Corn Earworm Flight Numbers Spike

Aug 16, 2022

By James Jasinski

Other trapping locations have not reported an increase in activity yet (https://u.osu.edu/jasinski.4/pestvisualization/#linke). This annual caterpillar pest of sweet corn and tomato should have growers paying special attention to these crops for infestation, especially during the latter part of the season. Flights of CEW typically increase through the summer as the moth migrates into Ohio from southern states such as Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi. The caterpillar stage is known to attack silking corn and tomato fruit, especially when other susceptible hosts are not abundant.

crop

CEW, aka tomato fruitworm, feeding on tomato.

Moths prefer to lay eggs on fresh sweetcorn silk and can hatch and enter the ear tip as quickly as two days under ideal weather conditions, where they are no longer susceptible to insecticide treatments. Treatments for this pest should be made based on number of moths per day and daily temperature threshold of 80F. Use the chart below to determine the recommended number of days between insecticide application to protect sweet corn as it enters silking. Insecticide options can be found in the Midwest Vegetable Production Guide, remember to rotate insecticide classes to avoid resistance (https://mwveguide.org).

Want to learn more about monitoring for CEW? Check out this original video that reviews how to set up a trap to monitor for CEW (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6b7OtUOo8Y&list=PL0HRPaZDLHyG53DPisl9iGTezcx815u-q&index=8).

There is also an updated version of how to monitor for several key moths in sweet corn on the OSU IPM YouTube channel https://youtu.be/X1jvQxx_fpc

Source : osu.edu

Video: A chain harrow is a game changer

Utilizing a rotational grazing method on our farmstead with our sheep helps to let the pasture/paddocks rest. We also just invested in a chain harrow to allow us to drag the paddocks our sheep just left to break up and spread their manure around, dethatch thicker grass areas, and to rough up bare dirt areas to all for a better seed to soil contact if we overseed that paddock. This was our first time really using the chain harrow besides initially testing it out. We are very impressed with the work it did and how and area that was majority dirt, could be roughed up before reseeding.

Did you know we also operate a small business on the homestead. We make homemade, handcrafted soaps, shampoo bars, hair and beard products in addition to offering our pasture raised pork, lamb, and 100% raw honey. You can find out more about our products and ingredients by visiting our website at www.mimiandpoppysplace.com. There you can shop our products and sign up for our monthly newsletter that highlights a soap or ingredient, gives monthly updates about the homestead, and also lists the markets, festivals, and events we’ll be attending that month.