Agricultural Pest Management

Introduction | The Slime Trail Running Through Commercial Agriculture Snails and slugs rarely get the same attention as fast-moving insects, orchard rodents, or disease outbreaks. They are slow, quiet, and often most active when farmers are not walking the field. Still, their impact can be far greater than their pace suggests. Understanding snails and slugs […]

Introduction | The Threat of Insecticide Resistance in Commercial Agriculture An almond grower notices something unsettling. The first spray of the season worked as expected. The second required closer timing. By the third application, control was unpredictable. Trap counts remain elevated. Costs rise. Confidence drops. In many operations, insecticides are often used as a form

Introduction | A Quiet but Costly Problem in Orchards and Vineyards Rodents in commercial agriculture are often seen as a background issue compared to insect pests, yet their impact on fruit and nut crops can be significant. Unlike more visible pests, rodents tend to cause damage quietly, working within tree canopies or along orchard edges

Introduction | The Spotted Lanternfly and Commercial Agriculture   December 2025 – The spotted lanternfly has become one of the fastest-spreading invasive insects in the United States, and its rise is creating new challenges for growers across several major production regions. Its colorful wings and unique markings make it stand out, yet the insect’s appearance

Introduction | The 2025 Threat of New World Screwworm October 2025 — Few insect pest threats are as unsettling as the New World Screwworm, an insect whose larvae feed not on decaying matter but on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals. For farmers and ranchers, its recent resurgence in parts of the United States has

Introduction | Why Termites Deserve a Closer Look June 2025 — Termites might not be the first pest farmers think about when protecting their crops, certainly not as immediate as the codling moth or navel orange worm. Yet beneath their unobtrusive appearance lies a quiet threat, capable of harming agricultural yields in select crops and causing

Introduction | The Codling Moth in Stone Fruits January 2025 — Meet the codling moth, a pint-sized yet formidable foe in the world of commercial agriculture and hobby farming alike. These uninvited guests have earned a notorious reputation as highly destructive pests, particularly for growers of apples, pears, and walnuts. With their ability to infiltrate orchards