Agriculture

False Chinch Bug

  • Nysius raphanus
Updated: 10/2014

Tools

PestManage: a decision support tool to view and compare pest management options

Description of the Pest

The adult false chinch bug is a small bug, about 1/8 inch (3 mm) long. It is gray to light brown in color and looks somewhat like a small lygus bug. The nymph is gray with a reddish brown abdomen.

False chinch bugs can occur in high numbers on weeds within or adjacent to pistachio orchards. The eggs are laid randomly on the soil or within soil cracks near weeds. The false chinch bug spends the winter primarily in the immature stage (nymph) on weeds. As weeds dry in spring or are destroyed, chinch bugs migrate to pistachio trees where they feed. Nymphs predominate during migration but adults may also be present. Important weeds that serve as hosts include wild mustard, wild radish, shepherd's-purse, and London rocket. The most serious infestations result from spring migrations; however, fall migrations can also occur. Movement occurs in early morning or evening.

Damage

False chinch bugs can be a serious problem on newly planted pistachio trees, especially when cardboard or other trunk guards are used, which shelter the bugs during the day. In spring, they can build to very high densities. Their feeding can cause young trees to wilt and die. Feeding on older trees can cause leaves to drop.

Mowing ground cover before bloom can reduce false chinch bug (and small plant bug) populations. On newly planted trees, if bugs are so numerous that wilting is evident, a treatment is warranted. Treat either in the evening or early morning when chinch bugs are active. Treatments are more effective when trunk wraps are removed.

Pesticides and Natural Enemy Releases

Not all registered pesticides are listed. The following are ranked by their IPM value, with the most effective and least harmful to natural enemies, honey bees, and the environment listed at the top of the table. When choosing a pesticide, consider information related to water and air quality, resistance management, and the pesticide's properties and application timing. Use PestManage to compare summarized management options for different pests in the same crop. Always carefully read the label of the product being used and take all necessary precautions when handling pesticides.

Rank Active ingredient Example trade name Group Group Order MoA 1 Amount per acre REI (hours) ‡ PHI (days) ‡ Comments Selectivity 2 Bees 3 Predatory mites 4 Predators 5 Parasitoids 5 Residue duration 6 Leaching(fish) 7 Adsorbed runoff(fish) 8 Solution runoff(human) 9 Leaching(human) 10 Solution runoff(human) 11 Last updated 12
A
97UP Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) 8

1B

8–16 oz 24 365 Where there is potential for runoff into... broad I high high moderate/high moderate very low low low intermediate high 10/2014
B
Brigade WSB Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) 8

3A

8–32 oz 12 7 Do not apply near aquatic areas. Brigade... broad I high high high long intermediate low extra high very low intermediate 10/2014
C
Danitol 2.4 EC Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) 8

3A

10.66–21.33 fl oz 24 3 Do not apply near aquatic areas. Danitol... narrow I — — — short high high extra high very low very low 10/2014
D
Warrior II Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) 8

3A

1.28–2.56 fl oz 24 14 Do not apply near aquatic areas. Warrior... broad I high high high moderate intermediate low extra high low high 10/2014
E
Pounce 25 WP Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) 8

3A

8–16 oz 12 0 Highly toxic to honey bees. Do not apply... broad I low high high long intermediate low extra high very low intermediate 10/2014
—
No information.
I
Do not apply or allow to drift to plants that are flowering including weeds. Do not allow pesticide to contaminate water accessible to bees including puddles.
II
Do not apply or allow to drift to plants that are flowering including weeds, except when the application is made between sunset and midnight if allowed by the pesticide label and regulations. Do not allow pesticide to contaminate water accessible to bees including puddles.
III
No bee precaution, except when required by the pesticide label or regulations.
  • ‡ a b Restricted entry interval (REI) is the number of hours (unless otherwise noted) from treatment until the treated area can be safely entered without personal protective equipment. Preharvest interval (PHI) is the number of days from treatment to harvest. In some cases, the REI exceeds the PHI. The longer of the two intervals is the minimum time that must elapse before harvest.
  • 1 ↩ Group numbers for insecticides and miticides are assigned by the Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC). Insecticides with unknown modes of action are assigned mode-of-action group numbers (MoAs) that begin with UN. Rotate pesticides with a different mode-of-action group number, and do not use products with the same mode-of-action group number more than twice per season to help prevent the development of resistance. For example, the organophosphates have a group number of 1B; insecticides with a 1B group number should be alternated with insecticides that have a group number other than 1B.
  • 2 ↩ Range of insect and mite groups affected by a pesticide. Broad means the pesticide affects most groups of insects and mites; narrow means the pesticide affects only a few specific groups.
  • 3 ↩ Risk of harm to honey bees. For more information, see Bee Precaution Pesticide Ratings.
  • 4 ↩ Risk of harm to predatory mites. Toxicities are generally to western predatory mite, Galendromus occidentalis. Where differences have been measured in toxicity of the pesticide-resistant strain versus the native strain, these are listed as pesticide-resistant strain or native strain.
  • 5 a b Risk of harm to parasitoids and general predators. Toxicities are averages of reported effects and should be used only as a general guide. Actual toxicity of a specific insecticide depends on factors including the application rate, environmental conditions, and the life stage and species of a parasitoid or predator.
  • 6 ↩ Length of time residue affects natural enemies. Short means hours to days; moderate means days to 2 weeks; and long means many weeks or months.
  • 7 ↩ Risk of harm to fish from leaching, based on USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Windows Pesticide Screening Tool (WIN-PST).
  • 8 ↩ Risk of harm to fish from adsorbed runoff, based on USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Windows Pesticide Screening Tool (WIN-PST).
  • 9 ↩ Risk of harm to fish from solution runoff, based on USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Windows Pesticide Screening Tool (WIN-PST).
  • 10 ↩ Risk of harm to humans from leaching, based on USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Windows Pesticide Screening Tool (WIN-PST).
  • 11 ↩ Risk of harm to humans from solution runoff, based on USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Windows Pesticide Screening Tool (WIN-PST).
  • 12 ↩ Date information was last updated in the UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines.
UC Peer Reviewed Logo

UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines: Pistachio
UC ANR Publication 3461

R.H. Beede (emeritus), UC Cooperative Extension Kings County

W.J. Bentley (emeritus), UC IPM and Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Parlier

K.M. Daane, Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Parlier

D.R. Haviland, UC IPM and UC Cooperative Extension Kern County

Acknowledgement for Contributions to Invertebrates

R.E. Rice, Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Parlier

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