Another bug bites the dust.

Every field I visit seems to be teeming with insects. As you scout your fields, keep the following insect thresholds in mind. Remember, an economic threshold is the level of insect pressure observed that warrants treatment in "order" to prevent economic injury to a crop, or significant yield loss.Bean leaf beetles feed on both leaves and pods. Generally, the rule of 20% canopy defoliation is used for leaf feeding; however, considering late-season activity, pod-feeding, transmission of bean pod mottle virus and potential yield reduction, K-State set the economic threshold of 50 or more beetles per foot of row.Soybean aphids are not traditionally problems in Kansas; however, temperatures around 80ºF favor aphid development. Aphids migrate to Kansas from northern states. Pay attention to neighboring states reports. If aphids do arrive, economic threshold is 250 aphids per plant. Aphids reproduce rapidly, but the economic threshold does take that into consideration and allows for a seven-day treatment window after the threshold has been reached.Grasshoppers exist in abundance this year. Typically, grasshoppers migrate into the field from road ditches or grassy areas surrounding the field. The easiest way to manage grasshoppers is by treating them in non-crop areas before they reach the field.Both stink bug adults and immatures are currently at large. While adult stink bugs are typically green or brown in color, immature stink bugs are very colorful. Stink bugs have piercing-sucking mouth parts making them unable to contribute to leaf eating. Thus, the defoliation threshold does not work for stink bugs. K-State’s economic threshold for stink bug treatment is 10 stink bugs per 30 foot of row.Japanese beetles are a more recent pest to Kansas crop fields. Known for skeletonizing leaves, leaves fed on by Japanese beetles are often lace-lake in appearance.Iowa State recommends following the 20% defoliation threshold during reproductive stages, but warns scouters that Japanese beetles are highly mobile and easily move from field to field. Even after treatment fields should be monitored for new feeding in the event that another application is required.Soybean podworm, also known as corn earworm and sorghum headworm, typically doesn’t become an issue until August; however, K-State’s threshold for treatment is low. Only 1 small worm per foot of soybean row is enough to justify treatment.Visit https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF743.pdf (shown above) for more information about Kansas soybean pests as well as effective insecticides for respective pests. If your field requires treatment with an insecticide, consider the value of adding Priaxor or Revytek fungicide to your application. The traditional window for foliar fungicide application in soybeans is R2-R4. Increased rainfall in much of the state has created high yield potential, but also leads to high potential for disease. Adding a fungicide like Revytek or Priaxor to your insecticide application is a smart agronomic and economic decision.