By Adam Sisson, Integrated Pest Management
Cutworm monitoring time is nearing — and the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program at Iowa State University is now recruiting cooperators for 2012. The ISU Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic and IPM program are coordinating the annual black cutworm (BCW) monitoring network in Iowa. Farmers and agribusiness personnel are needed to monitor BCW traps for the arrival of cutworm moths this spring.
Black cutworm monitoring will begin April 1. Cooperators will be sent a cutworm trap to assemble and place; they then are asked to monitor the trap every other day. Cooperators record the number of moths and enter the data at ncipmpipe.org at least once per week. Trap monitoring stops near the beginning of June. Trap data, along with degree days, is used to estimate when farmers should be scouting. Scouting will determine if treatment for BCW is necessary in a field.
Black Cutworm moth pheromone trap.
To become a cooperator, e-mail bcutworm@iastate.edu with your name, address and county where trap will be placed. Cooperators will receive a trap kit in the mail with supplies, instructions and pest identification information. The target sign-up deadline is mid-March to allow enough time for shipping. More information about BCW in Iowa can be found in a May 2011 ICM News article.
Black cutworm moth.
Adam Sisson is an Integrated Pest Management program assistant. Sisson can be contacted by email at ajsisson@iastate.edu or by calling 515-294-5899.
Links to this article are strongly encouraged, and this article may be republished without further permission if published as written and if credit is given to the author, Integrated Crop Management News, and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. If this article is to be used in any other manner, permission from the author is required. This article was originally published on February 28, 2012. The information contained within may not be the most current and accurate depending on when it is accessed.
Adam Sisson Extension Specialist
Adam Sisson is an extension specialist with the Iowa State University Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program and a Certified Crop Adviser. Sisson focuses on the development of publications and other educational resources for farmers, agribusi...