[NAFEX] Control for persimmon psylla?
Scott Smith
scott at cs.jhu.edu
Thu Jun 7 12:36:48 EDT 2007
Donna, I would say a special predator is needed to get in the curled-
over leaves, they are strongly and tightly curled. We have lots of
wasps and lots of birds, but maybe not the right kinds. I don't
think persimmon psylla is comparable to pear psylla there because the
pear psylla does not curl over the leaves the way the persimmon
psylla does. One thing that I found interesting in your quoted
article is it mentions a parasitic wasp which goes after pear psylla
larvae. Maybe there is such a wasp for persimmon psylla that has yet
to show up in my orchard.
There is one odd fly I often see on the persimmons and I just looked
it up -- it is a "long-legged fly":
http://www.floridagardener.com/critters/Beneficial_Insects/
Dolichopodidae.htm
According to this description they feed on insect larvae. So maybe
these guys are the knight in shining armor. These flies are quite
common all over my orchard and I never knew if they were good guys or
bad guys until now.
Scott
> Scott, Do you have many wasps around your place? Would you consider
> hanging some birdhouses or something like birdhouses, gourds, etc,
> in or
> around your persimmon trees? I've been trying to think of what
> could get
> inside the wrapped leaves, and I wonder if wasps would go for
> them. Wasps
> are good to have around anyway as they are carnivores. We have a
> lot of
> birdhouses up and some of them get used by wasps. I like that
> better than
> in the shed or somewhere else I might get into them. I'll bet if
> you made
> some birdhouses with the holes too small you'd get wasps, or hang
> up 3 close
> within 12 feet or so of each other. You may get a couple with
> birds in
> them, the other with wasps. The birds may very well figure out how
> to get
> the psylla too. Donna
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