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From Delta Farm Press
Yes, those are stink bugs in your wheat field. No, you probably shouldn’t start spraying just yet.
That’s the assessment of Gus Lorenz, Extension entomologist for the University of Arkansas.
After weeks of significant rain and mud, “I guess it got dry enough to walk some fields today,” Lorenz said. “My phone was ringing off the wall with calls, mostly about stink bugs in wheat.”
From Southeast Farm Press
One of the toughest crop pests to stop in Georiga is also the most economically devastating — the stink bug.
With piercing-sucking mouth parts, stink bugs feed on cotton bolls, destroy the seeds and prohibit the growth of lint, according to Michael Toews an associate professor of entomology on the Tifton campus of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
With the holiday season gearing up, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service entomologists are urging travelers to be wary of a new species of unwelcome six-legged hitchhikers itching to become full-time Texans.
As the temperature drops, many insects will search for shelter for the winter months—many times in private residences. This year, people may notice a new insect coming indoors.
The Northeastern IPM Center has two new stories on their website:
Serving Up a Bitter End for Eggplant Pests
When researchers plant eggplant into crimson clover, they dish up trouble over and over for two unwanted beetles.
http://bit.ly/P7IibT
Scientists Draw Maps to Stop Stink Bug Pirates
An integrated pest management program running since the 1980s has led to fresh insights about a new invader. Scientists are deploying maps to aid the fight.
http://bit.ly/OFnKWA
By Ames Herbert, Virginia Extension Entomologist
With a full complement of field scouts in place, more soybean fields are being found with brown marmorated stink bug infestations.
We are up to 20 counties in Virginia spread over a very large area of the state.
By Katie Pratt
LEXINGTON, Ky., (July 6, 2012) – Hot, dry weather could have some insects feeding in greater-than-normal numbers on crops like alfalfa, tobacco and some vegetables.
“Alfalfa, with its long tap root, will stay greener and more succulent during a drought than pasture grasses or field crops,” said Lee Townsend, extension entomologist in the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture. “That makes alfalfa attractive to most any insect that can use it, even if the bug normally doesn’t eat alfalfa. Also, irrigated tobacco and vegetables will be very attractive to insects like grasshoppers and stink bugs under these dry conditions.”
For the 2012 insect outlook, southern soybean growers can expect a new kid on the block — the kudzu bug — as well as the usual suspects.
Several Southeast and Mid-South university entomologists discuss potential insect problems, and what growers can do about them.
The kudzu bug is a new insect pest that has invaded the Southeast and is probing the Mid-South.
“In the fall of 2009, the kudzu bug was first found in the U.S. in nine northeast Georgia counties,” says Phillip Roberts, Extension entomologist, Tifton, Ga. “Today, it’s in 120 counties of Georgia, all of South Carolina, 50 North Carolina counties, one Virginia county, and five Alabama counties.
“We observed a 19 percent average yield loss in Georgia trials in 2010, and even greater losses in 2011. We harvested five trials and our yield loss ranged from 22 percent to 47 percent.
“Growers definitely need to scout for the kudzu bug and treat if necessary. We’re still developing workable thresholds; we suggest treatment when you find three to five bugs per plant.”
While Georgia researches ways to control the new pest, the state still contends with its regular insect problems. The state’s primary pests are pod feeders, mainly stink bugs.
“We also have a complex of foliage feeders, with the velvetbean caterpillar and soybean looper being the primary ones,” Roberts says. “We’ve also had some tough situations with lesser corn stalk borer, which is a sporadic pest for us.”
In 2010, the kudzu bug was found in 16 out of 46 South Carolina counties. Its population exploded and completely covered the state in 2011.
Jeremy Greene, Clemson University entomologist, Blackville, S.C., says, “Depending on factors such as planting date, maturity group, and others we are just beginning to learn about, yield losses from this insect range from zero to 50 percent loss if not controlled.
“We’re still researching cultural methods to control this pest. The kudzu bug responds well to insecticides, but it’s not listed on any insecticide label. We can still legally, but carefully, make recommendations to producers for using insecticides already labeled in soybeans, but we will have to work with the chemical companies to get this pest added to their labels and recommended in ways that will provide good control.
“We have generated some data, but need to initiate more trials, showing which products are efficacious on this insect. We have only had 2011 to do any appreciable field research on this species. We are currently planning for significant research next year.”
Go to Delta Farm Press for the rest of the story.
The Southern Regional IPM (S-RIPM) Competitive Grants Program funds projects that help to solve pest problems while reducing risks to human health and the environment. In 2011, the program has awarded approximately $800,000 to support six projects:
