Cold weather has kept migratory moths out of Iowa through Week 2 of the trapping network. However, our cooperators have seen some native moths show up in their true armyworm traps. During week 2 of the Iowa Moth Trapping Network (April 3 to April 9), our cooperators reported only two total moths in traps around the state. This is a drastic reduction from what we saw last year when our cooperators reported over 140 total moths during the second week.
Week 2 report:
Both moths captured were black cutworms, one in Tama County on April 4 and one in Washington County on April 6. So far, no significant flights have occurred that indicate large populations of larvae are expected in a specific area. Figures 1 and 2 show the Week 2 trap reports for true armyworm and black cutworm, respectively.
Follow the link to see the report from Week 1.
Surrounding states also monitor and report BCW and TAW captures. If you live near the state border, it may be beneficial to check these resources periodically. More resources may be available than what is listed here:
Ashley Dean Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Specialist II
Ashley is an education extension specialist for field crop entomology at Iowa State University. She coordinates the Iowa Moth Trapping Network, the Regional Corn Rootworm Monitoring Network, and the Iowa Pest Alert Network. She also develops educational resources for field crop pests in Iowa and ...