The 2016 survey of Virginia soybean for brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) and kudzu bug is now finished.  We would like to acknowledge the Virginia Soybean Board and the USDA/NIFA Extension Implementation Project for their funding support.  Since mid-July, scouts Ed Seymore, Jamie Hogue, and the Tidewater AREC entomology crew made 867 soybean field visits to 68 counties for this project.  Ed and Jamie traveled a combined 22,600 miles.  BMSB were found in 42 counties, with the highest populations coming from Bedford, Shenandoah, Rappahannock, and Orange Counties.  Please see the map for the BMSB densities.

Large numbers of green stink bug were reported in soybean in King George (11 greens per sample), Nelson (12), New Kent (10), Rappahannock (11), and Lunenburg (9); these beans were all in the R6 growth stage.  The threshold for R3-4 to R7 stages is 5 stink bugs per 15 sweeps.  Moderate green stink bug populations (approximately 3-5) were reported in most of the other counties surveyed this past week.  After R7 (beginning maturity),  the stink bug threshold is doubled.

Scouts reported less than one kudzu bug nymph per 15 sweeps this week.  Over the course of the season, kudzu bugs were found in soybean in 32 counties.  Here is the final kudzu bug map:

We conducted 77 cypermethrin vial tests this week with 61% survival by corn earworm moths.  We plan to finish out the season with what we collect and test next week.  The seasonal average now stands at 43.1% survival.

Finally, our black light traps have been shut down for 2016.  The assistance of the participating Virginia Cooperative Extension Agents, growers, and Virginia Tech faculty and staff in this study is greatly appreciated.  Here are the final tables for this season:  BLT_29_Sep_2016

Black light trap catches of H. zea (corn earworm/bollworm) moths were low this week, with averages ranging from 1 to 3.6 moths per night at our reporting stations.  Brown marmorated stink bug captures were very low.  Here are the data tables (pdf document):  BLT_22_Sep_2016

Despite the rain, we were able to capture and evaluate 153 H. zea moths this week in the Suffolk, VA cypermethrin adult vial tests, with 37.5% surviving the 24-hour exposure to the 5 microgram rate of cypermethrin.  This brings the seasonal average to 42.4% survival, with 1,705 moths tested.

Soybean–brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB):  Our scouts detected BMSB in two new counties this week–Charles City and Stafford.  Eight counties were at threshold (3-5 per 2-minute visual count along the field edge)–these are listed at the bottom of the map.

Soybean–kudzu bug:  A range of zero to 5 kudzu bugs per 15 sweeps was reported this week.  While no counties were at threshold levels (15 kudzu bugs per 15 sweeps), the highest numbers were reported in Campbell (5), Appomattox (4), and Amelia (3 per 15 sweeps).

Sorghum–white sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari:  No new counties reported for this pest this week.  So far this season, it has been confirmed in the following Virginia counties:  Amelia, Bedford, Charles City, Dinwiddie, Franklin, Greensville, Hanover, Isle of Wight, New Kent, Nottoway, Prince George, Southampton, Suffolk, Surry, and Sussex.

Corn earworm/bollworm resistance monitoring:  Survival of moths in the vial tests remains high.  We evaluated 297 moths this week, with 40.5% survival to the 5 microgram/vial rate of cypermethrin.  Our seasonal average stands at 42.8% survival (n = 1,552  moths evaluated).

Black light trap report:  Some reporting stations had a small bump upwards in the number of corn earworm moths captured (Warsaw, Prince George, Essex); declines occurred in Suffolk and Southampton.  Very few BMSB were caught.  Please refer to the tables for more information.  BLT_15_Sep_2016

White sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari, in sorghum:  I did not receive any reports of this aphid being found in any new Virginia counties this week.

Brown marmorated stink bug in soybean:  Our scouts reported 11 Virginia counties having threshold levels of BMSB, with highest numbers from Bedford and Orange (9 and 6 BMSB per 2-minute visual inspection, respectively).  First reports for the season came from James City, King George, Culpeper, and Frederick.  Please see the following map:

Kudzu bug in soybean:  Our scouts have not found any Virginia counties with threshold levels of this pest in 2016.  The current map:

Corn earworm/bollworm (Helicoverpa zea) resistance monitoring:  The number of moths surviving the 24-hour exposure to 5 micrograms of cypermethrin in this week’s vial tests was 45.8% (n = 180 moths evaluated).  The seasonal average is 43.4% survival, based on 1,255 moths tested. Black light trap counts:  Corn earworm moth captures dropped slightly from the previous weeks’ counts; brown marmorated stink bug counts were zero across all reporting stations.  Please see the attached tables (pdf document) for more details:  BLT_8_Sep_2016

There was an uptick in the number of corn earworm moths captured in most black light traps this week.  Suffolk was especially high with approximately 38 moths per night.  Brown marmorated stink bug counts were low, ranging from none to 1.1 per night.  Please see the attached pdf file for the data tables:  BLT_1_Sep_2016

This week the Virginia Tech Tidewater AREC entomology program evaluated 298 Helicoverpa zea (=corn earworm/bollworm) moths in the cypermethrin vial tests, with 53.1% surviving the 24-hour exposure to the 5 microgram/vial rate.  This brings the seasonal average to 42.9% (based on 1,075 Suffolk-collected moths).

White sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari, was found infesting sorghum in New Kent county this week.  Thanks to ANR Agent John Allison for submitting the sample.  Edit to original post:  MIke Arrington and Kayla Babb (Tidewater AREC Entomology) reported finding infestations of M. sacchari in Surry County sorghum, near Bacon’s Castle (this is not on the state map).