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| Figure 1 -- Adult eastern tent caterpillar. |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Until the recent rains we had little to talk about, but with the heavy rains and the showers, we are beginning to see movement in the insect populations.
1. Love bugs – Until the recent rains we were in a situation where we would see just a few of the love bugs, but with the rains and the heat we can expect to see large populations shortly. We have been seeing for the last week or so a scattered indication of the pest potential. There is little that can be done to manage these insects, and the extent of the problem is affected by the environment. Remember to remind people to clean windows and radiators and the paint on their vehicles to prevent damage or injury. The easiest way to remove them is wet them and to apply liquid soap and rub it on the dry bodies let it sit for several minutes and then using a soft rag rub them off and rinse. They are attracted to heat and exhaust and to light colors that reflect heat, so the lighter-colored vehicles will have them cluster around when they stop.
2. Mole crickets – Many home owners are seeing this soil pest in numbers, and their turf is being destroyed. Since we lost Orthene for use in the management of this pest, we will have to use Talstar, Merit, or Top Choice. If uncontrolled we will see problems with birds, armadillos, raccoons and opossums digging up the yard for the pest.
3. Armyworms – We had some early heavy infestations in sugarcane and some lawns. The rains have slowed them down a bit, but expect to see continuing populations at the season progresses. Watch for the laying of eggs on plot flags and on the overhangs of houses painted white or yellow. Many people mistake this for mold or fungus development. Use the pyrethroids or Bt’s to manage this population. Spinosad can also be used. Remember Orthene cannot be used for the management of turf pests.
4. White grubs – Homeowners are already seeing populations of June bugs at lights at night. This is a good indication of a heavy population this season. The adults are foliage feeders and will defoliate young fruit and nut trees. Treating damaged trees with Sevin will help to stop this injury. The white grubs are in the soil and can be managed with Sevin, Merit or Mach 2. To check for grubs, fold back a square foot of turf and count the grubs. If you count more than 3 per square foot, treatment is needed.
5. Chafers – We are also seeing several chafers feeding in flowers. Roses are extremely susceptible to damage as well as daylilies and other blossoms. The immature forms are also white grubs and can be managed as above.
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| Figure 2 -- Adult forest tent caterpillar. |