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This is Jack Bacheler, Extension Entomologist at North Carolina State University with the cotton and soybean update. Today is Wednesday June 6.

Our rainfall and cool weather has persisted this past week, probably continuing to suppress thrips levels. The downside, of course, is that our recent cool weather has also made late planted cotton more vulnerable to thrips damage due to slow seedling growth. We still have some late-planted cotton in the thrips susceptible 2-3 true leaf stage in scattered locations throughout the state. However a high percentage of our cotton planted during the first week in May is now in the 5 to 7 true leaf stage with initial squaring probably beginning this coming week. Much of our cotton is on the ugly side, having suffered through less than ideal planting and grow-off conditions along with thrips damage. With highs expected in the 90-degree range beginning this weekend along with good moisture levels in most areas of the state, our cotton crop will hopefully look much better across the board by this time next week.

We’ll keep today’s tape on the short side as most producers are now in the lull between the end of the thrips season and prior to the time when plant bugs could show up as a square retention issue. We have an exceptionally large amount of field border weed, ditch bank, CRP land and other plant bug host growth that could result in significant plant bug levels, at least by our standards, if we get the hot dry weather conducive for rapid drying down of this vegetation. Additionally, although usually not widespread consistent pests in NC, cotton aphids and spider mites can be a real pain on some farms. Finally, every year brings its share of insect surprises. This year will be no different.

A few more soybean fields have been treated during the past week for kudzu bugs, generally with bugs in the 3-5/plant level with tiny immatures beginning to show up at low levels so far. As later soybean planting gets underway in the coming weeks, it will be interesting to see if kudzu bugs have now peaked and thus will leave later planted soybeans alone until the expected late season flights, or if the current establishment of kudzu bugs on soybeans will continue.

We’ll try to keep you abreast of insect outbreaks and conditions favorable for outbreaks on cotton and soybeans in the coming months. See you next week on June 1