Tag Archives: Stink Bugs
Unique Production Season Ahead
When I first moved down to Port Lavaca, at a crop tour, growers were talking how much experience they had farming. One replied he had “1 year experience, 40 times.” I think there is a lot of truth to that statement. It seems each year presents it’s own production challenges. So how is 2020 different from other years? There are two obvious differences: lower than normal rainfall and higher than average temperatures. Much of insect and plant activity occurs as a response to three variables. These variables are… Read More →
Headworms, Stink Bugs and Sugarcane Aphids in Grain Sorghum
We have been finding Rice Stink Bugs, Headworms and Sugarcane Aphids in Sorghum fields of the Mid-Coast of Texas. Scout sorghum using a 2-gallon bucket and beat heads into the bucket and see what is being captured in the bucket. Look here for a brief video. Economic thresholds for stink bugs and headworms depend on the cost of control, expected crop value, and sorghum heads per acre. Look here for an economic thresholds calculator. I am using an economic threshold of 0.5 – 1 stink bug per head,… Read More →
Stink Bugs in Cotton and Soybeans
While many fields are harvest ready, stink bugs are potential pests in the cotton and soybean fields that have yet to reach maturity. Cotton should be scouted for stink bugs until 350 heat units, or approximately 15 days, after the field has cutout (<5 NAWF). Scout by opening 20-25 one-inch bolls and inspecting the bolls for evidence of internal feeding. Treat a field with more than 20% evidence of internal feeding. Soybeans are susceptible to stink bug damage until the beans reach maturity. Some entomologists would say soybeans… Read More →
Cotton Fleahopper Numbers on the Rise
Cotton fields range from pinhead square to early bloom. Most fields are susceptible to cotton fleahopper damage and the potential for bollworm losses. We are finding cotton fleahoppers in numbers as high as 1 per plant, averaging around 20-30 per 100 plants. Continue to scout for cotton fleahoppers through the first week of bloom. This pest may cause fruit shed of small pinhead squares. Squares larger than matchhead size are generally safe from fleahopper damage. Once the plant has reached bloom, 80-90% of the fruit that will be… Read More →
Stink Bugs in Soybeans
Soybeans fields are blooming and setting pods. This means they are in the most susceptible stage for yield and quality losses from stink bugs. We have been running through soybean fields and finding a few stink bugs. So far, we have yet to find stink bugs at threshold levels but all fields should be inspected weekly for stink bugs. There are several species of stink bugs capable of causing yield loss including green, southern green, brown and red banded stink bugs. The most damaging stink bug we are… Read More →
