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Strawberry
Insect Management
General
Overview
Summaries of the root, foliage, and fruit pests of strawberries,
presented under separate headings, contain information on descriptions,
life cycles, sampling methods, and control practices for insects
and related pests that damage particular portions of strawberry
plants. To assemble an effective insect pest management program
in strawberries, the information and practices associated with individual
pests must be combined. A useful way to do so is to construct a
pest management calendar based on stages of field preparation or
strawberry development. Such a calendar follows. References that
provide further information on individual pests and scouting practices
include:
- Cooley, D.R., & S.G. Schloemann. 1994. "Integrated Pest Management
for Strawberries in the Northeastern United States." Cooperative
Extension Service, University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
- Kovach, J., W. Wilcox, A. Agnello, & M. Pritts. 1993. " Strawberry
IPM Scouting Procedures." New York State Integrated Pest Management
Program Publ. No. 203b, Cooperative Extension Service, Cornell
University, Ithaca.
- Ries, S.M., M.M. Kushad, A.G. Otterbacher, & R.A. Weinzierl.
1996. "1996 Illinois Commercial Small Fruit and Grape Spray Guide."
Cooperative Extension Service, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
(Updated annually)
- Williams, R.N., & R.W. Rings. 1980. "Insect Pests of Strawberries
in Ohio." Research Bulletin 1122, Cooperative Extension Service,
Ohio State University, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development
Center, Wooster.
1996
Strawberry insect and mite management calendar for Illinois
See the latest edition of the Illinois Commercial Small Fruit
and Grape Spray Guide for pesticide rates and restrictions.
For background on insect and mite life cycles and sampling methods,
see publications by Cooley & Schloemann (1994) and Williams & Rings
(1980).
| Crop Stage orTiming |
Target Pest |
Action |
| Field selection & establishment |
Strawberry clipper |
Locate new fields away from wood lots and hedges
to minimize invasion by clippers. |
| White grubs |
Do not place new plantings of strawberries in
fields the first year after grass sod has been tilled. Diazinon
at transplanting will give some control. |
| Strawberry crown borer, strawberry root weevil, black vine
weevil |
Isolate new plantings at least 300 yards from
older plantings infested by these insects. |
| Cyclamen mite |
Inspect new transplants for cyclamen mites and
damage; do not use infested transplants. |
| Prebloom (buds forming) and very early bloom |
Strawberry clipper |
As soon as flower buds are visible,
check for clipped plants. Threshold = 1 clipped bud / 2 ft.
of row or any clipped buds in fields with histories of damage.
Use a registered insecticide at early bud stage and 10 days
later. |
| Tarnished plant bug |
As blossom buds become visible, tap clusters into
a white pan to sample. Use a registered insecticide if counts
exceed 2 adults / 10 sweeps, 1 nymph / 4 flower clusters, or
more than 10 % of flower clusters are infested by nymphs. Apply
when buds first become visible and just before bloom begins. |
| Eastern flower thrips |
As first blossoms open, tap flower clusters into
a white pan or shake clusters in a plastic bag. If counts exceed
2 - 10 thrips / blossom, use one of several registered insecticides
before 10 % bloom or Align or Neemix later in bloom. |
| Cyclamen mite |
If cyclamen mite is a problem, use a registered
insecticide 1 to 2 days before bloom and again 10 to 14 days
later. |
| Spider mites |
See comments for the bloom-to-harvest period.
|
| Bloom |
Avoid insecticide use during bloom to save pollinators.
In wet seasons following mild winters or where slug problems
have been severe, application of metaldehyde baits for slug
control may be warranted during bloom. |
| Postbloom through harvest |
Strawberry leafroller |
If greater than 10 to 20 % of leaflets are infested,
use a registered insecticide. Obey preharvest restrictions. |
| Spider mites |
If mite counts exceed 5 / leaflet or more than
25 % of leaflets are infested, use a registered miticide Obey
preharvest restrictions. |
| Slugs |
If needed, apply metaldehyde baits to the soil
surface but not directly on plants. |
| Strawberry sap beetle |
Practice clean harvesting. Registered insecticides
are effective but usually impractical because of a 5-day PHI.
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| Postharvest |
Slugs |
Mowing, subsoiling, narrowing beds, and good weed
control create conditions that discourage slug buildup. Waiting
until late fall to mulch also reduces slug populations. |
| Strawberry leafroller |
After renovation, use a registered insecticide
if more than 10 to 20 % of leaflets are infested. Natural enemies
usually provide control. |
| Strawberry rootworm |
After renovation, use a registered insecticide
if populations of adults (beetles) exceed 10 to 20 / sq. ft.
Use a flashlight to scout at night. |
| Spider mites |
Mowing as part of renovation reduces current season
infestations. Delayed mulching discourages outbreaks the following
season. Use thresholds and miticides listed above if needed. |
| Strawberry root weevil, black vine weevil |
Plow under old infested plantings soon after harvest
ends. To carry over infested plantings, check the up-to-date
edition of the Illinois Commercial Small Fruit and Strawberry
Spray Guide for information on insecticide application. |
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