The Japanese beetle is found throughout Virginia and in most of the Eastern United States. In regions west of the Mississippi it is found in isolated pockets. Japanese beetles were first found in New Jersey in 1916 and have spread from that point since. The Japanese beetle has been well established in Virginia since the early 1970’s.

European hornets (Vespa crabo) are large, stout bodied insects. They have a painful sting, but do not appear particularly aggressive or vicious unless defending their nest. European hornets are nocturnal and attracted to lights at night. They sometimes girdle the twigs and small branches of thin-barked trees and shrubs to feed on plant sap. European hornets are frequently mistaken for the northern giant hornet, which has only been reported from a small area in Washington State or across the border in British Columbia.

These beetles cause very conspicuous damage in late summer. The leaves on large numbers of twigs and branches will be observed to turn brown prematurely. These twigs and branches sometimes fall from trees in great numbers and accumulate. On close examination, the twigs have one of two kinds of damage. Twigs damaged by the twig girdler are cut as neatly as by a knife. The cut end has been gnawed almost straight across with a faint rounding and is slightly roughened by the chewing. The twig girdler is more commonly found on pecan and hickory. The twig pruner causes a slightly different type of cut. The twig will be observed to have a hollowed out space at the cut end filled with sawdust like frass. The twig when split open will have a long tunnel through most of its length. The twig pruner is more commonly found on oak.

The Virginia pine sawfly has been recorded from New Jersey and Maryland to North Carolina and westward to Illinois. Its main hosts are Virginia and shortleaf pines, but it also feeds on pitch and loblolly pine.

Minute pirate bugs, particularly Orius insidiosus, are vital biological control agents for managing herbivorous insect pests. These small, predatory insects prey on a range of soft-bodied pests including thrips, mites, and aphids, making them crucial for natural pest suppression in a variety of agricultural settings. Orius are especially attracted to flowering plants, which makes landscape-level strategies like farmscaping—such as planting hedgerows, insectary plants, and cover crops—highly effective in boosting their populations. Producers and homeowners can protect and encourage these beneficial insects by minimizing broad-spectrum pesticide use and integrating pest management practices that support their habitat, thereby leveraging their natural predatory capabilities to reduce pest densities and enhance the health of crop plants.

The baldfaced hornet is a large, black and white hornet up to 1 inch (25.4mm) in length. It is black and white in color with a mostly white head or face. It is widely distributed in Virginia. The nests are constructed of the same paper-like material as that of other wasps (yellowjackets). They differ a great deal from other wasp nests in being enclosed in a thick "paper" envelope. There is a single opening at the lower end of the nest and a few hornets always guard this. Nests are always abandoned at the end of the season. Hymenoptera, Vespidae: Dolichovespula maculata (L.)

Corn earworm is a pest of multiple agricultural crops grown in Virginia, including vegetables. These pests have a wide host range and can cause extensive damage, but monitoring and a variety of control methods help suppress populations and prevent losses.

Cabbage looper frequently shows up as a pest in cole crops in Virginia. Herein contains information regarding it's biology and management recommendations.

Carpenter ants can be found outside on trees and sidewalks and indoor. Where they are found determines how best to control them. Inside they can be active indoors during many months of the year, usually during the spring and summer. When ants are active in the house during late winter/early spring (February/March), the infestation (nest) is probably within the household. In late spring large numbers of foraging ants may come in from outside looking for food and may not indicate and infestation. Outside carpenter ants become active in late spring and early summer and will be seen on tree trunks and sidewalks.

Heavily infested trees will have large numbers of scales on twigs and branches. Scales may also be found on exposed roots and on the trunk of young trees. Scale insects feed on plant sap with their long thread-like mouthparts (stylets), which are several times longer than the insect itself.

When choosing nozzles/droplet sizes for spray applications, applicators must consider both coverage needed and drift potential. As a rule, smaller droplets provide better coverage, but larger droplets are less likely to drift.

This fact sheet covers nozzle description, recommended use for common nozzle types, and orifice sizing for agricultural and turf sprayers. Proper selection of a nozzle type and size is essential for correct and accurate pesticide application. The nozzle is a major factor in determining the amount of spray applied to an area, uniformity of application, coverage obtained on the target surface, and amount of potential drift.

The pepper maggot, Zonosemata electa, is a significant pest of bell pepper in eastern North America, having transitioned from its native wild host, the horse nettle, to domesticated solanaceous plants like bell pepper and eggplant. Infestation levels can be alarming, with near-total crop loss possible from a single maggot per fruit. Control methods primarily involve insecticide applications, posing challenges for organic producers. The pest has a single annual generation, overwintering as a pupa in soil. Monitoring adult populations using yellow sticky traps and oviposition scars is essential for effective management. Cultural practices such as field sanitation, crop rotation, and the eradication of alternate hosts are crucial in mitigating damage. Additionally, trap cropping with hot pepper varieties and perimeter sprays have shown success in reducing damage to bell peppers. Various insecticides are available for pre-emptive control, emphasizing the importance of monitoring to optimize application timing.

The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), a pest from the Noctuidae family, originates from the tropical Americas and lacks diapause, allowing it to migrate north from Gulf Coast states. This moth has been reported in all U.S. states east of the Rockies and has become a significant pest in other parts of the world. Fall armyworm larvae cause severe defoliation to a variety of plants, especially grasses, and fruit damage to crops like sweet corn, tomatoes, and peppers. Management strategies include using pheromone traps for monitoring, scouting for eggs and larvae, and promoting biological controls. Insecticides are also used, though resistance issues can arise. Effective control requires timely interventions based on thresholds to mitigate economic impact.

Four species of aphids attack small grains in Virginia - greenbug, corn leaf aphid, bird cherry-oat aphid, and English grain aphid.

The adult is relatively large compared to other spider mites and is the only mite of economic importance with the anal pore (a tan to orange spot best seen with microscope, but can be seen with a hand lens) on the upper surface of the abdomen.

In the competitive global peanut market, you need to lower production costs. At the same time, you also need to keep pesticide residues in peanuts to a minimum; protect rivers, streams, and lakes from runoff; and prevent chemicals from leaching through the soil to groundwater. Using IPM to protect crops only from pests that are likely to cause economic losses is a good way to meet these goals.

This publication explains the relationship between Leaf Area Index and soybean yield potential.

Spider mites (Family Tetranychidae, Order Acari) are not insects; they are closely related to spiders, harvestmen (daddy longlegs), and ticks. Unlike insects, which have six legs and three body parts, spider mites have eight legs and a one-part body. They also lack wings, antennae, and compound eyes. Individual spider mites are almost microscopic, yet when they occur in large numbers, they can cause serious damage. Dozens of species attack shade trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants.

Cereal leaf beetle, a native to Europe and Asia, was first detected in Michigan in 1962. Since that time it has spread throughout most of the mid-western and eastern United States and has become a significant pest of Virginia and North Carolina small grains. This insect can become very numerous in small grain fields and the larvae are capable of reducing grain yield by eating the green leaf tissue.

Field Guide to Stink Bugs of Agricultural Importance in the United States

Corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea, is the most common and destructive insect pest of soybeans grown in Virginia. Although infestation severity varies, about one-third of our acreage is treated annually. This costs farmers 1.5 to 2 million dollars annually, and requires the application of many pounds of insecticide to crop lands. We may never eliminate this pest from Virginia soybeans, but knowledge of the biology and use of best management practices can help limit insecticide controls to those fields that meet economic threshold criteria. This publication provides current information on corn earworm biology, prediction of outbreaks, pest advisories, scouting procedures, and recently revised economic thresholds.

The Virginia Pest Management Guide (PMG) series lists options for management of major pests: diseases, insects, nematodes, and weeds. These guides are produced by Virginia Cooperative Extension and each guide is revised annually. PMG recommendations are based on research conducted by the Research and Extension Division of Virginia Tech, in cooperation with other land-grant universities, the USDA, and the pest management industry.

The guide contains information on pesticides used in orchards, with a seasonal treatment of when and how these materials should be employed. Efficacy information toward major fruit pests as well as beneficial species is included. The guide is black and white, but with a color photograph for the cover. It is spiral bound.

The mighty American chestnut tree (Castanea dentata [Marsh], Borkh.) was once a dominant figure in hardwood forests throughout the eastern United States. An iconic source of food, chestnuts were sold by the ton every year, until the chestnut blight nearly brought this tree crop to extinction in the early to mid-20th century.

Northern fowl mites (Ornithonyssus sylviarum) are one of the more common ectoparasites (external parasites) that can be present in a poultry flock. This publication discusses detection, prevention, and treatment options

This project will be used to disseminate current thoughts and understand the invasive species of Asian Longhorned Tick (ALT) and the spread of Theileria. The Asian Longhorned Tick is a new invasive species that was first found in the US in 2017 and has since spread to 19 states from the Atlantic Coast to the Southeastern region of the US. The ALT is credited with the widespread of Theileria. Theileria is a blood protozoa parasite that has had a negative impact on cattle producers across the state. This article is what we currently understand about the ALT and the spread of Theileria.

This handbook represents a joint effort among Extension specialists and researchers from 15 land-grant universities in the U.S. who work in vegetable production. These specialists and researchers represent a wide array of disciplines: agricultural engineering, agribusiness, entomology, food safety, horticulture (vegetable production), plant pathology, postharvest physiology, soil science, and weed science. This handbook comprises up-to-the-minute information from research and Extension projects conducted throughout the southeastern United States. The key idea behind this handbook is to provide you with a practical resource that conveniently fits on your dashboard. It contains the information that you need to manage your vegetable crops, including which varieties to plant, planting dates, fertilizer recommendations, cover crop selection and conservation tillage options, pesticide selection, grafting, fertigation, plasticulture, postharvest handling, alternative pest management tools, and suggestions, as well as many other topics.

Numerous kinds of insects can be found in soybeans. Most are beneficial or harmless, but some can cause yield loss and even crop failure if not controlled.

Sugarcane beetle is a sporadic but serious pest of several crops in Virginia. Although an occasional pest, outbreaks can lead to substantial losses in crops and property damage. It can cause significant damage to corn, sugarcane, rice, sweetpotato, and turfgrass, and has also been reported on strawberry, cotton, rose, and wild grasses. Populations in southern states may flare to levels that become a nuisance as it gathers at light sources. Its life cycle spans one generation per year, with adults becoming active in late spring. These beetles primarily feed on plant roots and management involves cultural practices and chemical control, focusing on targeting adult beetles to reduce crop damage. Further research is needed to develop effective pest management strategies that rely less on chemical control tactics.

Adult cluster flies are medium-sized, robust, somewhat bristly flies about 7 mm (0.3 inches) long.

The locust borer is a native insect that attacks black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and its ornamental cultivars. Adult locust borers are conspicuous black and yellow beetles with long black antennae and reddish legs. There is a yellow W-shaped band across the wing covers with other yellow stripes.

Rice-shaped holes about 1/16 inches result from adult feeding. Larval feeding forms mines, usually two per leaf. If they are both on the same side of midrib, one is extensive, and the other dwarfed. If the insect lays eggs on opposite sides of the midrib, both mines develop normally.

In recent years cucurbit growers in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. could purchase their seeds pre-treated with the neonicotinoid insecticide thiamethoxam. The insecticide seed treatment is currently packaged as FarMore F1400, which also includes three proven and complementary fungicides that provide the first line of defense against several key seed and seedling diseases including Rhizoctonia, Fusarium, Pythium, general damping-off and seedling blight.

Spotted lanternfly first invaded Virginia in 2018, and now occupies the entire Shenandoah Valley and most of the Piedmont. Information is provided on appearance and biology.

The key to controlling mosquitoes is removing the standing or stagnant water where they live.

The kudzu bug (Megacopta cribraria) is an invasive pest from Asia and first appeared in the U.S. in 2009 near Atlanta, Georgia. It has since spread to 18 additional states and the District of Columbia, threatening soybean crops. Recognizable by their mottled dark green and brown coloration, adult kudzu bugs are shield bugs that exude a pungent defensive substance when disturbed. Adults and nymphs feed on plant phloem, causing both direct and indirect damage to plants. Despite initial concerns, populations only occasionally reach damaging levels, but monitoring and management remain crucial. The kudzu bug has two generations per year, with adults emerging from overwintering in early spring. Management includes chemical control with pyrethroids and neonicotinoids, biological control with parasitoid wasps and the fungus Beauveria bassiana, and cultural control by reducing kudzu patches. Here we detail the bug's distribution, life cycle, pest status, and management strategies, highlighting the importance of ongoing vigilance and integrating management tactics.

Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) has quickly established itself as an agricultural pest, feeding mostly on grapes and fruit trees, but is also known to feed on many species of hardwoods. As a result, SLF has become a large residential pest where it is established.

Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) se ha establecido rápidamente como una plaga agrícola, alimentándose principalmente de uvas y árboles frutales, al igual que de muchas especies de maderas duras. Como resultado, en cualquier que SLF se ha establecido, se ha convertido en una gran plaga residencial.

Spotted lanternfly is an invasive pest that is continuing expansion through Virginia. It now occupies the entire Shenandoah Valley and most of the Piedmont. It can be extremely damaging in vineyards, potentially killing vines. This fact sheet discusses its management in vineyards.

This publication reviews the biology and management of Mexican bean beetle, an herbivorous lady beetle (Coccinellidae) that feeds on bean crops (legumes).

This publication has information regarding tarnished plant bug (Lygus lineolaris) biology, identification, and management in field crop systems.

Hemp is a new crop to Virginia agriculture and available information about pest management and general crop production is lacking. This guide compiles the current known information about pest (insect and mite, disease and pathogen, and weed) management and crop production for hemp grown in Virginia. This is a first version and updates will occur in the future.

Welcome to the Insect Identification Laboratory at Virginia Tech. The Insect Identification Lab covers all insects found in all situations and commodities in Virginia. This diagnostic lab started in 1967 and is a service for Extension Agents and Citizens of Virginia.

Imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta and its hybrids) have been found in Virginia since 1989 and are an increasing concern as they expand their range in Virginia. Imported fire ants swarm and attack aggressively when their colony is disturbed. Pheromones released by fire ants quickly alert colony members to the threat, leading to a mass attack and many stings by the defending ants. Physical reactions to fire ant venom will vary with a person’s sensitivity. Some people may require medical treatment after being stung by fire ants.

Imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta and its hybrids) are an increasing concern for farming operations as they expand across Virginia. To slow the spread of imported fire ants, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the US Department of Agriculture have set a Federal Fire Ant Quarantine over much of the southeastern portion of the state. The FFAQ does not currently include all the localities in Virginia known to have imported fire ants and will likely be expanded in the future.

Diamondback moth has become one of the hardest lepidopteran "worm" pests to control globally due to insecticide resistance. Mating disruption is an effective pesticide-free strategy for managing this pest of cabbage, broccoli, collards, and other brassica crops.

The Japanese maple scale is an armored scale, considered a key pest, causing the nursey industry significant losses due to direct injury or plant rejection. Identify JMS can be difficult due to their biology. This factsheet serves as a pictorial guide to provide key features of this insect.

Native to South America, both red imported fire ant (RIFA, Solenopsis invicta) and black imported fire ant (BIFA, Solenopsis richteri) have been found in the US since the 1930s. Imported fire ants are now widespread across the southern US and have been reported in Virginia since 1989. RIFA and BIFA hybridize and produce fertile offspring in areas of the US where both species are found. The S. invicta x richteri hybrid fire ant zone in the US includes Georgia, Alabama, central Mississippi, and Tennessee. Recently in 2022, hybrid ants were detected for the first time in Virginia in Lee County and in several nearby counties in southeastern Kentucky. Hybrid fire ants are well established in eastern Tennessee as well.

Allium Leafminer (ALM) (Phytomyza gymnostoma), an invasive pest first detected in the United States in 2015, has spread through onion-growing regions in the Northeast and Midwest. This pest targets commercial alliums such as onions, garlic, leeks, chives, and shallots, causing significant injury to crops.

This publication on Asiatic garden beetle provides an overview of the insect, identification characteristics, and management recommendations for this pest in cotton.

The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) is a wood-boring beetle native to eastern Asia and is now considered the most destructive forest pest ever seen in North America. Since its discovery in Michigan in 2002, it has killed tens of millions of native ash (Fraxinus spp.) trees in the United States and Canada. This destruction has already cost municipalities, property owners, and businesses tens of millions of dollars in damages.

Combine harvesters can disperse weed seed, spreading them within a field and from field to field. Harvest Weed Seed Control (HWSC) is a method of weed control that concentrates, removes, or kills weed seeds that are retained on weed plants at the time of crop harvest. HWSC can be used to reduce the soil seedbank and thus future weed problems. It can also aid in herbicide resistance management, by killing or removing seeds produced by weeds that have escaped herbicidal control. This publication overviews current options to adopt HWSC and research results from Virginia.

This document provides an overview of the potato industry's status in 2022, including key statistics such as acreage, cultivar selection methods, planting practices, and pest control measures. The challenges faced by potato farmers in the region are also discussed, including issues related to fertilization, labor, pests, and market conditions. Additionally, the document outlines the research priorities identified by potato farmers, focusing on soil analysis, weather data accessibility, and irrigation management. It emphasizes the importance of research and innovation for the sector's future growth. Lastly, the document explores communication preferences among potato farmers, highlighting their preference for email and annual conferences as effective means of information exchange.