^. 



THE GREEN SPOT 



-^ 



0* 



Listed below, in alphabetical or- 

 der, are the six biological pest 

 control agents used by today's grow- 

 ers. This list is based on the Green 

 Spot's 1995 sales volumes of these 

 organisms, in addition to consumer 

 feedback. 



1. Amfelyseius (NeoseiulMS) fflllacis (am- 

 blah-SAY-us nee-oh-SAY-u-ius fah- 

 LAY-shis) is an incredibly versatile 

 predatory mite which feeds on sev- 

 eral phytophagous mite species, 

 most notably the two-spotted mite. It 

 is useful in many situations, ranging 

 from strawberries and mint to green- 

 house and interiorscapes to ever- 

 greens and palm trees. A. fflllcis feeds 

 on pollen as well as mites, allowing 

 it to survive in the absence of prey 

 and to serve as a preventative It 

 survives the most extreme climates. 

 It will still feed even if the tempera- 

 ture drops to a low 35F. 



2. Apkidius matricariae (ah-FID-ee-us 

 may-tree-KARE-ee-aa) is a 2-3mm. 

 endoparasetic wasp. This parasitoid 

 lays its eggs in over 40 species of 

 aphids. The eggs hatch into larvae 

 which feed on the aphids from the 

 inside. The larvae then pupate, turn- 

 ing the one-time pests into mum- 

 mies. Post-pupation, they chew an 

 exit hole through the mummies and 

 hatch out as new adults, ready to re- 

 peat the cycle. 



3. Aphidoletes apftidymyza (ah-FID-oI-ee- 

 tees ah-FID-ah-my-zah) is a tiny no- 

 madic midge. As an adult, it mates 

 and lays its eggs next to concentra- 

 tions of over 60 species of aphids. 

 The eggs hatch into bright orange 

 larvae which are fierce predators. 

 These larvae bite the aphids on or 

 near a leg joint (knee) and inject a 

 paralyzing toxin before eating them. 

 They may kill up to 50 aphids per 

 day. Sometimes they bite the aphids 

 and move on before eating them, 

 which is fine, since the aphids will 

 still die. 



4. Cryptolaemus montrouzieri (krip-toh- 

 LAY-mus mon-TROH-zure-ee) is a 4- 

 5mm. black and orange beetle which 

 feeds — in its adult and larval stage — 

 on the eggs and immature stages of 

 several mealybug and scale insect 

 species. This beetle mates and it 

 lays its eggs in the cottony eg 

 masses often present with mealy- 

 bugs. The eggs hatch into shaggy 

 white larvae (which somewhat re- 

 semble the pest — a wolf in sheep's 

 clothing) and grow to I cm. in length 

 before curling up to pupate. Post-pu- 

 pation, the new beetles split the pu- 

 pal skin and set out to repeat the 

 process. 



5. Hypoaspis miles (hi-POH-aa-spis 

 miles) is a soil-dwelling predatory 

 mite which feed on fungus gnats, 

 thrips pupae and pre-pupae, spring- 



tails, and more. Since this mite can 

 survive on multiple creatures, plus 

 fungus and algae (thus reducing the 

 food and breeding requirements for 

 fungus gnats), once introduced into a 

 greenhouse, H. miles can sometimes 

 be still found up to a year later. 

 6. Encarsia formosa (en-KAR-see-uh for- 

 IVlOH-suh) is a tiny parasitic wasp 

 which lays eggs in the middle stages 

 of the greenhouse whitefly. As the 

 parasitized whitefly develops, its 

 pupa turns black and dies A new 

 wasp exits the blackened pupa by 

 chewing a hole in it and repeats the 

 cycle. 



Michael S. Cherim is from The Green 

 Spot, Ltd., a NH company supplying bio- 

 logical pest control agents and associated 

 pest and disease management supplies. He 

 can be reached at 603-942-8925. 



BOARD HIGHLIGHTS— DECEMBER 8 



Board members attending included Bob Demers, Ann, Henry, Ken, and 

 Peter. Chris Robarge, Nancy Adams, and Bill Stockman were also 

 there. 



An additional mailing will publicize the Winter Meeting. Peter and Henry 

 will use names from their companies' mailing lists. 



The NENA Summer IVleeting will probably be held at the Speedway in 

 Loudon on August 8. Concern now is the cost of the meal and the policy 

 on alcohol. The NHPGA has a no alcohol policy for its meetings and at 

 NENA summer meetings, beer has traditionally been served. The matter 

 was not resolved, although the group was edging toward a restricted alco- 

 hol, possibly no alcohol, policy 



Bill Stockman brought up the possibility of NHPGA-sponsored nursery- 

 man certification program (other states have one; it promotes professional- 

 ism; it can earn the sponsoring organization some money), but the board 

 saw the administration and increased paperwork (courses, testing, fees, re- 

 certification) as something with which they didn't want to get involved. 



One scholarship was awarded. The rest of the money will go to next 

 year's as there will be no auction at this summer's meeting 



NHPGA's involvement with Ag in the Classroom seems productive. 

 NHPGA will buy instructional materials and help rewrite a teachers 

 manual. Part of a day-long teachers workshop will be at the UNH Research 

 Greenhouses on April 11. 



Dave Seavey is interested in sponsoring legislation standardizing green- 

 house appraisal for tax purposes. He will attend the next Board meeting. 



FEBRUARY ♦ MARCH 1996 



17 



