Our trap lines are indicating low moth activity for corn earworm, tobacco budworm, and southwestern corn borer (link to Excel file). In moth traps this last week, we only caught an average of 7 corn earworms (a.k.a., bollworms) and less than 1 tobacco budworm and southwestern corn borer per trap.

Expect corn earworm moths catches to generally increase. A peak usually occurs towards the end of the month or early August as infestations in corn begin to cycle. We are between generations of  southwestern corn borers, but you should expect moth catches to increase next week and especially the week after that. That’s good news for those with early planted, non-Bt corn. By this time, much of the early planted corn will be at R4 and R5 and less susceptible to attack.