UW-Madison/Extension Insect Diagnostic Lab Update
Caseload at the UW Insect Diagnostic Lab has been gradually increasing over April and May and is expected to increase with the warmer temperatures around the Memorial Day Weekend. A summary of relevant insects and fruit crop pests submitted to the UW Insect Diagnostic Lab over the last two weeks can be found below:
Eastern Tent Caterpillars: These insects have been active for some time and I’ve had reports of activity from around the state. Many types of fruit trees can be attacked, including apples, pears, and stone fruits. Luckily, the conspicuous silken tents along the main trunk allows for easy scouting. Removal or treatment of small nests can often stop problems while caterpillars are still relatively small.
Stink Bugs: I haven’t received any reports from orchard settings, but I’ve had many recent sightings of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug from south central Wisconsin. These can pose risks to a wide range of fruit and other crops later in the season, but growers should keep an eye out for these in fields, orchards, and vineyards.
Cutworms: I’ve had some sporadic reports of cutworm activity, including a report of plant injury from the La Crosse area recently.
Bees and Other Pollinators: Reports at the UW Insect Diagnostic Lab have suggested it’s a good spring for bumble bees and other pollinators. Use caution when spraying to minimize risks to these beneficial insects.
Slugs: I haven’t had any reports of commercial fruit injury due to slugs, but I’ve been getting many reports from home garden settings in southern Wisconsin. Slugs can be a concern for low growing crops, such as strawberries, so growers should have these on their radar.
This article was posted in Insects and tagged Insect Diagnostic Lab, insects.