Texas Agricultural Extension Service
The Texas A&M University System
 
West Plains
IPM Update

news about integrated pest management in hockley and cochran counties
Kerry Siders, EA-IPM
(806) 894-2406 (phone)
(806) 638-5635(mobile)
(806) 897-3104 (FAX)
E-Mail: k-siders@tamu.edu   http://lubbock.tamu.edu/ipm  
Vol. 6, No. 10
1212 Houston Street, Suite 2, Levelland, TX 79336
July 26, 2001

IN THIS ISSUE:

* General Crop and Pest Situation
* Africanized honey Bees


GENERAL CROP & PEST SITUATION
The situation is plain and simple - hot and dry! All dryland and irrigated acres are in desperate need of a rain. Dryland cotton is blooming out the top and shedding young fruit (squares and small bolls). This same situation can be seen in some cotton acres classed as irrigated. In light of this, I think if any money can be spent on this cotton crop from here out it should be on water. If we can water through at least mid August I believe it will pay in boll retention and boll maturity. If your crop is later than most and is just now blooming or you are trying to make up for fruit loses, you may need to go even longer.

Think about this also, looking at the calendar we have just a couple of days left to set a square which may result in a bloom by August 20-25. That would be our historic average of last effective bloom date for a harvestable boll to be formed. It takes 21-23 days for a pinhead square to develop into a bloom. However, any new growth at this point would detract from the needs of fruit already developing. If you have to prioritize irrigation water I would suggest allocating to the most mature cotton first. These acres will reach maturity quicker allowing for water savings vs. less mature cotton which will need to be irrigated longer. The more mature cotton will also be "out-of-the-woods" sooner as far as insect pests are concerned. Younger cotton will be more attractive to insect pests over the next month or so.
1

 

Insect pests in cotton have been light this week. Bollworms and beet armyworms range from 1,000- 4000 per acre on only 20% of fields. Larvae mortality past 2-3 days is high. Lygus can be found in small numbers in scattered cotton fields near alfalfa and peanuts. Cotton aphids have been noted in very few fields. Cotton boll weevil damage is very light. We have found up to 3% punctured 1/3 grown squares on just a few fields. Of interest but of no concern is that we continue to find pockets of high numbers of false chinch bugs. Also of interest and no concern right now is the banded-winged whiteflies. These are not the same whiteflies which are such a problem in other parts of the cotton belt. We will keep you abreast if we feel this insect is causing economic damage. Beneficial numbers have declined in most fields. Spiders are still our most abundant predator. I am not aware of any cotton being treated for insect pest this week in Hockley or Cochran counties.

Sunflowers which continue to flower need to be monitored closely for the head moth. Generally, later planted fields will have less pressure from the head moth. However, after looking at some recently blooming fields which had one small worm per head I would not let up yet. Important also is the interval between applications for head moth. I have seen too many fields that went a week between applications and have considerable damage.

Five days should be the interval if a second application is necessary. We have seen Thistle caterpillars(painted lady butterfly) rolled up in webbing in leaves causing less than 1% damage.

In peanuts an occasional corn earworm can be found with minimal damage.

Grain sorghum needs to be monitored for sorghum midge from here on out during bloom period.

AFRICANIZED BEE INFORMATION
Confirmation of Africanized honey bees in Lubbock County have heightened our awareness of the potential for coming into contact with this insect. Samples from Whiteface have been confirmed Africanized by Texas Tech. This and another sample collected from the Petitt/Pep vicinity will be analyzed by Texas A&M Honey Bee Lab soon. Dr. Pat Porter, Extension Entomologist in Lubbock and Dr. Marilyn Houck at Texas Tech have put together some excellent information on dealing with Africanized bees. The web site is http://lubbock.tamu.edu/ahb . If you have any questions please give me a call.
2

 

West Plains IPM Update is a publication of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service IPM Program in Hockley and Cochran Counties.

Editor: Kerry Siders
Production: Patty Castaneda


Posted at this web site by:
texagnet Internet Services.
3

Educational programs conducted by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, handicap or national origin. The information given herein is for educational purposes only. References to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Cooperative Extension Service is implied.
The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating