Protecting Citrus Plants: 3 Pest Control Tips For Exterminating Asian Citrus Psyllids

It's funny how one small insect can have a profound impact on agriculture. First detected on the east coasts of Florida in 1998, Asian Citrus Psyllids have spread to many states in America. These pests carry a serious citrus disease known as the greening disease, which affects and destroys citrus plants. If you ever notice any of these pesky little bugs on your property, you want to act fast with these 3 useful pest control tips in order to prevent these pests from causing further damage. 

Use a Biological Control

Homeowners who are hesitant to use harsh chemicals may want to try using biological controls first. Tiny parasitic wasps, known as Tamarixia radiata, prey on the nymphs of Asian Citrus Psyllids, and have been highly recommended since 2012. This pest control method is perfect when exterminating residential infestations.

To improve the effectiveness of these wasps, place ant bait around infected citrus plants and trees, as local ants can interfere with wasp activity. You should also prune citrus plants and trees often so that these wasps can easily target the Asian Citrus Psyllids. 

Set Up Yellow Sticky Cards

Another useful technique is to set up yellow sticky cards. These cards will not poison the Asian Citrus Psyllids. Instead, they are mainly used for trapping the adults. The adults can then be removed from the premise or killed in a more humane manner. You should set up yellow sticky cards even if you have yet to detect the presence of any Asian Citrus Psyllids, as these cards act as great monitoring devices. 

Generally speaking, you should set up one sticky card per 10,000 square feet. These traps are most effective when there are no young leaf flush present, as the adults will prefer the young leaf flush over the yellow sticky cards.

Apply Appropriate Insecticides

The easiest method for exterminating Asian Citrus Psyllids is to apply insecticides regularly onto citrus plants. While this is the easiest method, it may not always be effective, as most insecticides only target these insects at a certain stage of their lifecycle. This means that the insecticides may not be able to adequately exterminate all traces of these pests. As a result, you may have to use a combination of different types of insecticides or you may have to apply the insecticides several times. 

Conclusion

If you cannot control or completely exterminate the population of Asian Citrus Psyllids that have infested your property even after implementing the controls mentioned above, it may be time to contact an experienced exterminator (such as one from Affordable Pest Control Inc). It is crucial for the exterminator to act quickly in order to reduce the amount of damage that can be caused.  

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