Black Vine Weevil
(BVW)

Adults are flightless, hard-shelled beetles. They are oblong oval in shape, about ½-inch long. They have a broad snout, long downward curved mouthparts and elbowed antennae. The body is slate gray to blackish-brown and the wing covers have numerous small pits and small hairs.

The larvae feed on roots causing plants to wilt.

Adults can be a harvest contaminate.

Place a beating tray within the foliage of the plant and gently shake the canopy above.

Take 10 beating tray samples per site and record the number of weevils found.

If beating tray sampling results in 1-2 weevils per ten samples a pre-harvest spray is advisable.

Weevils can spread rapidly through a field in a short time. Control measures are advisable even in lightly infested fields.

Sprays may be more effective at night due to the nocturnal habit of adults and should begin at pre-harvest when adults begin to emerge.

Scout field and conduct beating tray sampling soon after treatment to verify effectiveness.

Orange Tortrix Leafroller
(OT)

Adults begin emerging late April to May. Adults are gray or fawn colored with a wingspan of ¾ inch.

Larvae are a potential harvest contaminant.

Check pheromone traps weekly.

Inspect rolled leaves for the presence of larvae. Record % infested hills by checking 20 hills at 3-5 sites per field.

Examine beating tray for leafroller worms.

Harvest contaminant thresholds vary according to the end product usage and processor.
Check with your buyer for their suggested threshold.

A starting threshold of 10% or more larvae infested hills is recommended.

An action threshold for beating tray has not been established.

If low levels of larvae are present, biological materials such as Bt formulations may be effective.

For severe infestations or if your field has a history of leafroller problems, a chemical treatment may be necessary.

Continue checking traps for adults and sampling % infested hills for larvae.

Raspberry Crown Borer
(RCB)

Larvae are white with brown heads and have six short legs.

First year larvae are about ¼ inch long. Mature, second year larvae range from 1 to 1 ½ inches long.

Larvae feed on roots, crowns and the base of canes causing plant decline and yield reduction.

Scout for wilting or dying canes. Search around the base of canes for signs of boring (holes/ sawdust-like frass). Record percentage infested hills.

The feeding may cause swelling or galls to form at or below the soil surface.

Remove collapsed or dying canes and inspect around the crown for signs of feeding.

If more than 5% of the plants have damaged, caused by borer larvae, chemical controls are recommended.

Fall insecticide drench is advisable to control larvae.

Remove and destroy infested plant material. Remove wild blackberries from field borders to reduce secondary host.

Continue to monitor field for wilting or dying canes and inspect for signs of larvae feeding.

Strawberry Crown Moth
(SCM)

Larvae are still actively feeding in May before pupating in the crown in late May and June. Mature larvae are ¾ inch long, white with a dark brown head.

Larvae can cause economic damage by girdling canes causing plants to become stunted and have poor vigor.

Scout for weakened areas containing brittle or collapsed canes. Signs of feeding on the outer crown and root surface may be present. Examine the crown and low on the cane for signs of boring.  Record percentage infested hills.

No threshold or tolerance level available.

Consider chemical control if signs of boring or feeding on the outer crown and root surface are visible, or if a significant amount of adults are found in the trap.

The same fall or spring insecticidal drench used to control raspberry crown borer will also control SCM.

Continue to monitor traps for adult moths.

Blackberry Rust (more common on ‘Evergreen’ cultivar)

Infected leaves will show purple leaf spots on the surface with corresponding yellow pustules on the underside. Yellow pustules may also occur on flower buds, fruit and stems of primocanes and floricanes.  Severely infected plants will defoliate.

Severely infected plants will lead to significant crop loss due to continuous defoliation and cane decline.

Scout field regularly for disease presence and to monitor reproductive cycles.

Record level of damage on a scale of 0 to 3.

No threshold or tolerance level available.

Chemical treatments are advisable if symptoms are present.

Chemical protection should start at bud break and continue through green fruit development or until the weather turns from rainy springs to dry summers.

Reduce inoculum sources by removing old fruiting canes right after harvest and cultivating to cover fallen leaves.

Cane & Fruit Rot Botrytis

Spores released in the spring can infect mature or senescent leaves, resulting in primocane infections through the petiole.

Flower infection establishes in the receptacle of young fruit and may remain dormant until fruit is nearly ripe or after harvest.

Cane infections are the primary source of spores for flower infections, which develop into Fruit Rot, thus reducing fruit quality and yield. 

Inspect bloom, leaves and canes for disease development especially under moist conditions and/or in fields with heavy foliage.

New infections may emerge mid to late summer, appearing as brown lesions on new green canes.

Record level of damage on a scale of 0 to 3.

No threshold or tolerance level available.

For severe infestation consider chemical treatment.

Adjust irrigation to prevent plants from being wet for extended periods of time. Burn back early primocanes and control weeds. Avoid excessive use of nitrogen.

If chemical treatment is required, apply fungicides as a protectant spray at 7-14 day intervals from early bloom to harvest.

Continue scouting for overwintering and developing cane infections.

At harvest, inspect ripened fruit for beginning stages of infection.

Voles

Small rodents that tunnel through soil causing air pockets and feed on roots and crowns.

Feeding can girdle roots, crowns, canes and may lead to cane loss.

Look for tunnel entrance holes about one inch in diameter, surface runways through grass, and/or chewing marks on canes and roots.

Setup a monitoring station using an apple and either a board or PVC pipe. Check for feeding damage on the apple wedge.

No threshold or tolerance level available.

If symptoms are prevalent throughout field, chemical treatment is advisable.

Modify habitat through weed control and regular mowing of aisleways. Create 15 ft. weed free buffer between field and brushy area to deter voles from entering field.

Use rodenticide bait at bait stations to control populations.

Monitor 2-3 weeks after treatment to determine efficacy.