In all cases where these defoliators were observed, the field still had a good leaf canopy and loopers had fed on only lower leaves. As long as only the lower leaves are effected, the leaf feeding could allow for more air circulation and reduce boll rot. However, these fields should be watched carefully because as the loopers get bigger they will consume more foliage. Questions that must be answered when loopers infest a field are 1. Whiteflies are also high in some of these cutout cotton fields.
Some producers report that they are hard to control.
In areas outside the boll weevil eradication program boll weevils are increasing. Beet armyworms, fall armyworms, plantbugs, bollworms, budworms, and boll weevils are still around. This is the part of the season where insect control gets expensive. Decisions get tough and we must be protecting enough cotton for the dollars we put into insect control. In some areas the population is still mixed, though predominantly budworms.