Eastern New York Field Crops Pest Report, 2002

For 4/16/02:

Hello Field Croppers:
So starts the 3rd season of the weekly Eastern New York Field Crops Pest Report!

Alfalfa

Alfalfa Weevil: Today I found adult alfalfa weevil in every alfalfa field 2 years and older at the SUNY Cobleskill Farm. Eggs have been oviposited (layed) into 3-inch alfalfa stems. Remember it only take 280 degree-days for alfalfa weevil eggs to hatch after oviposition . Keep your eyes open for alfalfa weevil larvae!

Lady Beetles: For those of you, who don't know, I am a lady beetle nut. I have been Scouting species of lady beetles in alfalfa at the SUNY Cobleskill farm going on three seasons. I find mostly European species that have been introduced to North America. I am going add the species found in the fields on a weekly basis for you entomologist around New York. Today I found the following:

• Spotted Lady Beetle  (Coleomegilla maculata), native to North America.

• Parenthesis Lady Beetle (Hippodamia parenthesis), native to the North America.

• Russian Wheat-aphid Lady Beetle (Hippodamia variagata), introduced from Europe

• Seven-spotted Lady Beetle (Coccinella septempunctata), introduced from Europe

For those that want to identify Lady Beetles the following is a good website:
COCCINELLIDAE: THE LADY BEETLES

Grass

I discovered a small infestation of dingy cutworm in a grass hay field at the SUNY Cobleskill Farm. Cutworm time of attack on grasses and corn is from April to June.
Lisa Fields and I are placing a few true armyworm pheromone traps to monitor adult moths on 2 farms in Schoharie County. The purpose of the trapping is to know when moths arrive from the Southern United States so can monitor fields for larvae. I don't suspect that armyworm will be as big of problem as the last growing season.

Happy Scouting!!