After several inquiries about whether kudzu bugs can be monitored using black light traps, Dr. Herbert and I have not heard that kudzu bugs come to these traps. The average nightly corn earworm moth catches from black light traps were: Petersburg = 0.4 per night; Suffolk = 0.1; Virginia Beach (Hampton Roads AREC) = 0.1; Charles City = 6.3; King William = 0.2; New Kent = 2.4; and Warsaw (Eastern Virginia AREC) = 0.4. The average nightly number of brown marmorated stink bugs were: Petersburg = 2.9; Suffolk = 0; Virginia Beach (Hampton Roads AREC) = 0.1; Charles City = 0; King William = 1.3; New Kent = 0.1; and Warsaw (Eastern Virginia AREC) = 0. Thanks to our trap operators Mark Kraemer, Ames Herbert and his entomology crew, Helene Doughty, John Allison, Laura Maxey, and Mary Beahm for their reports this week!

Low numbers of corn earworm moths were reported this week from black light trap operators. Nightly averages were: Southampton = 0.3 (from C. Drake); Warsaw = 0.5 (M. Beahm); Petersburg = 1.3 (M. Kraemer); Suffolk = 0.1 (A. Herbert). Brown marmorated stink bugs were only found at the Petersburg trap (2.3 per night) [M. Kraemer], but they were captured in a Virginia Beach black light trap earlier this month (1.3 per night for June 7-13) [provided by H. Doughty]. Thanks to the above-mentioned trap operators for their reports this week.

Thrips Update
Thrips season is over for cotton. With the recent rains and hot weather, most plants are growing into the 4-5 leaf stage past the time when thrips can do economic damage. Peanuts are still under some pressure and I think we are going to see one more week of pretty heavy pressure. The insecticide seed treatment provided good protection early in the infestation cycle, but needed a foliar overspray to carry through to the end.

Kudzu bug update
Kudzu bug is increasing its range and adults have now been sited in 9 new (2013) counties reaching from the southeastern most—Virginia Beach—to the northernmost—Frederick Co.—areas of the state. Infestations in soybean fields are now reported from 8 counties spanning most of the southern part of the state including VA Beach, Suffolk, Sussex, Greensville, Brunswick, Amelia, Appomattox, and Franklin Counties. Infestations are pretty similar across the region occurring in early planted fields where plants are in the 3-4 leaf stage, and are mostly adults and egg masses on scattered plants. Although some growers are anxious to make broadcast applications, we are urging them to hold off until we see what the nymphal populations are going to do. By next week, we will begin seeing how this problem is going to develop.

Brown marmorated stink bug update
All predictions are that we are going to experience larger infestations than last year. Folks in some of the Mid-Atlantic States are already reporting black light trap catches of 20 or so per night, which is pretty high for this time of the season. Soybean fields will not be at risk until plants reach the late R4-early R5 growth stages. We will provide updates as they become available.

A quick update on what I am seeing with thrips in cotton and peanuts—the problem is evolving slowly compared to previous years. Thrips numbers are still low for this time of year compared with previous years, and, we are not seeing a lot of damage to seedlings. This is especially true for peanuts. The seed and in-furrow treatments look very good, but there is not a lot of injury even on untreated peanuts. I know growers are tempted to make foliar applications, but I have not seen a single field where they would be justified. The injury will get worse, but maybe too late to cause much stress to plants.
The situation is much the same in cotton—low level thrips infestations and not a lot of damage. The worst damage seems to be occurring not to the first true leaves, but to the second true leaf and third leaf bud. This is not the usual way this problem unfolds so I am not sure how it will play out. With a little more moisture and heat—cotton will quickly reach the ‘safe’ four + leaf stages.