David Owens, Extension Entomologist, owensd@udel.edu
Small Grains
Insect activity appears to be very low in small grains. Reports were received from county agents scouting small grains with minimal aphid activity. This time of year, thresholds for aphids are very high.
Alfalfa
It has been 2 weeks since we put out an alfalfa spray trial. Many of the alfalfa weevil are beginning to pupate, and the untreated check plots are white and 6+ inches shorter than our best plots. We have a visual gradient in efficacy. In this test, the only pyrethroid we used alone was Warrior, and under the high pressure we had, it would have required a follow up spray. The best plot is Steward at 10 fl oz, and it looks visually better than Steward at 6.7 fl oz. Spring egg hatch is occurring, so we are not out of the woods. We updated our alfalfa control fact sheet with revised thresholds and discussion on insecticide selection: https://www.udel.edu/content/dam/udelImages/canr/pdfs/extension/factsheets/Alfalfa-Weevil-Control-in-Alfalfa.pdf.
Soybean
Begin scouting for slugs, either with shelter traps (shingles or cardboard squares) or by sifting residue. I get interested in fields once we pass 1 per square foot, and especially if there are more than 2 per square foot.
Early Season Moth Activity
Many thanks to Haley Sater and Joanne Whalen for checking traps for us. Moth activity decreased this week on account of cold nighttime temperatures. Trap counts are as follows:
| Location | # nights | True Armyworm | Black Cutworm |
| Salisbury, MD | 7 | 7 | 9 |
| Laurel, DE | 7 | 34 | 12 |
| Seaford, DE | 7 | 134 | 30 |
| Harrington, DE | 7 | 114 | 12 |
| Suddlersville, MD | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Smyrna, DE | 7 | 153 | 10 |
| Middletown, DE | 7 | 4 | 0 |