Lewis Mites 2025 – a Poinsettia Problem that’s Here to Stay?

*Lewis mite damage on poinsettia. Photo by OMAFA.*

Let’s face it: although Lewis mites (Eotetranychus lewisi) used to be more of a cyclical pest, this mite has been consistently bad in poinsettia the last few years. As regular Lewis mite infestations now seem to be the new normal in poinsettia, this week is the time to to start thinking about your pest control plan for Lewis mite.

Whether you choose the preventive route or the wait-and-see approach, knowing which strategies and chemicals are working is critical. Read on for tips on dipping to prevent mites along and what we learned from last year‘s chemical approaches.

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Updates on Fungus Gnat Control in Greenhouse Ornamentals 2024

Fungus gnats and shoreflies will always be a nuisance in greenhouse crops and, at high levels, potentially damage roots and transmit certain plant pathogens. Recently, key pesticides for these pest have been lost, either through de-registration or via production decisions from manufacturers. Read on to see options for controlling fungus gnats in greenhouse crops.

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Lewis mites! 2024 Updates in Poinsettia

lewis mite_UCANR — *Lewis mite. Photo from University of California.*

Lewis mite is one of those pests that seems to go in cycles – some years we don’t see it at all, and some years I get reports as early as August.

This year there seems to be scattered reports. Given that Lewis mite populations can ramp up in a warm fall and rear their ugly heads in October, it seemed like a good time for an update on what’s working, and what’s not.

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“How-to” Video of the Week: Checking the Quality of Predatory Mite Sachets

The “walk-out” technique to assess predatory mite sachets. Details on how to do this (and why!) are in the video. *Photo by R. Buitenhuis.*

In this week’s “how-to” video, we’ll continue exploring how to assess the quality of the biocontrol agents you receive.

This video focuses on a staple of thrips control – predatory mite sachets. These can be a bit trickier to assess than loose product, but it’s important to use the right technique to avoid underestimating the quality of sachets (something even I’ve been guilty of).

Keep reading to find the link to the video and additional resources.

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“How-to” Video of the Week: Checking the Quality of Parasitic Wasps

*An Encarsia wasp emerging from a whitefly.*

Poinsettia (and whitefly) season is almost upon us! So we thought it was fitting that this week’s “how-to” video focuses on on-farm quality control tests of parasitic wasps.

We’ve also got a few videos on how to scout your poinsettia crop for whitefly and implementing a whitefly biocontrol program. Although these are older videos, they still have lots of relevant info, especially for those newer to whitefly biocontrol programs.

Keep reading for the videos and links to further readings.

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“How-to” Videos: Checking the Quality of Entomopathogenic Fungi and Nematodes

*Nematodes infecting thrips. Photo by R. Buitenhuis, Vineland.*

In this installment of our “how-to” video series, we’re bringing you two related videos about entomopathogens in the soil.

The first is a new addition that can help you determine if your microbial pesticides are alive and kicking after application. This can be super important after temperature fluctuations like the heat wave we just had.

The second video is an oldie but a goodie. It demonstrates quality control and proper application of parasitic nematodes in potting media.

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“How-to” Video of the Week: Plant Washes and Other Tools to Make Detecting Parvispinus Easier

*OMAFA Summer Student Avery Johnson demonstrating plant washes on-farm.*

In this week’s “how-to” video, we’ll explore using plant washes on-farm.

Plant washes are a simple but effective method to detect low levels of critical pests, such as Thrips parvispinus.

Once you’ve washed out your pests, we’ve also developed a quick “decision tree” to help you easily determine if you’re dealing with Thrips parvispinus or another thrips pest.

Keep reading to find the link to the video and additional resources.

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Garden Mums 2024 – Tips, Tricks, and Production Bits

This post was contributed to by Abigail Wiesner, Drs. Sarah Jandricic, and Chevonne Dayboll.

As we feel temperatures rising, summer is on its way – and so are garden mums! This post has updated information to help you optimize your irrigation, fertilizer, pest management programs and more in garden mum production.

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“How-to” Video of the Week: Checking the Quality of Predatory Biocontrols

In this week’s “how-to” video, we’ll continue exploring how to assess the quality of the biocontrol agents you receive. This video focuses on predators, such as mites, Aphidoletes, Orius, Dalotia (Atheta) and more.

Keep reading to find the link to the video and addional resources. The next few videos will look at quality control guidelines for other types of biocontrol agents, so make sure to subscribe to the blog if you haven’t already!

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Guide to Biocontrol Agents for Greenhouse Pests Available for Download

MSU Extension has updated a 16 page guide to biocontrol agents that are commercially available to control greenhouse pests.

Developed in collaboration with Kansas State University and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, this fantastic resource includes pictures of each organism, their active temperature ranges, and key facts that will help growers find success using biological control. Read on to download your copy now!

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