If unsure, treat them as if they are budworms. Pyrethroids performed poorly where they were used against tobacco budworms in June and resistance monitoring in neighboring states is showing extremely high levels of pyrethroid resistance. Consequently, synthetic pyrethroids are not recommended, either alone or in tank mixtures, against moderate to heavy populations of tobacco budworm in July . Also, Tracer is not recommended against the July generation of tobacco budworm as part of the resistance management plan and to conserve Tracer for use against August populations of caterpillar pests. The big insect concern at this time is aphids.
Most cotton fields are at or near treatable levels for aphids in almost all of the hills.
Some of the aphid populations have seemed to begin to go down a little in some of the fields this week, but we have seen NO evidence of the fungus, yet. The afternoon rainshowers have brought some relief and there is also hope that they will bring the fungus as well. Whiteflies are also being seen in fairly high numbers along with the high aphids. The moths will be laying eggs low in the plants and on bloom tags with the weather as hot as it has been. The populations are mixed bollworm and budworm.