Mr. Kyle Sturgis and Bill Shockley have embarked on a more extensive insect pest trapping effort on the Eastern Shore. Click more to view a spreadsheet of pheromone trap catch and blacklight trap catch from various locations on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. This same spreadsheet will include other locations and will add new catch numbers on a weekly basis. We are getting organized to deliver a more comprehensive picture of the activity of major agricultural pest insects on the Eastern Shore.

In summary the spreadsheet shows the first real rise in counts of both corn earworm and European corn borer in the Mappsville and Assawoman areas of the Eastern Shore. Activity in Eastville appears to be low. There have been no catches of either beet armyworm or fall armyworm so far. It is early for those pests, although a fall armyworm infestation in late planted corn was seen in Northampton County this week.
Additional information: es-insect-trap-counts-7-16-10-7-23-10-xls

Blacklight trap catch in Painter this week again yielded very little activty from the major moth pest species. Weekly counts were as follows: 0 European corn borer, 0 armyworm moths, 2 corn earworm, 6 hornworm moths (increasing), 42 green stink bugs (increasing), 3 brown stink bugs (decreasing). We are still not seeing the main flight of corn earworm. Spider mites remain an important pest concern particularly in areas that have missed the rain, or commercial tomatoes. An outbreak of fall armyworm in late-planted corn was also reported this week. Coragen insecticide is a new option for fall armyworm control in early whorl stage corn. It has shown very good efficacy, with a long residual, and it is a safe chemical to apply.

Insect counts this week from the Blacklight trap in Painter, VA were as follows:
No corn earworms or armyworms; 4 European corn borer moths; 3 tobacco hornworm moths; 81 brown stink bugs; 8 green stink bugs. Thus, pest moth activity is low right now for all species; but brown stink bugs are quite active at present; probably flying out of wheat fields. These insects can cause serious damage to tomatoes, cotton, beans, sweet corn, and other crops. They move from crop to crop as fruit or pods form. Pyrethroid insecticides are often the cheapest and most effective control for these pests.

Thrips have been very active on crops with tobacco thrips feeding on the leaves of tomatoes and newly emerged beans; and flower thrips infesting the flowers of various crops. Some commercial tomato fields have experienced up to 5 thrips per bloom, which is very high. Some identifications of thrips samples brought to my lab have revealed that up to 50% of the flower thrips may be Western Flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis, which has been shown to flare up after repeated sprays from pyrethroid insecticides. Some other options for thrips control include Orthene on some crops like green beans, Radiant on most vegetables, Lannate, and most of the neonicotinoid insecticides (Provado, Actara, Venom, Assail, Belay, and Scorpion).

Valent USA announces the new Belay insecticide label on vegetables and other crops. Belay includes the neonicotinoid insecticide clothianidin, which has been used widely in the seed treatment Poncho. Our insecticide research trial results in Virginia have shown Belay to be as effective as other neonicotinoid insecticides for sucking pests and beetles on vegetables. Click More News to download a copy of the new label. Additional information: belaylabel-2010various-crops-pdf