True Armyworm Survey

True armyworm has been reported in a number of regions in the province including but not limited to Grey, Bruce, Simcoe, Haldimand, Niagara, Middlesex, Lambton, Elgin, Oxford, Perth, and Bruce counties.  Armyworm has been found at low levels in some fields while others have met thresholds and have required control. Those crops that are at most risk include cereals, corn and mixed forages.

 

We have not had a significant armyworm outbreak like this for a number of years.  However, this is a great opportunity to collect as much information as possible and learn from it.  To help us get the most information possible, we are asking for your help!  If you are out scouting cereal fields this growing season and have come across true armyworm, we want you to let us know where you found this pest and at what levels, along with some basic field information. To enter your field information, please complete the armyworm survey at the following link: True Armyworm Survey. The survey can be accessed from your smartphone, tablet or you can enter the field location information at your desktop computer.

 

The best time to scout for true armyworm is shortly after dusk when larvae are actively feeding. In corn, examine 20 plants in five areas in the field (100 plants total). In cereals and mixed forages, examine 10 areas of the field, assessing the number of larvae per 30 cm2 (1 ft2).  Pay particular attention to the border area directly adjacent to other grassy host crops. During the day, if it is cloudy and overcast, you might be lucky enough to see larvae in the whorl, leaf axil, or on the head of the plant but on sunny days, they will be down on the ground among the crop debris or under soil clods. Brown frass may also be present on the plants and on the soil surface.

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.