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From: Jack S. Bacheler, Extension Entomologist
The major bollworm moth flight is now underway in our southernmost counties, with the ever-dependable Robeson County light trap near Rowland being the first one to “jump.” The single night trap captures over the past three days were 102, 162 and 211 moths. That makes 211 catch equivalent to our more standard two-night count of 400+ moths. Because the trap captures are still headed upward, the magnitude of this year’s flight in that area will probably not be know before next week. As of the morning of July 21, the moth counts from the three light traps in nearby Scotland County also had jumped significantly, though not as dramatically. So far, this flight is “right on time” to perhaps a couple of days “late” compared to our long term average, but could turn out to be large. Light trap counts in the next tier of counties, such as Craven, Onslow, Duplin, and Sampson were ranged from 0 to 50 per two nights. Expect the flight to spread over about the southern third to half of the state in the coming week.
To keep up with this year’s bollworn moth flight in North Carolina, refer to the Cotton Insect Corner website at: http://ipm.ncsu.edu/cotton/insectcorner/blacklight/index.html.
If history is a guide, we often begin observing threshold levels of bollworms in some of the Bollgard cotton approximately 10 days or so after the flights begin in earnest in a given area in the case of moderate to heavy flights. With some our cotton already being treated for plant bugs and stink bugs, threshold levels of bollworms may occur earlier in cotton fields treated with materials such as Bidrin or Orthene. This chemical disruption of beneficial insects will be somewhat less helpful to bollworms “trying to become established ” in Widestrike cotton, and far less noticeable with Bollgard II cotton.
In cotton fields in which stink bug and plant bug damage to quarter-sized bolls can now be evaluated, the squashing of at least 25 quarter-sized bolls (15/16 inch diameter) per cotton field is recommended. We have already heard of a few cotton fields with internal boll damage in the 40 to 50 percent range. However, bug damage to bolls in the cotton fields that I visited this past week in Edgecombe, Wilson, Halifax, Northampton and Wayne counties was generally in the 2 to 12 percent range. Remember that stink bug and plant bug damage to quarter-sized bolls may be subtle, as the point of sampling bolls of this small size is to increase the odds of finding recent damage and the associated live bugs.
Look for both internal boll wall warts and for stained lint and count either as a damaged boll. Do not count outer spotting or internal “pin prick”-like dark spots. Pay particular attention to boll damage during the third through sixth week of bloom, as that appears to be the time of greatest yield loss to stink bugs. Use a 10 percent internal damage boll threshold at this time. If approximately 40 percent or more of the stink bugs observed are brown stink bugs, plan on using Bidrin insecticide either alone or as a pyrethroid tank mix in the presence of threshold levels of bollworms or an ongoing bollworm moth flight. Be aware that Bidrin, Orthene or Vydate sprayed for stink bugs or plant bugs may increase the odds of having to treat for bollworms.
As is the case with stink bugs, most damage to cotton from plant bugs from here on will be damage to small bolls. Although a 15 percent dirty bloom spray threshold for plant bugs is probably not as accurate as careful drop cloth sampling or sweeping, these bloom counts are quick and will usually put you in the “ballpark” for the possible need to spray. If square retention remains high into the third or forth week of blooming, plant bugs are probably not an economic issue. (In last year’s stink bug trials, square retention stayed in the low to mid 90 percent range into the fifth week of blooming at most test sites). However, if square retention is less that 80 percent or lower, plant bugs may or may not be the culprit. So far this year, plant bugs are making up a greater portion of the stink bug/plant bug complex than in 2004 or 2005. As the bloom period progresses, stink bugs should account for a greater proportion of the bug damage to bolls.
For the most part, beneficial insects have been more than holding their own with most of our moderate to low levels of cotton aphids, with Asian and convergent lady bird beetles and their larvae contributing most to holding down aphids levels. In the past few years, lady bird beetles and green lacewings and their larvae tend to have been outrun by rapidly increasing cotton aphid colonies. This past week, aphid mummies have also become more prevalent, and the fungus has begun making spotty appearances. Remember that cotton aphids are present in virtually every cotton field, and insecticide treatments for plant bugs, stink bugs or bollworms with organophosphate or pyrethroid insecticides may increase cotton aphids levels unless the aphid fungus is present.
Spider mites still seem to be hanging around at mostly low levels in a number of cotton fields across the state. In general, spider mite levels appear to have dropped off somewhat this past week.
By next week, the timing and size of this year’s bollworm moth flight will be much more clearly defined. Also, many more cotton fields will have been checked for bug damage to quarter-sized bolls.
From: Stephen B. Bambara, Extension Entomologist
Light trap collections from last week turned up the first fall armyworm moth in Robeson County this season. Watch the light trap data to see when moths arrive with regularity. Some county Extension agents have noted that Tracer (spinosad) is now labeled in pastures for the control of fall armyworms. This provides an additional choice of insecticides, with Sevin or Lannate. Scouting is important. Spinosad insecticides probably work best when the larvae are smaller in size. For the supplemental label, see: http://www.cdms.net/ldat/ld0F5011.pdf.
From: Stephen B. Bambara, Extension Entomologist
The "back porch" can provide information and enjoyment if you leave the light on at night. Few back porch bugs are pests, but most are interesting such as the jumping spider (Phidippus sp), aquatic pyrallid moth (Chrysendeton sp. prob. Medicinalis), and rosy maple moth a.k.a. greenstriped mapleworm (Dryocampa rubicunda). Identifications of the jumping spider and aquatic pyrallid moth were made by David Stephan, Extension Specialist, North Carolina State University.
From: Michael G. Waldvogel, Extension Entomologist
First come the cicadas, then the cicada killers, and then the velvet ants. County Extension agents may soon receive a telephone call about a large red and black ant observed in the planting bed. What people are seeing are velvet ants, also known as cow killers. Whether these insects actually have “bovicidal” tendencies is strictly a matter of folklore. Velvet ants are not actually ants, but wingless wasps in the family Mutilidae. The body of the velvet ant is covered with coppery-red and black hairs that give it a velvety appearance. Male velvet ants have wings, but the wingless females are the ones most often spotted by people in their yards. Most species of velvet ants are parasites of other bees and wasps, including formidable creatures like cicada killers. The female velvet ant is often seen scurrying over open, sandy stretches of soil that are the preferred nesting sites for many ground-dwelling bees and wasps. She lays her eggs on or near developing bees (not on the adults) and her hatching offspring proceed to feed on the helpless host insects.
Female velvet ants make a squeaking sound if they are picked up. This is closely followed by screaming of the unfortunate person who picked her up and was stung in the process. Most inquiring minds ask about the severity of the stings. We would say that they are about on par with any bee/wasp sting. Naturally, people who are hypersensitive to bee/wasp stings may have a more severe reaction than most of us and should avoid close encounters with this critter. Treatment for a velvet ant sting is the same as for any typical bee/wasp sting.
Velvet ants are not social insects. We're not referring to their nasty dispositions, but to the fact that they are solitary wasps, like cicada killers and mud daubers. They do not live in a colony. So, even if you see several velvet ants, they are all individual females who are roaming about in search of prey. For this reason, dousing the yard with pesticides is not going to be effective because there is no nest for you to target. Eliminating yellowjacket and other wasp nests may help to reduce velvet ant activity to some extent by removing their food source. However, the best short-term method of control is quite easy: simply step on the velvet ant with your foot (wearing a shoe, of course). You could also leave it alone and let nature take it's course.
From: Thomas G. Pegram, Agricultural Extension Agent, Union County
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Number of Adult Insects
***************************************************************
Anson S Anson N Union S Union N Stanly
*********** *********** *********** *********** ***********
Date CBW GR BR CBW GR BR CBW GR BR CBW GR BR CBW GR BR
**************************************************************************
July 17 12 78 20 10 0 0 18 17 0 38 4 0 8 0 0
July 19 - - - 15 0 0 19 12 0 30 2 0 14 0 0
July 21 18 11 2 28 0 0 81 17 0 40 4 1 15 1 0
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CBW = cotton bollworm moths; GR = green stink bugs; BR = brown stink bugs
Trap Locations and Cooperators:
Anson N: Ansonville area (Fincher Martin)
Anson S: Deep Creek area (Richard Melton)
Union N: New Salem area (Tom Pegram)
Union S: White Store area (Greg Hargett)
Stanly: Richfield area (Shannon Braswell)
From: Richard W. Rhodes, County Extension Director, Bertie County
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Windsor Woodard Hexlena Roxobel Colerain
********** ********** ********** ********** **********
Date BW GSB BSB BW GSB BSB BW GSB BSB BW GSB BSB BW GSB BSB
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July 10 0 0 0 - - - - - - 1 0 0 - - -
July 11 0 2 0 - - - 0 0 0 - - - - - -
July 12 0 3 0 2 0 0 - - - - - - - - -
July 13 0 3 0 - - - 0 17 0 3 3 0 5 1 0
July 14 0 5 0 2 10 0 0 9 0 - - - - - -
July 15 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
July 16 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
July 17 - - - 7 12 0 0 11 0 2 14 0 - - -
July 18 1 9 0 - - - 0 3 0 1 2 0 - - -
July 19 1 6 0 11 7 0 0 2 0 0 3 0 2 7 0
July 20 0 7 0 8 5 0 0 8 0 0 22 0 2 1 0
***************************************************************************
BW = Bollworm moths; GSB = Green stink bugs; BSB = Brown stink bugs
From: Mike Williams, County Extension Director, Chowan County
*****************************************
Adult Insects
**************************
Date CEW GSB BSB ECB
*****************************************
July 18 0 6 0 0
July 19 0 4 0 3
July 20 0 2 0 5
*****************************************
CEW = Corn earworms (bollworms); GSB = Green stink bugs;
BSB = Brown stink bugs; ECB = European corn borers
From: Mike Carroll, Agricultural Extension Agent, Craven County
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Number of Adult Insects
*************************************************************
Date THW TBW CEW GSB BSB ECB FAW BAW Looper
*************************************************************************
July 10 3 1 9 3 1 0 0 0 0
July 12 1 0 5 3 0 0 0 0 0
July 17 4 0 31 16 0 0 0 0 0
July 19 2 0 16 2 0 2 0 0 0
July 21 7 1 23 2 3 0 0 0 0
*************************************************************************
THW = tobacco hornworms; TBW = tobacco budworms; CEW = corn earworms;
GSB = green stink bugs; BSB = brown stink bugs; ECB = European corn
borers; FAW = fall armyworms; BAW = beet armyworms
Location of trap: Cove City
From: Colby S. Lambert, Agricultural Extension Agent, Cumberland County
*****************************************
Number of Adult Insects
*******************************
Date THW CEW GSB BSB
*****************************************
June 30 trap set up
July 3 2 9 22 6
July 5 0 2 15 4
July 7 0 6 3 1
July 10 0 2 7 1
July 12 - - - -
July 14 1 0 31 2
*****************************************
THW = tobacco hornworms; CEW = corn earworms;
GSB = green stinks bugs; BSB = brown stink bugs
From: Curtis D. Fountain, Agricultural Extension Agent, Duplin County
***********************************
Number of Adult Insects
************************
Date BW GSB BSB
***********************************
July 7 3 2 1
July 10 1 2 2
July 12 1 5 1
July 14 0 8 2
July 17 0 21 2
July 19 0 17 3
July 21 0 6 0
***********************************
BW = cotton bollworms; GSB = green
stink bugs; BSB = brown stink bugs
Trap location: Albertson
Cooperator: Justin Murphy
From: Arthur R. Bradley, Jr., Agricultural Extension Agent, Edgecombe County
***********************************************************
Number of Adult Insects
*********************************************
W Edgecombe /a Coakley /b Lawrence /c
************** ************* ************
Date CEW BS GS CEW BS GS CEW BS GS
***********************************************************
July 7 0 0 3 7 0 48 - - -
July 10 0 0 0 14 7 1 - - -
July 12 0 0 12 3 0 34 - - -
July 14 0 0 13 4 0 61 - - -
July 17 0 0 3 9 0 27 0 0 1
July 19 0 0 2 7 0 24 0 0 0
July 21 0 0 4 6 0 12 - - -
***********************************************************
Abbreviations: CEW = corn earworms;
BS = brown stink bugs; GS = green stinks bugs
a = trap located 12 miles west of Tarboro; maintained by Tom Porter.
b = trap located 5 miles east of Tarboro; maintained by Bryan Mayo.
c = trap located at Lawrence; maintained by Terri Thomas.
From: Keith B. Walters, Agricultural Extension Agent, Hoke County
***************************************
Boyles Farm
***************************
Date Moths GSB BSB
***************************************
June 28 28 4 0
June 30 72 26 0
July 3 - - -
July 5 13 7 0
July 7 41 9 13
July 10 32 7 0
July 12 16 5 1
July 14 17 33 4
July 17 12 22 3
July 19 27 27 2
July 21 39 14 3
***************************************
GSB = green stink bugs; BSB = brown stink bugs
Location of trap is Shannon Road, Shannon.
Trap monitored by Johnny Boyles.
From: Alan A. Harper, Lenoir County
June
******************************************************************
Number of Adult Insects
****************************************************
Date HW CEW ECB AW AWC GSB BSB TBW
******************************************************************
June 7 Light trap erected
June 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
June 9 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
June 10 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
June 11 0 0 0 0 1 6 1 0
June 12 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 0
June 13 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0
June 14 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
June 15 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
June 16 0 0 2 2 0 3 2 0
June 17 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
June 18 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0
June 19 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0
June 20 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0
June 21 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 1
June 22 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0
June 23 1 0 1 0 0 5 7 1
June 24 0 3 2 0 0 1 1 0
June 25 0 4 1 0 0 2 2 0
June 26 0 5 0 0 1 1 1 1
June 27 1 2 0 0 0 10 0 0
June 28 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 1
June 29 1 1 0 1 0 5 0 3
June 30 0 6 2 0 0 3 1 0
******************************************************************
Abbreviations: HW = hornworms; CEW = corn earworms; ECB = European
corn borers; AW = true armyworms; AWC = armyworm complex; GSB =
green stink bugs; BSB = brown stink bugs; TBW = tobacco budworms
From: J. B. Coltrain, County Extension Director, Martin County
********************************************************
Farm Life Robersonville Palmyra
*******************************************
Date BW GSB BSB BW GSB BSB BW GSB BSB
********************************************************
July 17 8 1 0 3 8 0 1 8 0
July 19 5 0 0 6 10 0 0 0 0
July 21 6 2 0 3 5 0 - - -
********************************************************
BW = Bollworm moths; GSB = Green stink bugs; BSB = Brown stink bugs
From: Bryant M. Spivey, Agricultural Extension Agent, Onslow County
*******************************************
Number of Adult Insects
*******************************
Date Bollworms GSB BSB
*******************************************
July 3 15 7 0
July 5 43 17 0
July 7 21 2 0
July 10 18 0 1
July 12 16 4 3
July 14 22 20 0
July 17 93 7 0
July 19 32 7 2
July 21 50 6 0
*******************************************
GSB = green stinks bugs; BSB = brown stink bugs
Insect counts are from a single black light trap
located approximately 1 mile east of Richlands.
From: Everett Davis, County Extension Director, Robeson County
****************************************
Number of Adult Insects
**************************
Date BW GSB BSB FAW
****************************************
July 8-9 7 8 1 4
July 10 4 9 0 0
July 11-12 7 12 1 0
July 13 5 5 0 1
July 14 27 12 1 3
July 15-16 62 21 2 2
July 17 63 19 2 1
July 18 102 25 1 6
July 19 162 21 1 4
July 20 211 27 2 6
****************************************
BW = bollworms; GSB = green stick bugs;
BSB = brown stink bugs; FAW = fall armyworms
Location is Rowland; monitored by Kay McGirt
From: Josh Gaddy, Agricultural Extension Agent, Sampson County
******************************************
Number of Adult Insects
***************************
Date BW GSB BSB THW
******************************************
June 30 trap set up
July 3 0 4 0 2
July 5 3 9 0 0
July 7 2 6 0 2
July 10 4 8 0 0
July 12 1 11 1 2
July 14 1 5 0 0
July 17 0 23 2 4
July 19 1 15 5 9
July 21 11 12 0 18
******************************************
BW = cotton bollworms; GSB = green stink bugs;
BSB = brown stink bugs; THW = tobacco hornworms
Black trap located 6 miles south of Clinton on
US-701S on the farm of Mike and James Hope.
From: David E. Morrison, Agricultural Extension Agent, Scotland County
***********************************************************************
Number of Adult Insects
*************************************************************
Gibson John’s Laurinburg
****************** ***************** *****************
Date BW GSB BSB FAW BW GSB BSB FAW BW GSB BSB FAW
***********************************************************************
July 7 - - - - 1 1 2 - 2 4 - -
July 10 11 3 - - 9 - - - 6 7 1 -
July 12 12 17 - - 9* 2* - - 3 3 1 -
July 14 16 38 - - 21 5 - - 3 10 - -
July 17 16 26 1 - 54 23 1 - 24 14 3 -
July 19 24 17 - - 70 7 - - 18 10 2 -
July 21 94 5 - - 138 7 - - 75 5 - -
***********************************************************************
BW = bollworms; GSB = green stink bugs;
BSB = brown stink bugs; FAW = fall armyworms
Trap Location: Gibson, Johns and Laurinburg
Monitored by: Jim Ellis, David Morrison,
Percy Rachels, Rusty Muse and T. G. Gibson
* light unplugged
From: Kevin Johnson, Agricultural Extension Agent, Wayne County
**********************************************************
Number of Adult Insects
***********************************************
Seven Springs Goldsboro
********************* *********************
Date GSB BSB BW THW GSB BSB BW THW
**********************************************************
June 26 - - - - 43 3 10 6
June 28 - - - - 81 4 - -
June 29 - - - - 131 11 4 1
July 3 - - - - 91 9 5 2
July 5 - - - - 63 10 - -
July 7 - - - - 47 4 2 2
July 10 - - - - 15 0 5 3
July 12 2 1 - - 17 3 3 1
July 14 2 - 8 - 29 4 - -
July 17 15 2 20 - 111 11 2 5
July 19 - - - - 37 4 13 3
**********************************************************
GSB = green stink bugs; BSB = brown stink bugs;
BW = budworms; THW = hornworms
Cooperators: D. M. Price (Seven Springs); Willie Howell (Goldsboro)
From: Norman E. Harrell, Agricultural Extension Agent, Wilson County
*********************************************************************
Number of Adult Insects
*******************************************************
Lucama Pender's Xrds Sims Fountain
*******************************************************
Date CEW BS GS CEW BS GS CEW BS GS CEW BS GS
*********************************************************************
July 14 5 1 16 - - - - - - - - -
July 17 13 2 2 - - - - - - 9 0 23
July 19 6 0 2 5 0 0 2 0 1 8 0 18
July 21 6 6 0 7 0 1 3 0 2 2 0 3
*********************************************************************
Locations: Lucama, Pender's Crossroads, Sims and Fountain
Monitored by: Chris Bass, Adam Gardner, Thad Sharpe, IV and Barbara Smith
Employment and program opportunities are offered to all people regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.
Last modified on July 26, 2006 by Stephen J. Toth, Jr.