The most significant agricultural insect event of the past week has been the explosion of fall armyworms (grass strain) across Southern Alabama. They were reported from the Mobile county area of the west and personally observed in the Elba-Kinston area (Coffee County) on Friday (8/7) and the Eufaula area (Barbour County) in the east on Saturday (8/8). This outbreak can be found on pastures, hay fields, lawns, athletic fields and peanuts. Numbers observed range from 5 to more than 20 per square foot in grasses or per row foot in peanuts. Some of the most commonly used controls include Intrepid, Dimilin, pyrethroids, Traces and Steward.
Other then stink bugs, no significant insect numbers were observed or reported in cotton last week. Soybeans continue to be infested with grasshoppers and three cornered alfalfa hoppers as reported by Dr. Tim Reed. Low levels of stink bugs, loopers, green cloverworms and bean leaf beetles are being observed. No widespread outbreak of podworms (corn ear worms) have been reported
