This is Jack Bacheler, Extension Entomologist at North Carolina State University with what will be the Wednesday cotton insect update. Today’s Thursday, April 26. Throughout the growing season we will try to keep you up to date on the “insect conditions” in North Carolina and how to manage situations as they arise. Because many cotton folks also grow soybeans, we’ll also provide updates from time to time about the status of soybeans insects, especially kudzu bugs. Most soybean producers will be dealing with kudzu bugs throughout NC for the first time in 2012.
Cotton producers up our way are probably glad that they put off planting until after this recent very cold spell. With generally good moisture conditions throughout most of the state, a series of warmer daytime and night temperatures would be welcome and get serious planting underway. Fortunately, we’ll still have the prime planting window of the first three weeks in May ahead of us.
With serious cotton planting still about a week away for most cotton producers, cotton insects such as thrips will be not on anyone’s radar for another 2 or more weeks. Along the same lines, kudzu bugs will need to undergo an entire generation on kudzu before moving into soybeans. Based on Georgia and South Carolina data, we don’t expect these major bug flights into soybean until late July, so at least we have some breathing room with this pest.
Because we don’t expect anything exciting on the cotton insect front for at least the next few weeks, these tapes will be on the short side until then. Between now and then, remember that by Googling our Cotton Insect Corner web site, you can access various kinds of cotton insect information, including images of pests and their damage, insecticide performance comparisons, insect scouting and management guidelines, all of our project’s applied research and other tips and advice for managing whatever unfolds in 2012.
Well see you next Wednesday on May 2.