Corn earworm moth catch has really picked up at some Virginia locations and fall armyworms have appeared in the Northern Neck

There are several corn earworm pheromone traps being monitored around Virginia. Many of the Eastern Shore locations have reported relatively low numbers this week, except for one humongous exception, the Eastern Shore AREC in Painter, VA, where Helene Doughty counted nearly 800 CEW moths in just two nights in one of the traps. That’s the highest density that I’ve ever seen in 20 years. It’s really quite striking because the other traps around Northampton County, VA didn’t catch very many.

Hartstack wire mesh trap baited with pheromone lure with ~790 corn earworm moths. Trap located in Painter, VA. Photo by Helene Doughty.

In Halifax County, Virginia, Mr. Bill Tiver, is still reporting relatively high trap catch at his farm. Catch has ranged from 100 to 250 moths per week. Those numbers would likely suggest that CEW control on susceptible crops like sweet corn, tomato, and beans is a must. Sweet corn spray rotations should probably be 3 times a week under that trap catch level. Meanwhile, in Blacksburg, VA, trap catch has been relatively low so far.

Another pest of sweet corn and some other crops is fall armyworm. According to VCE agent, Stephanie Romelczyk, a sweet corn farm in the Northern Neck of Virginia had a fall armyworm outbreak in the whorls, which required a spray of Coragen. We’re all hoping that it did the trick. So in short, it’s definitely time to monitor for the “worm” pests in your late summer crops.