Jessica Van Erden joined the Entomology Department as Staff Assistant in February. She graduated from Western Kentucky University in May 2010 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and a minor in Entrepreneurship. Prior to joining the Department of…
Monthly Archives: March 2017
Beware of True Armyworms–Mild Winter Provides Conditions for Potential Injuries in Small Grains
The true armyworm (Mythimna unipuncta) is one of the species of armyworms that feeds on small grains in spring in Kentucky. This species is different from fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda). Fall armyworms overwinter in south Texas and Mexico; whereas true…
Posted in Grains
Weevil Watch
Alfalfa weevil populations are continuing to develop with mostly small larvae (less than 1/8 inches long) (Figure 1) collected in sweep samples taken from 4- to 6-inch alfalfa in three Fayette county fields on March 24, 2017. While not an…
Posted in Forages
Be Ready for Ticks
The lone star tick and the American dog tick (Figure 1) are common problem species found in Kentucky and much of the eastern U.S. They are a significant threat to everyone who works, plays, hunts, hikes, or camps in or…
Posted in Human Pests
Varied Carpet Beetles Head for Windows
Varied carpet beetles are 1/10-inch long black beetles with irregular patterns of white, brown, and yellow scales on their hard wing covers (Figure 1). The adults are active in early spring after completing their development indoors. Attracted to sunlight, they…
Posted in Household Pests
Surface Temperature Inversions and Spray Drift
Usually, when the sun’s energy hits the ground, it warms the air at the surface. This warm air normally expands and cools as it rises, so air temperature decreases with altitude. A temperature inversion occurs when a layer of cool…
Posted in Pesticide Topics
2017 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
Freeze Effects on Aphids and Their Parasitoids under the Mild Winter Conditions of 2017
Kentucky and the northeastern U.S. experienced a mild winter in 2017. To survive the low temperatures of winter, insects enter into diapause at a specific life stage (adult, larva, pupa or egg). Diapause is a process in which insects slow…
Posted in Grains
Recognizing the “In-line Borer”
One of the more curious signs on a tree is one or more rows of regular, shallow holes on the trunk. Usually, this is the work of the yellow-bellied sapsucker, a member of the woodpecker family. The sap that wells…
Posted in Forest Trees, Landscape Trees & Shrubs
Slugs Attack Early
Slugs are among the first creatures to become active in spring. They scrape their mouthparts across leaves, stems, and flowers to ingest plant tissue. Shade gardens are ideal habitats for slugs, along with mulched areas containing bedding plants. New transplants…
Posted in Landscapes
On the Way Out
Several insects that overwinter in protected places, including houses and other buildings, are on their way out now. There is not a lot to do at this point other than clean up any accessible accumulations of dead individuals that could…
Posted in Household Pests
Dispose of Empty Pesticide Containers Safely
Use the Kentucky Rinse and Return Program, a voluntary, cooperative program sponsored by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) and the Agri-Business Association of Kentucky (ABAK). Other partners include the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (which helps coordinate the…
Posted in Pesticide Topics
2017 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
Alfalfa Weevil Feeding Underway – Injury Potential Is A Numbers Game
Alfalfa weevil is the major insect pest of the first alfalfa cutting. Kentucky’s mild winter has pushed development significantly ahead so feeding by weevil larvae is appearing early. The February 21, 2017 issue of KPN provided a look at the…
Posted in Forages
2017 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
Kentucky Pest News 