Survey efforts for the soybean aphid in New York were initiated June 28, 2001. Summer assistants Lee MacComber and Brett Scott have found low populations of the soybean aphid in 25 of 57 fields visited in Cayuga, Erie, Genesee, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, and Yates counties in central and western New York. Aphid populations were at low levels, typically with 3 or less of the 30 plants sampled per field infested. One field in Erie county had a few winged forms. GPS data has been collected from all fields monitored.
Armyworms continue to mow down corn fields in Wayne County.
One grower had 5 different fields with intense feeding damage. In all cases fields were RR corn zone tilled into lots of grass. Roundup was applied 2 weeks ago. Armyworms moved to feed on corn when grass began to die. In the most injured areas nothing but stubs remained.