Corn earworm moth black light trap catches remain low, with a range of 0 to 3 per night. Please click “More” to see the black light data table. Also, pheromone traps in Pungo captured a weekly total of 4 (Baker farm) and 6 (Henley farm) corn earworm moths; zero were captured at the Hampton Roads AREC in Virginia Beach; and 6 were caught at the Eastern Shore AREC in Painter. The following are acknowledged for this week’s reports: Helene Doughty (Virginia Beach, Pungo, Eastern Shore), Mark Kraemer (Petersburg), Mary Beahm (Warsaw), Scott Reiter (Prince George), Neil Clark (Southampton), Mike Parrish (Dinwiddie), Janet Spencer (Isle of Wight) and the entomology crew in Suffolk. Additional information: blacklight-table-11-pdf
Corn earworm resistance monitoring update for July 7, 2011
As of July 7, we have tested a total of 822 corn earworm moths in our pyrethroid resistance monitoring program. The attached graph (click “More”) shows data from 2010 and 2011. This week’s mean survivorship was 33%, down slightly from last week’s 41%. As Dr. Herbert mentioned in last week’s advisory, these levels of moth survivorship are high and may indicate a potential for less-than-satisfactory levels of control with pyrethroid insecticides. We will continue our vial tests to monitor resistance potential in this pest. Additional information: 2010-2011-graphs-pdf
Cucurbit Downy Mildew in NC and NJ
For more information on recent nearby outbreaks of CDM see the attached report. Thanks
Steve Additional information: cdownymildewupdate070111-doc
Corn earworm pheromone trap catch for the northern neck of Virginia
Brown marmorated stink bug black light trap catches for the week ending June 30, 2011
Many cooperators are watching for brown marmorated stink bugs (BMSB) in their black light traps (in addition to corn earworm moths). A total of 10 BMSB were caught in Hanover County’s trap this past week; 6 were caught in Virginia Beach. No BMSB were caught in Chesapeake, Southampton, or Suffolk black light traps. Thanks to Watson Lawrence, Neil Clark, Helene Doughty, Laura Maxey, and the Tidewater AREC entomology crew for their reports this week.
Corn earworm moth counts for the week ending June 30, 2011
Corn earworm moth black light trap catches remain low, with a range of 0.3 to 2 per night. Watson Lawrence reported 0.9 in Chesapeake; Neil Clark had 0.3 in Southampton; Laura Maxey caught 2.0 in Hanover; and we caught 1.7 per night in Suffolk, VA. Please click “More” to see the black light data table. Also, Helene Doughty reported that pheromone traps in Pungo captured a weekly total of 6 (Baker farm) and 29 (Henley farm) corn earworm moths, with 2 captured in the Hampton Roads AREC pheromone trap in Virginia Beach. Additional information: blacklight-table-11-docx
Peanut insect pest update
The peanut crop has responded to the recent rains and in some fields rows are already nearly ‘touching the middles’. The ‘old-timers’ used to say that the best yields occurred in years when plants ‘shook hands’ by the 4th of July. In that regard, things look very promising. We are seeing an increase in potato leafhopper populations with untreated fields reaching 5-10% hopper burned leaves. Our recommendations for hopper management are to scout field prior to any planned fungicide applications (e.g., for leaf spot) and tank mix an insecticide if plants are approaching 25% hopper burn and hoppers are still active. Automatic sprays may or may not have value. It is easy to check fields for hopper and make those tank mix applications IF NEEDED. Unnecessary insecticide applications are never good, as they waste money and kill beneficial insects that can help suppress future pests by eating their eggs and immatures (e.g., corn earworm). We are also getting some calls about the need for Lorsban 15G applications for soil insects, especially southern corn rootworm. Wet years favor rootworm populations, as the eggs and larvae require high levels of soil moisture to survive. But even in a wetter summer, we have seen little value for Lorsban applications in the sandiest fields. We recommend confining Lorsban to fields with heavier soils and those with a history of rootworm damage.
Cotton insect pest update
The cotton crop in Virginia looks as good as any in recent years. Recent rains have resulted in lush growth, to the point that growers are starting to make plant growth regulator applications. Along with this lush growth comes an increase in the levels of plant bug populations, but we will take it—and deal with it. Will we see a larger population of stink bugs? Will brown marmorated stink bugs attack cotton? Too soon to tell, but we will be checking and reporting our findings.
Corn earworm pyrethroid resistance monitoring update
As of June 29, we have tested a total of 687 corn earworm moths in our pyrethroid resistance monitoring program and the results are rather foreboding. If you open the attached PowerPoint graph you will see the data from 2010 and 2011, to date. We are seeing levels of survivors reaching 40%–not good for this early in the season. Of course things could change as we move into the season. But recent history has shown that once survivorship reaches these levels, although there will be some ups-and-downs, the overall levels will stay pretty high. The areas of the state where conditions remain dry will be at the greatest risk to intensive moth flights and the potential for less-than-satisfactory levels of control with pyrethroid insecticides.
Additional information: cew-avt-data-jun-29-2011-herbert-pptx
Late Blight found on Eastern Shore of Virginia
For more information about the recent discovery of late blight in Virginia see the attached file. Thanks
Steve Additional information: lateblightalert062811-doc