Larger plants present this week. Photo: Cameron McLamb
It is our ninth week of scouting, and we are starting to see higher numbers of tobacco budworms at all locations. We have observed a few other insects, such as Japanese Beetles and stink bugs but not at levels that cause concern. Thrips have also decreased quite substantially throughout all sites, and tomato spotted wilt virus incidence is well below 10%, the point at which we become concerned about this disease.
Scouting Report, Eastern 1 – Grower Standard Field
6% tobacco budworm budworm infested plants – No Treatment 0 – No treatment0 – No treatment0.04 Japanese beetles/plant
Insect observation
No. aphid infested plants
Flea beetles/plant
Percent tobacco budworm infested plants
Hornworms/plant
Percent cutworm damaged plants
Other insects
Treatment needed?
0 – No treatment
0 beetles/plant – No treatment
Scouting Report, Eastern 2 – IPM Field
Insect observationNo. aphid infested plantsFlea beetles/plantPercent tobacco budworm infested plantsHornworms/plantPercent cutworm damaged plantsOther insectsTreatment needed?0 – No Treatment0 beetles/plant – No treatment8% tobacco budworm infested plants – No treatment 0 hornworms/plant – No treatment0 – No TreatmentNone Observed
Scouting Report , Eastern 3 – Grower Standard Field
Insect observation
No. aphid infested plants
Flea beetles/plant
Percent tobacco budworm infested plants
Hornworms/plant
Percent cutworm damaged plants
Other insects
Treatment needed?
0 – No treatment
0 beetles/plant – No treatment
8% tobacco budworm budworm infested plants – No treatment
0 – No treatment
0 – No treatment
0.025 stink bugs per plant1 minute pirate bug (beneficial) observed
Here are the scouting reports from the control plots for our experiments at the Upper Coastal Plain Research Station near Rocky Mount, NC and the Lower Coastal Plain Research Station near Kinston, NC. For some of these experiments, the control plots receive no insecticide treatments for the entire season. For some of the experiments, we are interested in only caterpillar pests so all plants in the experiment, including the control plots, are treated in the greenhouse with imidacloprid to prevent other early season pests.
On Station, Kinston – Control plants with no insecticide treatment
Insect observation
No. aphid infested plants
Flea beetles/plant
Percent tobacco budworm infestation
Hornworms/plant
Percent cutworm damaged plants
Other insects
Treatment needed?
0% aphid infested plants – No Treatment
0 beetles/plant – No treatment
75% budworm infested plants – No treatment**
0 – No treatment
0 – No Treatment
5% of plants infected with Tomato spotted wilt virus
On Station, Kinston – Control plants treated with imidacloprid
Insect observation
No. aphid infested plants
Flea beetles/plant
Percent tobacco budworm infestation
Hornworms/plant
Percent cutworm damaged plants
Other insects
Treatment needed?
0 – No Treatment
0 beetles/plant – No treatment
82% budworm infested plants – No treatment**
0 – No treatment
0 – No Treatment
5% of plants infected with TSWV
On Station, Rocky Mount – Control plants with no insecticide treatment
Insect observation
No. aphid infested plants
Flea beetles/plant
Percent tobacco budworm infestation
Hornworms/plant
Percent cutworm damaged plants
Other insects
Treatment needed?
0 – No Treatment
0 beetles/plant – No treatment
5% budworm infested plants – No treatment
0% Hornworm infested plants – No treatment
0 – No Treatment
2% of plants infected with TSWV
On Station, Rocky Mount – Control plants treated with imidacloprid
Insect observation
No. aphid infested plants
Flea beetles/plant
Percent tobacco budworm infestation
Hornworms/plant
Percent cutworm damaged plants
Other insects
Treatment needed?
0 – No Treatment
0 – No treatment
6% budworm infested plants – No treatment
0 – No treatment
0 – No Treatment
1% of plants infected with TSWV
** Plots were not treated due to the experiment, but experimental plots with similar amounts of budworm infestation, were treated.
