Downy mildew is an important disease of commercial and backyard grapes in Kentucky. Warm, wet, humid weather conditions favor infection and disease development. When flowers, clusters, and shoots become infected by downy mildew, yield losses result. This disease may also…
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EPA IPM Webinar: Managing Common Indoor Pests: Cockroaches, Rodents and Fleas
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hosting a free webinar for credit covering three of the most notorious household pests – cockroaches, rodents, and fleas. This webinar will be offered on May 24, 1 – 4:30 P.M. ET. Each of the…
Posted in Announcements
Stink Bugs in Wheat may Have an Early Awakening and Affect Corn and Soybean Seedlings
During the last two weeks of April, I observed brown stink bugs (Euschistus spp.) (Figure 1) and green stink bugs (Nezara viridula) while scouting for aphids in wheat, but surprisingly I had not seen a single rice stink bug (Oebalus…
Posted in Grains
Managing Corn Earworm in Sweet Corn
Sweet corn is our most widely grown vegetable in Kentucky based on acreage. Locally-grown sweet corn is very popular and in some ways, the first local sweet corn of the year signals the start of summer. While many people look…
Posted in Vegetables
Wild Bees Contribute to the Pollination of Apple Orchards in Western Kentucky
Importance of wild bees in agriculture Almost 60% of wild flowering plants on Earth exhibit entomophily (i.e., need insects to be pollinated), and about 80% of our crops depend on insects to be successfully pollinated and even to increase their…
Posted in Fruit
Small, Creepy, and Beautiful Predacious Tigers of the Soil
To our knowledge, beetles (Order Coleoptera) are the most diverse group of insects on the planet. In the United States, there are 30,000 described species. Such species diversity comes along with so many morphological, behavioral, and ecological differences. All that…
Posted in Beneficial Insects
Mistaken Identity: European hornets, not murder hornets on the move in Kentucky
In late April and early May, European hornet queens are waking up from their overwintering and are in flight looking for places to build their nests. These large wasps prefer to use hollows inside of trees but have also been…
Posted in Human Pests
Pasture Flies and Ear Tags for Cattle
Horn and face flies are two of the more problematic insect pests to manage in pastures. Without proper management, they can reduce cattle weight gain. Insecticide-impregnated cattle ear tags are practical, easy to apply, and can provide long term control…
Posted in Livestock Pests
Seedling Diseases of Corn (PPFS-AG-C-02))
Corn seedling diseases are caused by several soil or seed-inhabiting fungi or fungus-like organisms (oomycetes) that are favored by cool, wet soil conditions during and after planting. Infected seeds may rot after germination, preventing emergence or causing plant collapse soon…
Posted in Featured Pubs & Videos
2022 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
Predicting Future Cucurbit Crop Disease Risk Using Disease History
Past disease presence can indicate a risk for the same disease this year. Many pathogens overwinter on infected plant material or as pathogen survival structures. Poor sanitation practices can lead to an increased risk of these diseases in the upcoming…
Posted in Vegetables
Fire Blight Alert and Risk Map Overview
Apple and pear trees are at or approaching bloom. Infection by the fire blight bacterium occurs during bloom, thus, protectant antibiotics should be applied when risk is high. Risk for infection can be assessed using the Fire Blight Disease Prediction…
Posted in Fruit
An IPM Scouting Guide for Common Problems of Cucurbit Crops in Kentucky
Scouting and monitoring crops to determine potential problems before they result in serious economic loss is key to the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach. This IPM guide was designed to aid in the identification of common problems encountered on cucurbit…
Posted in Featured Pubs & Videos
2022 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
Rhizosphaera Needle Cast May Lead to Skimpy Spruce
Rhizosphaera needle cast is often to blame for brown or thin spruce in the landscape. In Kentucky, Rhizosphaera needle cast is the most common disease of spruce; it also affects some pine species. This disease causes needle drop on lower…
Posted in Landscape Trees & Shrubs
Kentucky Pest News 