The second peak of San Jose scale crawler activity is right around the corner. We have begun capturing considerable numbers of crawlers on June 19 on research trees in Fort Valley, GA (see image).
San Jose scale crawler.
The peak emergence of scale crawlers in this region is expected to occur within the next couple of days, and thus is worth considering management options. Check trees in blocks with a known history of scale issues. Visually expect limbs for live scale and/or wrap a branch with a strip of electrical tape plus a strip of double sided tape around that (see image below).
San Jose scale crawlers on double-sided tape
If crawlers are found, consider an immediate application of a diluted Esteem or Centaur, ideally tank mixed with 3.5 lb of Imidan (Note: Imidan’s maximum seasonal application limit is 17 lb 70W). An alternative chemistry would be Venerate (4 qt/acre), which is most effective when targeting peak crawler emergence.
One more option is Movento (6-9 fl oz/acre). Movento should be applied only if trees are still flushing with new growth, and should be tank mixed with an adjuvant that has spreading and penetrating properties. Note that with the high temps and low rainfall in the past week, Movento may not be the best option during this time period.
If you have any questions, please let me know.