Vegetable Crop Insects – September 3, 2010

Cabbage
Continue to sample for cabbage looper, diamondback larvae, fall and beet armyworm and Harlequin bug. Be sure to select controls options based on the complex of insects present in the field.

Lima Beans
Continue to scout for stinkbugs, lygus bugs, soybean loopers, beet armyworm and corn earworm. Moths can still be found laying eggs in fields. A treatment will be needed if you find one corn earworm larvae per 6 ft-of-row.

Peppers
Corn borer, corn earworm, beet armyworm and fall armyworm are still potential problems in peppers. So be sure to select the material that will control the complex of insects present in the field. Be sure to check local moth catches in your area by calling the Crop Pest Hotline (in state: 800-345-7544; out of state: 302-831-8851) or our webpage at http://ag.udel.edu/extension/IPM/traps/latestblt.html. We continue to see aphid populations increasing, especially in fields where pyrethroids have been used on a weekly basis. Labeled materials are only effective if applied before populations explode.

Snap Beans
Corn borer, corn earworm, beet armyworm and soybean loopers are still potential problems in processing and fresh market fields. Sprays are needed at the bud and pin stages on processing beans for worm control. With the diversity of worm pests that may be present in fields, be sure to scout fields and select materials that will control the complex of insects present. For the most recent trap catches in your area and to help decide on the spray interval between the pin stage and harvest for ECB control in processing snap beans, you will need to call the Crop Pest Hotline (in state: 800-345-7544; out of state: 302-831-8851) or check our website http://ag.udel.edu/extension/IPM/traps/latestblt.html and http://ag.udel.edu/extension/IPM/thresh/snapbeanecbthresh.html.

Spinach
The first beet armyworms and webworms have been found in newly emerged spinach. Both webworms and beet armyworms moths are active at this time and controls need to be applied when worms are small, before they have moved deep into the hearts of the plants, and before significant webbing occurs.

Sweet Corn
With the continued high corn earworm trap catches, be sure that a spray is applied as soon as ear shanks are visible on plants (before you see any silk). Once fields are silking, you will need to check both blacklight and pheromone trap catches for silk spray schedules since the spray schedules can quickly change. Visit http://ag.udel.edu/extension/IPM/traps/latestblt.html or call the Crop Pest Hotline (in state: 800-345-7544; out of state: 302-831-8851). Be sure to check all labels for days to harvest and maximum amount allowed per acre.