All entries for July 2013

Update from Wellesbourne

Today we found:

• 39 carrot flies (3 traps) - this may be the start of the second generationas indicated by the forecast
• 235 cabbage root fly eggs (15 plants)
• 14 bean seed flies (3 traps)
• 15 pollen beetles, 7 flea beetles, 9 large white butterflies, 4 small white butterflies, 1 cabbage seed weevil, 1 cabbage stem weevil (3 traps)
• 4 silver Y moth (2 traps)

There are good numbers of cabbage aphid, small and large white butterflies, flea beetles and cabbage root flies in our brasscia plots.

Rosemary Collier : 29 Jul 2013 15:38 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Update from Rothamsted insect survey

Information on suction trap captures up to 21st July is now available. More detailed information about the pest aphids of vegetables is here.

Peach–potato aphid suction trap numbers are increasing in England, with a hotspot at Rothamsted. Generally accumulated numbers of both peach–potato aphid and potato aphid are low for the time of year.

There are field reports of large numbers of peach–potato aphid in cabbages, with many new arrivals, probably arriving from rape crops.

Yellow water trays placed by Broom’s Barn at twenty eight sites in sugar beet areas caught 16 peach–potato aphids and one potato aphid during the period 17/7–23/7, roughly the same as the previous week

Black bean aphids, pea aphids and cabbage aphid numbers are all building in central and southern England. The late migration of willow–carrot aphid continues, but numbers are now decreasing.

Currant–lettuce aphids were caught at two sites, and accumulated numbers are above the ten year means at four sites in central and southern England.

Rosemary Collier : 27 Jul 2013 11:52 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Insects on brassicas at Wellesbourne

Pest activity is now starting to take off on the brassica plots at Wellesbourne. The pests include:

• Cabbage aphids
• Large white butterfly and small white butterfly eggs
• Garden pebble moth (Evergestis forficalis) caterpillars - which have caused a lot of damage to 5-6 adjacent plants in a Brussels sprout plot

Some of the cabbage aphids have been parasitised and they are also being consumed by ladybirds and hover fly larvae.

Here are some images.

Rosemary Collier : 25 Jul 2013 22:26 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Wellesbourne update

Today we found:

• 28 carrot flies - 3 traps
• 209 cabbage root fly eggs (15 plants)
• 16 bean seed flies - 3 traps
• 20 flea beetles, 39 pollen beetles, 1 large white butterfly, 1 small white butterfly
• 1 turnip moth - 2 traps
• 6 silver Y moths - 2 traps

Conditions are favourable for foliar pests of brassica crops - aphids, caterpillars, flea beetles - and all are evident on plots at Wellesbourne.

Rosemary Collier : 25 Jul 2013 17:53 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Wellesbourne update 22nd July

Today we found:

• 17 carrot flies (3 traps)
• 34 bean seed flies (3 traps)
• 323 cabbage root fly eggs (15 plants)
• 30 pollen beetles, 7 flea beetles, 4 large white butterflies and 3 small white butterflies (3 traps)
• 5 silver Y moths (2 traps)
• 3 turnip moths (2 traps)

Rosemary Collier : 22 Jul 2013 16:52 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Wellesbourne pest update 19th July

On Friday 19th July we found:

• 15 carrot flies (3 traps)
• 131 cabbage root fly eggs (15 plants)
• 19 bean seed flies, 43 pollen beetles, 5 flea beetles (3 traps)
• 1 turnip moth (2 traps)
• 1 silver Y moth (2 traps)

Rosemary Collier : 22 Jul 2013 08:14 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Rothamsted suction trap captures up to 14th July

Writing about web page http://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/insect-survey/Bulletins/2013WebBulletin12.pdf

Information on suction trap captures up to 14th July is now available. More detailed information about the pest aphids of vegetables is here.

The unusually late flight of willow–carrot aphid continues with numbers in-creasing at four suction trap sites. Accumulated numbers for 2013 at Here-ford and Starcross are above the ten year means. However in the field willow–carrot aphid numbers have apparently decreased since last week. 

Peach–potato aphid suction trap numbers are increasing, with a hotspot at Writtle. Accumulated numbers of both peach–potato aphid and potato aphid are low for the time of year. There are field reports of peach–potato aphid numbers building in potato crops in the Midlands with winged individuals starting to move off onto brassica crops as the plants wilt in the heat.

Yellow water trays placed by Broom’s Barn at twenty eight sites in sugar beet areas caught 18 peach–potato aphids and no potato aphids during the period 10/7–16/7.

Pea aphid and cabbage aphid numbers are building in southern England.

Black bean aphids were caught throughout the Country, with numbers high-est in the south west.

Currant–lettuce aphids were caught at five sites in low numbers.

Rosemary Collier : 20 Jul 2013 12:45 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Scottish Aphid Bulletins

Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) issue weekly aphid bulletins and there is more information here.scottish_aphid_bulletins.pdf.

Rosemary Collier : 19 Jul 2013 11:43 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Leaf miners

We also found some leafminer damage on our swede plots - not as heavy yet as in previous years.

Rosemary Collier : 18 Jul 2013 08:56 |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Conditions good for development of aphid infestations

Whilst there have been few Brevicoryne brassicae flying so far this year, conditions have been good for development of infestations on plants (warm and dry). Liam Harvey, one of our HDC PhD students infested his plots with Brevicoryne earlier on and the picture below shows what an impact they can have. The inner plants were infested, the outer plants were 'guards'.

Rosemary Collier : 18 Jul 2013 08:53 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem