This site uses cookies to maintain login information on FarmallCub.Com. Click the X in the banner upper right corner to close this notice. For more information on our privacy policy, visit this link:
Privacy Policy

NEW REGISTERED MEMBERS: Be sure to check your SPAM/JUNK folders for the activation email.

Japanese beetles and corn silks.

Farming and rural life discussion forum. Cooking, hunting, gardening, fishing, critters, etc.
User avatar
Trent M
Cub Pro
Cub Pro
Posts: 3337
Joined: Wed Aug 09, 2006 6:21 pm
Zip Code: 62859
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: Illinois Southern

Japanese beetles and corn silks.

Postby Trent M » Tue Jul 17, 2007 11:10 pm

The Japanese beetles are eating the heck out of my sweetcorn silks. It looks like the pollen has all dropped, so it may be OK. Anyone else see this? Is there anything to do?

Thanks,
Trent
Trent McPeak

SPONSOR AD

Sponsor



Sponsor
 

User avatar
Into Tractors
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 1607
Joined: Sat Jun 03, 2006 8:09 am
Zip Code: 45387
Location: Yellow Springs, Ohio

Postby Into Tractors » Wed Jul 18, 2007 6:22 am

Trent, get the problem here too. Don't like using spray's and powder's as eventually the stuff goes into my mouth? What I've done is to mix up a strong solution of soapy water, and spray the leaves and stalks of my plants. Of course, if you get a hard rain just afterwards, it'll just wash away. You'd be surprised how the little pests don't seem to like the flavor of soap.
Mike Duncan

pete1941
10+ Years
10+ Years

Postby pete1941 » Wed Jul 18, 2007 6:31 am

Trent, wish I had that problem here. It's been so dry that my corn is only about a foot high now. In the past I have fixed a powdered coffee creamer plastic container and drilled small holes in the top and sprinkled 5% Sevin dust on the silks. If you have an acre or two of corn, that's not feasible though. I don't really like using Sevin, but neither do I like eating the corn where a bunch of Japanese beetles have been doing their two things, EATING AND MAKING LOVE :roll: :oops: . Pete

User avatar
John *.?-!.* cub owner
Cub Pro
Cub Pro
Posts: 23701
Joined: Sun Feb 02, 2003 2:09 pm
Zip Code: 63664
Tractors Owned: 47, 48, 49 cub plus Wagner loader & other attachments. 41 Farmall H.
Location: Mo, Potosi

Postby John *.?-!.* cub owner » Wed Jul 18, 2007 10:53 am

time consuming, but the old timers around here would take an eye dropper ant put a couple of drops of mineral oil down in the silks.
If you are not part of the solution,
you are part of the problem!!!

pete1941
10+ Years
10+ Years

Postby pete1941 » Wed Jul 18, 2007 11:15 am

John, maybe we should use a mixture of EXLAX and something. Then they wouldn't have time to eat all day :oops: . Pete

User avatar
Bill Hudson
Team Cub
Team Cub
Posts: 9513
Joined: Wed Jul 26, 2006 10:50 am
Zip Code: 44057
Tractors Owned: 57 F-Cub - Dad & Mom's Cub
77 F-Cub - Red Long Stripe
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: OH, Madison

Postby Bill Hudson » Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:45 pm

Trent,

From the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service;

"Japanese Beetles

Huge numbers of Japanese beetles have been reported in Illinois this year. It was reported that a total of 71,984 Japanese beetles were caught in a single trap in a 24-hour period in Massac county southern Illinois on June 20-21. The beetles have mainly been a problem near urban areas. The beetles will feed on soybeans and corn (as well as hundreds of other species of plants), but the damage to soybeans usually isn’t sufficient to pay for an insecticide treatment. A general threshold for soybeans is to consider an insecticide if there is 20% leaf defoliation during the reproductive stages. Most people tend to greatly over estimate percent defoliation. The pictures in the following ICM article can help in estimating leaf defoliation: http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/icm/2002 ... ation.html.

The beetles can cause a substantial yield loss in corn, since they often feed on the silks, so corn fields need to be watched closely in the next few weeks in the areas where Japanese beetles have been observed, such as eastern Clinton, Jackson, Muscatine, and Scott Counties. An insecticide should be considered if the beetles are keeping the silks clipped to within 0.5” of the ear. In past years, much of the silk clipping was done by the beetles after pollination was complete. It seems like the beetles are emerging earlier than in the past, which means any silk clipping is more likely to affect pollination. The beetles will continue to emerge for several weeks and can live for 30-45 days, so they can continue to cause problems into August. For more information including pictures of the beetles, see the August 19, 2002 ICM Newsletter at http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/icm/2002 ... etles.html.

Hope this may help.

Bill
Bill

"The probability of life originating from accident is comparable to the probability of the unabridged dictionary resulting from an explosion in a printing shop." Edwin Conklin, biologist

Image
Member of Ohio Chapter #6

Little Red Cub
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2007 12:36 pm
Zip Code: 35646
Location: Leighton, Alabama

Postby Little Red Cub » Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:30 pm

Didn't have a problem with the beetles on my sweet corn but they seem to like to eat on my okra leaves. Fed them a little Sevin and that seemed to help my problem.

User avatar
Trent M
Cub Pro
Cub Pro
Posts: 3337
Joined: Wed Aug 09, 2006 6:21 pm
Zip Code: 62859
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: Illinois Southern

Postby Trent M » Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:56 pm

They were on my okra and I put the sevin to 'em. They went right to the sweet corn. :(

Trent
Trent McPeak

User avatar
KETCHAM
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 5878
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 2:37 pm
Zip Code: 44645
eBay ID: kevinb2366
Tractors Owned: 47 Cub 48 Cub 50 H
Location: Marshallville Ohio
Contact:

Postby KETCHAM » Thu Jul 19, 2007 6:16 am

Need to go look at my corn,finally got rain last night!!!!Hope the beetles arn't getting mine!!!!We have 3 traps out and the bags fill up quick!!!!!Kevin
47 CUB[Krusty] 49 CUB[Ollie] 50 H-- PLOWS DISCS MOWERS AND lots more stuff!!Life is to short -Have fun now cause ya ain't gonna be here long!!!!

User avatar
Bill Hudson
Team Cub
Team Cub
Posts: 9513
Joined: Wed Jul 26, 2006 10:50 am
Zip Code: 44057
Tractors Owned: 57 F-Cub - Dad & Mom's Cub
77 F-Cub - Red Long Stripe
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: OH, Madison

Postby Bill Hudson » Thu Jul 19, 2007 9:13 am

KETCHAM wrote:... We have 3 traps out and the bags fill up quick!!!!!Kevin


Kevin,

Take your traps to the neighbors! Proven fact: the traps attract more beetles than they catch. End result - - you have more beetles than you would have without the traps. Traps are an example of excellent marketing. Save your money.

Bill
Bill

"The probability of life originating from accident is comparable to the probability of the unabridged dictionary resulting from an explosion in a printing shop." Edwin Conklin, biologist

Image
Member of Ohio Chapter #6

User avatar
KETCHAM
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 5878
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 2:37 pm
Zip Code: 44645
eBay ID: kevinb2366
Tractors Owned: 47 Cub 48 Cub 50 H
Location: Marshallville Ohio
Contact:

Postby KETCHAM » Thu Jul 19, 2007 9:51 am

just emptied the bags this morning,after my post!!!Clear full!!!Silks are OK on the corn.Kevin
47 CUB[Krusty] 49 CUB[Ollie] 50 H-- PLOWS DISCS MOWERS AND lots more stuff!!Life is to short -Have fun now cause ya ain't gonna be here long!!!!

User avatar
Trent M
Cub Pro
Cub Pro
Posts: 3337
Joined: Wed Aug 09, 2006 6:21 pm
Zip Code: 62859
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: Illinois Southern

Postby Trent M » Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:05 pm

I have some nice ears, the corn was pollenated when those little buggers started eating away at the silks, I guess. Its that time of year, eatin' real good!!

Trent
Trent McPeak

Phillip W. Lenke
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 1484
Joined: Wed May 25, 2005 1:21 pm
Zip Code: 43449

Postby Phillip W. Lenke » Wed Aug 01, 2007 2:18 pm

Good tip Bill !
But , that is what I would expect from a Extension agent, Retired or not, you are still the man.
Phil
"Work Hard ,Play Often,Care Always"

paw's49
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 192
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2004 3:59 pm
Location: NC

Postby paw's49 » Wed Aug 01, 2007 6:32 pm

I've got those beetles as well. Sprayed once with liquid Sevin - now there are dead beetles all over the ground, but still they come. Doesn't matter too much - I think the pollen thing was done before they arrived. I've picked some ears that they had chewed the silks all the way off, and they seem ok. Just hasn't been a good year for corn here - too dry for too long. And we are still about 7" below normal rainfall. As much as I hate to say it, we almost need one of those good ol tropical storms from the Gulf to catch up. Planted it twice - 1st time, it didn't even come up. Once it did sprout, seems like the weeds in the row grew faster than the corn, so now I have weeds as tall as the corn. We will still get enough to eat, but don't look like we will get enough to freeze this year.

Maters are doing good - almost too good! Canned 30+ quarts of juice, and we will be canning maters this weekend. Picked four 5 gal buckets full of maters Monday, and there are more ready today. 3 dozen plants. Checked the green beans - they are almost ready. Got 4 watermelon Monday, and my first two cantaloupes today. Life is busy, but good.

Know what you mean about those ag agents. Our main agent here has quite the following. We hated to see him retire a few months ago. Would like to have just an ounce of his knowledge!

Craig
1949 Cub 81987.
I can take it apart....problem is getting it back together.

pete1941
10+ Years
10+ Years

Postby pete1941 » Wed Aug 01, 2007 7:09 pm

Craig, I know what you mean by the grass growing quicker than everything else after we finally started getting a little rain. I have just given up on the garden this year. As they say, just wait till next year :roll: . Pete


Return to “Farm Life and Better Half Forum”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests




      
cron