95% of eggs had hatched. Things really sped up once warm temperatures occurred. Now and for the next […]

Over the last decade, winter moth eggs started hatching anywhere from mid-March to mid-April, primarily depending on temperature. I don’t expect eggs to hatch until after red maples start blooming and when McIntosh apple buds crack open and expose a little bit of green tissue. Hopefully this is still a few weeks away. Fig 1.McIntosh […]

Winter moth  eggs started hatching – right on schedule. Winter moth eggs start hatching soon after red maple trees reach full bloom and McIntosh apple trees reach green tip. Both those events happened this past week. I expect many eggs to hatch this weekend after temperatures get into the 60s. I do not expect apple […]