Pest Control

Researchers cite ideal areas, timing for biological control of stink bug

Biological control of the brown marmorated stink bug, an invasive pest that devastates gardens and crops, would be more effective in natural areas bordering crops or at times when certain insecticides aren’t being applied, according to a... more »

Biopesticide company Vestaron receives $40M in Series B financing

Vestaron, a company, dedicated to improving the safety, efficacy and sustainability of crop protection through its development of peptide-based biopesticides, announces its $40 million Series B Financing, led by Novo Holdings A/S. Novo Holdings joins... more »

California invasive species threats outlined

When insects, weeds, animals and diseases enter California from elsewhere in the nation or world, they can cause economic losses to agricultural crops and ecological damage to the state's natural areas. Ultimately, invasive species affect... more »

Virosoft CP4 adds label for oriental fruit moth control

BioTEPP, a biotech company, recently received approval from the EPA to add the oriental fruit moth (OFM) to the list of insect pests that can be controlled by its biopesticide, Virosoft CP4. Agronomist Michel Tremblay,... more »

APHIS expands European cherry fruit fly quarantine in New York

Effective May 1, 2019, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) expanded the European cherry fruit fly (ECFF) quarantine to include all of Erie and Niagara Counties, and portions of Orleans County, New York.... more »

Preparing for gall wasp emergence in Michigan blueberry fields

The Michigan Enviroweather model predicts blueberry gall wasp emergence starting later this week. Blueberry gall wasp is a small insect pest that affects some of the cultivars common in Michigan, with the greatest infestation seen... more »

Spotted wing drosophila active in North Carolina blueberries

The first confirmed adult spotted-wing drosophila (SWD) in commercially grown blueberries for the 2019 growing season was captured early this week in North Carolina. While trap captures at this location were low, roughly three flies... more »

California’s first Medfly threat a significant memory for retiring official

California's first Medfly threat a significant memory for retiring officialCalifornia's first infestation of Medflies was remembered by a longtime official James Deese in a video series from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA).... more »