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| I would describe WBC more as Eastern Corn Earworm. Meaning, they are flowing to the East, and cause the most damage to the corn ears. The moths start laying their eggs about the first to third week of July (depending on your area). They lay their eggs mostly on the top sides of leaves (although I have seen them on the underside) in masses of to 50 to 200. They first appear white colored and turn dark purple right before hatching. It usually takes about 5-7 days for the eggs to hatch. Got to spray before they hatch otherwise to late. Once they latch the larva feed on pollen and the silks. I have seen ear with the silks competely eaten off. The larva are brown in color and lighten up as they mature. As the ear develops they migrate to ear and feed on the kernels. Once they have got into the ears, control is impossible. They can do damage about the size of a silver dollar on the kernals. Non-cannibalistic, they say up to 10 per plant. The most I have seen is 3. The threshold is 8% of plants that have egg masses or larva. I am for western-IA and have WBC have been a problem in the past for me. I use Herculex, spraying for WBC is so timely, because a guy have scout almost everyday and the only way to spray is with a plane. They can be a real pain. | |
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Western Bean Cutworm
