Wednesday, February 11, 2026

insect management

Entomologist group receives grant to study rice insect management

⋅ By V. Todd Miller ⋅ LSU AgCenter The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) recently awarded a grant of more than $295,000 for a multi-year, collaborative project of rice entomologists at three universities to study insect management in furrow-irrigated...

Entomology Society fetes LSU’s Blake Wilson with early career Extension award

The Entomology Society of America recently recognized a handful of scientists, educators and students who have distinguished themselves through their contributions to entomology. Among those was Dr. Blake Wilson of the Louisiana State University AgCenter, who received received the ECP...

Unwelcome tourists

2 non-native stink bugs prompt questions about treatment thresholds, spray timings in Florida rice. • By Vicky Boyd, Editor • Since it was first confirmed about 13 years ago, an exotic rice stink bug from the Caribbean and Central and South America...

Proof positive

Arkansas revisits rice stink bug thresholds, finding they still balance grain damage with grower profitability. • By Vicky Boyd, Editor • As two southern rice-producing states changed their rice stink bug thresholds, reducing the number that would trigger treatment, University of Arkansas...

EPA grants Section 18 to control armyworms in California rice

The Environmental Protection Agency has approved a Section 18 emergency exemption for Intrepid 2F Insecticide for use in Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Merced, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba counties, California. You need to make certain Intrepid 2F Insecticide is...

Not all brown moths are armyworm adults — get to know thy enemy

• By Luis Espino • Over the winter, I gave a few presentations that touched on armyworms. In the presentations, I usually had pictures of adult armyworms. Several comments I got after the presentations made me realize that armyworm adult moths...

Keep an eye on armyworms in fields adjacent to California rice

• By Luis Espino • The first set of traps were set up on April 19, and more traps are being set up as fields get ready for planting. So far, seven sites have been set up. As you know, there...

LSU AgCenter sets rice grower meetings for January, February

The LSU AgCenter will hold a series of meetings to help rice farmers prepare for their 2019 crop. The educational sessions will provide farmers with advice on choosing varieties, land preparation, controlling pests and the new farm bill. Farmers also will...

Rice planthopper resurfaces in Texas after three-year hiatus

• By Vicky Boyd, Editor • Rice delphacid, a planthopper native to Central and South America, has been found in several South Texas counties after a three-year absence. “It’s a very, very similar infestation as three years ago,” says Dr. Mo Way, a...

Improved stink bug sampling could save growers money, energy

As rice begins to head in Arkansas, many producers and consultants are checking fields for rice stink bug, but their sampling technique could be costing them money. While working on an improved treatment threshold — which indicates the density of...

Syngenta sponsors pest update program again this season

For the 10th year, Syngenta is sponsoring its Pest Patrol program, which provides pest alerts to growers and consultants who have signed up for the text messaging service. Growers and consultants also are able to access the same information...

Here to stay?

California rice industry prepares for what may become annual armyworm infestations. By Vicky Boyd Editor When Luis Espino, a University of California Cooperative Extension farm adviser, started seeing significant true armyworm populations in numerous rice fields in 2015, he thought it...

Sharing knowledge

Colombian trip helps Texas A&M entomologist learn more about a rice planthopper and prepare in case it reappears in the South. By Mo Way, Fernando Correa and Maribel Cruz The rice delphacid (Tagosodes orizicolus) is a serious rice pest in much...

University of Arkansas hires native son as new Extension entomologist

Rice growers in Arkansas just got a little more help in their battle against insect pests when the University of Arkansas hired Dr. Nick Bateman as the new Extension rice entomologist. Bateman — an Arkansas native — is no stranger...

Noted UC Davis rice entomologist loses battle with cancer

University of California Extension entomologist Larry Godfrey, a 26-year member of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology faculty, died April 18 after a battle with cancer. He was 60. Godfrey was a fixture at the California Rice Field...

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