D3o—Lancaster Faming, Saturday, September 25,1982
Mexican bean beetle damage on
NEWARK, Del. Economic
infestations of Mexican bean
beetle are occurring in scattered
soybean plantings around
Delaware a sign beetle
populations are up over the last
two years.
But this doesn’t mean farmers
should write off the little wasp with
the big name Pediobius
foveolatus released to control
the beetles. “The parasite has done
a good job for the most part,” says
University of Delaware Extension
pest management specialist Mark
Graustein. “It’s been most ef
fective where spring release sites
(nurse plots) were close enough to
provide good cover of the target
area.”
Graustein blames the weather
for the current build-up of MBB
numbers. “The climate has been
very kind to the pest this year,” he
says. Compared to 1980 and 1981,
when it was so hot and dry many
beetles died of desiccation, con
ditions generally have been
moister around the state. On the
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, other hand, the cool, wet start to
the growing season made it harder
for parasites to become
established.
“The beetle is vulnerable to the
parasite only' in the larval stage,
and there was a long lag between
emergence of first and second
generation MBB larvae this year,”
Graustein says. Since P.
foveolatus must have a host in
order to survive, the lag probably
reduced its ability to suppress
MBB in certain fields.
In spite of this, the entomologist
says the control program is
working most places. “There
appear to be more economic in
festations of MBB outside the
target area than within,” he notes.
“More nurse plots might have
helped, where a problem does
exist.”
Delaware’s current Mexican
bean beetle control program is
based on a cooperative effort
between the state’s Department of
Agriculture and the U.S. Depart
ment of Agriculture. The USDA
Route #4, Box 127
Dover. Delaware 19901
D hone (302) 736-1491
In Del. soybean fields
provided the parasites. State
entomologist Lynn Harrison
coordinated the program, setting
up snap bean nurse plots on
cooperating farms, scouting MBB
larvae to learn when to make
releases, and making sure enough
parasites were released. She also
has been actively involved in
evaluating the success of the
parasite in suppressing MBB
populations on soybeans in the
release area.
There were 35 release sites in
Delaware this year, most of them
in the area between Middletown
and Harrington west of route 13. A
total of 231,000 parasites were
released about 12,000 more than
actually needed, based on MBB
counts.
Where nurse plots were fairly
close together, beetle control has
been good. However, beetle in
festations are now approaching
economic levels in soybeans near
or within some release areas.
Graustein says he and Harrison
feel this is largely because of the
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FARMERS
FAIR
SEPT. 29 & 30 OCT. 1 & 2
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 29
“Spectacle of Bands” Parade 7 P.M.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 30
Baby Beef Judging 1:00 P.M. At ABC
Groff lot on South Railroad Ave. Sale at
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mediately after judging.
Fire Co. Tug-Of-War 8 P.M.
FRIDAY, OCT. I
Kids Day starts at Noon.
Drawing 5:30 P.M.
Pet Parade—7:3o P.M.
Tug of War 8 P.M.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2
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Baby Parade 4 P.M.
Tug-Of-War Finals 8 P.M.
RIDES & AMUSEMENTS
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NORTH S SOUTH ROBERTS AVE.
Baby Beef and Pig Show Earl
Sauders Parking Lot.
Corn and Grain A.B.C. Groff Bldg.
Flower Show Boy Scout Home on S.
Roberts Ave.
Elementary School Auditorium
Fancy Work and Arts.
Food-Vegetables-Fruit-Canned and
Baked Goods and Crafts Basement of
A.B.C. Groff Bldg.
Additional displays in various show
windows. 1
Premium Books can be picked up at
various business places. New Holland.
weather.
As the third generation of MBB
comes on, he expects to see
parasitism pick up. Some beetles
are emerging now, though peak
MBB hatch and larval feeding
won’t take place for another week
or so. This is later than usual
again, probably because of the
weather. It’s too soon to tell
whether or not the delay will have
an impact on the population that
overwinters.
Time is running out on
Delaware’s Mexican bean beetle
control program, the specialist
says. The USDA will probably
support it for only one more
season. This means growers and
grower organizations must con
sider whether the program is
valuable enough to support locally
after that.-“I personally feel it’s
worth continuing,” Graustein
says.
According to Penn State Ex-
increase
tension entomologist Stan Gesell,
the Mexican bean beetle is in the
state but is not yet an “economic
problem” for Pennsylvania
soybean farmers. “Perhaps in
another three to five years it will
be if more farmers begin growing
soybeans and more acres are
planted.”
In Maryland, entomologist John
Heilman reports MBB damage
hasn’t been as extensive this year
as in previous years. He notes,
however, that most of the damage
is experienced in the last few
weeks of the growing season, when
the second generation of the in
sects attack die plants.
“Cool weather slows MBB’s
development,” Heilman explains.
“We expect some injury, but not
much.”
Maryland’s Department of
Agriculture also is cooperating
with U.S. Department of
Agriculture in a parasite program.
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BUTTER/ EGGS
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