Janet Spencer, Isle of Wight County ANR Agent, found white sugarcane aphid in sorghum in her county this week.  The current distribution map::

NIghtly black light trap captures of corn earworm (bollworm) moths rose sharply at most reporting stations this week.  Historically, this time of year is when we see our peak moth flight occur, which is followed by egg laying.  Mike Arrington (Tidewater AREC Entomology) found an average of 12 bollworm eggs per 100 bloom/bloom tags in Suffolk cotton, which is almost egg threshold (the Pest Management Guide defines the egg threshold as 15-20 eggs per 100 blooms or bloom tags for Bollgard cotton).  In peanut, a field near Stony Creek (Sussex Co.) had threshold numbers of corn earworm larvae (4 larvae per row foot when using a beat cloth).

Black light traps caught low to moderate numbers of brown marmorated stink bugs (BMSB) this week, ranging from zero in some locations, to over 5 per night at Warsaw.  BMSB findings from the statewide soybean survey are mentioned in my August 9th post.  Please see the attached pdf for the black light trap tables for both of these pest species:  blt_11_Aug_2016

Since last week, we have confirmed white sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari, in sorghum in two more Virginia counties–Hanover (through ANR Agent Laura Maxey) and Amelia (through ANR Agent Laura Siegle).  Dr. Maria Balota’s crew also found them at the Tidewater AREC in Suffolk.

With the assistance of Johnny Parker and two growers near the town of Franklin, VA, in the past week our Entomology crew was able to capture (via pheromone traps) and test 312 corn earworm (bollworm) moths in our adult vial tests.  41.4% of moths from Franklin survived the 24-hour exposure to the pyrethroid insecticide, cypermethrin.  These results are similar to what we are seeing in Suffolk, with a seasonal average of 39.7% of moths surviving the vial test (42.9% surviving in the last week alone).  The following line graph shows the Suffolk results in more detail.

Corn earworm moths are being caught in high numbers in pheromone traps at the Tidewater AREC in Suffolk and at a location near Franklin (Southampton Co.).  Janet Spencer also reported an uptick in the moths captured in her pheromone trap in Isle of Wight Co.  Black light trap catches of corn earworm moths are on the upswing.

Brown marmorated stink bug catches were 2.9 per night at the Eastern Virginia AREC in Warsaw, and zero at the Tidewater AREC in Suffolk.  Please see the attached pdf for detailed trap captures.  BLT_4_Aug_2016

We have confirmed white sugarcane aphid (Melanaphis sacchari) in sorghum in three more Virginia counties this week—Suffolk, Prince George, and Dinwiddie.  Scott Reiter, Prince George Co. ANR Agent, reported that his aphids came from fields that were below threshold levels and were found along the field edge–very similar to the aphids from Suffolk.  Mr. Reiter also had white sugarcane aphids submitted from a Sussex Co. sorghum field.  The Dinwiddie aphids were found at Ag Expo.  White sugarcane aphid has been found in all the blue and green-colored counties in the map below.