Based on pheromone moth traps monitored by Rafe Parker from Parker Farms, Oak Grove, Va, corn earworm moth activity has picked up significantly in the Northern Neck Region of Virginia. Counts jumped from less than 10 for past 2 weeks to about 100 moths this week. these moths will be flying to sweet corn, soybeans, cotton, green beans, and tomatoes among other crops. Be on the lookout for the eggs and small larvae of this pest, or begin the preventative spray programs. There are a wide range of effective insecticides for this pest. Sweet corn is probably the most difficult crop to achieve effective control of corn earworm because very few insecticides kill the eggs, eggs develop and hatch quickly in the summer heat, and larvae move down the silks and into ears where they are protected. Click More to view a summary of recent insecticide trials performed on sweet corn in Eastern Virginia.

Additional information: kuharsweetcorn-ipm-handout-2010-doc

United Phosphorus, Inc (UPI) has issued a FIFRA Section 2(ee)
recommendation with Acephate 97UP for the suppression of brown marmorated
stinkbugs for field borders, fence rows, ditch banks and borrow pits. The
states include Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Jersey, West Virginia
and Maryland. Attached is the 2(ee) recommendation below. Should you have
questions please feel free to contact:
Tony Estes
United Phosphorus, Inc.
Cell Phone: 864-202-7526
tony.estes@uniphos.com

Click more for attached file of 2ee label.

Additional information: 2011-06-07-2-ee-acephate-97up—bmsb-field-borders-pdf

Greetings growers, crop consultants, researchers, and extension personnel in Virginia. Several entomologists in the mid-Atlantic U.S. are now desperately trying to elucidate the biology and ecology of the new invasive brown marmorated stink bug, which has plagued many homeowners and tree fruit producers among others in Virginia. The pest potential of this stink bug to Virginia Agriculture is tremendous. We need your help with spotting various life stages of the bug around your garden, yard, or farm. We want to document what plants the bugs are getting on and when, and are they reproducing. So, I’ve attached a Word file (click More) of the life stages of this bug to help you identify it. I’m asking you to please e-mail me any spottings of the bug on plants that you make. Record the bug’s life stage, your location, host plant, and if any injury was observed. These anecdotal reports will be very valuable to us.

Many thanks,
Tom

Thomas P. Kuhar
Associate Professor
Department of Entomology
Virginia Tech
216 Price Hall
Blacksburg, VA 24061-0319
Office: 540-231-6129
Cell: 757-710-9781
Fax: 540-231-9131
e-mail: tkuhar@vt.edu

Additional information: brown-marmorated-stink-bug-lifestages-docx

The brown marmorated stink bug was found last week on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Nymphs of this exotic pest were feeding on yellow squash in our research plots in Painter, VA. As far as I know, this is the first documented occurrence of this pest on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Based on reports from New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and western counties of Virginia, this insect can be quite damaging to numerous crops, and population densities can build up to extreme levels. Crops that can be particularly hard hit include tree fruit, peppers, tomatoes, sweet corn, and from what I saw, cucurbits as well. In the fall, this stink bug will also aggregate on and in building structures similar to the Asian multicolored lady beetle. Click more to view an image of this pest. Additional information: brownmarmoratedstinkbug-01-jpg

Click More to view the insect trap counts for various locations on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Current counts as well as those from previous weeks are included. In summary corn earworm moth activity remains high in Eastville and Melf according to pheromone trap catches of approximately 50 moths per week. Beet armyworm moth activity is also peaking especially in Eastville.

Concomitant to this moth activity, we have been experiencing these pest larvae in multiple crops including soybeans, green beans, peppers, and tomatoes. Growers and crop consultants should still carefully monitor crops for these pests even if they have been sprayed previously.
Additional information: es-insect-trap-counts-8-24-10-5-xls