Folks, this is the final insect pest trap data for 2009 for the Eastern Shore. We’ve pulled up all of the blacklight and pheromone traps.
In general, there is still a little bit of moth activity of corn earworm and beet armyworm, and fall armyworm has increased on the Shore. Blacklight trap counts for this week were as follows: David Long (Cape Charles) = 25 corn earworm, 7 beet armyworm, 4 fall armyworm, 4 green stink bug. Blacklight trap – Mark Colson (Eastville) = 14 corn earworm, 10 beet armyworm, 13 Fall armyworm; 0 green stink bugs, 1 brown stink bugs. Blacklight trap Painter = 8 corn earworm moths, 8 beet armyworm, 3 fall armyworm, 16 green stink bugs, 0 brown stink bugs. ******************************************Corn earworm Pheromone Traps (weekly catch): Keller = 8; Tasley = 0; Modesttown = 1 ; New Church = 3; Horntown = 2; Eastville = 25; Machipongo = 9 ; Painter = 3; Guilford = 0. Beet armyworm Pheromone traps (weekly catch): Modestown = 0; New Church = 1; Horntown = 12; Machipongo = 53 (increase); Painter = 1. Fall armyworm pheromone traps (weekly catch): Painter: 75(big increase); Newman – Eastville: 29 (increase); Hortntown: 28 (increase). ****************************************************************************************Summary, corn earworm and beet armyworm moths are still flying on the Eastern Shore, and are likely still depositing eggs on whatever green plants they can find. Late planted beans, fruiting vegetables and cole crops are prime host crops this time of year for both species. We’ve also observed an increase in fall armyworm moths at every location on the Eastern Shore. This pest can attack a wide range of vegetable host plants as well, and can even be a pest of turf.

Insect Trap Counts for Eastern Shore – Week ending Sept 4.
In general, catches of 7 or more moths per week indicate an activity alert for scouting for that pest.
The Blacklight trap counts for this week were as follows: David Long (Cape
Charles) = 33 corn earworm (down from last week), 8 beet armyworm (small rise), 1 fall armyworm (low), 1 brown stink bug, 1 green stink bug (very low).
Blacklight trap – Mark Colson (Eastville) = 46 corn earworm (same as last week), 0 beet armyworm (drop), 0 Fall armyworn (low); 8 green stink bugs, 4 brown stink bugs (drop). Blacklight trap Painter = 15 corn earworm moths (drop), 31 green stink bugs (still active), 5 brown stink bugs (low).
******************************************Corn earworm Pheromone Traps (weekly
catch): Keller = 0; Tasley = 2 (drop); Modesttown = 27 (moderate); New Church = 1; Horntown = 16 (moderate); Eastville = 19 (big drop); Machipongo =
24 (drop); Painter = 22 (drop); Guilford = 2(low). Beet armyworm Pheromone traps (weekly catch): Modestown = 3; New Church = 2; Horntown = 2; Machipongo =
162 (remaining high); Painter = 14 (drop). Fall armyworm pheromone traps (weekly
catch): Painter: 23 (rise); Newman – Eastville: 3; Hortntown: 0 (low everywhere) ****************************************************************************************Summary,
corn earworm moth activity appears to be finally dropping off on the Eastern Shore. The moths are on the decline in Northampton County and lower Accomack. However, larval activity in tomatoes, cotton, soybeans, green beans, and lima beans is probably quite active if insecticide sprays were not applied over the past couple weeks – during the heavy flights. Beet armyworm remains quite active in the Machipongo location, but still, very few moths appear to be found outside that area on the Shore.
Stink bug catch appears to have dropped off.
Sybean loopers were detected in soybeans in Northampton County. These caterpillars can cause a lot of late-season defoliation, and are sometimes difficult to kill. Some years, there is pyrethroid resistance problems with that insect pest species.
In addition, soybean aphids can still be found on some soybeans on the Eastern Shore, particularly in Accomack County. These insects should probably not be the driving force behind spraying your soybeans. Targeting corn earworms after egg hatch and before pods harden is critical to maximizing yield loss from insects.