Spring/Summer Monitoring for Aphids

Monitor mealy plum aphid and leaf curl plum aphid in spring if a dormant or delayed dormant spray was not applied or if aphids have been a chronic problem in the orchard. Begin monitoring weekly at petal fall and continue until a treatment is applied. After treatment, monitor every other week through July 15. If aphids remain low during the first 8 weeks of weekly monitoring, monitoring can be reduced to every other week until a treatment is applied or until July 15.

Monitor trees at the outside edge of the orchard or in known or potential "aphid hot spots." Potential hot spots for aphid infestation are areas of the orchard that have windbreaks or adjacent areas of natural vegetation.

(View photos of aphids for identification)

Each sample begins with a search of 40 whole trees. Spend 10 minutes (about 15 seconds per tree) on this search, using a stopwatch or kitchen timer to time yourself. Look for the presence or absence of aphids and rate the population as SIGNIFICANT or not.

1. Walk down a tree row and visually examine the half of the tree on your right and half of the tree on your left. These two halves constitute one whole tree for the purposes of this sample.

• Look for signs of aphid presence, such as curled leaves, honeydew, waxy- or silvery-looking leaves, and the presence of bees, ants, and beneficial insects that prey on aphids.
• If any of these symptoms are observed, closely examine branches and leaves for the presence of live, damaging aphids. (Damaging aphids are the young wingless aphids.) If leaves are curled, uncurl the leaf and examine up to 5 leaves per tree to verify the presence of live leaf curl plum aphids.

2. If either half of the tree has live aphids, determine whether the aphid population is SIGNIFICANT.

• Determine whether they are mealy plum aphids or leaf curl plum aphids.
• If aphids (either species) occupy 10% or more of the tree's leaf surface as determined by a visual search, the population is SIGNIFICANT. Whether one or both halves of the whole tree has significant aphid populations, record the tree on the monitoring form (PDF) as having a significant aphid population.

3. After you have sampled 40 whole trees in this manner, make a decision. The results of the sample will lead to a decision to treat, continue sampling, or stop sampling.

4. If you could not come to a final decision in step 3 above, conduct an additional 5-minute search that surveys 20 new trees. Up to two additional 5-minute searches may be required to reach a decision. Record results on the monitoring form.

After the first 5-minute search of 20 additional whole trees,

If a second 5-minute search is required,