1. Insect
  2. Agronomic Crops
  3. Mint Pests

Mint-Aphid

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Includes mint aphid (Ovatus crataegarius)

Pest description and crop damage Wingless forms are apple green to yellow-green sometimes with mottled, darker markings and are 1.5 to 2mm in length. Winged forms have a dark brown head and thorax. Large populations stunt and distort stems and leaves, make plants more susceptible to water stress, and secrete honeydew, which can help to sunburn leaves or cover them with black, sooty mold.

These insects overwinter on the base of mint plants and on roots. Females give birth to nymphs during the spring. Mint aphid can have 10 to 12 generations in a single year.

Management-chemical control

  • acephate (Acephate 90WDG, Orthene) at 1 lb ai/A. PHI 14 days. REI 24 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 2 lb ai/A per season, nor make more than two applications per crop season. The grazing of animals on treated areas, and the feeding of spent mint hay to animals are prohibited.
  • azadirachtin (AzaMax) at 0.012 to 0.044 lb ai/A. PHI 0 days. REI 4 hr. Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • Beauveria bassiana (Mycotrol) Check each label for application rate. PHI 0 days. REI 4 hr. Most effective when used at first detection. Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • Burkholderia spp. (Venerate XC) at 2 to 4 quarts/A. PHI 0 days. REI 4 hr. Suppression only. OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • chlorantraniliprole/thiamethoxam (Voliam Flexi) at 0.05 to 0.1 lb ai/A. PHI 7 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 14 days. Do not exceed 15 oz/A Voliam Flexi or 0.188 lb ai/A of thiamethoxam or 0.2 lb ai/A of chlorantraniliprole per season. Apply in at least 10 gal water/A (ground) or 5 gal water/A (aerial). Do not use an adjuvant.
  • Chromobacterium subtsugae (Grandevo) at 0.6 to 0.9 lb ai/A. PHI 0 days. REI 4 hr. May be applied by chemigation. Apply in at least 10 gal water/A. OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • flonicamid (Beleaf 50SG) at 0.062 to 0.089 lb ai/A. PHI 7 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 14 days. Do not exceed 0.267 lb ai/A per season or 3 applications per season. Apply in at least 20 gal water per acre. Best control is achieved when applied before large populations develop.
  • malathion (Gowan Malathion 8) at 0.94 lb ai/A. PHI 7 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Limit 3 applications per year.
  • thiamethoxam (Actara) at 0.023 to 0.047 lb ai/A. PHI 7 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 14 days. Do not apply more than 0.188 lb ai/A per season. Do not use less than 10 GPA for ground applications or 5 GPA for aerial applications.
  • pyrethrins-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.