Items by Felipe Batista
High Frequency of Aphids in Winter Canola fields in Western Kentucky
By Felipe Batista
Published on Apr. 21, 2026
During recent visits to Canola fields, we observed infestations of the turnip aphid (also known as mustard aphid) in all fields we evaluated across three different counties in western Kentucky (Graves, Marshall, and Caldwell counties) (Figure 1-5). This spring has been drier than normal across the region, with rainfall well below average.
Fall armyworm outbreak in wheat in Central Kentucky
By Felipe Batista and Raul Villanueva
Published on Feb. 13, 2026
We visited a wheat field in Simpson County that was experiencing an outbreak of fall armyworm (FAW) Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in mid-October (Figure 1). Most FAW larvae were in the 4th to 6th instar (late developmental stages), and part of the field had been completely destroyed.
Stink bug appearance delayed in 2025 Western Kentucky soybeans
By Felipe Batista and Raul Villanueva
Published on Sep. 16, 2025
We have observed significant numbers of stink bugs over the past few days in some soybean fields in western Kentucky. Their arrival appears later than in previous years, likely due to the rainy spring delaying planting this season.
Corn Leafhopper Detected in Kentucky Corn in 2025
By Felipe Batista,
Kiersten Wise,
and Raul Villanueva
Published on Aug. 15, 2025
Corn leafhopper has been confirmed in Kentucky corn as of mid-July 2025. The corn leafhopper, Dalbulus maidis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), has become a major pest in corn fields across South and Central America due to its ability to transmit plant pathogens.
Pyrethroid Resistance in Fall Armyworm in KY Wheat: Prevention & Management
By Felipe Batista and Raul Villanueva
Published on May. 19, 2025
In October 2024, we received a report of a fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) outbreak in a wheat field in Daviess County, western Kentucky (Figure 1). After visiting the field, we collected 82 live caterpillars after the application of a pyrethroid insecticide.
Abundance of the Silver-Spotted Skipper in Soybeans in Kentucky in 2024
By Felipe Batista and Raul Villanueva
Published on Jan. 22, 2025
The silver-spotted skipper, Epargyreus clarus (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae), is a widely distributed species throughout the United States. This species sometimes reaches high population levels in Louisiana or other states around the Gulf of Mexico, which requires the application of insecticides.