Weekly Newspaper Article for The News-Democrat, Carrollton, KY
Despite the mild winter experienced through much of the nation, insect pest populations have been mostly below average in Kentucky. However, as the summer season continued, weather patterns made it favorable for insets to begin migration, especially in southern states.
There have been reports of increasing numbers in the corn earworm, fall armyworm, and yellow-striped armyworm populations in various crops across the state.
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| Corn Earworm (University of Kentucky) |
While the corn earworm can be a pest of field corn and soybeans, this insect is also a serious pest of sweet corn and tomatoes. The corn earworm has other names including soybean podworm, tomato fruitworm, and the cotton bollworm. Earworms are variable in color, but they have a brown head without markings and numerous microscopic spines covering the body. The larvae are moderately hairy and can vary from yellow, green, red, and brownish black. Even with low numbers through much of the summer, growers need to monitor soybeans and vegetables for this pest.
