- A full approval for spirotetramat (Batavia) on apples for the control of sucking insect pests will control flat scarlet mite, but growers may prefer to reserve its use for more difficult to control pests such as woolly aphid or rosy apple 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 bioinsecticide fatty acids (Flipper) has an EAMU approval for use on apples (3419/19). It is effective at controlling sucking insect pests such as aphids, whitefly and mites, so may offer incidental control of flat scarlet mite when applied for other pests. It is known to complement the use of Batavia as it provides quick ‘knockdown’. Its safety to beneficial insects such as Typhlodromus pyri or the parasitic wasp Platygaster demades is unknown, but it is generally safe to many other predators and parasitoids, so is considered to be more suitable to IPDM programmes than the synthetic pyrethroids.
- Tebufenpyrad (Shirudo) is only partially effective giving perhaps about 50% control. Tebufenpyrad is less harmful to the orchard predatory mite Typhlodromus pyri than some acaricides.
- The efficacy of clofentezine (Apollo) has not been investigated but it is probable that if it has any effect, it will only control eggs and possibly young stages of flat scarlet mite.
- The acaricides acequinocyl (Kanemite) and hexythiazox (Nissorun) are recommended for the control of fruit tree red spider mite. Trials conducted by the manufacturer of these products showed erratic results against other mites. As they have contact mode of action, they must contact the mites to be effective. They might offer incidental control of flat scarlet mite when applied for fruit tree red spider mite control. Hexythiazox (Nissorun) works only on the eggs and early motile stages of fruit tree red spider mite and is ineffective against the adults so application timing is critical.
- Resistance of flat scarlet mite to insecticides and acaricides has not been investigated or demonstrated. However, to minimise the risk of resistance, acaricides should be used as little as possible, alternating different products to reduce the risk of development of resistant strains.
Acaricides approved for use on apple which are recommended to control flat scarlet mite, or offer incidental control when applied to control other pests
| Choice of products – efficacy factors | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active ingredient | Trade name (examples) | Class | Selectivity | Approved for control of | Safety to Typhs |
| acequinocyl | Kanemite | acaricide | selective | Fruit tree red spider mite, two-spotted spider mite | safe |
| clofentezine | Apollo | acaricide, ovicidal | selective | Winter eggs of fruit tree red spider mite and rust mite on apple | safe |
| fatty acids | Flipper (EAMU 3419/19) | bioinsecticide | selective | Aphids, blossom weevil, two-spotted spider mite | unspecified but generally safe in IPDM programmes |
| hexythiazox | Nissorun | acaricide, ovicidal | selective | Two-spotted spider mite | harmful |
| spirotetramat | Batavia | tetramic acid derivative | selective | Sucking insect pests | unclassified |
| tebufenpyrad | Shirudo | METI acaricide and aphicide | selective | Fruit tree red spider mite, rust mite | u |
| Choice of insecticides – Safety factors Read the label before applying any sprays |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hazards | Harvest interval (days) | Max. no. sprays or dose | Buffer zone Width (m) | ||||
| Anticholin-esterase? | Humans | Fish & aquatic life | Bees | ||||
| acequinocyl | no | h,i | t | u | 30 | 1 | 20 |
| clofentezine | no | u | t | s | 35 | 1 | u |
| fatty acids | no | h,i | h | u | 0 | 8 | 20 |
| hexythiazox | no | h,i | t | u | 28 | 1 | 15-30 depending on time of application |
| spirotetramat | no | h,i | t | d | Start of ripening | 2 | sm |
| tebufenpyrad* | no | u | ed | d | 7 | Varies with product | 30 |
| Keys: d=dangerous, e=risk of serious damage to eyes, ed=extremely dangerous, h=harmful, ir=irritant, t=toxic u=unspecified or unclassifiedMETI = mitochondrial electron transport inhibitor* not recommended for use with hand-held sprayers | |||||||