that there are late fields in which aphids could develop to damaging proportions. 

 Fields of corn that are ten days or more away from tasseling should be watched. There I 

 are no lady beetles now in corn fields, but there are some insidious flower bugs, a 

 small black-and-white insect that feeds on aphids. To find the aphids, pull ten 

 whorls from these fields and unroll them. 



Armyworms have been observed in some corn fields in northern Illinois this week. They 

 are feeding in grassy areas on com leaves. No control is needed until they begin to 

 eat the leaves on the upper part of the plant. If this happens, apply a spray of 1-1/2 

 pounds of toxaphene per acre, if the field is in pollen and is being frequented by 

 bees; if no bees are present, other chemicals may be used as long as the instructions 

 on the label are followed carefully. 



If you find dead or dying worms, you probably will not need to apply an insecticide. 

 A disease or the fly and wasp parasites often begin to kill the armyworms before they 

 can damage the corn. 



Common stalk borers are moving out of the grasses and weeds found in fence rows , road- 

 sides, grass waterways, and ditch banks and into the border rows of corn. These whitish 

 brown, striped worms with a distinct purple band around their middle feed in the com 

 whorls. The emerging leaves will have irregular holes in them. Plants may be severely 

 damaged, sometimes killed, by these insects. Control in corn is difficult, because the 

 worms are usually too deep in the whorl for insecticides to reach them. In cases of 

 severe infestations, try the following suggestion: ' 



Mow the grasses and weeds from which the borers are migrating. A rotary mower would 

 be best, in order to help kill some of the worms during cutting. This will drive the | 

 worms out of these areas and into the com. Therefore, spray the mowed area and the 

 first few rows of corn immediately with 1-1/2 pounds of actual carbaryl (Sevin) per 

 acre. This should help reduce further infestations and additional damage. 



Com rootworm adults are beginning to emerge. Occasional northern and western corn 

 rootworm adults have been seen, but more will show up soon. Watch fields coming into 

 the silk stage. These beetles attack the silks, causing a reduced kernel set. If 

 there is an average of five beetles or more per silk and pollination is just beginning, 

 an application of 1 pound of carbaryl (Sevin), malathion, or diazinon per acre is prof- 

 itable. Allow five days for malathion and ten days for diazinon between treatment and 

 harvest as forage. There is no waiting period for carbaryl. 



SOYBEAN INSECTS 



Green clove rworms can be found in some soybean fields now. These light-green worms 

 with white stripes running the length of their body feed on the leaves, not the pods 

 or blossoms. The cloverworm population is still light, but the situation will bear 

 watching. Feeding is critical on beans from the blossom to early pod fill periods. 

 Parasites and a fungus disease attack the larvae and help control them. No insecti- 

 cide treatments are needed at this time. 



SORGHUM INSECTS 



Corn leaf aphids , along with other aphid species , are present in many sorghum fields 

 in southern Illinois. Although these aphids may appear to be numerous in the whorls, 

 treatment is not necessary since this aphid species rarely reduces sorghum yields. 



