Don’t let a quiet July fool you

By Allison Kinney, Ohio Ag Net

While July has been relatively quiet for insect activity across Ohio fields, growers shouldn’t let their guard down just yet.

As crops move through key reproductive stages, the next several weeks will determine whether insect pressure remains light or becomes more problematic heading into August. Kelley Tilmon, Ohio State University Extension state specialist and professor of entomology, said pest populations can shift quickly depending on weather conditions and other environmental factors.

“It’s been pretty quiet on the insect front in field crops. We don’t have any panic situations at the moment, but there are a few things I tell people to be on the lookout for,” Tilmon said.

Soybean defoliators become more important from mid-July through late August. A number of caterpillar species, along with Japanese beetles, can feed on soybean leaves during that time. Tilmon noted that soybeans can generally tolerate 10% to 15% defoliation during pod development and fill before treatment is warranted.… Continue reading