In Case You Missed It: Webinar on Predator-Prey Interactions – Secrets of Thrips Biocontrol

In case you’re not in the know, Greenhouse Product News (GPN) Magazine has a great plant health webinar series (sign up for it using this link!). This month, I recorded a webinar for them taking a deep dive into predator-prey interactions between thrips and their natural enemies.

If you’ve ever wondered why IPM specialists like myself recommend multiple biocontrol agents at once for optimal thrips control, or why rates of natural enemies need to be so high, then this webinar is for you.

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“COMMUNITY” PEST ALERT: Spotted Lanternfly

Originally published on the ONgreenhousevegetables blog on October 15, 2024 by Cara McCreary

*A spotted lanternfly adult. Photo by APHIS.*

They may be pretty, but they aren’t our friends. Spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive sap-feeding planthopper with potential to harm agriculture and forestry in Ontario.

But I only grow greenhouse fruits and vegetables, so why does it matter to me, you ask? Read on to learn more about why this pest matters to everyone.

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High Quality Photos for Thrips Identification: Rating Phone Attachments.

This is a guest post by Avery Johnson (former OMAFA summer student and current M.Sc. student studying Thrips parvispinus) and S. Jandricic.

Having difficulty identifying thrips on sticky cards and need clear photos to send to your consultant or extension agent? Don’t want to invest in a microscope? Well, you’re in luck, because we’ve done the legwork to find some good alternatives to get high quality photos.

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Poinsettia Pests 2024: Whitefly, Mealybugs and Other Pests

Poinsettia are being potted up and pest issues are already popping up! Read on to see what pests growers in Ontario are seeing, and what to do about them.

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Upcoming GrowON Webinar: Managing Pesticide Resistance in Greenhouses

Greenhouse IPM practitioners have to produce high quality plants and produce with a more limited chemical arsenal. We also have to deal with several key pests that are known to readily develop resistance to multiple chemical classes, including thrips, whitefly and leafminers. So how do we avoid an uphill run on the resistance treadmill?

Hannah Fraser, Horticulture Entomologist with OMAFA, shares her decades of experience battling resistance issues in fruit crop pests with us in this next webinar.

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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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Points for Points! Production Pointers for 2024 Poinsettias

This post was originally written by Abigail Wiesner, Acting Greenhouse Floriculture Production Specialist, with contributions from Chevonne Dayboll.

Christmas in July? Not quite, but poinsettias are making their way into greenhouses across Ontario, and they always arrive at the hottest time of the year.

Nutritional issues, environmental stress, PGR mistakes and early diseases can all be costly in this high-value crop. Read on for common pitfalls and how to avoid them, as well as links to pest management information in early production.

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Pesticide Rotation Guide for Thrips parvispinus in Canadian Greenhouses

By Sarah Jandricic (OMAFA) and Judy Colley (Plant Products)

*A female (left) and male (right) Thrips parvispinus on a mandevilla flower.*

With the arrival of mandevilla, dipladenia and hibiscus cuttings, now is the time to start planning your management program for Thrips parvispinus. Unfortunately, it looks like this pest is here to stay in North America, and in the tropical plant industry at large.

In this post, we’ll focus on pesticide rotations to manage pesticide resistance, as well as a few tips and tricks to make sure your pesticides stay working.

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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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