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How to Manage Pests

UC Pest Management Guidelines

| More pests | More crops | About guidelines |

Pear

Sampling At Bloom

(Reviewed 3/8, updated 3/8)

In this Guideline:

During the bloom season examine flower clusters for pear psylla, mites, caterpillars, and thrips to determine your management needs. Also look for mealybugs and boxelder bug eggs and adults if they are a problem in your orchard.

Record your results (example form—107 KB, PDF).

HOW TO SAMPLE

From 50 trees collect one flower cluster from the treetop and one at eye level for a total of 100 clusters. Examine flower clusters with a 10 to 14X hand lens for these pests :

  • Pear psylla nymphs and eggs
  • Mites
    • European red mite eggs and adults
    • Pear rust mite
  • Caterpillars on leaves and blossoms
    • Obliquebanded leafroller
    • Miscellaneous caterpillars (e.g., green fruitworm, fruittree leafroller)
  • Western flower thrips (tap clusters on hand and look for dislodged thrips)
  • Mealybugs (grape, obscure)
  • Western boxelder bug (eggs and nymphs)
DECISION TABLE
Pest Management decision
pear psylla If 2 or more flower clusters have eggs and or nymphs, treat according to PMG.
European red mite
  • If between 1 and 5 clusters have eggs, adding oil to the first codling moth spray may be adequate.
  • If more than 5 clusters have eggs, treat with oil immediately according to PMG.
  • If more than 10 clusters have eggs, add a miticide to the oil according to PMG.
pear rust mite If present, treat according to PMGs.
obliquebanded leafroller
  • If only one larva was found, use pheromone traps to monitor the first summer flight according to PMG.
  • If more than one larva is found, treat immediately according to PMG.
western flower thrips If several thrips can be seen on the cluster or dislodged onto a paper, treatment may be needed; see PMG for details.
mealybug nymphs (grape, obscure)
  • If 4 or more top flower clusters are infested, treat according to PMG.
  • If less than 4 top flower clusters are infested, resample in a week.
western boxelder bug Spot treatments may be adequate in orchards near riparian areas; treat according to PMG.

IMPORTANT LINKS

PUBLICATION

[UC Peer Reviewed]

UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines: Pear
UC ANR Publication 3455
General Information
L. G. Varela (Crop Team Leader), UC IPM Program, UC Cooperative Extension Sonoma Co.
R. B. Elkins, UC Cooperative Extension Lake Co.
R. A. Van Steenwyk, Insect Biology, UC Berkeley
C. Ingels, UC Cooperative Extension Sacramento Co.
L. R. Wunderlich, UC Cooperative Extension El Dorado Co.

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Statewide IPM Program, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California
All contents copyright © 2008 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

For noncommercial purposes only, any Web site may link directly to this page. FOR ALL OTHER USES or more information, read Legal Notices. Unfortunately, we cannot provide individual solutions to specific pest problems. See How to manage pests, or in the U.S., contact your local Cooperative Extension office for assistance. /PMG/r603900611.html revised: April 1, 2008. Contact webmaster.