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Posts From Fred Musser, Research Entomologist

2016 Insect Control Guide Now Available

2016 Insect Control Guide Now Available Updated

🕔07:59, 16.Dec 2015

The 2016 Insect Control Guide for Agronomic Crops is now available online. Hard copies will be available in January. Notable changes this year include the removal of pyrethroid insecticides for bollworm control in all crops due to resistance and poor

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Pheromone Trap Counts, August 28. 2015

Pheromone Trap Counts, August 28. 2015 Updated

🕔15:48, 28.Aug 2015

Bollworm trap catches remained similar to last week, which is somewhat lower than average for this time of year. Tobacco budworm trap catches were somewhat higher this week. As most crops are now beyond the vulnerable window for damage from

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Pheromone Trap Counts, August 21, 2015

Pheromone Trap Counts, August 21, 2015 Updated

🕔17:07, 21.Aug 2015

Bollworm moth trap catches were slightly higher in most counties this week but are generally lower than average counts for this time of year. Tobacco budworm moths continued to be caught at relatively low levels. Continue to monitor susceptible fields

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Pheromone Trap Counts, August 14, 2015

Pheromone Trap Counts, August 14, 2015 Updated

🕔18:26, 14.Aug 2015

Bollworm counts fell some for the second consecutive week, a clear indication that the generation that developed in corn has mostly emerged and we are now in the larval stage of the next generation. Tobacco budworm were similar to the

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Terminating Spider Mite Sprays in Mid-South Cotton

Terminating Spider Mite Sprays in Mid-South Cotton Updated

🕔07:40, 13.Aug 2015

There has always been a struggle with properly defining the correct cutoff for spider mites in cotton in the Mid-South region. For years we always loosely considered Node Above White Flower 5 (NAWF5 = Cutout) and 650 heat units the

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Pheromone Trap Counts, August 7, 2015

Pheromone Trap Counts, August 7, 2015 Updated

🕔14:12, 7.Aug 2015

Bollworm pheromone trap counts finally started to go down a little this week, likely signalling the end of the generation that passed through corn. However, enough moths were still caught to potentially cause economic losses in some areas. Tobacco budworm

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Soybean Loopers and the Effect of Defoliation on Yield

Soybean Loopers and the Effect of Defoliation on Yield Updated

🕔12:43, 2.Aug 2015

We have been getting calls on loopers showing up in soybean for about 2 weeks. In recent days there have been reports of defoliation exceeding 20% or numbers exceeding threshold in some areas in the central to southern part of the state. The bulk of our soybean loopers typically show mid to late August or even into September so this is a little early but certainly not unusual. Soybean loopers are migratory and work their way north each year from southern latitudes. Early arrival could be due to a number of reasons.

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Pheromone Trap Counts, July 31, 2015

Pheromone Trap Counts, July 31, 2015 Updated

🕔17:06, 31.Jul 2015

Bollworm moth catches remained strong for another week as the generation that passed through corn continues to emerge. Continue to monitor for bollworms in all susceptible crops throughout the state. Tobacco budworm catches were a little higher in a few

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Bean Leaf Beetles High in Delta Soybean Fields

Bean Leaf Beetles High in Delta Soybean Fields Updated

🕔14:03, 29.Jul 2015

Over the last week we have been getting a lot of calls about extremely high bean leaf beetle numbers. Most calls have come from the Northwest Delta region of the state. We have actually made bean leaf beetle targeted sprays on a number of acres in recent days. Yield loss is caused by defoliation and less frequently by pod feeding

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Pheromone Trap Counts, July 24, 2015

Pheromone Trap Counts, July 24, 2015 Updated

🕔17:20, 24.Jul 2015

Pheromone trap counts for bollworm were stable this week in the Delta while rising in the Northeastern region of Mississippi. Based on several weeks of fairly high bollworm moth catches, protection is likely needed in many fields against bollworm throughout the

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Pheromone Trap Counts, July 17, 2015

Pheromone Trap Counts, July 17, 2015 Updated

🕔17:58, 17.Jul 2015

After rising for several weeks, bollworm pheromone trap counts decreased some in the southern Delta region while slightly increasing in the hills and North Delta regions this week. This likely indicates that we are at peak moth flight for this

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Insect Pheromone Trap Counts, July 10, 2015

Insect Pheromone Trap Counts, July 10, 2015 Updated

🕔16:28, 10.Jul 2015

Bollworm trap numbers in the Delta and Hill regions have continued to increase some over what was reported last week. Southwestern corn borer numbers are still very high in some areas of the Delta and sprays may be needed in

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Pheromone Trap Counts, July 2, 2015

Pheromone Trap Counts, July 2, 2015 Updated

🕔15:40, 2.Jul 2015

The biggest change for this week is the rise in southwestern corn borer trap counts. High numbers were spotty in the Delta with one Leflore county trap recording 668 moths in a week. Coahoma, Quitman and Sunflower counties were the

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Pheromone Trap Counts, June 26, 2015

Pheromone Trap Counts, June 26, 2015 Updated

🕔14:03, 26.Jun 2015

Bollworm pheromone trap counts were similar to last week and remain fairly low compared to historical averages. Tobacco budworm counts were slightly higher this week, but are still low fairly low. Southwestern corn borer trap catches have started to increase

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Pheromone Trap Counts, June 19, 2015

Pheromone Trap Counts, June 19, 2015 Updated

🕔13:47, 19.Jun 2015

It appears that we are beginning to see the next generation of bollworm moths flying this week. Trap catches in most counties were higher this week than last week. Catches are still relatively light compared to long term averages, so

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Pheromone Trap Counts, June 12, 2015

Pheromone Trap Counts, June 12, 2015 Updated

🕔17:10, 12.Jun 2015

Pheromone trap catches for bollworm, tobacco budworm and southwestern corn borer were very low throughout the state this past week. However, bollworm catches were slightly higher than last week, so we may be seeing the first moths of the next

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Pheromone Trap Counts, June 5, 2015

Pheromone Trap Counts, June 5, 2015 Updated

🕔16:00, 5.Jun 2015

This is the first week this year I am reporting trap counts but we have had most traps out for at least 2-3 weeks. Overall trap catches have been average to light. This week, the trap catches for corn earworm

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Mixed Bag of Early Season Caterpillar Defoliators in Soybean Updated

🕔07:23, 23.May 2015

Over the last couple of weeks I have had numerous calls about caterpillar pest in young soybeans. Most of these have been concerning beans that are still in the vegetative stages (V2-V5). The species that are being found are bollworm, yellowstriped armyworm, green cloverworm, granulated cutworm, alfalfa caterpillar, cabbage looper, garden webworm, and yellowstriped armyworm.

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Seed Treatments, In-Furrow Sprays, and Granular Insecticides: What to do in Mississippi Field Corn

Seed Treatments, In-Furrow Sprays, and Granular Insecticides: What to do in Mississippi Field Corn Updated

🕔07:30, 1.Apr 2015

Although every major field crop we grow in Mississippi is responsive to at planting insect protection; field corn is perhaps the most consistent. Why is this?

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Do Neonicotinoid Seed Treatments Have Value Regionally in Soybeans?

Do Neonicotinoid Seed Treatments Have Value Regionally in Soybeans? Updated

🕔14:34, 31.Oct 2014

There has been a tremendous amount of scrutiny put on the neonicotinoid class of chemistry in recent years because of the potential link to declines in bee numbers. Researchers are working feverishly across the nation and the globe to determine the exact causes of bee decline. No doubt pesticides can and likely play a role to some degree, but there are many factors that also influence bee health such as habitat loss, Varroa mites, and diseases.

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MEA-MAPPAN Joint Annual Meeting, October 20-21, 2014 Updated

🕔17:58, 14.Oct 2014

The Mississippi Entomological Association and the Mississippi Association of Plant Pathologists and Nematologists will be holding their joint annual meeting on October 20-21, 2014 at the Bost Extension Center at Mississippi State University. The meeting is open to all. Registration

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Insect Trap Counts, August 29, 2014

Insect Trap Counts, August 29, 2014 Updated

🕔11:09, 29.Aug 2014

Bollworm pheromone catches were lower again for the second consecutive week, suggesting that once control is achieved for current larval populations, a major reinfestation is unlikely. Tobacco budworm catches were also lower this week.

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Insect Trap Counts, August 22, 2014

Insect Trap Counts, August 22, 2014 Updated

🕔10:57, 22.Aug 2014

This week’s bollworm trap catches were similar to slightly higher than last week, while tobacco budworm trap catches fell slightly for the week. The trap catches are typical for this time of year, so expect moderate worm pressure in all sensitive crops.

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Bean Leaf Beetle Numbers Picking Up in Mississippi Soybeans Updated

🕔07:55, 22.Aug 2014

Bean leaf beetle numbers have been increasing steadily over the last couple weeks. We have actually made bean leaf beetle targeted sprays on a number of acres in recent days. Yield loss is caused by defoliation and less frequently by

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Insect Trap Counts, August 14, 2014

Insect Trap Counts, August 14, 2014 Updated

🕔10:33, 14.Aug 2014

After 4 weeks of high bollworm moth catches averaging more than 75 moths/trap/week, this week has dropped down to an average catch of 35 moths/trap. This should mean that once current worm populations are controlled, a substantial reinfestation is not likely. However, tobacco

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