Joanne Whalen, Extension IPM Specialist; jwhalen@udel.edu
Asparagus
Be sure to check for asparagus beetles laying eggs on asparagus spears. As a general guideline, a treatment is recommended if 2% of the spears are infested with eggs. Since adults will also feed on the spears, a treatment is recommended if 5% of the plants are infested with adults.
Cabbage
Continue scouting fields for imported cabbage worm and diamondback larvae. With a few days of warm temperatures, we can see an increase in moth egg laying activity. As a general guideline, a treatment is recommended if you find 5% of the plants infested with larvae.
Peas
Be sure to sample peas for pea aphids as soon as small seedlings emerge. On small plants, you should sample for aphids by counting the number of aphids on 10 plants in 10 locations throughout a field. On larger plants, take 10 sweeps in 10 locations. As a general guideline, a treatment is recommended if you find 5-10 aphids per plant or 50 or more aphids per sweep. Be sure to check labels for application restrictions during bloom.