May 24, 2013

UNL Extension Entomology is monitoring crop insect pests using black light traps at the Haskell Ag Laboratory near Concord; the South Central Ag Laboratory near Clay Center; and the West Central Research and Extension Center near North Platte.

Current data is available at http://entomology.unl.edu/fldcrops/lightrap.shtml

This information can be used to monitor the seasonal occurrence of pest species. Peak moth flight precedes the occurrence of the damaging larval stages and provides an alert to check for the larval stages in your area.

Seasonal occurrence varies from year to year, based on degree-day accumulations. Levels of insects found in light traps cannot be used to predict economic damage in individual fields; often moths have preferences for specific crop growth stages, or other characteristics, which will influence damage to individual fields.

Bob Wright
Extension Entomologist