Occasionally, you catch a blister beetle in a sweep net sample in Tennessee soybeans. These large, showy adult beetles may also feed in clusters and defoliate the plants. Defoliation of soybeans in an area a big as a pickup truck is not a concern, but if it occurs over a large area, such as the size of a barn, treatment is warranted. Refer to PB 1768 for control options. Continue reading
There are about 1000 North American species and most larvae in this family are slender, hard-bodied and shiny, which is how they got the name “wireworms”. Many are found in the soil where they feed on newly planted seeds and roots of plants, including some important crops such as corn, cereals, cotton, beans, and potatoes. Continue reading
Actually, that’s an egg. In fact, it’s the egg of another insect and basically, that stink bug is doomed to an untimely and gruesome death. That egg is from a Tachinid fly (picture below). Continue reading
The silver-spotted skipper, Epargyreus clarus, is a butterfly (pictured below) in the insect family Hesperiidae. It is one of the largest, most widespread and commonly recognized skippers in North America. The wing span of an adult may reach 2.4 inches. Wings are brownish-colored with a median row of yellowish-gold spots on the forewings and a large, median, irregular-shaped patch of white on the hind wings. Wing fringes are dashed with white. Antennae are hook-tipped. Skippers are well known for their rapid, Continue reading