How to Manage Pests

UC Pest Management Guidelines

Cotton

False Chinch Bug

Scientific Name: Nysius raphanus

(Reviewed 5/13, updated 5/13)

In this Guideline:

Description of the Pest

False chinch bugs are about 0.12 inch (3 mm) long, narrow bodied, and gray-brown. Immature bugs have inconspicuous red markings on the body. False chinch bugs often hide under plants or clods during the heat of the day. Do not confuse them with bigeyed bugs, which are wider with flatter heads. False chinch bugs migrate to cotton when cruciferous weed hosts dry up or are destroyed by cultivation; migration can be a concern for cotton fields near pastures or rangelands that are drying down for the summer.

Damage

These bugs feed on seedlings. Individual bugs do little damage, but large migrations can severely injure or kill young plants in a few hours. Damage is usually confined to border rows.

Management

In cotton fields isolated from pastures, rangelands, or weedy fallow fields, early season control of cruciferous weed hosts within the field well before planting will eliminate the probability of this pest occurring in cotton. For fields adjacent to weedy areas, pastures, or rangelands, monitor for this pest during crop emergence and seedling growth. Monitoring nearby crops, fences, and weedy areas surrounding the field can serve as an early detection method for migrating bugs.

If damage from false chinch bugs reaches unacceptable levels, treatments to field edges are usually sufficient to control this pest.

Common name		Amount per acre**	R.E.I.‡	P.H.I.‡
(example trade name)			(hours)	(days)
The following are ranked with the pesticides having the greatest IPM value listed first—the most effective and least harmful to natural enemies, honey bees, and the environment are at the top of the table. When choosing a pesticide, also consider information relating to air and water quality, resistance management, and the pesticide's properties and application timing. Not all registered pesticides are listed. Always read the label of the product being used.
A.	CYPERMETHRIN*
	(Ammo 2.5EC)	2–5 fl oz	12	14
	SELECTIVITY: Low
	PERSISTENCE: Pest: Long NE:2 Moderate
	MODE OF ACTION GROUP NUMBER1: 3
	COMMENTS: Do not apply more than 0.6 lb a.i./acre/season. Do not graze treated areas.
B.	ESFENVALERATE*
	(Asana XL)	5.8 fl oz	12	21
	SELECTIVITY: Low
	PERSISTENCE: Pest: Long NE:2 Moderate
	MODE OF ACTION GROUP NUMBER1: 3
	COMMENTS: Do not graze or feed cotton forage. See label for plantback restrictions. Do not apply more than 0.5 lb a.i./acre during the growing season.
C.	BETA–CYFLUTHRIN*
	(Baythroid XL)	2.6 fl oz	12	0
	SELECTIVITY: Low
	MODE OF ACTION GROUP NUMBER1: 3
D.	ZETA-CYPERMETHRIN*
	(Mustang Max)	2.64–3.6 oz	12	14
	SELECTIVITY: Low
	PERSISTENCE: Pest: Long NE:2 Moderate
	MODE OF ACTION GROUP NUMBER1: 3
**	Mix with sufficient water to provide complete coverage.
‡	Restricted entry interval (R.E.I.) is the number of hours (unless otherwise noted) from treatment until the treated area can be safely entered without protective clothing. Preharvest interval (P.H.I.) is the number of days from treatment to harvest. In some cases the REI exceeds the PHI. The longer of two intervals is the minimum time that must elapse before harvest.
*	Permit required from county agricultural commissioner for purchase or use.
1	Rotate chemicals 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; chemicals with a 1B Group number should be alternated with chemicals that have a Group number other than 1B. Mode of action Group numbers are assigned by IRAC (Insecticide Resistance Action Committee). For additional information, see their Web site at http://www.irac-online.org/.
2	NE = natural enemies

PUBLICATION

UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines: Cotton
UC ANR Publication 3444

Insects and Mites

• L. D. Godfrey, Entomology, UC Davis
• P. B. Goodell, UC IPM Program and Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Parlier
• E. T. Natwick, UC Cooperative Extension - Desert Research and Extension Center, Imperial County
• D.R. Haviland, UC Cooperative Extension, Kern County and UC IPM Program

Acknowledgment for contributions to Insects and Mites:

• E. E. Grafton-Cardwell, Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Parlier
• N. C. Toscano, Entomology, UC Riverside

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