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This is Jack Bacheler at NCSU with the Wednesday Cotton Insect Update. This is a wet Wednesday, June 17.

This will be short tape because most cotton producers are just trying to dry out after the significant rainfall over the past few days and insects for the most part are giving us a bit of a break.

Because much of our cotton is beyond the thrips susceptible stage, because the big third generation of thrips that impact cotton is essentially over and because heavy rain washes thrips from cotton plants, May of 2010 should be the next time we’ll be contending with thrips.

With generally good to excessive moisture conditions over most of the state, spider mites will likely be less of a problem that if we had been going through an extended period of dry weather. On the other side of the coin, lusher cotton crops are more likely to have cotton aphids and plant bugs become established.

Because squaring is now underway on approximately 1/3 of our cotton crop, taking square retention counts is advised. Because we’ve treated an average of approximately 6% of our cotton acreage for plant bugs during the past 5 years, we can use an 80% or greater square retention level as an indication that plant bugs are not an economic problem at that time. However, in those situations where plant bugs do become a problem, their numbers can change quickly, so weekly square retention counts are advised. If square retention drops to less that 80% up until the second week of bloom, more intensive assessments for live plant bugs and their nymphs are needed. These procedures can be found in the Cotton Information booklet or on our Cotton Insect Corner website. Just click on the North Carolina Insect Scouting Guide.

Because our project’s fieldwork only takes us to a site or two per day, any help in advising us about insect problems in your area are appreciated.

We’ll provide the next insect report next Wednesday on June 24. See you then.