Male adult moths of the true armyworm (Mythimna unipuncta), fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), and black cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon) have been captured in increased numbers during the last couple of weeks in pheromone-based traps in Princeton (Figure 1). As individual species,…
True and Fall Armyworms and Black Cutworms May Be Causing Some Damages in Corn and Pastures in Kentucky
Posted in Grains
Controlling Corn Earworm on Sweet Corn
One of the more challenging crops to keep insect-free is sweet corn, especially with later plantings that ripen after early August. The key pest is corn earworm, which remains hidden in the tip of the ear until the ear is…
Posted in Vegetables
Late-Season Pests of Tomatoes
There is little that compares to the flavor of a vine-ripened tomato. But insect damage to the fruit will definitely reduce the experience. Two groups of late-season pests are common and frequently need to be managed. The first group is…
Posted in Vegetables
Apple Bitter Rot Season is Upon Us
We have been seeing bitter rot in Kentucky orchards since mid-June. The disease becomes more intense as the season progresses. While fruit rots have a variety of causes, the most common fungal fruit rot of apple in Kentucky is bitter…
Posted in Fruit
Woolly Aphids
Elm, silver maple, apple hawthorn, and serviceberry often have colonies of woolly aphids living on the undersides of their leaves (Figure 1) in spring. Initially, they clearly look like aphids, but they take on a fluffy appearance later in their…
Posted in Landscape Trees & Shrubs
Sawflies – Late Season Pine Defoliators
Sawflies are members of the same insect order (Hymenoptera) that includes ants, bees, and wasps. The larval stage has a caterpillar-like body that may be brightly marked with stripes or spots. Some species change significantly in appearance as they grow,…
Posted in Landscape Trees & Shrubs
Bumble Bee Discord
Two reports of bumble bee attacks last week were reminders that these industrious insects do not like a lawn mower passing over or too near their nests, and they will come out to register complaints. Most of our common bumble…
Posted in Lawn & Turf
