As the weather warms up, we see arthropod pests become active in blueberry fields. Blueberry bud mites are more active in late summer; however, their injury to leaf and flower buds is more evident during early spring. Bud mites are difficult to monitor because they are tiny; thus, checking for injury in spring may help identify infested plots to monitor closely immediately after harvest, when cultural practices can be implemented to prevent injury in the following season. In our newly published factsheet, we explain how to differentiate bud mite injury from frost injury in spring:
The blueberry gall midge (Dasineura oxycoccana, Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), although it is not a major problem in NC in most years, can become problematic in years when large populations show up. Adult midges emerge to lay eggs for ~2 weeks sometime in mid-February to early March. This is a major pest problem in SC and FL, and here are valuable resources to consider:
