Once again I’m running behind, we’re going to figure this new technology out one of these days. Combine this with the scouts not scouting on Monday due to muddy roads and here we are. Fortunately there is not a whole lot going on from a pest standpoint at this time. I’ll start by saying that I’ve seen a few blasted and missing squares this week, put cotton fleahopper numbers are extremely low. I would attribute most of this damage to the extremely hot temperatures we’ve had on a couple of occasions already and some possible blowing sand. Keep an eye on square sets, if it’s low right now then you can’t afford a loss from fleahoppers latter. No aphids were reported this week but fields that had aphids previously had high levels of spiders and lady beetles.
Region 1
Not a whole lot of activity in 1 this week. Cotton is mostly between 5th true leaf and squaring. No pests to report this week. Beneficial numbers were not real high.
Region 2
In this region cotton was 4 true leaves to squaring. One field picked up a couple of fleahoppers, well below threshold and another that had not squared had 11 thrips. Still well below threshold. Again, beneficials were not real high overall.
Ragion 3
Most cotton was 4 true leaves to squaring. No pest were reported but beneficial numbers were much higher.
Region 4
Much like Region 3, Region 4 ranged from 3 true leaves to squaring. There were no pest reported besides one thrips but beneficials were great.
Region 5
Here the cotton ranged from 4 true leaves to squaring with fewer fields squaring than anywhere else, although not by a great deal. Not a lot of pest issues besides a few thrips, all below threshold. Benificials look good here.
Cotton fleahopper will be our number one concern for the next several weeks. Be especially watchful where ditches have been mowed, alfalfa has been cut, pasture has been disturbed, etc… They also like to move out of host weeds such as nightshade and croton (doveweed).
