VegNet

WEEK 13: Early earworms; diamondback overlap – FULL REPORT HERE

Diamondback Moths are one of the smallest crop pest moths one is likely to encounter, but damage can be extensive. Part of the problem is their capacity to reproduce quickly, which leads to population buildup in a very short time. This is temperature-dependent and if not monitored, can catch growers off guard.

Corn Earworm is normally considered a late-season pest, but trends so far this year suggest a pattern similar to 2014, which resulted in a boom of moths in August, just as corn is silking. Larvae feed on corn silks and burrow into the ears. The resulting damage and frass (insect poop!) can cause delays in processing, or reduction of fresh-market value. This page shows how to identify corn earworm adult moths.

VegNet was featured in the July-Aug issue of OSU Linn & Benton Cty Extension’s Newsletter! Click photo to read the article.

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….Cutworms and armyworms, that is. Many studies report increased activity of these pests in years following record rainfall, and moisture dependency is common. This simply means that more eggs hatch if there is sufficient moisture in the soil.

For more info about cutworm ID, activity, and more,

please visit our other OSU blog:

Cutworm Central

Some species I have noticed on the rise over the past few years:

Spodoptera praefica is native to the Western U.S. It is considered a generalist feeder. Larval feeding causes extensive defoliation of leaves and also fruit damage. As the name implies, these worms are gregarious (feed in groups), and therefore can cause extreme damage.

Host plants include: alfalfa, asparagus, bean, beet, cabbage, carrot, corn, clover, lettuce, onion, ornamentals, pea, potato, wheat, and many others.

Apamea cogitata is considered a pest of grasses and grains (Poaceae). It is a cutworm, and has one generation per year, usually peaking in mid-July. This species is widespread in the Northwest. One of the identifying characteristics is a pink-hued fringe on the margins of the hindwing.

WEEK 7: Flea beetles above, rootworms below, loopers everywhere

Let me explain:

Flea beetles invade fields rapidly, and can cause substantial damage to newly emerged leaves. Scouting is simple, thanks to the characteristic leaf damage. See photos and learn more here.
Rootworm is the common name for larval Diabrotica beetles. They feed underground, but can be distinguished from maggots by the presence of thoracic legs and a brown sclerotized plate just behind the head.

Cabbage Looper moths continue to be very abundant in the landscape. There is no diapause in this species, so 6-7 generations per year are possible if environmental conditions are suitable. Although trap counts are way above normal, the effect on crops has yet to be determined, and depends on a variety of factors. We will be discussing some of these in the weeks to come.

Read the full pest report HERE and subscribe to receive alert updates.

WEEK 6: Read the full report HERE

* Continued pressure of cabbage loopers. An outbreak occurred in the Valley in 2008, when trap counts reached 100+ per day. Review last week’s post for details, interpretation of looper flights, and recommendations for scouting.

* A diamondback moth ‘point-concern’ for the Corvallis location. More data will be available in the coming weeks.

* True armyworms (M. unipuncta) are not traditionally monitored by VegNet, because damage is most notable in grasses and forage crops. However, feeding on peas, beans, and brassicas can occur in outbreak years. Visit the armyworm page for more info.

WEEK 5: First of two looper flights. Read the full report HERE.

The most notable trend this week is the sharp rise in looper activity. As seen in the graph below, 2016 levels (blue bars) were well above the historical norm (gray shaded line), and they remained that way throughout the season. This early 2017 peak (orange dot), while alarming, just means we’ll need to keep an eye on activity. It is the 2nd flight (Jul-Aug) that causes the most damage, because larvae and pupae contaminate crops headed for the processor. A contaminated crop can mean load rejection.

Home gardeners should be wary of looper levels, because larvae feed on a variety of crops including lettuce, tomatoes, peas, and other garden favorites. If you are concerned about defoliation, begin scouting between May 18th and 23rd. Look for ‘windowpanes’ or ragged holes, depending on how big the larvae are.

Processed vegetable growers are mostly concerned with looper flights near button-stage, as the main concern of this pest is contamination.

Looper larvae are light green with a white lateral stripe down each side, and display characteristic movement – ‘looping’ along the leaf surface by gathering the rear legs to meet the front legs and then extending forward. More info on loopers is available here.

WEEK 4: Moth movement is low, rootworms in the landscape.

Don’t worry if you’re getting a late start to the planting season. So are the bugs. Many of the pest moth species we track are LOWER than normal for this time of year.

You may start to notice those familiar 12-spot beetles around, particularly on the dandelions in your yard or garden. These are the overwintered females, looking for suitable egg-laying sites (seedling corn, cucumbers, beans).

Check out this week’s full report HERE, and subscribe to receive VegNet highlights straight to your inbox!

**Thanks for your patience as I continue to build the rest of this site**

Loopers are latent and storms are splendid!

Windy gusts of up to 30 MPH and nearly 1″ inch of rain this week. Yes, believe it or not, it’s bug season!

Check out the full report HERE, and subscribe to receive next week’s pest report straight to your inbox!

**Thanks for your patience as I continue to build the rest of this site**

Diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) is the most serious insect pest of Brassica crops (including cabbage, broccoli, etc), both in the US and worldwide. Economic impact estimates exceed $4 billion annually.

One of the reasons DBM is so hard to manage is because it quickly develops resistance to insecticides. In fact, (IR) has been noted in over 600 cases, for nearly 100 unique active ingredients such as carbamates, pyrethroids, and spinosyns. The most recent concern of IR is within the diamide insecticides. Diamide products that Willamette-Valley brassica producers rely on include chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, and flubendiamide. Trade names are Coragen, Exirel, and Synapse. We are currently conducting research to test for IR in regional populations of DBM and related pests.

Scientists at Cornell University have developed an “insecticide-free management approach” that involves releasing genetically-modified DBM moths into the landscape to cause eventual mortality of females. This research, while novel, is also controversial. Cornell has applied for a permit to make field releases of their transgenic moths in NY state. An environmental assessment has been conducted by USDA-APHIS, and public comment is welcome until MAY 19th, 2017.

More information can be found at http://bit.ly/2pO1GBE

To see official documents, and comment on the proposed field release click here.

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Traps are being set this week. Stay tuned for a full report next Friday.

Adult rootflies are abundant; they love this cool rainy weather! If possible, protect seedlings with row covers. (Cabbage maggot info)

Did you know that winter cutworm is also a problem in Spring?! Visit this blog post for more info:
http://bit.ly/2p9mC2Q

VegNet is an insect pest monitoring program funded by the Oregon Processed Vegetable Commission and managed by the Oregon State University Department of Horticulture. To add your name to this newsletter, please click the ‘subscribe’ button on the homepage.

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Over 500 people currently subscribe to VegNet, a 28% increase from just 3 years ago. During the transition from the old format (static webpage) to this new (blog), we’ve migrated the list of all subscribers. I put together a graphic to get an idea of what type of people utilize the service.

A few key points:

The VegNet program is doing what it’s supposed to;

serving as a frontline IPM resource for the agricultural community.

Everyone is welcome! Whether you are a student, home gardener, ag producer, policy maker, or armchair biologist – please feel free to join us! Subscribe to the weekly newsletter (box at left) and review this post of how to interpret data tables.
A note to current subscribers: If you would like to identify with one of the industry categories above, drop me a line and I’ll update your info. And most importantly: THANK YOU ALL for utilizing and supporting this program!

Stay tuned! The first report of the season will be published on or before April 14th.

In the meantime, good luck with spring plantings!

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Update: Thanks to geolocation technology, I can now access broad, general data about where VegNet reports are being read. Don’t worry – this does not go deeper than state level, and the location is not associated with your email address. That is, I’m not ‘spying’, just excited to see so many VegNet followers “East of the Mississippi”!

This made me wonder if some of these supporters are researchers at peer land-grant institutions. Which, of course, led to an excuse to make another cool graphic ☺

VegNet

your regional insect pest monitoring resource!

Pest Report and Press Release

Worms love wet winters!

For more info about cutworm ID, activity, and more,

please visit our other OSU blog:

Cutworm Central

Pest Report – Week of May 22nd

Let me explain:

Pest Report – Week of May 15th

Pest Report – Week of May 8th

Pest Report – Week of MAY 1st

Pest Report – week of APR 24th

Managing Diamondback Moth

‘Pre-season’ News

Community resource!

A few key points:

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