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From: Jack Bacheler, Extension Entomologist
As we approach mid-August, both bollworm moths and stink bugs tend to concentrate in late-maturing, still lush cotton fields, while “cut-out” fields are essentially ignored. This situation points to taking the maturity of cotton fields into consideration when dealing with these two pests.
In the case of bollworms, stay focused on the 3 percent larval threshold for squares, blooms, bloom tags and bolls on all Bt and non-Bt technologies. For most producers, the odds of reaching this threshold should decline significantly during the next week or two. Remember, however, that if bollworms become established on immature fruit, a bollworm hike down the plant to larger bolls is likely – and can be costly. This would be a good time of year to prioritize the order of scouting cotton fields, putting your major emphasis on later maturing cotton fields. Many cotton fields are no longer attractive or susceptible to insects.
A number of cotton fields are now approaching the sixth week of bloom, a developmental period for cotton when the internal boll damage threshold for stink bugs can now probably be safely be raised from 10 to 30 percent. This raising of the stink bug threshold can also be confirmed by “sizing” first position bolls passing them through a flat piece of wood, Plexiglas with a 1.25-inch hole. Bolls that do not fit through the hole are normally safe from stink bug damage. In cotton fields that have matured normally, don’t be surprised to find that most first position bolls are now safe. Yesterday, the untreated check plots in our Wayne County stink bug threshold test were in the 20 percent damage range, as opposed to the mid-30 percent range during the prior two weeks. The plots that were treated last week showed almost no damage.
I have had several reports of beet and fall armyworms this past week, though not at economically important levels.
In summary, with bollworms and stink bugs, try to take advantage of the crop’s cutting out and becoming less attractive to avoid unneeded sprays, but also be wary of threshold levels of these pests in fields that have either received adequate moisture or are late-maturing.
A good many cotton producers grow both soybeans and cotton. With the relatively high value of soybeans this year, some growers have been tempted put out a preventative late season fungicide plus pyrethroid insecticide combination spray, with no indication or reasonable expectation of disease presence or threshold levels of podworms. This practice typically benefits the chemical folks more than producers. A miss-timed, early pyrethroid spray for podworms can actually make podworm establishment and subsequent pod damage worse, while a late calendar spray is worthless. Add to this the increasing tolerance or resistance of podworms to pyrethroids, the cost of the application, and the low probability of a return on investment, and you have a very questionable practice.
From: Steve Koenning, Extension Field Crops Pathologist, and Keith Edmisten, Cotton Specialist, Department of Crop Science
Cotton leaf spots are common in North Carolina at this time. In many cases this is the result of hot temperatures and moisture stress. Even though potassium levels may be adequate in the soil, low soil moisture levels may limit the availability of this and other nutrients. Potassium is important in the disease resistance mechanisms of many plants, and deficiencies of this nutrient can enhance susceptibility to some fungi that are rarely a problem in this crop. The fungi Stemphylium and Alternaria typically cause leaf spots on cotton at “cut-out”, and this appears to be what is happening in most cases. Tissue that is senesecing early becomes more susceptible to these organisms. Another pathogen is Cercospora gossypina which typically has a red margin around the leaf spot. Yield loss, if any, due to these fungi are generally low, and data from fungicide trials on cotton are limited at this time. Currently the fungicides Headline and Topsin M are labeled for application on cotton. Either fungicide should be efficacious for these diseases, but we cannot provide an informed opinion as to whether fungicide sprays will improve cotton yield.
The major causes of leaf spots on cotton are: 1) potassium deficiency (a result of dry hot conditions); 2) early cut-out; 3) spray damage (especially if leaf spot is more evident in the upper leaves); and 4) fungal leaf spots (i.e., Cercospora, Alternaria, or Stemphylium).
From: Steve Bambara, Extension Entomologist
Diane Turner, Horticulture Extension Agent, Haywood County, brought our attention to a YouTube video of beech blight aphids doing their thing. You can see the video on her blog at http://masteryourgarden.blogspot.com/2007/09/beech-blight-aphid-boogie.html. There is no music attached, but I highly recommend starting up "Thriller" when you hit the "play" button. Go to http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/2226783/a/Thriller.htm to hear audio sample. "Beat It" also works well. Thanks, Diane.
Peachtree borer season is upon us now. We have already had one sample in the Plant Disease and Insect Clinic at North Carolina State University. These insects are common on peach and related Prunus trees, especially some laurel varieties in the landscape. The adults are day flying moths that resemble wasps. The wood boring larvae do all the damage (image by H.C. Ellis; http://www.bugwood.org). Symptoms are frass and possible gum exudate (image from NC State University) around the base of the tree or shrub. There are several out-of-date treatment suggestions floating around. The most reliable treatment is preventive bark sprays on the lower trunk and crown region. There is no practical treatment for insects already boring in the wood. Though some adult moths (image by James R. Baker) are present most of the summer, the first of September is the peak moth flight period in eastern North Carolina in a typical year. For additional information on the peachtree borer, see Ornamental and Turf Insect Note No. 141 on the web at http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/O&T/trees/note141/note141.html. For a list of homeowner borer protective sprays, refer back to the June issue of the North Carolina Pest News at http://ipm.ncsu.edu/current_ipm/08PestNews/08News11/pestnews.html#title4.
Conserve, which contains the active ingredient spinosad, has been the solid choice for western flower thrips control in greenhouse for the last few years. Fears of future resistance seem to be realized now in Florida. For everyone, but especially for Conserve users, it is more important than ever to rotate chemicals.
Dow AgroSciences announced this week that it is voluntarily suspending the sale and use of multiple spinosyn insecticides in Broward County (Florida) and a portion of Palm Beach County. This is due to evidence that western flower thrips have developed resistance to a product with the active ingredient spinosad. Links to the Dow announcement, a supplemental Conserve label, and fact sheets on the western flower thrips are available on the University of Florida IFAS Pest Alert site at http://pestalert.ifas.ufl.edu/dow-conserve.htm.
It is about the time that twolined spittlebug begins to move to holly (Ilex). I don't know the effects of last year's or this year's drought on spittlebugs in turf, but as grass dries, they will move to other plants such as holly. If this has ever been a problem on your holly, check them now. Undersides of leaves will appear splotchy.
Twolined spittlebugs (image by James R. Baker) are small (1/4 inch in size), dark insects that resemble leafhoppers. As the nymphs feed, they excrete the spittle which protects them from predators and dehydration. (By the way, the spittle isn't produced from the mouth end.) Because spittlebugs feed on turfgrass near the soil, their numbers may be high without being detected. Only after the adults emerge is the seriousness of an infestation realized. They have two orange lines across the wings. As these small insects fly, the dark red abdomen shows conspicuously. In late summer and early fall, the adult twolined spittlebugs fly to hollies (and other plants) to feed. They cause hollies to become splotchy and yellow (image by Steve Bambara) and the leaves drop prematurely. Female twolined spittlebugs lay their eggs in turfgrass. The eggs are inserted into the plant stem or between the stem and leaf sheath. When the nymphs hatch from their eggs, they begin to feed. Spittlebugs suck sap from the plants with their needle-like mouthparts.
Ornamental and Turf Insect Information Note No. 97 explains the biology of twolined spittlebugs and provides recommendations for chemical control. This note is available on the web at http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/O&T/lawn/note97/note97.html.
From: Richard W. Rhodes, County Extension Director, Bertie County
***************************************************************************
Windsor Woodard Hexlena Roxobel Colerain
********** ********** ********** ********** **********
Date Moths GSB Moths GSB Moths GSB Moths GSB Moths GSB
***************************************************************************
July 16 0 0 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
July 17 0 0 7 0 0 0 10 0 0 0
July 18 0 0 4 0 0 0 7 0 0 0
July 19 0 0 7 0 0 0 - - 0 0
July 20 0 0 4 0 0 0 - - 0 0
July 21 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 7 0 0
July 22 0 2 6 0 0 0 2 0 0 0
July 23 2 1 4 0 0 0 - - 32 2
July 24 0 3 8 0 0 2 5 2 57 2
July 25 2 1 13 0 0 0 2 0 62 1
July 26 6 3 15 0 - - - - - -
July 27 12 3 18 0 - - - - - -
July 28 7 1 17 0 3 3 7 1 160 4
July 29 12 0 49 0 5 0 31 1 370 5
July 30 39 6 30 0 - - 8 1 - -
July 31 46 4 18 0 15 0 8 0 92 0
August 1 - - 1 0 17 0 28 1 192 1
August 2 79 6 0 0 - - 14 0 - -
August 3 - - 18 0 - - - - - -
August 4 35 2 48 2 41 0 29 3 730 6
August 5 - - 38 2 - - 13 1 360 6
***************************************************************************
Moths = Bollworm moths; GSB = Green stink bugs
From: Al Hight, County Extension Director, Brunswick County
******************************************* Date CEW GSB ECB THW ******************************************* July 28 18 6 - - July 29 16 3 - - July 30 14 - - - July 31 light turned off by mistake August 1 37 6 - - August 2 28 6 - - August 3 21 4 - 1 August 4 37 6 - - August 5 22 5 1 - August 6 22 10 - - August 7 25 8 1 - August 8 21 5 - 1 August 10 17 4 2 - August 12 7 - 1 - August 13 10 2 - 1 ******************************************* CEW = corn earworm; GSB = green stink bug; ECB = European corn borer; THW = tobacco hornworm
From: Mike Williams, County Extension Director, Chowan County
********************************
Bollworm Stink
Date moths bugs
********************************
July 24 10 -
July 25 15 2
July 26 14 0
July 27 - -
July 28 66 3
July 29 50 0
July 30 - -
July 31 228 3
August 1 115 0
August 2 60 0
August 3 21 6
August 4 56 0
August 5 67 16
August 6 55 5
August 7 58 1
********************************
From: Mike Carroll, Agricultural Extension Agent, Craven County
*************************************************************************
Number of Adult Insects
**************************************************************
Date THW TBW CEW GSB BSB ECB FAW BAW Looper
*************************************************************************
July 18 4 0 28 4 1 2 7 - -
July 21 0 0 6 6 1 5 3 1 1
July 23 3 0 21 1 1 2 4 0 1
July 25 3 1 29 4 0 3 1 1 0
July 28 2 1 82 3 1 3 0 2 3
July 30 5 - 62 3 1 3 6 3 3
August 1 - - - - - - - - -
August 4 7 3 227 13 2 5 12 4 4
August 6 4 0 190 14 1 2 17 2 2
August 8 3 0 90 5 2 2 13 2 0
August 11 4 0 97 2 0 2 14 0 2
August 13 2 0 55 1 0 2 3 1 2
August 15 1 0 4 0 0 0 1 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
Cooperators: R&W McCoy Farms and Cove City Fertilizer
From: Colby S. Lambert, Agricultural Extension Agent, Cumberland County
*****************************************
Number of Adult Insects
*******************************
Date THW CEW GSB BSB
*****************************************
July 23 1 8 1 0
July 25 2 29 1 0
July 28 6 165 13 0
July 30 2 190 3 0
August 1 0 98 3 0
August 4 0 101 9 0
August 7 0 160 10 0
*****************************************
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
***********************************
Number of Adult Insects
************************
Date BW GSB BSB
***********************************
July 2 0 0 0
July 4 1 4 0
July 7 1 8 0
July 9 0 6 0
July 11 0 12 1
July 14 2 1 0
July 16 1 1 0
July 18 4 0 0
July 21 12 2 2
July 23 21 0 1
July 25 48 5 0
July 28 62 0 1
July 30 - - -
August 1 105 3 0
August 4 45 24 4
August 6 68 26 4
August 8 35 2 0
August 11 35 2 1
August 13 15 0 0
August 15 17 0 0
***********************************
BW = cotton bollworms; GSB = green
stink bugs; BSB = brown stink bugs
Trap location: approximately two miles east of Albertson
Cooperator: Justin Murphy
From: Alan A. Harper, Lenoir County
June
******************************************************************
Number of Adult Insects
****************************************************
Date HW CEW ECB AW AWC GSB BSB TBW
******************************************************************
June 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
June 2 0 3 0 0 0 1 0 0
June 3 0 1 0 1 0 3 0 0
June 4 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 0
June 5 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 0
June 6 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0
June 7 1 1 0 0 0 2 4 0
June 8 1 2 1 1 0 1 1 0
June 9 0 2 0 1 1 4 2 0
June 10 1 2 0 1 1 2 1 0
June 11 1 2 0 1 1 1 1 0
June 12 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0
June 13 0 2 0 1 1 0 0 0
June 14 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 0
June 15 0 2 2 0 0 2 2 0
June 16 0 3 1 0 0 1 0 1
June 17 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0
June 18 1 2 0 0 2 1 0 1
June 19 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
June 20 0 2 2 0 1 0 0 0
June 21 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 0
June 22 0 6 1 0 0 2 0 0
June 23 1 3 1 0 2 3 0 0
June 24 0 2 0 0 3 0 0 0
June 25 0 4 2 0 3 0 1 0
June 26 1 1 0 0 4 1 0 0
June 27 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
June 28 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0
June 29 0 2 0 1 3 2 0 0
June 30 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0
******************************************************************
July
******************************************************************
Number of Adult Insects
****************************************************
Date HW CEW ECB AW AWC GSB BSB TBW
******************************************************************
July 1 0 4 0 2 5 0 0 1
July 2 1 1 1 0 3 0 0 0
July 3 0 1 2 0 7 0 0 0
July 4 3 1 3 0 4 2 0 0
July 5 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0
July 6 2 6 4 0 4 1 0 0
July 7 1 4 0 0 3 0 0 0
July 8 3 2 2 0 0 2 0 0
July 9 2 2 3 0 2 0 0 0
July 10 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0
July 11 3 2 3 2 1 0 0 0
July 12 4 0 1 2 0 0 0 1
July 13 3 2 1 1 1 0 0 0
July 14 5 1 3 0 2 1 0 0
July 15 5 3 3 0 3 0 0 1
July 16 3 3 1 3 1 1 0 0
July 17 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
July 18 0 4 0 0 0 3 0 0
July 19 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 0
July 20 1 7 1 0 0 1 0 0
July 21 1 10 0 0 1 4 0 0
July 22 0 4 1 0 1 1 0 0
July 23 1 16 0 0 0 1 0 0
July 24 1 19 0 0 0 2 0 0
July 25 1 47 1 2 1 0 0 1
July 26 0 52 0 0 0 1 0 0
July 27 0 47 0 1 0 1 0 0
July 28 0 36 0 0 0 0 0 0
July 29 1 61 1 0 1 4 0 1
July 30 0 32 0 1 0 1 0 0
July 31 0 37 1 0 1 1 0 1
******************************************************************
August
******************************************************************
Number of Adult Insects
****************************************************
Date HW CEW ECB AW AWC GSB BSB TBW
******************************************************************
August 1 0 41 0 0 0 1 0 0
August 2 0 55 1 1 0 4 0 3
August 3 0 26 0 0 0 3 0 0
August 4 0 46 1 0 1 1 0 0
August 5 0 66 2 0 0 2 0 1
August 6 0 71 0 0 0 4 0 2
August 7 0 51 0 0 2 10 0 0
August 8 1 28 1 0 2 3 0 1
August 9 1 30 1 0 1 3 0 0
August 10 0 28 2 0 0 4 0 0
August 11 1 4 2 0 0 4 0 0
August 12 0 8 1 0 0 0 0 0
August 13 0 8 1 0 0 0 0 0
August 14 1 6 0 0 2 0 0 0
August 15 0 8 0 0 0 2 0 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
**************************************
Date BW GSB BW GSB
**************************************
July 14 4 0 4 1
July 16 2 0 4 0
July 18 2 0 2 0
July 21 4 0 2 2
July 23 4 0 2 0
July 25 6 5 6 0
July 28 11 1 8 1
July 30 13 6 9 1
August 1 20 3 6 0
August 4 17 7 9 0
August 6 14 1 12 3
August 8 18 3 18 1
August 11 20 1 23 0
August 13 8 0 11 0
August 15 5 0 16 0
***************************************
BW = Bollworm moths; GSB = Green stink bugs
From: Charlie Tyson, Agricultural Extension Agent, Nash County
*****************************
Stink
Date Bollworms bugs
*****************************
August 1 16 0
August 4 46 0
*****************************
BW = bollworms; SB = stink bugs
Trap location: near Hickory Crossroads
From: Craig Ellison, Agricultural Extension Agent, Northampton County
*************************************************************
Number of Adult Insects
*****************************************************
Woodland Conway Seaboard Gaston Jackson
********* ********* ********* ********* *********
Date CEW GR BR CEW GR BR CEW GR BR CEW GR BR CEW GR BR
*************************************************************
July 25 1 0 0 - - - - - - - - - 2 1 0
July 28 0 5 0 - - - 8 0 0 - - - 13 21 3
July 30 1 3 0 - - - 14 4 2 - - - 21 23 0
Aug. 1 2 3 0 - - - 8 1 0 - - - 58 11 0
Aug. 4 1 1 0 - - - 17 0 0 - - - 76 11 0
Aug. 6 0 3 0 - - - 21 0 0 - - - 76 17 1
Aug. 8 5 - - 12 0 0 28 1 0 - - - 165 9 1
*************************************************************
CEW = corn earworms; GR = green stink bugs; BR = brown stink bugs
Locations: Woodland, Conway, Seaboard, Gaston and Jackson
Monitored by: L. Culpepper, K. Edwards, T. Flythe,
D. Grant and B. Bryant
From: Tray Bridgers, Agricultural Extension Agent, Sampson County
******************************************
Number of Adult Insects
***************************
Date BW GSB BSB THW
******************************************
July 25 34 4 - -
July 28 117 3 - 3
July 30 102 8 - -
August 1 65 4 - 1
August 4 154 11 - 6
August 6 71 7 - 5
August 8 - - - -
August 11 - - - -
August 14 45 1 - 5
August 15 5 2 - 1
******************************************
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 16 - - - - 46 - 1 - 32 1 - -
July 18 - - - - 24 2 - - 36 1 - -
July 21 45 4 - - 121 4 - - 140 1 - -
July 23 101 4 1 - 172 4 1 - 309 5 - -
July 25 112 - - - 217 2 - - 362 4 - -
July 28 238 5 - - 517 4 - - 405 12 - -
July 30 184 7 - - 390 4 1 - 386 10 - -
Aug. 1 134 4 - - 182 1 - - 362 4 - -
Aug. 4 54 4 - - 85 9 2 - 220 2 - -
***********************************************************************
BW = bollworm moth; GSB = green stink bugs;
BSB = brown stink bugs; FAW = fall armyworms
From: Kevin Johnson, Agricultural Extension Agent, Wayne County
**********************************************************
Number of Adult Insects
***********************************************
Seven Springs Goldsboro
********************** *********************
Date GSB BSB CEW HW GSB BSB CEW HW
**********************************************************
July 9 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
July 11 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
July 14 0 4 0 2 4 2 2 0
July 16 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
July 18 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0
July 21 0 0 0 0 17 4 0 0
July 23 2 0 1 9 4 0 4 1
July 25 0 0 0 0 1 1 22 1
July 28 10 0 10 30 17 1 119 2
July 30 3 1 11 23 2 9 116 3
August 1 1 0 10 11 12 5 83 3
August 4 0 0 0 0 50 15 135 1
August 6 3 3 22 23 14 16 51 1
August 11 5 0 27 30 1 1 27 3
August 13 0 0 0 0 3 1 19 4
August 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 29 0
**********************************************************
GSB = green stink bugs; BSB = brown stink bugs;
CEW = corn earworms; HW = 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 GSB CEW GSB CEW GSB CEW GSB
***************************************************************
July 21 - - 5 0 - - 3 5
July 23 4 5 7 0 1 1 7 5
July 25 6 5 2 0 0 0 16 4
July 28 14 10 9 1 3 1 20 5
July 30 12 5 16 1 3 2 22 3
August 1 13 1 14 1 7 1 23 4
August 4 13 5 15 1 7 0 49 4
August 6 20 5 18 1 7 2 32 4
August 8 14 3 10 0 9 1 23 2
August 11 20 0 21 1 11 0 15 1
August 13 19 0 5 2 3 0 8 1
August 15 10 0 11 0 4 0 6 0
***************************************************************
CEW = corn earworms; GSB = green stink bugs
Locations: Lucama, Pender's Crossroads, Sims and Fountain
Monitored by: Chris Bass, Adam Gardner, Thad Sharpe 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 August 16, 2008 by Stephen J. Toth, Jr.