Diamide Resistance in Beet Armyworms

Clint ThompsonGeorgia, Pests

By Clint Thompson Specialty crop producers should be wary that Diamide resistance in beet armyworm exists. How widespread it is remains a question mark, says Stormy Sparks, University of Georgia Extension vegetable entomologist. “We know it’s there, and when it’s there it’s bad. We don’t know how widespread it is,” Sparks said. “Where we’ve looked at is where we’ve had …

Alabama Extension Expert Encourages Vegetable Growers to Scout for Armyworms

Web AdminAlabama, Pests

AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Ala. – Alabama Cooperative Extension entomologists are reporting a drastic increase in armyworm moth numbers. Vegetable producers should be scouting regularly. There are four armyworm species commonly seen in Alabama: Southern armyworms, beet armyworms, fall armyworms and yellowstriped armyworms. Ayanava Majumdar, an Alabama Extension entomologist, said populations of Southern armyworms are growing, and beet armyworm infestations are likely …

Scouting for Fall Armyworms

Web AdminPests

By Clint Thompson Now is the time of year that fall armyworms make their presence known in Alabama. Eric Schavey, regional Extension agent in Northeast Alabama, said turf producers and some vegetable growers need to be mindful of the insects, which start to appear in late July and early August. “Fall armyworms, there’s some out. I haven’t seen any damage …

Alabama Extension Entomologist: Residual Insecticides Key Against Armyworms

Web AdminAlabama, Pests, Top Posts

By Clint Thompson Last year’s persistent rains contributed to armyworms being more of a nuisance in Alabama’s specialty crop fields. “If you can control weather, you can control armyworms,” joked Ayanava Majumdar, Extension professor of Entomology and Plant Pathology at Auburn University. “We had an extremely wet summer. The weather was just perfect for those insects.” Majumdar believes growers can …

Sweet Corn Insect Management: Scouting Important Against Fall Armyworms

Web AdminCorn, Florida, Pests, Top Posts

By Clint Thompson Scouting remains the main key for Florida sweet corn farmers in fending off fall armyworms this season. Julien Beuzelin, a University of Florida (UF) Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) entomologist, said appropriate management of fall armyworms starts with making sure you have a problem to begin with. “For armyworms, scouting is very important because you …

Why the Increase? Alabama Extension Entomologist Talks Rise in Fall Armyworms

Web AdminAlabama, Pests, Top Posts

By Clint Thompson High infestations of fall armyworms may be a surprise to Alabama producers this summer, but they aren’t to Ayanava Majumdar, Extension Professor in Entomology and Plant Pathology at Auburn University. “We had the trap numbers from the very beginning, and we knew this was coming,” Majumdar said. According to the most recent Alabama Extension Pest Monitoring Report, …

Early Start for Fall Armyworms

Web AdminAlabama, Pests, Top Posts

By Clint Thompson It’s the calm before the storm for sweet corn producers in Alabama. The cool temperatures have suppressed much of the insect population so far in the growing season. However, that’s likely to change soon, says Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist “I did hear about some fall armyworms starting early this year. We may …

Best Practices for Corn Silk Fly Management

Clint ThompsonSpecialty Crop Grower Magazine

By Julien Beuzelin and Anna Mészáros Maggots feeding on silks, kernels and sometimes the cob of sweet corn ears harvested in Florida represent the greatest insect pest threat to the state’s fresh market sweet corn industry. These maggots are the larvae of three fly species known as corn silk flies. What to Look For Although the maggots of the three …

South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline: Caterpillar Pressure Increasing

Web AdminFlorida, Pest Management, Pests

Caterpillar pressure is low but increasing across areas in southern Florida, according to the South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline. Low worm activity was reported in central Florida. Worm pressure varies depending on crop and location in southwest Florida. Low to moderate levels of beet armyworms, southern armyworms, fall armyworms, loopers, hornworms, melonworms and fruitworms are being reported, with beet …

South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline: Caterpillar Numbers Vary

Web AdminFlorida

Caterpillar numbers vary across southern Florida, according to the South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline. Beet armyworms are observed to be low to moderate in the last two weeks in tomato and pepper in central Florida. Melon worms are at moderate levels in squash fields, while there are low levels of loopers in tomatoes. Worm populations have increased over the …