As the growing season picks up, high tunnel growers planning to cultivate tomatoes should keep an eye out for the small but mighty tomato pinworm, Keiferia lycopersicella (TPW). The adult moths are up to 6 mm in length, with mottled brown spots (Fig. 1). They are active at night and remain hidden, resting on foliage during the…Read more about Time to Start Monitoring for Tomato Pinworm[Read More]
IPM
The Green tiger beetle (Cicindela campestris) is a striking ground-dwelling beetle known for its metallic green sheen and ferocious predatory behavior. Native to Europe but with several North American relatives (e.g., Cicindela sexguttata), this beetle belongs to the family Carabidae within the order Coleoptera (Figure 1). It is commonly found in dry, sandy habitats, including…Read more about Green Tiger Beetles: Ferocious Little Hunters of the Ground[Read More]
Spring is in full swing in our research high tunnels at Purdue. Overwintering strawberries that we planted in September are now in full bloom and fruits are being harvested. But as temperatures increase and crops become more productive, we also see the emergence of various insect pests. Aphids, amongst other soft-bodied insect pests (e.g., whiteflies,…Read more about Observations on the Companion Plant: Sweet Alyssum[Read More]
What is integrated management? Regardless of the size of a farm, crops grown, or growing practices, integrated pest management (IPM) is a framework that can be used by all growers. The idea of IPM is that you are taking measures at all stages of production and utilizing a variety of tools to minimize the damage…Read more about Integrated Insect Management Strategies for Vegetable Farms[Read More]
The Two-spotted lady beetle, Adalia bipunctata, is a common insect predator, meaning it feeds on other, smaller bugs. Native to North America and Europe, the Two-spotted lady beetle is distinguished from other lady beetles by its oblong shape and two large black spots on either of its back, as well as its large white spots…Read more about Insect Spotlight: Two-Spotted Lady Beetle[Read More]
If you work or have worked with specialty crops, we are reaching out for your help. To develop a scouting protocol for twospotted spider mite management, we are aiming to identify the limit of detection of this pest by growers. We are hoping that you will take 5-10 minutes to complete a survey displaying a…Read more about Mite Insect Survey[Read More]
This season started out dry and hot. These are the ideal conditions for pests that we often associate with controlled environments: aphids and mites. There are a number of factors that contribute to their success in these conditions, including lack of rain which physically removes the insect from the plant and drought-stressed plants, which are…Read more about Managing Pests that Thrive in Hot and Dry Conditions[Read More]
Last week I encountered my first adult Japanese Beetle of the 2023 season. It was at my home, and I was keeping my fingers crossed that it was just an unlucky stray individual, but hoping I had more time before their devastation would arrive. Well, I was wrong. Over the weekend, I found a few…Read more about Japanese Beetles are Here, and Hungry![Read More]
This has been a tough, dry year for all of us. I know my early planting of sweet corn at the research farm, seeded on April 27, has been slow and required irrigation (Figure 1). However, those of you that may be at the tassel or silking stage should keep a close eye on the…Read more about Corn Earworm in Early Plantings[Read More]
Are you interested in collaborating with Purdue Entomology on the grant “Improving two-spotted spider mite management in high tunnel cucumber production” funded by North Central SARE, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (LNC20-438)? The primary objectives of this research are to increase our understanding of two-spotted spider mite dynamics and management in a high tunnel cucumber…Read more about Looking for Collaborators on High Tunnel Spider Mite Project[Read More]