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.