Trap counts for major insect pests are provided by the Kentucky IPM Program. Traps are located at the UK Research and Education Center in western Kentucky and the UK Spindletop Farm in Lexington. Below are trap counts for the current…
Monthly Archives: September 2016
Sawflies – Late Season Pine Defoliators
Sawflies are members of the insect order 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, making identification…
Posted in Landscape Trees & Shrubs
Fruit Flies
Lots of “gnats” are active at this time of year—some of them are fruit flies, others are not—and some are not gnats, either. Find out what you have; approaches for dealing with them vary, as do chances for success, and…
Posted in Household Pests
Solving Some Mystery Bites
“Mystery bites” plague a significant number of people. Unfortunately, there can be a range of causes, most of which do not involve insects. The frustration of invisible itches can cause significant stress and anxiety. Even when they are insect-related, it…
Posted in Human Pests
Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab Highlights
The following plant disease highlights from the University of Kentucky Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratories represent recent sample submissions from field crops, fruit, vegetables, and ornamentals. Diseases and other problems diagnosed on agronomic crops during the past two weeks have included…
Posted in Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab
2016 Insect Trap Counts
Trap counts for major insect pests are provided by the Kentucky IPM Program. Traps are located at the UK Research and Education Center in western Kentucky and the UK Spindletop Farm in Lexington. Below are trap counts for the…
Posted in Insect Trap Counts
Alfalfa Weevils Return to Fields after a Summer Rest
Alfalfa Weevil Development Newly emerged alfalfa weevils (Figure 1) usually leave fields between late May and early June. These small brown snout beetles find hiding places under surface debris or loose tree bark and enter an inactive state that lasts…
Posted in Forages
Stem Breaks from Alfalfa Hopper
Steve Osborne, Allen County Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension agent, recently reported damage to alfalfa by the three-cornered alfalfa hopper. These green, wedge-shaped insects jab their piercing-sucking mouthparts into stems, lateral branches, or petioles as they feed on legumes. Plants…
Posted in Forages
The Black and Yellow Garden Spider
The black and yellow garden spider (or golden argiope) is a spectacular and sometimes alarming spider that we see in early fall. This orb weaver makes a flat, wheel-like web with silk lines radiating out like spokes from the center.…
Posted in Landscapes
Fly Strike or Wound Maggots
Blow flies are blue-black to green scavenger flies that are common across Kentucky. Females are attracted to carcasses, manure, or decaying organic matter. Some species will lay eggs on the unhealed umbilical wound or accumulated manure around the anus of…
Posted in Livestock Pests
2016 Insect Trap Counts
Trap counts for major insect pests are provided by the Kentucky IPM Program. Traps are located at the UK Research and Education Center in western Kentucky and the UK Spindletop Farm in Lexington. Below are trap counts for the current…
Posted in Insect Trap Counts
Soybean Rust Headed Our Way
Soybean rust was observed last week in Coffee County, Tennessee (south-central TN) last week. Dr. Heather Kelly with the University of Tennessee posted an on-line article about the find here. Soybean rust has not yet been observed in Kentucky for…
Posted in Grains
Kentucky Pest News 