Scouts continue to find an occasional cotton bollworm (< 3,000 per acre), beet armyworm (< 1,700 per acre), & Lygus (< 1 per 3 row feet).

No weevil damage or aphids were picked up this last week through normal scouting. By hunting we could find these pests in some fields. Whiteflies not as common this last week. Beneficials are having a hard time sustaining themselves on such small food supply right now. I know that boll weevil trap counts from Extension/PCG Grid traps as well as the Eradication zone traps have increased the past week. I would attribute this increase more to the few weevils leaving a field due to maturity/ poor food source and looking for a less mature/better food source field. Be careful with irrigation at this point. Most areas have had some rain showers now, some more than others. The goal at this point should be to have just enough moisture available to allow bolls present to fully develop and mature. Too much moisture may backfire and can encourage new growth which of course will not contribute to yield, it can detract from what you have already set, and provide excellent food source to develop insect problems such as worms and weevils. We have made it this far into the season with very few insect incidence, let us not drop the ball now and turn that around.

I want to thank three people which have assisted me this summer and have been one of the main source for knowing what is going on in area fields: Kirk Hesse and Justin Hesse served as Field Scouts, and Bryan Henson served as Demonstration Aide - Summer Intern. Thank you and good luck as you return to school this year.

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