David Owens, Extension Entomologist, owensd@udel.edu
Early Season Moth Activity
Moth counts across the state are down considerably, probably due to cold nighttime temps this past week. Trap counts for the week are as follows, with thanks to Joanne Whalen, Emily Zobel, and Maegan Perdue.
| Location | TAW/night | BCW/night |
| Willards, MD | 0.83 | 0.17 |
| Salisbury, MD | 0 | 0 |
| Laurel | 0.57 | 0.29 |
| Seaford | 5.14 | 2.14 |
| Harrington | 8.86 | 0.29 |
| Pearson’s Corner | 2.14 | 0 |
| Sudlersville, MD | 0 | 0 |
| Smyrna | 0.88 | 0 |
Slugs
Slug eggs are continuing to hatch out across the state, and gray gardens have appeared statewide from out of the ‘groundwork’. If scouting for the presence of slugs, it is best to scout early in the morning, especially or damp days. If in a field with corn stubble, pay special attention to flipping over old corn cobs and yanking a few corn stalks for eggs and juveniles. A rule of thumb for ‘significant’ populations is 3 per square foot. If using shingles, it is best to check them as early in the morning as possible.