This hands-on workshop will provide Pest Control Advisors with the knowledge and skills to recognize the life stages of California red scale and their natural enemies, Aphytis melinus and Comperiella bifasciata. Through a combination of lectures and microscope sessions, participants will learn how to accurately identify armored scale instars, differentiate between males and females, and detect both external and internal parasitism. The program will also cover how weather and climate influence CRS populations, monitoring methods, and best management practices including biological control, mating disruption, and chemical control.
Participants will gain practical experience evaluating scale-infested fruit, counting scale stages, and assessing levels of parasitism. A field visit will allow observation of ongoing CRS management trials, including pesticide effects, pheromone monitoring, and field-scale decision-making. By the end of the workshop, PCAs will be better equipped to determine parasitism levels in their orchards and make informed, sustainable decisions about scale management..
When: 01 October 2024, 8:30 AM- 4:00 PM
Where: Lindcove Research and Extension Center, Conference room. 22963 Carson Avenue, Exeter, California
4.5 hours of CE pending approval.