{"id":1931,"date":"2026-06-26T14:01:19","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T18:01:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/brooksag\/?p=1931"},"modified":"2026-06-26T14:01:19","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T18:01:19","slug":"end-of-june-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/brooksag\/2026\/06\/end-of-june-update\/","title":{"rendered":"End of June Update"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Weather:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has been a wild ride. It seems like it is feast or famine when it comes to rain. But, the good news is that we got some of the rain we desperately needed. The bad news is that makes us susceptible for some diseases, insects, and weeds. This is not the year to skip sprays. It has been tough to get in the field for a while, but this week has let us dry out and get out there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scout Now for Lesser Cornstalk Borer<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By: (Dr. Abney \u2013 UGA Entomologist )<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Late May and early June lesser cornstalk borer infestations occur every year in Georgia peanut fields,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

but the incidence of these early season infestations has increase over the last few years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I received reports of LCB infestations from several consultants and county agents<\/p>\n\n\n\n

last week from across the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moth traps were also collecting large numbers of adult males in multiple locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are at least three common responses to the information presented above:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Oh no! lesser cornstalk borers are here; I better go spray all my peanuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Lesser cornstalk borer? I\u2019ve never had those. I don\u2019t care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. I need to scout my peanuts to see if any of my fields are at threshold for LCB and need to be treated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The third response is the correct one. Spraying for lesser cornstalk borer when they are not present is a waste of time and money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can be difficult to find LCB larvae, and folks get nervous about missing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reality is, if you have lessers in a field,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

you will see silk tubes and moths (not just moths in a trap,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

but moths flying as you walk through the field).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even in high pressure years, not every field will need to be treated for LCB.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have the tools to manage this pest once it reaches threshold,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

and growers who use thresholds to make treatment decisions will save money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our research has shown that catching large numbers of moths in a pheromone trap<\/p>\n\n\n\n

does not necessarily mean that a field needs to be treated; it does mean that the field needs to be scouted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Proper scouting is the key to making the best management decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best management decision is the one that results in the largest check in the grower\u2019s pocket at the end of the season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is a link to a video we did a few years ago about scouting for lessers in early season peanut<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cotton Update:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Figure 6: Cotton Jassid<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you haven\u2019t heard, cotton jassids have been confirmed in Tifton from an okra patch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cotton jassids have not been found in the Baker County area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When scouting, look for the key identifying characteristic:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the two black spots located on the wings of the adult insect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because similar-looking leafhoppers are around,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

we can only confidently identify adult cotton jassids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nymphs cannot be accurately distinguished in the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Continue monitoring fields and report any suspected finds<\/p>\n\n\n\n

so we can better track movement and distribution of this pest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plant Bug Control in Cotton<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Figure 7 :Tarnished Plant Bug (TPB)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have had reports of Tarnished Plant Bugs (TPB) in Ben Hill County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have also had reports of some fields being treated. I saw many of these insects overwintering on wild radish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thresholds: First 2 weeks of squaring:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Sweep Net: 8 plant bugs\/100 sweeps<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Drop Cloth: 1 plant bug\/6 row feet<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Third week of squaring through bloom:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Sweep Net:15 plant bugs\/100 sweeps<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Drop Cloth: 3 plant bugs\/6 row feet<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plant Bug Management (Phillip Roberts<\/em>):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tarnished plant bugs and clouded plant bugs have become a more consistent pest of cotton in parts of Georgia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few bullet points below to consider when planning your plant bug management program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Early planted cotton appears to be at greater risk for plant bugs during squaring.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Later planted cotton appears to be at greater risk for late season plant bugs.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Primary damage during squaring is feeding on small squares; these small, damaged squares will be shed by the plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 The best sampling tool for adult plant bugs migrating into squaring cotton is a sweep net.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Square retention should be monitored from the onset of squaring until early bloom;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

our goal is to maintain at least 80 percent of fruit as we enter bloom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Plant bugs may feed on larger squares; this often occurs when we have plant<\/p>\n\n\n\n

bugs reproducing in the field. Large squares will often remain on the plant and result in dirty blooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 If you see dirty blooms, the field should be scouted for immature plant bugs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best sampling tool for immature plant bugs is a drop cloth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Plant bugs may also feed on small bolls resulting in internal boll damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Clouded plant bugs should be counted 1.5 times<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(i.e. 2 clouded should be counted as 3 tarnished)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

and added to your plant bug count.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Scout and use thresholds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Consider aphid infestations when making plant bug sprays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 On farms where plant bugs are consistent and problematic,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

consider using ThryvOn or Diamond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Optimal timing for Diamond insecticide,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

which is an insect growth regulator and is only active on immature plant bugs,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

is just prior to plant bugs hatching. This often occurs near first bloom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Consider adding Diamond if you are making a second plant bug spray for migrating adults.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diamond needs to be added to a \u201cknock down\u201d insecticide which has activity on adults.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 ThryvOn cotton needs to be scouted and treated if thresholds are exceeded.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Weather: It has been a wild ride. It seems like it is feast or famine when it comes to rain. But, the good news is that we got some of the rain we desperately needed. The bad news is that makes us susceptible for some diseases, insects, and weeds. This is not the year […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":557,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1931","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-agriculture"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/brooksag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1931","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/brooksag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/brooksag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/brooksag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/557"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/brooksag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1931"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/brooksag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1931\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1936,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/brooksag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1931\/revisions\/1936"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/brooksag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1931"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/brooksag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1931"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/brooksag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1931"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}