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From: Jack S. Bacheler, Extension Entomologist
Some cotton fields adjacent to significant corn acreage in the far eastern counties have experienced very large numbers of migrating adult plant bugs in the past few days, apparently mostly from rapidly drying corn. In a few cases, numbers were as high as 50 plant bugs per 100 sweeps, or approximately 6 times the threshold of 8 bugs per 100 feet used in some states. In these fields, the square retention levels had been high a few days ago and are now declining. In other parts of the state, levels have been far more moderate. However, plant bugs in general have been easier to find than in recent years so far in North Carolina. So taking plant bugs a bit more seriously this year may be wise.
This would be a good time to at least check fields for upper square retention and dirty blooms. Neither of these assessments provides a very reliable means of making treatment decisions, but both are easy and should help one decide if further monitoring is needed. For example, if upper square retention is in the 90 percent range, plant bugs are not likely a present problem. Ditto if dirty bloom levels are in the zero to 10 percent range. In the absence of plant bugs, it’s not unusual for cotton fields in North Carolina to retain 90 to 100 percent of upper squares through the initial 4 weeks or so of blooming. If dirty blooms are in the 15 to 20 percent range, or if square retention rates drop below about 80 percent, further plant bug assessments are indicated. Six to 8 sets of 25 sweeps per set can help define if plants bugs are at treatable levels. Sweeping in the early to mid morning hours is recommended, as plant bugs may be lower in the plants or have vacated the field by midday. Remember that plant bugs also damage small bolls. Small boll assessments for internal damage from both plant bugs and stink bugs are inseparable.
So far, spider mites have not exploded over significant areas of the state, though treatment of selected cotton fields is still underway. A few cotton fields have also been treated for cotton aphids this past week, but so far nothing out of the ordinary.
We should be less than a week away from the beginning of our major bollworm moth flight. So by no later than about July 15, light trap captures in the far southern part of the state should be increasing.
Upcoming quarter-sized boll assessments for internal damage from stink bugs should begin within about two weeks after the start of blooming. Presently, we have no monitoring that is more predictive of possible yield losses than the cutting or crushing open of quarter-sized bolls. As mentioned last week, pay particular attention to boll damage during weeks 3 to 6 of blooming. At this time of year, expect higher stink bug levels and damage in the earliest blooming fields. Although, cotton entomologists in the Southeast are still working on defining appropriate thresholds for stink bugs, data to date suggest that thresholds during the initial two weeks of blooming should be high -- perhaps in the 30 to 50 percent damaged boll range. Likewise, high thresholds may be appropriate later in the season when most bolls are no longer vulnerable to stink bug damage. However, for now I would suggest sticking with a 10 percent damaged boll threshold for weeks 3 though 6 of blooming.
Northampton County: Monday, July 16 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the County Administration Building, Jackson, NC. For details, contact Craig Ellison (telephone: 252-534-2711; e-mail: craig_ellison@ncsu.edu).
Halifax County: Monday, July 16 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the Agricultural Building, Halifax, NC. Contact Arthur Whitehead (telephone: 252-583-5161; e-mail: arthur_whitehead@ncsu.edu) for details. A review of soybean scouting procedures will also be covered.
Nash and Wilson counties: Tuesday, July 24 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Agricultural Center, Nashville, NC. For details, contact Charlie Tyson (telephone: 252-459-9810; e-mail: charlie_tyson@ncsu.edu).
From: Kelly L. Ivors, Extension Plant Pathologist
Blue mold was identified on July 11, 2007 in Yancey County, North Carolina. We all knew it was coming and the forecasts from the North American Plant Disease Forecast Center (http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/bluemold/) were predicting spore movement our way. Unfortunately it’s a little early to start protecting the burley crop, but if producers aren't growing the blue mold resistant varieties NC 2000 or NC 2002 and the tobacco is not ready to top, a preventative fungicide application is recommended at this time. Please consult the July 7, 2007 Blue Mold Disease Note for information on this disease and control recommendations.
From: Jim Dunphy, Extension Crop Science Specialist, and Steve Koenning, Plant Pathology Specialist
Soybean rust was detected on leaves collected from a soybean sentinel plot on a research station in Fairhope in Baldwin County, Alabama on June 25, 2007. Fairhope is located on the east side of Mobile Bay in southwest Alabama.
This is the first report of soybean rust on soybeans in Alabama in 2007. This is the third consecutive year the disease was first observed on soybeans in Baldwin County during the last week of June. Incidence ranged from 8 percent on a maturity group III variety at the R6 growth stage (full sized beans in the top of the plant) to 15 percent on a group IV variety at the R4 growth stage (full sized pods in the top of the plant). Disease severity on infected plants was very low.
This location is about 390 miles from any North Carolina soybeans.
From: Stephen B. Bambara, Extension Entomologist
Springtails (collembola) are among the smallest insects in the home landscape. They are flea-like and barely visible. Springtails possess a forked structure folded under the body that when flicked, allows it to catapult around quite well. Springtails may differ in size, shape and color. They are slightly smaller than a flea and do not bite. Springtails prefer moist environments and feed on decaying plant material, fungi, etc. and are most often seen in mulch. Sometimes they may annoy people if they occur by the millions in a yard and show up on the foundation, the driveway or in the swimming pool. If they are very prolific, they may be found indoors on floors. If found in houseplant pots, change the bark mulch and reduce the watering frequency.
Control is not very effective. If desired, they can be hosed off of hard outdoor surfaces with or without a little soap added. Infestations are short lived and rarely justify the expense of control. Determined homeowners may use one of the available lawn products containing a pyrethroid insecticide such as permethrin, bifenthrin or cypermethrin. Ornamental and Turf Insect Note No. 123 (http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/O&T/lawn/note123/note123.html) contains more information on springtails.
Pompilid wasps (image by B. Watson), also called spider wasps, are all, or mostly black in color. They prey on spiders to feed their young. The wasp stings the spider to paralyze it. It then drags the spider to its nest in the ground. Next, the wasp lays an egg on the spider. The egg hatches into a larva and the larva consumes the spider.
Scoliid wasps are dark-colored, relatively large, robust, slightly hairy insects with light yellow spots or other markings. The most common Scoliid wasp in North Carolina is Scolia dubia which may be spotted within the next few weeks. Scoliid wasps are considered beneficial insects because they help to control green June beetle grubs and grubs of other insects. They are present in North Carolina from June to October; however, they are most abundant during August. The wasps are often seen hovering a few inches above lawns in search of grubs. The female wasp digs through the soil in search of the grubs, and burrows her own tunnels or follows those made by the grubs. On locating a grub, she stings and paralyzes it. After laying her egg, the wasp larva later hatches and consumes the grub. Since these wasps rarely, if ever, sting humans, no control measures are suggested. For additional information on scoliid wasps, see Ornamentals and Turf Insect Note No. 12 (http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/O&T/lawn/note12/note12.html).
From: Thomas G. Pegram, Agricultural Extension Agent, Union County
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Number of Adult Insects
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Anson S Anson N Union S Union N Stanly
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Date CBW GR BR CBW GR BR CBW GR BR CBW GR BR CBW GR BR
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July 9 - - - 0 0 0 6 36 0 7 4 2 10 0 0
July 11 - - - 0 0 0 6 40 0 4 4 0 3 0 0
July 13 - - - 10 0 0 7 41 0 10 3 2 4 0 0
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CBW = cotton bollworm moths; GR = green stink bugs; BR = brown stink bugs
From: Mike Carroll, Agricultural Extension Agent, Craven County
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Number of Adult Insects
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Date THW TBW CEW GSB BSB ECB FAW BAW Looper
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July 6 3 1 11 1 1 - 2 - -
July 9 5 1 26 2 1 - 1 - -
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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
Cooperators: R&W McCoy Farms and Cove City Fertilizer
From: Colby S. Lambert, Agricultural Extension Agent, Cumberland County
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Number of Adult Insects
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Date THW CEW GSB BSB
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July 11 0 3 5 0
July 13 0 2 5 0
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THW = tobacco hornworms; CEW = corn earworms;
GSB = green stinks bugs; BSB = brown stink bugs
Trap located in Godwin at Cumberland/Harnett County Line
at Lewis Farms off of Highway 301
From: Curtis D. Fountain, Agricultural Extension Agent, Duplin County
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Number of Adult Insects
************************
Date BW GSB BSB
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July 2 0 1 0
July 4 0 0 0
July 6 0 4 4
July 9 4 8 0
July 11 1 11 0
July 13 4 7 2
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BW = cotton bollworms; GSB = green
stink bugs; BSB = brown stink bugs
Trap location: approximately two miles east of Albertson
Cooperator: Justin Murphy
From: Arthur R. Bradley, Jr., Agricultural Extension Agent, Edgecombe County
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Number of Adult Insects
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W Edgecombe /a Coakley /b Lawrence /c
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Date CEW BS GS CEW BS GS CEW BS GS
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July 10 - - 3 14 0 46 - - -
July 11 - - 6 4 0 28 - - -
July 13 - - - 8 0 44 - - -
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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 Glenn O’Neal.
c = trap located at Lawrence; maintained by Terri Thomas.
From: Alan A. Harper, Lenoir County
June
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Number of Adult Insects
****************************************************
Date HW CEW ECB AW AWC GSB BSB TBW
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June 15 0 5 0 5 2 0 0 0
June 16 0 7 0 1 3 0 0 0
June 17 0 0 0 2 2 2 0 1
June 18 0 1 1 1 4 0 0 0
June 19 0 3 0 0 2 2 4 0
June 20 0 5 1 0 3 0 2 0
June 21 ---------------no electric power-------------------
June 22 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0
June 23 1 10 1 3 14 1 0 1
June 24 0 3 0 1 4 0 0 0
June 25 0 1 1 1 2 1 0 0
June 26 0 0 5 0 6 3 0 0
June 27 0 3 4 1 2 2 0 0
June 28 0 4 1 0 3 1 0 0
June 29 0 4 0 1 2 0 0 0
June 30 0 4 2 1 5 0 0 0
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July
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Number of Adult Insects
****************************************************
Date HW CEW ECB AW AWC GSB BSB TBW
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July 1 ---------------no electric power-------------------
July 2 0 3 0 0 3 2 0 0
July 3 0 6 2 0 6 1 0 0
July 4 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 0
July 5 0 2 1 0 5 4 0 0
July 6 0 3 1 0 2 1 0 0
July 7 0 3 1 1 3 4 0 0
July 8 ---------------no electric power-------------------
July 9 0 2 2 0 5 3 0 0
July 10 0 2 0 0 0 7 0 0
July 11 0 1 0 0 3 3 0 0
July 12 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
July 13 0 2 2 0 5 9 0 0
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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: Tray Bridgers, Agricultural Extension Agent, Onslow County
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Number of Adult Insects
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Date Bollworms GSB BSB Hornworms
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July 4 6 3 0 0
July 6 20 7 0 0
July 9 25 19 3 0
July 11 21 10 0 0
July 13 33 10 13 1
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GSB = green stinks bugs; BSB = brown stink bugs
Trap location: Richlands; Cooperator: Richland Farms
Insect counts are from a single black light trap
located approximately 1 mile east of Richlands.
From: Josh Gaddy, Agricultural Extension Agent, Sampson County
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Number of Adult Insects
***************************
Date BW GSB BSB THW
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July 2 ------ trap set up -------
July 5 3 0 1 1
July 6 3 0 0 0
July 9 3 7 0 4
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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
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Number of Adult Insects
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Gibson John’s Laurinburg
****************** ***************** *****************
Date BW GSB BSB FAW BW GSB BSB FAW BW GSB BSB FAW
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July 11 13 14 0 0 22 33 1 0 12 10 1 0
July 13 8 10 0 0 17 25 6 0 3 7 0 0
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BW = bollworm moth; GSB = green stink bugs;
BSB = brown stink bugs; FAW = fall armyworms
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 16, 2007 by Stephen J. Toth, Jr.