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Ohio State University Extension

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Lep Monitoring Update CEW, WBC, FAW and ECB Updates

WBC bucket trap

Corn Earworm
Corn earworm (CEW) (Figure 1) numbers have decreased over the past week. Currently only Van Wert County is reporting an average above 20 moths per trap (Figure 2). Counties with high numbers of CEW and silking corn are at the most risk for CEW, because adult moths are attracted to silking corn.  For more information on corn earworm: https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2019-27/corn-earworm-field-corn-watch-mold

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Figure 1. Corn earworm (CEW) moth with wings folded at rest. Photograph by Jessi Raubenolt.

Corn Earworm moth map
June 27 – July 3, 2022

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Figure 2. Average corn earworm (CEW) moths captured from June 27th through July  3rd. The large number indicates the average moth count for the week and the small number in parentheses is the total traps set up in the county.

Western Bean Cutworm
We are in our second week of monitoring for Western bean cutworm (WBC) and numbers have remained low in all monitoring counties (Figure 3). Currently nine counties are reporting WBC moth catches, with all counties below an average of 2 moths per county. Western bean cutworm typically peaks in July, so we expect the averages to increase over the next 3 weeks.

Western Bean Cutworm moth map
June 27 – July 3, 2022

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Figure 3. Average western bean cutworm (WBC) moths captured from June 27th through July 3rd. The large number indicates the average moth count for the week and the small number in parentheses is the total traps set up in the county.

Fall Armyworm
Fall armyworm (FAW) moths (Figure 4A) are currently being monitored in four counties in Ohio: Clark, Madison, Van Wert and Wayne. While we do not expect the majority of FAW moths to arrive in Ohio until later this summer, we do plan to actively monitor a couple of traps around to state. Currently only Van Wert is report FAW moth catches (Figure 5). However, there have been several moths reported in the bucket traps as by-catch. This moth can be identified as the Phragmites Wainscot and has a dark bar in in the scales of the forewing (Figure 4B). Monitoring for FAW in additional counties will begin in August.

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Figure 4. (A) Fall armyworm (FAW) adult moth. Photo by: Lyle Buss, University of Florida, Bugwood.org. (B) By-catch, Phragmites Wainscot (Leucania phragmitidicola) being found in FAW bucket traps. Photo by Jessi Raubenolt, The Ohio State University.

Fall Armyworm moth map
June 27 – July 3, 2022

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Figure 5. Average fall armyworm (FAW) moths captured from June 27th through July 3rd. The large number indicates the average moth count for the week and the small number in parentheses is the total traps set up in the county.

European Corn Borer
There are currently no reports of European corn borer in any of the monitoring counties (Figure 6).

European Corn Borer moth map
June 27 – July 3, 2022

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Figure 6. Average European corn borer (ECB) moths captured from June 27th to July 3rd. The first number indicates the average ECB-IA followed by a comma and then the average ECB-NY moth count for the week. The small number in parentheses is the total traps for each species set in each county.

Crop Observation and Recommendation Network

C.O.R.N. Newsletter is a summary of crop observations, related information, and appropriate recommendations for Ohio crop producers and industry. C.O.R.N. Newsletter is produced by the Ohio State University Extension Agronomy Team, state specialists at The Ohio State University and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC). C.O.R.N. Newsletter questions are directed to Extension and OARDC state specialists and associates at Ohio State.