Vegetable Crop Insect Scouting

David Owens, Extension Entomologist, owensd@udel.edu

Sweet Corn
Trap counts are declining with cool weather. With temperatures below 82, it takes CEW eggs 3 days to hatch, thus allowing us to be on a 3-day spray schedule regardless of what material was used previously. Thursday trap counts are as follows:

Location Blacklight Trap Pheromone Trap
Dover 4 77
Harrington 3 17
Milford 14 64
Rising Sun 10 103
Wyoming 127
Bridgeville 2 59
Concord 12
Georgetown
Greenwood 6 41
Laurel 18 107
Newark 65 (7 d)

 

Cole Crops
Our newest cabbage planting has imported cabbageworm, diamondback moth, cabbage looper, and an occasional fall armyworm, beet armyworm, and corn earworm present. Beet armyworm, corn earworm, fall armyworm and diamondback moth are all generally resistant to pyrethroids. Torac is not labeled for cabbage looper.

Aphid pressure right now is fairly high. Among aphid products, Exirel and Torac provide excellent aphid control and good to excellent worm control.

Cucurbits
Continue scouting late cucurbits for aphids and for squash bug. Melon aphid populations are increasing rapidly in some areas and if present in large numbers can result in honeydew covering the pumpkins. This is especially true if pyrethroids were used earlier for squash bug or squash vine borer.

Scout for cucumber beetle rind feeding. If rind feeding is occurring, consider Assail, Lannate, or carbaryl (if plants are no longer flowering).

Tomatoes
Continue with worm protective sprays on late tomatoes.