All entries for April 2015

HDC project – egg counts in Cornwall FV416b

The updated Cornish cabbage root fly egg counts for this week are below – expressed as eggs per plant per week:

HDC Project FV 416b - Brassicas: Treatments to control cabbage root fly - as part of this one-year HDC project, we are monitoring egg-laying by female cabbage root flies at 5 sites in Cornwall on a range of brassica crops. We’re sampling 20 plants per location. The sampling is being coordinated by Ellis Luckhurst.

Rosemary Collier : 28 Apr 2015 12:51 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Pest update from Wellesbourne

Today's 'captures' consist of:

• 8 male and 3 female cabbage root flies (3 water traps)
• 219 bean seed flies (3 traps)
• 4 flea beetles (3 traps)
• 15 carrot flies (3 traps)
• 9 cabbage root fly eggs (15 cauliflower plants)

Rosemary Collier : 27 Apr 2015 13:18 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Willow–carrot aphid at Wellesbourne

The suction trap at Wellesbourne caught the first winged willow-carrot aphid of 2015 (see below) - somewhat earlier than the average date and also earlier than expected from the day-degree forecast. Further investigation revealed that our overwintered carrots (retained to maintain the carrot fly population) are heavily infested with aphids which must have overwintered on the crop rather than as eggs on willow. This infestation may have been the source of the early winged aphid! The image shows lots of cast aphid 'skins' - which are more visible than the aphids.

The presence of the aphids has also 'attracted' quite a large number of hungry ladybirds.

Rosemary Collier : 25 Apr 2015 06:44 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Aphid bulletins

A willow–carrot aphid (Cavariella aegopodii) was found in the Wellesbourne trap on 19th April, 13 days earlier than the 10-year average. The shallot aphid (Myzus ascalonicus) remains the most numerous aphid species in the suction-trap samples to date.

Rosemary Collier : 24 Apr 2015 15:30 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Cabbage root fly egg counts in Cornwall

HDC Project FV 416b - Brassicas: Treatments to control cabbage root fly - as part of this one-year HDC project, we are monitoring egg-laying by female cabbage root flies at 5 sites in Cornwall on a range of brassica crops. We’re sampling 20 plants per location and the numbers below are totals for the 20 plants. The sampling is being coordinated by Ellis Luckhurst.

Rosemary Collier : 24 Apr 2015 15:23 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Pest update from Wellesbourne

Today's 'captures' consist of:

• 6 male and 3 female cabbage root flies (3 water traps)
• 457 bean seed flies (3 traps)
• 20 flea beetles (3 traps)
• 2 carrot flies (3 traps)
• 3 cabbage root fly eggs (15 cauliflower plants)

Rosemary Collier : 24 Apr 2015 15:18 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Pest update from Wellesbourne

The traps have just been checked and today we have:

• 1 carrot fly (3 traps in our overwintered carrot plot),
• no adult cabbage root flies
• 3 cabbage root fly eggs (sample from 15 cauliflower plants)
• 135 bean seed fliles (3 traps)
• 1 flea beetle

Rosemary Collier : 20 Apr 2015 13:30 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Trap captures at Wellesbourne

The traps were checked yesterday. Still no cabbage root flies or carrot flies. However, there were more bean seed flies (472 in 3 traps), 2 pollen beetles and 8 flea beetles.

Rosemary Collier : 18 Apr 2015 14:19 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

AHDB Aphid News

The first edition of AHDB Aphid News has just been released.

The temperature in January and February was close to average at all suction-trap sites, the greatest difference from average being at Starcross, where it was 1^oC above. Thus the timing and early-season abundance of winged aphids are expected to be around average. The shallot aphid (Myzus ascalonicus) is the most numerous aphid species in the suction-trap samples to date. No other crop aphids of significance to vegetables or salads have been caught so far this year.

ahdb_aphid_news_20150417.pdf

bulletin_01_2015.pdf

earlybulletinaphids_2015_up_to_05april.pdf

suction_traps_2015.pdf

Rosemary Collier : 17 Apr 2015 22:49 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Trap captures at Wellesbourne

The traps were checked yesterday. Still no carrot flies (which ties in with the carrot fly forecast). No cabbage root fly adults or eggs. A total of 206 bean seed flies in 3 water traps. No other pests in the water traps!

Rosemary Collier : 14 Apr 2015 14:59 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem