Tag Archives: insect pests

Pickleworm/Melonworm Monitoring Update

Both melonworms and pickleworms have been detected in squash plantings yesterday in Cape Charles and Machipongo farms. Approximately, 80% of the plants showed at least one flower bud/fruit with borrowing injuries. Most of the squash fruit and flower buds contained 1-2 melonworms in the latest stages of their larval development (4th-5th instar, Fig. 1). Pickleworms on the other hand, have just started to show up in the area and only 1st to 3rd larval instars were found, most of them on top of flower buds and growing fruit (Fig. 2). Both pests were also detected in one cucumber planting on approximately 30% of the plants sampled. These pests have been detected in squash plantings in Blacksburg this week at a lower infestation rate compared to the Eastern Shore.

Well-timed insecticide applications are crucial for the management of these pests and recently hatched caterpillars that haven’t borrowed into the plant tissue are more susceptible to insecticides. However, once they borrow inside fruits and flower buds, contact insecticides are usually not enough to suppress these pests. The use of systemic insecticides is preferred.

Useful tip: Pickleworms and melonworms are NOT the same as squash vine borers. Squash vine borers borrow into the stems causing severe damage and eventually plant death (Fig. 3), unlike pickleworms and melonworms that feed mostly on the reproductive parts of the plant and occasionally the leaves.

If you find borrowing damage in cucurbit crops on your respective farm or gardens, please contact me at lorelopezq257@vt.edu

Stay tuned for the next update!

Lorena Lopez, Ph.D., Department of Entomology, Eastern Shore AREC, Painter, VA
Photos by Lorena Lopez.

Virginia Tech Eastern Shore AREC Virtual Field Day

Please find the 2020 Virginia Tech Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center Virtual Field Day available via YouTube. Pre-recorded sessions can be viewed in one playlist or you can pick and choose individual topics using the hyperlinks in the attached program.

Playlist link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLldHHn24T22mXiFp8Hq9hEn-YPb4gMTM0

The program with clickable links is found by clicking: https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/pubs_ext_vt_edu/spes/spes-239/SPES-239.pdf

As always, contact us with questions vis email, YouTube comments, or Facebook. Please let us know of any further research or Extension questions that you may have. We hope to see everyone again at our Painter, VA location in person in Summer 2021!

Stay healthy and take care!

Virginia Tech Eastern Shore AREC research plots. Photos by At Altitude Gallery, Cape Charles, VA ( https://ataltitudegallery.com/ ).

2020 Four Rivers Agricultural Conference – Providence Forge, VA

The 2020 Four Rivers Agricultural Conference will be held Tuesday, Jan. 14 at Providence Forge Recreation Center: 9900 Carriage Rd, Providence Forge, 23140. This year’s conference will include pesticide certification training, several Specialists and Agents from Virginia Cooperative Extension that will cover a wide variety of topics, and others. In addition, you will be able to get your dicamba herbicide certification with training being offered by Don Cline of BASF. We look forward to seeing your there for a great day of learning and interaction with the experts. Lunch will be provided. Agenda detail are below.

Full Attendance to the conference has been approved for Private Pesticide Applicator Recertification in Category 90 and Commercial Categories 1A, 10, and 60.  The conference has also been approved for 2.5 Virginia Nutrient Management CEU and 2.0 Contact hours for DCR Conservation Planner Re-Certification

9:00        Registration Opens/Meet with Vendors

9:30        Welcome

9:35        Controlling your Drops highlighting dicamba and glyphosate– Laura Maxey-Nay, Hanover Ag Agent

10:00     Pesticide Training – droplet size/playdough- Ed Olsen, Henrico Ag Agent

10:30     Pesticide Legal Update – Robert Christian, VDACS

11:00     2nd round of registration for those not needing pesticide recertification credit

11:15     Dicamba Certification – Don Cline, BASF

12:15     Sponsored Lunch/Meet with Vendors

1:00        Agency updates

1:15        Grain Market Update- Robert Harper, Manager, Virginia Farm Bureau Grain Division

1:45        What I learned from Argentina Agriculture, pest control and nutrient management –Paul Davis

2:05        Corn Update and Hybrid Selection, Dr. Wade Thomason, Extension Grain Agronomist

2:35        Break (visit with sponsors)

2:50        Positioning Your Full-Season Soybean for Maximum Yields, Dr. David Holshouser, Extension Soybean Agronomist

3:20        Making insect management decisions now by purchasing seed for next season, Sally Taylor, Extension Grain Entomologist

3:50       Nematode Panel, various specialists will discuss current nematode control practices.

4:50       Adjourn and paperwork

Tri-County Crop Production Conference – Carson, VA

The 2020 Tri-County Crop Production Conference will be held Tuesday, Jan. 14 at the Carson Volunteer Fire Department on 19806 Halifax Rd in Carson, VA. This year’s conference will host several Specialists from Virginia Tech that will cover a wide variety of topics. In addition, you will be able to get your dicamba herbicide certification with training being offered by Don Cline of BASF. We look forward to seeing your there for a great day of learning and interaction with the experts. Lunch will be provided. Agenda detail are below.

9:00 – 9:05          Welcome and Announcements

9:05 – 9:40         Positioning Your Full-Season Soybean for Maximum Yields– Dr. David Holshouser

There are many things we can do to increase full-season soybean yield, but decisions made before planting are the most important.  This presentation will focus on site-specifically positioning your crop to best take advantage of the limiting resources of water, light, and nutrients.

9:40-10:20          Plant disease management – Dr. David Langston

Nematode and disease interaction issues in soybeans.  Update on fungicide and seed treatments available for corn and soybeans.  Common diseases occurring in 2019.

10:20-10:40       Break

10:40 – 11:10    Update on insect pest management – Dr. Sally Taylor

Review of major insect pests in 2019.  Recommendations for preparing for 2020, scouting tips to use throughout the season, and updates on insecticides available for use.

11:10 – 11:40   Small Grain and Corn Update – Dr. Wade Thomason

Review of the latest research in corn and small grain production in Virginia. 

11:40 – 12:00     Getting Started with Irrigation and Irrigation Survey – Dr. Julie Shortridge

Irrigation is not used on a wide scale in Virginia.  This presentation will introduce our new water specialist and a irrigation survey for growers.

12:00 -12:45       Lunch

12:45 – 1:15       Pesticides in VA update – Robert Christian, VDACS

Update on federal record keeping and worker protection standard. Additional information on changes in pesticide labeling for VA.  PPE review for commonly used pesticides.  Changes to paraquat labeling, handling, and training.

1:15 – 1:35         Weed control update – Scott Reiter

Roundup resistant common ragweed is common in our soybean cropping systems.  There are also 4 different herbicide technology systems in play for the 2020 season.  We will cover the options available and the stewardship needed to keep the herbicides on the target crops.

1:35 – 1:55          Cover crops – Mike Parrish

Cover crops have many uses in our production systems.  Soil erosion control, soil health properties, weed control, and moisture retention.  Presentation will cover results from local cover crop plots and impact on these properties.

1:55 – 3:00          On Target Academy – Don Cline, BASF

This session will cover the required training for using dicamba herbicide in post-emerge applications to Xtend soybeans and cotton.  Applicator & recordkeeping requirements, nozzle selection and technology, buffer requirements, weather conditions, and tank mix additives will be explained in detail

Full Attendance to the conference has been approved for Private Pesticide Applicator Recertification in Commercial Categories 1A, 10, and 60. 

EVAREC Soybean Field Day is This Tuesday

The Eastern Virginia Agricultural Research and Extension Center (EVAREC) Soybean Field Day is this Tuesday, Sept. 24. The field day begins at 8:45 am and tours will begin promptly at 9:00 am. There are a number of different topics to be discussed, all supported by the Virginia Soybean Checkoff. The 2019 full-season soybean variety test will also be available for viewing. Lunch will be served by Nixon’s Catering. We look forward to seeing you there.

The EVARE is located at 2229 Menokin Road, Warsaw, VA 22572. For more information, contact Dr. Joseph Oakes, EVAREC Superintendent at 804-333-3485.

Group 1 Field Tour Schedule

  • 8:45 – Welcome & Introductions; Load Trailers to ACR 2
  • 9:00-9:20 – Integrated Pest Management Approach for Soybean
  • Dr. Sally Taylor
  • 9:25-9:45 – Food Grade Soybean Breeding
    • Mr. Nick Lord
  • 9:45 – Load Trailers to Y1
  • 9:55-10:15 – The Best Maturity Group for Your Farm
    • Dr. David Holshouser
  • 10:15-10:30 – The Use of UAV in Crop Research and Production
    • Dr. Joseph Oakes
  • 10:35-10:55 – Roundup-Ready and Conventional Soybean Breeding
    • Dr. Bo Zhang
  • 11:00-11:20 – Weed Management in Soybean
    • Dr. Michael Flessner
  • 11:20 – Walk to Seed Lab

Program & Speakers in the Seed Lab

  • 11:40 – Begin Indoor Program
    • Dr. John Fike: VT Forage Extension Specialist – Hemp Production
    • Dr. Mike Evans: VT School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
  • 12:00 – Lunch is Served: Nixon’s Catering

Thank You to Our Field Day Sponsors!

Crabbe Aviation                       Ryan Ellis

Frazier Quarries                      UniSouth Genetics

James River Equipment            Virginia Crop Improv. Assoc.

Montague Farms

The Virginia Soybean Field Day is this Thursday

VIRGINIA SOYBEAN FIELD DAY
Thursday August 20, 2015

Eastern Virginia Agricultural Research & Extension Center
2229 Menokin Road
Warsaw, VA 22572
(804) 333-3485

Sponsored by
Virginia Soybean Association
Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station
Virginia Cooperative Extension

Join us to see the latest research on soybean varieties, disease and weed management, IPM and sorghum varieties. Experts will also demonstrate no-till drill maintenance and update you on the mid-Atlantic double crop initiative. Registration begins at 8:00 am and field tours begin at 8:50 am. The program will end at noon with a delicious meal by Nixon Catering.

Topics include:
– Soybean Disease Management – Dr. Hillary Mehl
– Soybean Weed Management – Dr. Mike Flessner
– Soybean Insect IPM – Mr. Mike Parish and Drs. Sean Malone and Ames Herbert
– No-Till Drill Maintenance – Mr. Keith Burgess
– Grain Sorghum Management – Dr. Joseph Oakes
– Roundup-Ready Public Soybean Varieties – Dr. Bo Zhang
– Mid-Atlantic Double-Crop Soybean Initiative – Dr. David Holshouser

We hope to see you there!