Chemical control (Apple grass aphid)

An insecticide treatment for the aphid should be applied before blossom if the economic threshold of 50% of blossom trusses infested with 5 or more aphids is exceeded. Insecticide sprays should only be applied for this pest if strictly necessary as it provides an early food source for natural enemies of other more damaging species.

  • Several insecticides are approved for control of aphids on apple  but if apple grass aphid is the only pest that needs to be controlled, flonicamid (Mainman) is the preferred choice in conventional orchards as it is selective and partially systemic.
  • A full approval for spirotetramat (Batavia) on apples for the control of sucking insect pests will control apple grass aphid, but growers may prefer to reserve its use for more difficult to control species such as woolly aphid. It must be applied after flowering and works best when pests are moving from brown wood to green tissue. It will prevent population build-up but does not offer pest ‘knockdown’.
  • The EAMU for Flipper increases the available options should growers wish to reserve other insecticides for control of pests later in the season. It is known to complement the use of Batavia as it provides quick ‘knockdown’.
  • Use of synthetic pyrethroids, which are harmful to natural enemies, should be avoided.

Insecticides approved for control of aphids on apple

Choice of insecticides – efficacy factors
Active ingredient Trade name (examples) Class Selectivity Approved for control of Safety to Typhs
deltamethrin Decis Forte etc. pyrethroid broad spectrum Aphids, codling & tortrix moths, capsid, sawfly, apple sucker harmful
fatty acids Flipper (EAMU 3419/19) bioinsecticide broad spectrum Aphids, blossom weevil, two-spotted spider mite unspecified but generally safe in IPDM programmes
flonicamid Mainman neonicotinoid selective Aphids and woolly aphid safe
maltodextrin Eradicoat Max (EAMU 1835/22) polysaccharide broad spectrum Aphids, mussel scale, spider mite harmful
spirotetramat Batavia tetramic acid derivative selective Sucking insect pests unclassified
Choice of insecticides – Safety factors
  Hazards Harvest interval (days) Max. no. sprays Buffer zone Width (m)
Anticholin-esterase? Humans Fish & aquatic life Bees
deltamethrin no h, i ed d 7 u 50
fatty acids no h, i h u 0 8 20
flonicamid no u h u 21 3 sm
maltodextrin no i d d 0 20 sm
spirotetramat no h, i t d Start of ripening 2 10
h=harmful, i=irritant, d=dangerous, ed=extremely dangerous, t=toxic, c=closed cab required for air assisted sprayers, sm=statutory minimum of 5 m for broadcast airassisted sprayers u=uncategorised/unclassified/unspecified