Elatobium abietinum
Pest description and crop damage Small, dull-green aphid causes extreme needle drop. Aphids appear early in the season (fall to winter months) and may increase rapidly during March and April.
See table:
Hosts and Symptoms of Major Aphid and Adelgid Pests of Christmas Trees
Management-biological control
This aphid eludes most predators except the brown lacewing.
Management-chemical control
- azadirachtin (AzaDirect and others)-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic production.
- bifenthrin (OnyxPro, Sniper and others)-Restricted use pesticide. (Group 3)
- cyantraniliprole (Mainspring GNL)-(Group 28)
- cyclaniliprole (Group 28) + flonicamid (Group 29)-Pradia
- dinotefuran (Safari 20 SG)- (Group 4)
- flupyradifurone (Altus)-(Group 4)
- imidacloprid (Admire Pro, Prey 1.6 and others)-(Group 4)
- insecticidal soaps and oils (Ecotec, M-pede, Ultra-Pure Oil and others)-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic production. Note: Some oils may discolor blue spruce.
- pymetrozine (Endeavor and others)-(Group 9)
- spirotetramat (Ultor, Movento)-(Group 23)
- sulfoxaflor (Transform WG)-(Group 4c)
- thiamethoxam (Flagship 25 WG)-(Group 4)