Pest Management Concepts for

Urban Ornamentals & Turf

David J. Shetlar, Ph.D.The BugDoc

Landscape EntomologistThe Ohio State University

Traditional Approaches(based on crops)

sample pest populations on a regular basis.

develop pest economic injury levels.

determine economic threshold levels (action thresholds) for each crop and pest.

IPM Principles and Concepts

Problems Applying Field Crop Concepts to Urban Areas

urban areas are aesthetic “crops”

general public fear or distaste of pests (“I don’t like bugs!”)

extremely diverse habitats are involved, not monocultures.

IPM Principles and Concepts

IPM Principles and Concepts

How do we handle diverse habitats?

Number of Plants – urban landscapes can contain over 100 species of plants!

Number of Pests – each plant may host 1 to 5 pests each!

Urban Approaches(for landscapes, Raupp et al.)

Key Plants - plants prone to damaging pest problems.

Key Pests - pests that can cause serious damage or plant loss.

IPM Principles and Concepts

“Traditional” Ornamental Plant Maintenance Program

Fertilize spring and fall – all plants treated the same.

Mulch in spring and put down preemerg-ence herbicide (crab grass and other annual weeds)!

Visit landscape 4-5 times per year and use “cover spray” (contains mixture of miticide, fungicide and insecticide)!

Sell other services – pruning, weeding, etc.

Current Approach to Ornamental Plant Maintenance

MAP landscape, identifying key plants and key pests.

Evaluate individual plants and consult with owner about desires for plants – maintenance, push growth, etc.

Use targeted pesticide applications.

Recommend “crop” rotation!?

Plant Health CareCurrent Thinking

In Plant Health Care (PHC), the concept of

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is only

ONE component of the system - the one

dealing with "intervention" after a plant

stress has been identified as being

caused by a pest.

Environmentally Based??

Sustainable environment?

Plant Health?

Urban habitat health?

Reduced toxic risk?

Sustainable Environments

Need little or no inputs

Resistant to change

Tolerate stresses

Plant Health Care

Stress (or Pest)Management

Plant Evaluation

PlantPlant ClientClient

Intervention?

Integrated Pest Management

MONITORMONITORPESTSPESTS

InsectsInsectsDiseasesDiseases

WeedsWeeds

Chemical Controls

Cultural ControlsBiological Controls

Plant Client

Stress (or Pest)Management

Plant Evaluation

Intervention?

In Plant Health Care,

the PLANT and its OWNER

(client, manager, etc.) are

the central focus of the

system

MONITORPESTS

InsectsDiseases

Weeds

Chemical Controls

Cultural ControlsBiological Controls

In Integrated Pest Management,

the PESTS are the central

focus of the system

Our “concept” of urban landscapes try to mimic outside habitats. Notice the similarities? Trees on the outside perimeter, short-cut plants in the foreground and a “water feature.”

Most urban landscapes put stresses on the ornamental plants, thereby making them more prone to insect damage. These oaks were planted three-in-a-spot (four foot squares in the parking lot). They were being killed by borers and the manager was “mystified”!!

Typical school landscape with insect-prone plants.

Environmentally Based Lawns and Landscapes

Ideal World Reality

Select plant for site

Amend soil before plant

Use new plants

Pest controls do not affect non-targets

"Healthy" plants defend themselves

Plants already installed

Amend after plant

Deal with old plants

Pesticides affect non-targets

"Healthy" plants are better able to defend

Selecting EnvironmentallyBased Products - Insecticides

Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) toxins

Spinosad (Conserve)

Avermectin (Avid)

Soaps and Oils

IGR's

Natural Botanicals - Synthetics

Selecting EnvironmentallyBased Products - Plants

Native - Imported

Perennial - Annual

Wet - Dry Tolerant

Sun - Shade Tolerant

Pests Rare or Common

Pest Tolerant or Intolerant

Environmentally-BasedProgram (an example)

Soil Sample and Characteristics

Site Characteristics

Plant Inventory - identify & map

Pest Inventory - "key pests“

Client Needs and Desires

Short & Long Term Interventions

What about biological control?

In it’s most simple definition, biological control is using naturally occurring organisms to control pests, whether the pests be vertebrates (fish, birds, reptiles, or mammals), diseases (usually plant pathogens – fungi), weeds, or arthropods (insects and mites).

Biological controls are usually predators, parasites, or diseases (pathogens), but some biological control experts also include competitors.

Biocontrol or "BioBased"?

Paenibacillus popillae – grub milky disease

Bacillus thuringiensis – δ-endotoxin

Saccharopolyspora spinosa – spinosyns (=Conserve™)

Classic Insect Biocontrols

Predators

Parasites

Pathogens

Ants & WaspsBeetlesSpiders

Bugs (damsel, bigeyed, stink)MitesOthers

Wasps Flies

VirusFungiBacteria

Entomopathogenic Nematodes

Chinese mantis, a common imported predator

Convergent lady beetle eating aphids

What is this?

Keys to Successful Biocontrols

Easy to recognize

Easy to use

Public acceptance

Cost effective

Shelf life

Polistes wasp eating black cutworm

Using Biocontrols in Landscapes

Introduction

Augmentation

Conservation

Conserving Biological Controls

Learn to recognize biocontrols

Provide food and habitat

Use least toxic chemicals

Target chemicals WHERE needed

Educate customer

BE PATIENT!!

Selecting Least Toxic Insecticides

Soaps and Oils (kill by contact only)

Use short residual products

Use IGR-type products (very selective)

Use neonicotinoids ??

Use microbial products

??

Insecticide LD50s

Acephate (Orthene) 980Chlorpyrifos (Dursban) 270Diazinon 400Ethoprop (Mocap) 62Fonofos (Crusade) 18Isofenphos (Oftanol) 20Isazofos (Triumph) 40-60Malathion 1000Trichlorfon (Dylox/Proxol) 250

Organophosphates (acetylcholinesterase inhibitors)

Bendiocarb (Turcam) 156Carbaryl (Sevin) 246

Bifenthrin (Talstar) 375Cyfluthrin (Tempo) 826Fluvalinate (Mavrik) 282L-cyhalothrin (Scimitar) 79Permethrin (Astro) 430

Pyrethroids (disrupt nerve sodium pump)

Carbamates (acetylcholinesterase inhibitors)

Insecticide LD50s

Halofenozide (MACH2) 2850Diacylhydrazine (molt accelerating compound, induces molt)

Spinosads (Conserve) 3783-5000Spinosad (synaptic stimulation nicotinic acetycholine sites)

Fipronil (Chipco Choice) 97Phenylpyrazoles (GABA receptor disruption)

New Insecticide LD50s

Azadirachtin A & B (Azatrol, Neem, etc.)>3540

Tetranortriterpenoid (ecdysone blocker; antifeedant)

Imidacloprid (Merit) 450Nitroguanidine (post-synaptic block, nicotinic ACH sites)

Thiamethoxam (Meridian) 1563Nitroguanidine (post-synaptic block, nicotinic ACH sites)

New Insecticide LD50s

Clothianidin (Arena) >5000Nitroguanidine (post-synaptic block, nicotinic ACH sites)

The Neonicotinoids

Acetamiprid (TriStar) 217Pyridylmethylamine (post-synaptic block, nicotinic ACH sites)

Dinotefuran (Safari) >2000Nitroguanidine (post-synaptic block, nicotinic ACH sites)

Urban Landscape Ecology Program – ULEPA new approach

Interdisciplinary team (over 40 faculty & staff including representatives from Public Health, Education, Architecture, Engineering, Psychology, CBS & FAES)

Use campuses as model ecological landscapes (demonstrate proper plant materials and conversion techniques)

Establish model communities with commercial developer (currently working with Dominion Homes)

Establish a university major

Dominion Homes Burr Oak Development – proposed plan including wetland, a bio-swale water conservation area (will also be a park), as well as low and medium density homes and condo sites. In Upper Darby Watershead.