Hi all,<\/p>\n
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I hope things are going well out in the fields as the temperatures begin to really heat up over the next week or so. With high temps come faster generations and more insect outbreaks.<\/p>\n
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We have some new discoveries this past week of some important pests that are just beginning to be found on farms.<\/p>\n
The first spotted wing drosophila (SWD)<\/a> adult fly of the season was just captured in one of our traps. The good news is that it was only one fly, found in just one of the ten traps. This low level of trapping activity is similar to what\u2019s being observed across the region, so it looks like we\u2019re at the beginning of the SWD season. We\u2019ll keep you posted as the season progresses. For those who want to monitor SWD directly on their own farms, we\u2019ve had great success with the Scentry SWD lures and traps, although they can be a bit pricey. In previous years, we\u2019ve used a diluted grape juice solution for trapping, and that seems to work well too. That said, we\u2019ve generally seen higher trap counts and earlier detections with the Scentry lures, suggesting they may be a bit more effective. A great comparison review of different lures<\/a> and traps was recently published in the UMass Fruit Notes<\/em>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Onion thrips<\/a> are just starting to show up in onions on our monitoring farms. Populations are still below threshold for now, but with hot weather on the horizon, outbreaks may not be far off. Thrips can be tricky to spot if you\u2019re not familiar with them, but once you know what to look for, they\u2019re pretty easy to identify. We\u2019re mostly seeing yellow-orange juveniles (nymphs) tucked into the crevices at the base of onion plants. As they mature, you\u2019ll start to notice the darker, blackish adults moving around.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In relation to onion thrips management, our team is currently testing a variety of tractor-applied mulches to evaluate their effectiveness in several ways, including their impact on thrips populations. We\u2019re trialing two OMRI-approved paper mulches, black and silver plastic mulches, and a textured silver plastic. We\u2019re also collecting data on soil temperature and moisture, pest management, and basic soil health indicators. Soon, we\u2019ll be adding a prototype manure-based paper mulch made from upcycled manure solids. If any growers are interested in trialing some of the best-performing mulches next season, please reach out to our team. We\u2019ll provide the mulch in exchange for your opinions and feedback on the mulch you\u2019ve selected to compare to your \u201ctypical\u201d practice.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Leek moth<\/a> outbreaks are starting to show up in scapes on select farms in the region. The distribution appears to be patchy, as some farms are getting hammered while others remain mostly clear of leek moth. That said, we\u2019re seeing a lot of pupae (cocoons) in garlic, suggesting that the next flight will likely begin soon. We expect to start seeing adults in traps next week. In terms of management and impact, it\u2019s important to note that we haven\u2019t observed yield losses in garlic or onions due to leek moth, even during severe outbreaks. Most marketable damage in these crops tends to occur during curing or storage, as larvae move down into the bulb away from the drying leaves. Topping garlic and onions before curing and storage can help reduce this risk. However, for leeks and shallots, we do see more direct impacts on yield. In those cases, exclusion netting or well-timed pesticide applications, typically about seven days after peak flight, can be effective. If you have any questions about leek moth, feel free to reach out. Our team has been researching these buggers for quite a while.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One pest that\u2019s surprising us in the region this year is the presence of tortoise beetles<\/a> in tomatoes across the Northeast. Although we\u2019ve seen them sporadically on some farms in the past, they seem to be showing up more frequently this season. From what we\u2019re hearing, they\u2019re turning into a bit of a nuisance across the board.<\/p>\n We\u2019re not sure what combination of factors has led to this unusual tortoise beetle year, but I wanted to share this in case you\u2019ve been seeing them too. In our experience, they\u2019re not typically a major problem and are hopefully just transient feeders on your plants. One cool thing to look for, if you are seeing them, is the larvae using their \u201cfecal shield\u201d<\/a> to deter predators. The larvae actually hold their own dried feces over their backs like a little umbrella to ward off would-be attackers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Other monitoring of note from the region:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Hi all, I hope things are going well out in the fields as the temperatures begin to really heat up over the next week or so. With high temps come faster generations and more insect outbreaks. We have some new discoveries this past week of some important pests that are just beginning to … <\/p>\n\n