Cane Diseases of Brambles (PPFS-FR-S-17) Several cane diseases commonly lead to the formation of cankers in Kentucky bramble plantings. If left unchecked, these fungal diseases significantly reduce overall yields and limit the longevity of bramble plantings. This publication discusses the…
Monthly Archives: June 2018
Suspected Western Bean Cutworm Egg Mass Found
This week, a suspicious egg mass was found in a Daviess County corn field by a consultant who was scouting the field. The tentative identification of the egg mass is western bean cutworm (WBC), a pest of corn and garden…
Posted in Grains
Yellow Poplar Weevils Having a Good Year
Yellow poplar weevils are small black snout beetles (Figure 1) that chew distinctive oval holes in the leaves of yellow poplar, sassafras, and magnolia. The larvae are white legless grubs that feed and develop as miners inside leaves. Injured leaves…
Posted in Landscape Trees & Shrubs
Expect Midges and Gnats after Rains
‘Midge’ and ‘gnat’ are common names for many species of small, non-biting flies resembling mosquitoes. They can be nuisances following extend rainy periods. Large mating swarms often appear about dusk. Irritation comes when many of the small flies land on…
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. Diagnostic samples of agronomic crops have included leaf streak on orchardgrass; Pythium and Rhizoctonia root…
Posted in Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab
2018 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
Corn Disease Scouting Report for June
Farmers are annually concerned about corn disease, and this year will be no exception. Corn is moving through growth stages quickly, and the warm, humid weather in many parts of Kentucky has been conducive for foliar disease development. Fungicides are…
Posted in Grains
Vegetable Diseases to Scout for: Anthracnose of Cucurbits
Cucumber, cantaloupe, and watermelon growers in Kentucky should have their eye out for anthracnose this week. Initial anthracnose infections occur during this time in the growing season in Kentucky, and preventative practices are essential to reducing disease incidence. Prevention, early…
Posted in Vegetables
Vegetable Diseases to Scout for: Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus
After two seasons of intensive tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) pressure, some diagnoses of this disease have already been made this year. This disease can affect tomato, pepper, potato, eggplant, lettuce, beans, and cucumber along with more than 170 other…
Posted in Vegetables
Watch for Thrips — They’re Abundant this Year
There have been several reports of high thrips populations attacking crops and bothering homeowners alike this spring (see KPN June 5, 2018, Thrips Can Be Cause of “Mystery Bites” and “Pool Miseries”). Despite their tiny size, various thrips species are…
Posted in Greenhouses/High Tunnels, Vegetables
Let Fireflies Brighten Your Evenings
Whether you call them fireflies or lightningbugs, seeing them in the evening is a pleasant reminder that we are moving into the early summer months. It is fascinating to watch their periodic flashes and the patterns they make with their…
Posted in Landscapes
Chiggers
Chiggers are the immature stage of certain mites that live in overgrown brushy or grassy areas, especially where small rodents are abundant. People pick up chiggers while in shady, humid areas near stream banks, under or around trees, or in…
Posted in Human Pests
Watch for the Longhorned Tick
The longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis), an exotic tick from east Asia, was detected recently in Benton County, Arkansas. It was initially found in New Jersey in 2017, and has also been collected in West Virginia and Virginia. There are no…
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. Diagnostic samples of agronomic crops have included leaf streak on orchardgrass; summer black stem/leaf spot…
Posted in Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab
2018 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
Kentucky Pest News 