Alabama Pest Report

The Alabama Vegetable IPM program conducts the statewide insect monitoring program as a special service to crop producers. Pest alerts are based on moth counts from sticky wing pheromone traps that generate trends detailed in this report. However, there is no shortcut to direct crop scouting to detect pest pressure. High moth activity in traps usually leads to an increase in caterpillar pressure within 10 to 14 days. Producers should monitor insects, keep good records, and develop their own IPM plan suitable for the farm.

At this point, most of Alabama is not in a drought. Visit www.droughtmonitor.unl.edu to view the current Alabama drought map from USDA.

Insect Activity Trends from Monitoring Traps over the last two weeks (Updated July 1, 2022):

• Beet armyworms have increased 32% compared to 75% increase for Fall armyworms. Southern armyworms have increased 40% in the past two weeks. Yellowstriped armyworms have only increased 6%.  Watch out for Beet and Southern armyworms on specialty crops!
• Tomato fruitworms/corn earworm activity has gone up 32% in the past two weeks whereas Tobacco budworms numbers have gone up 14%.
• Soybean loopers activity have been increasing – so watch out and scout row crops! Cabbage looper numbers are still SIX times higher than soybean looper.
• Lesser cornstalk borer (drought indicator) numbers have increased 50% but average numbers per trap per location is holding steady probably slowed by some recent rain showers.
• Squash vine borer numbers have gone up 12% and the average activity is holding steady.

Additional IPM Resources: For major insect pest and disease images, download the Farming Basics Phone App (version 2 available) now has organic and conventional insect control in the ‘Insect’ tab. Those are general guidelines and aggregated from various IPM publications I have done. Also, anyone can subscribe to the Alabama IPM/Sustainable AG newsletter from the Farming Basics phone app. Producers can use the app also to contact a commercial horticulture REA.

Pest Monitoring Report

Special thanks to Olivia Fuller, David Lawrence, Jacob Kelley, Chip East, Eric Schavey, and Makayla Gothard for contributing to the data collection from multiple locations. Supported by funds from the USDA-NIFA BFRD, SARE Research & Education/PDP, CPPM/EIP, OREI, and ADAI Specialty Crops Block Grant Programs.

IPM Resources

Use the following IPM resources for insecticide choices related to specialty crops.

• Southeastern U.S. Vegetable Crop Handbook
• Home Garden Vegetable: Insect Control IPM Guide
• Organic Vegetable IPM Slide Chart
• Urban Farm IPM Slide Chart