Citrus Psylids Continue Their March Throughout California

[Millet]

Two Asian citrus psyllids, small insects that carry the disease huanglongbing (Greening), were caught in a trap in the city of Turlock, Stanislaus County California. Stanislaus County is not a major citrus producer – 526 acres producing $3.2 million worth of fruit last year – but the presence of psyllids in Turlock is yet another marker of the pest’s advance in the state. - Millet

[brettay]

Last winter was a very warm one in California.  At my house 30 minutes north of San Francisco my lowest recorded temperature for the entire winter was 32.1 degrees.  Typically we have lows in the mid 20s.  I wonder if this has contributed to the quick northern march of the insect over the past year.  Regardless, this is very bad news.

-Brett

[sugar land dave]

It is not likely that you will stop the vectors for the bacteria to tree interface. Some disagree with me, but I think time will prove me correct.  I do not think stiopping the bugs is realistic.

[Waiting]

20 miles away. Might as well go chop my trees down now.

[mrtexas]

Freezes kill the psylids

[Waiting]

Our winters have gotten progressively warmer. We haven't had a good hard freeze in 15 years.

[Axier]

Freezes kill the psylids

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem so easy to kill citrus psillyds with freezes...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3281434/pdf/031.011.8301.pdf

[Waiting]

I read that, although the psylid has been found here, the bacteria has not yet been found in California. Somewhere (maybe here?) I read that the bacteria was in Florida as early as '98 but the psylids hadn't yet arrived to spread it.

[Doglips]

Freezes kill the psylids

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem so easy to kill citrus psillyds with freezes...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3281434/pdf/031.011.8301.pdf

I can't argue with smart people that write scientific papers, but my single encounter was last fall, I have not seen any since then.  I promise you that I use limited pesticides, I highly doubt I could eradicate anything with the amounts I use, and not on every tree.  There could be other factors, but I think the cold shut them down.  Eliminating a flying  pest is nearly impossible in an urban environment with many neighbors with citrus.  I don't think high taxes drove them out.

[mrtexas]

My experience also. Had them show up one spring. I sprayed weekly but they survived. That winter we had a
very nice freeze and then they were gone. Not reduced, eradicated. Draw your own conclusions...

[brettay]

The impact of temperature in the controlled environment of a greenhouse is certainly different from what would happen in the wild.  The facts that I am taking away from this conversation are that cold temperatures have an impact on their survival, however some psyllids are able to survive subfreezing temperatures in the right environment.

-Brett

[greenman62]

i had found several of them on my satsuma tree. (New Orleans, La.)
i called the dept of Ag, they came out and took samples
and they also released 400 parasitic wasps.
supposedly they lay eggs inside the psyllids or something to that effect...
anyway, after 3 weeks or so,, they were gone
havent seen one since.

i know the psyllids been seen in Louisiana, and i thnnk near here also
i think the virus is in a couple parts of Louisiana, but not here. (yet)
I had asked them, and they said there are several areas the psyllids are, but the virus is not
so,, its not a given that the virus follows...

i still dont know if i have the virus or not
Dept of Ag hasnt followed back up with me.
i called twice and left messages etc...

[fyliu]

Wow, they released wasps. I'm sure many home growers here would like wasp released at our properties.