Small Farms & Acreage Alerts

Water Storage Options in Eastern Idaho

All Crops    Eastern Idaho

Posted on: July 28, 2025 by Juliet Marshall

The seminar will feature a keynote address by Senator Cook (30th District), a forecast for the groundwater-surface water agreement, presentations on and drone footage of water storage alternatives, and an expert panel discussion on the alternatives presented to answer your questions.  Alternatives to increase storage include: Teton Dam, Ashton Dam, Lane Lake, Jackson Dam, Minidoka Dam, and Mud Lake. This year’s gathering is co-hosted with the Henry’s Fork Watershed Council, with sponsorship from the Bingham Groundwater District and the Snake River Headwaters Watershed Group.

Water Storage Options in Eastern Idaho

Date: Tuesday, August 19 from 8:30am–2:30pm (lunch provided)

Location: Romance Theater, 2 E Main St, Rexburg ID

We are currently investigating options for livestream, but cannot guarantee a live virtual format. Please prioritize in-person attendance.

RSVP required. Visit tinyurl.com/wateridaho. This will help us get an accurate estimate for lunch, catered by Blisters BBQ.

The agenda and meeting flyer are attached. Please circulate with those who might be interested. Please contact either Keith, Dean Mortimer, or Brad Buttars if your organization is interested in helping sponsor this important event.

Please don't hesitate to be in touch with questions. Hope to see you there!

Thank you,

Roger Warner, President

Keith Esplin, Executive Director

208.243.1824

Psyllid captures increase – 24 July 2025 update

Potato    All Locations

potato psyllid

Posted on: July 24, 2025 by Tasha Stanzak

• This week we received traps from 48 fields that we are monitoring. 

• We captured a total of 38 psyllids across 13 fields.

• Captures were from the following counties: Payette, Canyon, Jerome, Gooding, and Twin Falls. 

• Among the 13 psyllids captured last week, none tested positive for Lso.

Psyllid captures this week ticked up from last week and were slightly above what we have seen during this period in the last three seasons. This is not entirely surprising given the high temperatures, and captures are still not anywhere near our highest capture years. ZC risk still appears to be fairly low this year. 

More information on management of potato psyllids and ZC can be found here: 

https://www.uidaho.edu/cals/potatoes/pest-management/psyllid-management

To view the weekly data by site in the old spreadsheet format: https://tinyurl.com/potatopsyllid

Please visit the Idaho Pest Monitoring Dashboard, for graphical summaries of our psyllid captures from 2020 through 2025 and an archive of this year’s weekly updates as the season progresses: https://idahopestmonitoring.org/

» https://idahopestmonitoring.org/

Eastern Idaho Pest Alert - July 11, 2025 | Volume 6, Issue 9

All Crops    Eastern Idaho, Magic Valley

Posted on: July 16, 2025 by Jemila Chellappa

Eastern Idaho Pest Alert - July 11, 2025 | Volume 6, Issue 9
Coverage: Bannock, Bingham, Bonneville, Cassia, Fremont, Jefferson, Madison, Power, and Teton Counties
Prepared by: University of Idaho Extension, Bonneville County
Editor: Ron Patterson

Featured Pest Alerts

Blister Mites (Phytoptus pyri, Eriophyes mali)
Host Crops: Apples, Pears
Symptoms: Brown, blister-like galls on upper leaf surfaces; stunted growth and early leaf drop in heavy infestations
IPM Tips:

• Apply dormant oil sprays in late winter
• Monitor with a hand lens during early spring bud break
• Use sulfur dust or miticides post-bloom as needed
• Encourage predatory mites and avoid broad-spectrum insecticides

Pollinator & Predator Spotlight – Painted Lady Beetle (Mulsantina picta)
Benefits: Natural predator of aphids, mites, and soft-bodied pests
Habitat: Conifers, meadows, and gardens
Conservation Tips:

• Include native flowering plants and conifers
• Leave mulch, bark, and leaf litter undisturbed for overwintering
• Refrain from using broad-spectrum pesticides

Codling Moth (Cydia pomonella)
Current Stage: First and second generation overlap ongoing
Spray Guidance:

• High-pressure sites: Follow Option A (insecticide) or Option B (oil + insecticide) and repeat every 14–18 days
• Low-pressure sites: Begin at first egg hatch and adjust timing based on trap data
• Backyard Options: Use products like Spinosad, Malathion, or codling moth virus (Cyd-X) based on label rates
  Note: See full tables (pgs. 6–7) for region-specific spray dates from Burley to Driggs

Fire Blight (Erwinia amylovora)
Symptoms: Blackened shoots resembling fire scorch; visible two weeks post-bloom
Management Tips:

• Prune on dry days and disinfect tools between cuts
• Apply protectants or resistance inducers during bloom (e.g., Actigard, Regalia)
• Apply biologicals (e.g., Blossom Protect, Serenade) at bloom or post-bloom
  Backyard Note: If no blooms are present, focus on sanitation and pruning

Webinars & Upcoming Events

• July 22 – Chip Bud Grafting Fruit Trees – Bracken Henderson (7:30 PM MT)
• July 24 – Plant Talk Q&A – Ron Patterson & Reed Findlay (7:30 PM MT)
• August 12 – Deer Proofing Your Yard – Sara Mahdavi (7:00 PM MT)
• August 26 – Dehydrating Your Harvest
• Sept 9 – Understanding Manures
• Sept 23 – Freeze Drying Your Harvest
  Zoom Link: https://uidaho.zoom.us/j/92616335377

More Information: Check the Attached PDF

Contact: 

Lena Allen 

Horticulture Secretary

University of Idaho Extension – Bonneville County
1542 E 73rd S, Idaho Falls, ID 83404
(208) 529-1390
bonneville@uidaho.edu

uidaho.edu/extension/county/bonneville
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» Pest_Alert_July_11_2025_blister_mites_painted_lady_beetles.pdf