By Maria Turner

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Iowa State University has developed a free pesticide and record-keeping app for iPads, Phones and Android users. It is called Pesticide and Field Records II and can be found on Apple's App Store or Google Play. The app includes Iowa products with EPA registration numbers in it but users can add additional products if they need to.

The app can link data across devices by logging in with the same email and password on multiple devices to sync data, meaning that you can use this with your phone and then sync data back to the office.

If you use and Android phone, download the Pesticide and Field Records app from Google Play®

If you use an iPhone, download the Pesticide and Field Records II app from the Apple® App Store®

The development of the app was partially funded by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and EPA Region 7.

By Maria Turner

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We have all read about the record number of dicamba related complaints that occurred in the 2019 growing season. When the Illinois Department of Agriculture investigates a complaint, they begin with the application records and if the applicator followed the label instructions of the products used. This year, one of the standout issues, of what would be considered a label violation, was that many did not complete a label required record sheet for each of the dicamba products for soybean (Engenia, Xtendimax, Tavium, and FeXapan). If you apply these products, please make yourself familiar with this requirement so that you won’t be in violation.

By the Illinois Pesticide Act, all applicators using a Restricted Use Pesticide (RUP), must take and maintain records of their application for two years; recording who made the application, the product, the amount, the date and the location. So, what makes dicamba for soybeans so different from another restricted use pesticide? The four dicamba/auxin specific product labels require a record sheet to be completed within 72 hours after the application. These record sheets require applicators to record: conditions before application, target pest(s), sensitive downwind crops, the nozzles used, application timing, and spray specifics. There are roughly 21-22 items that need to be completed. This should not be confused with record-keeping requirements for RUP’s. The specific information required for traditional record-keeping on RUP’s includes the following:

1. The name and the certification number of the certified applicator who applied or who supervised the application of the restricted use pesticides 
2. The pesticide product name and its U.S. EPA registration number 
3. The amount of chemical concentrate applied per unit (e.g., pounds or ounces per acre) 
4. The date of application (M/D/Y)
5. The location of the application, followed by a concise description of the location (county, range, township, section or legal property description) and type of treatment (spot or broadcast).

The additional information required by the labels of the dicamba/auxin specific products (Engenia, Xtendimax, Tavium, and FeXapan) include:

1. The date neighboring fields were surveyed for susceptible crops 
2. The name of sensitive crop registry consulted
3. The date of dicamba or auxin specific training completed and provider
4. The crop it was applied to
5. The buffer distance calculation
6. The size of the treated area
7. The total amount applied
8. The record of tank cleanout and procedure prior to use of dicamba
9. The nozzle information (manufacturer brand, type, orifice size, and operating pressure)
10. The application timing (burn down, pre-plant, at planting, pre-emergence, post-emergence)
11. Date the crop was planted
12. The spray information – at the start and finish must include time, air temperature, wind speed, wind direction, approved dicamba rate per acre, spray volume applied and tank-mix products (brand names, EPA#’s)
13. The record of the spray system equipment cleanout (additional information might include date and method of cleanout before and after applications).

The product labels clearly stated the record keeping requirements. They were also included in the mandatory annual training for all applicators using Engenia, Xtendimax, Tavium, and FeXapan herbicides. Despite these facts, many applicators received label violations because they were not aware of, or ignored the label’s record keeping requirements. Be sure to complete all of the required records following each application. Product stewardship will be essential for dicamba to remain as an available tool for years to come.

The product manufacturers have record-keeping sheets available to help applicators remain compliant. Specific product records sheets can be found at the following links:

Engenia
Tavium (Note: Currently the record sheet posted has 14 days listed.  Watch for updates.)
Xtendimax
Fexapan

This EPA docket was summarized by Sarah Hughson

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The EPA has reviewed the registration for glyphosate.  Scientific studies are periodically reviewed for all pesticides to make sure they meet the EPA’s standard of maintaining the pesticide’s function without unreasonable impacts on human health or the environment.

The EPA did not identify any risks to human health from glyphosate when applied as directed but they did incorporate some label changes for all glyphosate products to limit environmental impacts.

The following is a summary of the determinations and label changes for all glyphosate products made by the EPA.

Human Health Risks

The EPA assessed cancer and non-cancer risks to human health from all routes of exposure for all registered uses and did not identify any risks of concern when glyphosate was used according to the labeled directions.  There was no dietary risk of concern for humans and there were no residential, non-occupational bystander or occupational risk of concern to people.  They also concluded that no additional human health data is currently needed to make this determination.

Ecological Risks

No potential risk was identified for fish, aquatic invertebrates or amphibians when applied as described on the label.  A low potential for risk was identified for birds and mammals.  This risk is mainly posed by spray drift into their habitat.  The EPA has made a number of label changes to limit the impact of spray drift.

While the EPA identified low adverse impacts on bees at the individual or colony levels, they determined that more research was needed to fully evaluate exposure when higher application rates are used.

A draft of the endangered species assessment is planned to be released later in 2020.

Label Changes

Spray Drift Management

The EPA is requiring label changes to reduce off-target spray drift that will be consistent across all glyphosate products.  This is expected to reduce environmental exposure and risk to non-target plants and animals without reducing the benefit of glyphosate to applicators.

Label language will include changes to droplet size restrictions, removal of advisory statements for spray drift using airblast applications because it is not used in airblast applications, and updated swath displacement language for aerial applications.

The following spray drift reduction language is mandatory and will be included on all glyphosate products applied in a liquid spray application.

• “Applicators must not spray during temperature inversions.”
• “For ground boom applications, apply with the release height no more than 4 feet above the ground or crop canopy.”
• “For ground and/or aerial applications, select nozzle and pressure that deliver Medium or coarser droplets as indicated in nozzle manufacturer’s catalogues and in accordance with American Society of Agricultural & Biological Engineers Standard 572.1 (ASABE S572.1), unless tank-mixing with a pesticide product that requires use of a finer droplet size (ASABE S572.1).  If a finer droplet size is used, applicators are required to use a fine or coarser droplet size (ASABE S572.1).”
• “For aerial applications, do not apply when wind speeds exceed 15 mph at the application site.  If the wind speed is greater than 10 mph, the boom length must be 65% or less of the wingspan for fixed wing aircraft and 75% or less of the rotor blade diameter for helicopters.  Otherwise, the boom length must be 75% or less of the wingspan for fixedwing aircraft and 90% or less of the rotor diameter for helicopters.”
• “For aerial applicators, if the windspeed is 10 miles per hour or less, applicators must use ½ swath displacement upwind at the downwind edge of the field.  When the windspeed is between 11-15 miles per hour, applicators must use ¾ swath displacement upwind at the downwind edge of the field.”
• “For aerial applications, the release height must be no higher than 10 feet from the top of the ground or crop canopy, unless a greater application height is required for pilot safety.”

On updated labels, applicators will find language stating that only “medium” or coarser droplet sizes can be used when glyphosate is the sole active ingredient being applied.  However, “fine” or coarser droplet sizes may be used when glyphosate is tank-mixed with other pesticides that require “fine” or coarser droplets, like insecticides.  These statements are expected to eliminate the need for VMD (volume median diameter) information.

Maximum Application Parameters

The EPA is requiring that maximum application parameters be defined on the glyphosate labels, something that has not been required for all labels in the past.  The goal of this decision was not to change the application rates but to provide clarity and consistency among the labels.

Statements for Aquatic Uses

Updated environmental hazard statements will be required on labels for aquatic uses so they are consistent with statements on newer pesticide labels.  An additional statement will be added to the Directions for Use section on aquatic use labels directing users to apply glyphosate in strips to avoid oxygen depletion when weeds cover the total surface area of a water body.

Rotational Crops

Since many glyphosate labels do not provide instructions about crop rotation, the EPA is requiring that glyphosate labels now include a statement with crop rotation information.  The statement should indicate that treated fields can be rotated to a labeled crop at any time or that the last glyphosate application must be made a minimum of 30 days before a field is rotated to a nonlabelled crop.

Pollinators and Other Non-target Organisms 

The EPA is requiring a non-target organism advisory statement.  “This product is toxic to plants and may adversely impact the forage and habitat of non-target organisms, including pollinators, in areas adjacent to the treated site. Protect the forage and habitat of non-target organisms by following label directions intended to minimize spray drift.”

Herbicide Resistance Management 

Registrants will be required to provide growers and users with information and recommendations to slow the development and spread of herbicide resistant weeds.

Learn More

To learn more about the specific details described in the EPA docket, including specific label phrasing for aquatic uses and maximum application parameters, please refer to the 2020 Environmental Protection Agency document, Glyphosate Interim Registration Review Decision Case Number 0178.

By Michelle Wiesbrook, adapted from an article originally written by Bruce Paulsrud

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Do I need a license to apply pesticides to my own land?

Answer: Yes, if you choose to use a restricted-use pesticide (RUP), you are required to show proof of license before you may buy the RUP. These products have an obvious “Restricted-Use Pesticide” statement at the top of the pesticide label. If the product is not a RUP, it is a general-use pesticide and, as a farmer or homeowner, you do not need a license to apply it to your own land or land you rent.

Do I need a license to apply fertilizer as part of my lawn-care business?

Answer: No, as long as the fertilizer does not contain a pesticide. Fertilizers of the “Weed-n-feed” and “Grub-n-Feed” type contain pesticides and, as a commercial applicator, you must be licensed to apply these products. Whether you apply pesticides or only fertilizers, you must post the turf area after application. 

What is the difference between “Private,” “Commercial for Hire,” and “Commercial Not for Hire” pesticide license designations?

Answer: A Private Applicator license is required for persons who—for the purpose of producing an agricultural commodity primarily intended for sale, consumption, propagation, or other use by humans or animals—use or supervise the use of a restricted-use pesticide (1) on property owned, rented, or leased by themselves or their employer, or (2) on no more than two neighbors’ farms as exchange for labor.

A Commercial for Hire Applicator or Operator license is required of persons who apply a pesticide (restricted or general use) for any purpose on property other than that owned, rented, or leased by themselves or by their employer. If you apply pesticides for profit, this license designation is appropriate for you.

A Commercial Not for Hire Applicator or Operator license is required of persons who apply pesticides (restricted or general use) for any purpose on the property of their employer when such activity is a requirement of the terms of employment and the application is limited to property under the control of the employer only. Examples include grain elevator managers and workers, rural electric company field personnel, railroad rights-of-way maintenance personnel, groundskeepers in public cemeteries and golf courses, park-district maintenance personnel, foresters (public land), mosquito-abatement-district personnel, county and township weed commissioners, groundskeepers of public establishments, State Department employees, state university and college employees, Extension educators, vocational agricultural teachers, and other public employees who apply pesticides as part of their job requirements.

I farm and operate a custom pesticide application business. Which license do I need?

Answer: If you use restricted-use pesticides on your farm, you must be licensed as a Private Applicator. In addition, for your custom application business, you must be licensed as a Commercial for Hire Pesticide Applicator.

I’m confused about the terms “Applicator” and “Operator.”

Answer: After you decide which license designation is appropriate for you (see above question), you need to decide if you should be listed as an Applicator or Operator. Simply stated, an Operator works under the direct supervision of their Applicator. To become an Operator, you must pass the General Standards exam. An Applicator must also pass this exam, plus one or more category exams (for example, Turf, Field Crops). Both Applicators and Operators are permitted to operate application equipment; handle, mix, and apply pesticides; store pesticides; and dispose of excess pesticides and containers. However, the Applicator must be accessible to his or her Operators when they are working with pesticides.  If you work alone or are the only one in your company that applies pesticides, you must be licensed as an Applicator.

I have two Applicators where I work; one is licensed in Turf and the other in Ornamentals. As an Operator, may I apply pesticides to turf and trees?

Answer: Yes, but each Applicator’s license number must be listed on your operator’s license. If you want to add or change an Applicator, simply call the Illinois Department of Agriculture, (800)641-3934, and ask to have your paperwork and license changed.

Occasionally, I am asked to spray and kill the grass and weeds along fences and weeds growing driveways and parking lots. Which category do I need?

Answer: Although you may be spraying grass in these sites, the grass is not maintained as turf, so the turf license is not appropriate for these applications. For these jobs, you need the Rights-of-Way category. In addition, this category allows you to spray roadsides, electric powerlines, pipelines, railroads, and other rights-of-way sites. 

I work at a grain elevator and several local farmers have asked me to fumigate their grain. Does my Commercial Not for Hire Grain Facility license allow this?

Answer: With your current license, you may not fumigate the farmer’s grain if the grain does not belong to your company. To custom fumigate, you need to be licensed through the Illinois Department of Public Health, (217)782-4674. A farmer who wishes to fumigate his or her own grain must be certified first as a Private Applicator and then certified in Grain Fumigation to purchase and use grain fumigants.

Is there any way I can take the test today before 12:30 or can I take my category tests on day 1 of this 2 day clinic? 

Answer: Unfortunately, you cannot. It takes time for IDA to set up all the equipment and supplies needed for testing so they won't be ready until their published, schedule time. They can't make exceptions or chaos would ensue when everyone else expected the same. Thank you for understanding. Also, due to the large number of General Standards exams (up to 400) being given on day 1, it makes sense to focus on only one exam that day.

Can I take my category exam first and then worry about taking General Standards?

Answer: No. You should take category exams such as Field Crops and Turfgrass only after first successfully passing the General Standards exam.

I forgot my letter from IDA. Can I still take the test or do I need to go home to get it?

Answer: Yes you can still test without it but you will need to provide your social security number for the paper work instead of the USA Plants ID number provided on the letter. Your pesticide license may already contain that number, so check your wallet. 

I'm between jobs right now. Can I still take the test and who do I write down as my employer?

Answer: Yes, you can still test. Simply write on the forms "seeking employment" for the employer's name. Once employed, call IDA with the new information.  

Can I just use the calculator on my phone?

Answer: No. Only basic function calculators are allowed during testing. Phones have too many functions that lend to cheating. "Phone a friend" is an option on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" but not with pesticide testing.

Download, save, and share the 2020 January/February issue of the newsletter. 

Editorial Notes

The development and publication of this newsletter has been supported with funding from the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

Michelle Wiesbrook, Extension Specialist, Pesticide Safety Education

The Illinois Pesticide Review is published six times a year. For more information about pesticide safety or for more issues of this newsletter, please visit us at www.pesticidesafety.illinois.edu. You can also reach us at 800-644-2123.

Disclaimer: Mention of trade names in this newsletter is for general information purposes only and does not constitute endorsement of one product over another, nor is discrimination intended against any product.

Copyright © 2020, Board of Trustees, University of Illinois

By Travis Cleveland

Illinois Pesticide Safety Education Manual – Fruit Crops (39-20) was recently revised and is available through the University of Illinois Pesticide Safety Education Program website, at Illinois Extension's online publications store, or at most county Extension offices. Each manual costs $15 plus shipping and handling. The previous edition (39-17) included content for both fruit crop applicators and vegetable crop applicators. That edition has been replaced with two separate manuals, Illinois Pesticide Safety Education Manual: Vegetable Crops (39-19) and Illinois Pesticide Safety Education Manual: Fruit Crops (39-20).

The revised Fruit Crops manual covers topics including integrated pest management strategies, common weeds, insects, and diseases of Illinois fruit crops, as well as pesticide application and calibration for those crops. The manual includes color images for many of the pests, giving applicators an easy-to-use reference for identifying and controlling the many fruit crop pests. The manual is intended to be used in preparation for Illinois Department of Agriculture’s Fruit Crops Pest Control certification exam.

This fruit crops category is for commercial and non-commercial applicators using or supervising the use of pesticides in production of small fruits or tree fruits and nuts as well as on grasslands and non-crop agricultural lands associated with the land on which fruit or nut crops are grown.

By Michelle Wiesbrook and Matt Gill, adapted from an email by Andrew Thostenson, North Dakota State University

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North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension has recently released a revised version of their publication, “Air Temperature Inversions: Causes, Characteristics and Potential Effects on Pesticide Spray Drift.” Pesticide applicators can use this detailed guide to help understand and recognize inversions. This knowledge is critical, as spraying during an inversion can greatly increase spray drift.

The normal daytime air temperature profile is characterized by decreasing air temperature with increasing altitude. In contrast, an air temperature inversion corresponds to an increase in air temperature with increasing altitude. The real issue with inversions is that air density is inversely related to air temperature. If the air at ground level is at a lower temperature than the air at (for example) 10 feet, then the air at ground level is also denser than the air at 10 feet. The result is very stable air near the ground, allowing only lateral movement of air within the height of the inversion. Spray droplets released in these conditions, especially when humidity is also high, are at risk to drift much longer distances than would be possible during normal air temperature conditions.

The guide characterizes inversions and explains how clouds, wind, and surface conditions come into play. One must-read section focuses on misconceptions about inversions, such as “cold air and warm air are treated as separate masses”. Truly, there is much information in this guide that would benefit pesticide applicators, and after reading it in its entirety, you may find you know more than your local weathercaster. This publication was first released in 2014. According to Andrew Thostenson, NDSU Pesticide Program Specialist, this revision includes more graphics describing the timing, duration, and intensity of air temperature inversions. These graphics were developed using real world data, collected from weather stations across North Dakota and Minnesota during 2017 and 2018, and really do help to visualize the concepts.

This publication is available online and can be viewed by section or downloaded in its entirety as a pdf. For additional reading on inversions, please read Scott Bretthauer’s article in the November/December 2010 issue of this newsletter.

Much research has been conducted on temperature inversions and the resulting effect on spray drift. The University of Missouri has been leading this charge and they summarize their recent research. Their short video explaining temperature inversions is helpful. When it comes to spraying pesticides and inversions, there isn’t an easy button unfortunately, but there are tools out there to help make good decisions. One example is the Pocket Spray Smart app in the March/April 2017 issue of this newsletter.

Illustration Credits: NDSU

By Maria Turner, adapted from an Illinois Department of Agriculture Press Release

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The Illinois Department of Agriculture announced additional dicamba label restrictions for the 2020 growing season. Illinois had the highest record of complaints for dicamba use at 724 for 2019 with most of those occurring in July/August. Dicamba related complaints for previous years were 330 in 2018 and 246 complaints in 2017.

Before dicamba-tolerant crops were introduced in Illinois, the state’s regulatory agency typically dealt with only around 100 pesticide injury complaints per year. With the numbers on the rise, the Illinois Agriculture Director, John Sullivan, determined IDOA will move forward pursuing a Special Local needs section 24(c) label for use of dicamba on soybeans in Illinois in 2020.

FIFRA section 24(c) authorizes state lead agencies such as the Illinois Department of Agriculture to register additional uses of federally registered pesticides. These are also called Special Local Needs or SLN registrations. The SLN permits distribution and use only in the registering state. All SLNs must be submitted to EPA for review subsequent to registration by the state. Illinois specific labels for the use of dicamba on soybeans in 2020 will require the following additional provisions:

1. Do not apply dicamba if the air temperature at the field at the time of application is more than 85 degrees Fahrenheit or if the National Weather Service’s forecasted high temperature for the nearest available location for the day of application exceeds 85 degrees F.
2. Do not apply dicamba after June 20, 2020.
3. Before applying dicamba, the applicator must consult the FieldWatch sensitive crop registry and comply with all associated record keeping label requirements.
4. Maintain the label-specified downwind buffer between the last treated row and the nearest downfield edge of any Illinois Nature Preserves Commission site.
5. It is best to apply dicamba when the wind is blowing away from sensitive areas, including but not limited to bodies of water and nonresidential, uncultivated areas that may harbor sensitive plant species.

These new cutoff requirements are in addition to the federal label requirements that apply to Engenia, XtendiMax, FeXapan and Tavium. Illinois is the first state to announce stricter requirements for the coming year in an attempt to give farmers answers as they purchase seed for next season.

For more information

• State-Specific Restrictions for Dicamba on Soybeans in 2020
• Guidance on FIFRA 24(c) Registrations
• 2020 Dicamba Showdown

By Maria Turner and Michelle Wiesbrook, adapted from a press release from the North Central IPM Center

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The North Central IPM Center has awarded a $20,000 grant to the North Central Region Herbicide-Drift Risk Management Working Group. The group has been tasked with developing and disseminating new resources for both row crop and specialty crop farmers, in order to assess and manage drift-damage risk. Certainly, we have seen more instances of herbicide drift damage in recent years, greatly in part due to the expanded use of dicamba on dicamba-tolerant soybeans.

Growing nearby these soybean and corn fields are horticultural crops. The North Central region produces vegetables, fruits, wines, and organic certified products. These are among the fastest growing sectors of the U.S. agriculture industry. Unintended drift can result in yield loss to these sensitive crops. The expanding use of highly phytotoxic herbicides that contain dicamba and 2,4-D chemicals are threatening their survival and profitability. Additionally, according to a recent report by the Weed Science Society of America, damage has also occurred in home gardens, landscape plants and natural vegetation including trees – cypress and certain oak species, and native herbaceous ground cover that serves as food for pollinators. This group will serve to increase awareness in these areas and provide needed resources.

This working group will be made up of a variety of stakeholders, including weed, agronomic, and horticulture crop specialists. The group will help all farmers recognize and respond to dicamba and 2,4-D drift risk. They are hopeful that these efforts will result in more exact exposure numbers. For more information about this group and its efforts please contact Ethan Stoetzer with the North Central IPM center.

By Maria Turner

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Now is the time to service and winterize your equipment. Your sprayers should be at the top of that list. The end of the season is an excellent time to conduct a deep cleaning and inspection of all your sprayer’s components. This inspection will ensure that your sprayer is free of residues, properly functioning, and ready for those early in the spring applications.

Ideally, you should be thoroughly cleaning your sprayers on a regular basis, especially as you switch pesticide formulations. Regular cleaning helps to remove pesticide residues that could cause cross-contamination with other pesticides or fertilizers, possibly resulting in turf injury. Trace amounts of one pesticide can react with another or carry-over to the next spraying, causing damage, especially with herbicides. Thoroughly cleaning your sprayer at the end of the season will also help extend the lifespan of its components. Some pesticide formulations are corrosive, and even small amounts of residue can damage sprayer components, including stainless steel tips and fiberglass tanks when left for extended periods, like overwinter.

Thoroughly clean the spray tank, including all irregular surfaces, such as baffles, plumbing fixtures, and agitation units. The inside of the top of the spray tank is often forgotten and should be cleaned as well. Many applicators incorrectly focus all of their attention on cleaning the sprayer’s tank. Even after cleaning a spray tank, residues may remain in the sprayer’s screens, filters, and plumbing. Inspect all hoses for wear or tear and for residues that often accumulate in dips and low areas. Check sprayer parts that have dead ends, like the boom’s end caps.

Consult the pesticide label(s) for information on cleaning the sprayer and disposing of rinsates. Some pesticide labels will provide recommendations for specific tank cleaners and instructions for how to properly dispose of rinsates. Even though you will be dealing with a product that is very dilute, it doesn’t mean that you don’t need to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

The next step in the winterization process is to remove as much water from the system as possible. This can be done by allowing the pump to push water through the lines, and then by opening all the valves and allowing the water to drain. Some sprayer’s manuals also recommend using compressed air to blow out hosing and manifolds.

Despite your best efforts, water will likely remain in various parts of the sprayer. That remaining water could freeze, expand, and damage your sprayer. The last step when winterizing is to displace and dilute the remaining water with antifreeze. There are different types of antifreeze on the market, so be sure to read the label of the antifreeze to determine if it will work. RV antifreeze, made from propylene glycol, is often recommended because it is inexpensive, works well, and is less hazardous to people, pets, and the environment. To begin, add enough antifreeze into the tank fill to fill the volume of plumbing and hoses. Turn on the sprayer and continue running until undiluted antifreeze exits the nozzles. Be sure to write down how much antifreeze it took to go through the lines so that you will know this for future winterizations.

Proper cleanouts and winterization, while time-consuming, are essential tasks for maintaining your spray equipment. Saving time by skipping steps can result in costly damage and possibly a delayed start while trying to fix all the broken or burst lines. Take the time now to winterize your sprayer properly and be ready for next season.

For more information

• Cleaning Your Sprayer
• Sprayer Tank Cleanout Procedures
• Removing Herbicide Residues from Agricultural Application Equipment
• Maintenance, Cleaning, and Storage of Sprayers
• Preparing Spray Equipment for Winter Storage and Spring Startup

By Sarah Hughson

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European pepper moth (Duponchelia fovealis) has the potential to become a significant greenhouse pest in Illinois. This pest is not likely to survive winter temperatures in Illinois, but it can live and reproduce in greenhouses year-round on a broad range of host plants (a list of host plants is provided on page 3). It is transported in infested plant stock, so incoming stock should be closely inspected.

Report:

If you find an insect you suspect to be European pepper moth, please contact your local Extension office and do not sell or distribute infested plants. Find your local extension office online.

Life Cycle and Damage:

Adults are active for 1 - 2 weeks. Adult females deposit white-ish eggs on the undersides of leaves. Eggs turn red as they develop, hatching in 4 - 9 days.

Larvae feed on the roots, leaves, flowers and plant debris of host plants. They chew crescent shaped holes in leaves growing near the base of the plant, eventually consuming whole leaves. Larvae can also bore into the stems of host plants, causing instability or collapse of the plant and facilitating infection by fungal pathogens. Damage by this pest can be easily misidentified as fungal disease.

After 3 - 4 weeks of feeding, larvae will produce silk and build cocoons in which they pupate. Cocoons and webbing can be found on the undersides of leaves, along the edges of pots near the soil surface or on the outside or underside of pots. They pupate for 1 - 2 weeks.

The entire life cycle can be completed in 6 - 8 weeks at 68° F, making it possible for a greenhouse to support 8 or 9 generations per year.

Identification:

Moths are 0.35 - 0.5 inches long and have a wingspan of 0.75 - 0.83 inches. The wings are gray to brown with two white to yellow transverse lines. The rearmost line has a distinct rear-facing U-bend (noted with an arrow in Fig. 1)The abdomen is often upturned at the rear end.

Each larva has a dark head capsule and a cream-colored body with dark spots on each segment. The larva has a hard plate on the segment directly behind the head (noted with an arrow in Fig. 2), which distinguishes the larva from species that are similar in appearance, such as sod webworm.

Where to Look:

Inspect plants for:

• Crescent shaped holes and defoliation of leaves near the base of the plant
• Unstable or collapsing stems
• Cocoons and webbing on the undersides of leaves, where leaves meet the soil, along the edges of pots, or on the underside of pots
• Adult moths or eggs on the undersides of leaves

Monitoring traps:

• Species specific pheromone lures can be place inside aquatic traps or delta traps to monitor moth populations.

Cultural and Mechanical Controls:

Exclusion is the most effective way to prevent or limit infestation. Inspect plants for signs of infestation and isolate infested plants to prevent moths from infesting additional plants.

If infested plants are found, freezing temperatures can kill insects within the plants. Pots and greenhouse surfaces can be sanitized to remove larvae or cocoons.

Plant debris and lower leaves can be removed and the media can be allowed to dry to reduce preferred habitat.

Biological Controls:

Treatments containing Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) microbes are effective in controlling the larvae of many moth species. Bt treatments are most effective on young larvae but are not effective in treating pupae or adult moths. Bt products are applied to the surface of plants a will not reach larvae that have bored into plant stems.

Biocontrol agents such as predatory mites (Gaeolaelaps aculeifer, Stratiolaelaps scimitus), rove beetles (Dalotia coriaria), entomopathogenic nematodes (Heterorhabditis spp., Steinernema spp. or parasitoid wasps (Trichogramma spp.) can be effective in controlling larvae.

Chemical Controls:

European pepper moths have shown no resistance to common insecticides. Contact insecticides applied to the surface of plants are most effective in treating young larvae but will not reach mature larvae that have bored into plant stems. It is sometimes helpful to lay plant pots on their sides so spray treatments can easily be applied to the undersides of leaves.

Always be sure to read and follow all directions on the pesticide label. Do not apply a treatment that is not labeled for your target pest or application site.

References:

• Greenhouse IPM Pest Alert: European Pepper Moth
• Featured Creatures: European Pepper Moth or Southern European Marsh Pyralid 
• Greenhouse Pest Alert: The European Pepper Moth (Duponchelia fovealis)

By Matt Gill

S.A.F.E. stands for Self-regulating Application and Flight Efficiency. The program has oversight by the NAAA (National Agricultural Aviation Association) and NAAREF (National Agricultural Aviation Research and Education Foundation). At an Operation S.A.F.E. Fly-In, spray pattern deposition is collected and measured. A certified analyst then processes the data and provides the applicator with printouts of spray deposition across the swath, effective swath width and droplet spectrum information. If corrections are needed, the applicator may adjust the aircraft setup and immediately run another test series to verify that the adjustments have improved the spray pattern or droplet size. Some of the basic adjustments to be made include nozzle orifice size, deflection angle, boom pressure, and spray height. In many cases, an aerial applicator may run multiple series, checking different setups for various spray application rates used across a spraying season.

Each year the Illinois Agricultural Aviation Association (IAAA) holds an Operation S.A.F.E. fly-in at the start of the spraying season. This past spring was a challenge for everyone. With wet fields, late planting and few days with favorable weather to spray, turnout at this year’s fly-in in Manito, IL was lower than usual. However, that was not due to a lack of interest.

With much coordination (and re-scheduling due to weather), 3 “make-up” fly-ins were held across the state at the request of applicators who could not make it to the official IAAA fly-in. In all, 19 aircraft were tested, requiring 141 passes over the flight-line. Remember, the “S” in the S.A.F.E. acronym stands for “Self-regulating.” No entity requires pilots to bring their aircraft to a fly-in—it is completely voluntary. Attending is not inexpensive either: it can cost several thousand dollars for the fuel alone to travel to and participate in a fly-in. That is not to mention the time required, which was in particularly short supply this season. It is a credit to the professionalism of Illinois’ aerial applicators that they prioritize safety and application accuracy so highly.

The University of Illinois was also invited to conduct several fly-ins in Wisconsin, Ohio and South Dakota. A total of 17 aircraft were tested in Wisconsin and South Dakota requiring 186 passes over the flight-line. The fly-in in Ohio was unfortunately canceled after 3 attempts to reschedule due to weather.

This year showed increased interest among aerial applicators to test alternative boom configurations. In particular, many “short-boom” setups were tested. While the industry standard boom width is 75% of the wingspan for fixed-wing and 90% of the rotor span for helicopters, shorter boom widths can often reduce drift potential. This is due to a reduction in the amount of spray being entrained in the wing-tip vortices. With this in mind, some applicators have installed electronic shutoff valves on their booms which allow them to switch in-flight from a “full boom” to a “short boom” when spraying conditions become less favorable. Testing these setups is critical in determining the effective swath width, which is a needed input for the aircraft’s rate controller and guidance system. The results thus far have been mixed. In some cases, reducing boom width has had very little impact on swath width. For example, one test with a Bell 206B (Flat fan nozzles at 90-degrees deflection) showed no reduction in swath width even after shutting off 5 nozzles on each boom end. In other cases, there is a reduction in swath width. One AT-802A (straight stream nozzles at 0-degree deflection) showed that reducing boom width from 75% to 50% reduced swath width from 80 feet to 50 feet (37%). The relationship does seem dependent on the type of aircraft and droplet spectrum, but no hard and fast rules have yet been found.

Another trend this year is the increased use of straight stream nozzles on higher-speed aircraft. Wind tunnel data from the USDA AATRU (Aerial Application Technology Research Unit) has shown that small-orifice straight stream nozzles can provide larger droplet spectrums if operated at higher pressures. Practically, this means using a greater number of nozzles spaced closer together than traditional configurations. Pattern testing these setups has shown them to be more resistant to crosswind effects as expected.

It is immensely encouraging to see aerial applicators continue to push the envelope of technology in pursuit of improving safety and efficacy of their applications. While attending an Operation S.A.F.E. fly-in may only happen once per year, effectively calibrating and pattern testing even a single aircraft can positively impact tens of thousands of acres throughout a spraying season.

Download, save, and share the 2019 November/December issue of the newsletter. 

The development and publication of this newsletter has been supported with funding from the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

Michelle Wiesbrook, Extension Specialist, Pesticide Safety Education

The Illinois Pesticide Review is published six times a year. For more information about pesticide safety or for more issues of this newsletter, please visit us at www.pesticidesafety.illinois.edu. You can also reach us at 800-644-2123.

Disclaimer: Mention of trade names in this newsletter is for general information purposes only and does not constitute endorsement of one product over another, nor is discrimination intended against any product.

Copyright © 2019, Board of Trustees, University of Illinois

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