Soybean Defoliators

By Ron Hammond,Andy Michel

Various foliar feeding insects are starting to show up on soybeans, including the first generation bean leaf beetles, adult Japanese beetles, green cloverworm, and in parts of Ohio, Mexican bean beetle.  These insects will continue to feed throughout the next month or so.  See the fact sheet at http://ohioline.osu.edu/ent-fact/pdf/0039.pdf on how to scout and manage for them.  Remember that as flowering begins, the thresholds go down to 15-20%.  However, with the good moisture in many parts of the state, note how much foliage and heavy canopy is in much of the soybeans, and remember to take into account the entire plant canopy when determining percent defoliation.

Source: corn.osu.edu