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The following guidelines represent the "best management" practices to control the major insect pests
on potatoes in the Northwest.

Accurate identification of insects and mites and the damage they cause is an important first step in
understanding and developing pest management programs. Different management and control tactics
are recommended for different pests and improper identification could result in using a tactic when
it is not necessary. If insecticides are misused or improperly timed they could seriously reduce
important pollinators or disrupt populations of natural predators and parasites that are important
in maintaining pest populations within acceptable limits below the treatment threshold.

Individuals dealing with pest control problems should follow certain procedures to develop control
recommendations. The following general procedures may be modified as necessary to gather the
necessary information to answer specific pest control problems.

1). Determine the extent of the damage,

2). Estimate the population density of pests and natural enemies,

3). Collect specimens of the pests associated with the observed damage and their natural enemies,

4). Accurately identify the pests and beneficials you collected,

5). Gather information on the biology and life cycles of pests and beneficials,

6). If control is deemed necessary, consult the most recent publications to determine control strategies,

7). Use control tactic(s) that will help accomplish the goal of long-term pest management,

8). Follow-up to determine success or impact of control strategies.