Insect and mite monitoring methods.
| Methods |
|---|
| Invertebrate species |
| Visual inspection of plant parts |
| Most exposed-feeding species, including evidence of parasitism and predation. Monitoring tiny pests requires a hand lens |
| Branch beating |
| Most exposed, readily dislodged species, especially the adults, including leaf beetles, mites, thrips, psyllids, true bugs, leafhoppers, weevils, non-webbing caterpillars, lady beetles, green and brown lacewings |
| Sticky traps |
| Adult whiteflies, thrips, leafhoppers, psyllids, fungus gnats, Liriomyza spp. leafminers, winged aphids, parasitoids |
| Double-sided sticky tape |
| Scale crawlers |
| Burlap trunk bands |
| Adult weevils, gypsy moth larvae |
| Pheromone traps |
| Adults of certain moths and scales, including clearwing moths, fruittree leafroller, omnivorous looper, Nantucket pine tip moth, gypsy moth, San Jose scale, California red scale |
| Pitfall traps |
| Adult weevils, predaceous ground beetles |
| Timed counts |
| Pest individuals that are relatively large and obvious, such as caterpillars, and occur at relatively low density so they are not observed faster than they can be counted |
| Honeydew monitoring |
| Aphids |
| Frass droppings |
| Non-webbing caterpillars |
| Degree-day monitoring |
| Species for which researchers have determined thresholds and rates, including elm leaf beetle, Nantucket pine tip moth, California red scale, San Jose scale |
Reprinted from Pests of Landscape Trees and Shrubs, Publication 3359. Available for $32 from DANR Publications, University of California, 6701 San Pablo Avenue, Oakland, CA 94608-1239. Telephone 510-642-2431 ortoll free in California only: 800-994-8849.