Lygus is a genus of insects within the family Miridae (Order: Hemiptera, piercing-sucking true bugs) that often feed on common horticultural crops. These small insects have rather large eyes, heavily patterned, neutrally colored wings, and long, spindly antennae. The diet of Lygus bugs, as they are colloquially called, is incredibly diverse, ranging from cotton and…Read more about Insect Spotlight: Lygus Bugs[Read More]
Laura Ingwell
Entomology
Area(s) of Interest: Vegetable Pest Management, Protected Agriculture, Controlled Environment Agriculture, Urban Agriculture
Area(s) of Interest: Vegetable Pest Management, Protected Agriculture, Controlled Environment Agriculture, Urban Agriculture
This year, we really want to familiarize our readers with beneficial flies! After learning about syrphids, blow flies, and predatory gall midges, we are going to end the season on long-legged flies (Figures 1 and 2)). Unlike the other species we have discussed this year, the family of long-legged flies (Dolichopodidae) contain numerous species which…Read more about Insect Spotlight: Long-legged flies[Read More]
For those of you with late plantings of sweet corn or field corn that is still in the late stages of silking, do not let your guard down! We are still recording high trap catches throughout the state. Almost every reporting location (except for the Purdue Student Farm) is catching a nightly average of moths…Read more about Corn Earworm (CEW) Trapping Updates[Read More]
Lasioglossum sweat bees are common pollinators in agricultural landscapes. These bees are small black, brown, or iridescent green/blue bees that belong to the family Halictidae. They can often be mistaken for flies due to their small size and nondescript appearance compared to other bees. These bees are historically overlooked as important pollinators for crops compared…Read more about Insect Spotlight: Lasioglossum Sweat Bees[Read More]
Description Spined stilt bugs are small, slender insects in the family Berytidae. Typically brown or bronze in color, these insects have slim bodies with long and thin legs (Figure 1). The antennae of stilt bugs bend at very sharp angles and frequently have obvious swelling at the tip. Occasionally, some stilt bug species will also…Read more about Insect Spotlight: The Spined Stilt Bug[Read More]
Squash Vine Borer While we have disseminated several Delta traps throughout the state, we are getting few reports back from collaborators. Those who have reported recently (Allen, Marion, and Knox Counties) are all still reporting adult moths being active and caught in traps. Corn Earworm Be sure that you are monitoring your dent corn in…Read more about Insect Trapping Updates Jul-23, 2024[Read More]
Orius insidiosus, also known as the minute pirate bug, is native to North America and a beneficial insect (Figure 1). They are generalist omnivores, feeding on other insects and pollen. Minute pirate bugs belong to the Order of true bugs — Hemiptera — in the family Anthocoridae. Orius insidiosus can be found in a wide range…Read more about Insect Spotlight: The Minute Pirate Bug – A Key Predator[Read More]
Thrips, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, and whiteflies are common pests of specialty crops that are often misidentified. Whether it’s tomatoes or squash, it’s important to know the differences between these insects and what it means to see them on or around your crops. Below, we provide some information and diagnostic tips to identify each of these…Read more about Some Commonly Mistaken Insect Pests[Read More]
I know what you’re thinking: this is an insect spotlight, but you are writing about spiders! They are not insects! Well, you are correct. They are not insects but rather Arachnids. However, they are closely related, studied by Entomologists, and play an important role in arthropod food webs, so bear with us. Hopefully, this article…Read more about Insect Spotlight: Spiders – An Overview Of Their Role In Agricultural Systems[Read More]
I monitor three different insect pests with pheromone traps to help make informed decisions about when to spray insecticides or take other actions for management. Trap data can be found on the Extension Entomology Vegetables Website. The longest-running is the corn earworm (Figure 1) trapping network. Purdue Meigs farm, in Tippecanoe County, is still catching…Read more about Insect Monitoring Updates[Read More]