David Owens, Extension Entomologist, owensd@udel.edu
Asparagus
Asparagus is beginning to come out of the ground, and soon asparagus beetle will be emerging to lay eggs on spears. Examine 10 plants in 5-10 different spots in a field, best on a warm, sunny afternoon when beetles are going to be most active. A treatment may be justified if 10% of spears are infested with beetles or 1-2% have eggs. Labeled products for spears include malathion, permethrin, and carbaryl.
Legumes
Seedcorn maggot continue to be active, albeit at lower levels than they were. Remember, fields with incorporated organic matter and especially incorporated poultry manure are most attractive to flies. Stunting is evident on peas planted at the research station the week of March 8th. Be sure to assess early season stand for signs of injury. Most of the larvae from the early March planting are now pupating and will emerge as adults in about a week.