East Coast: Reports indicate Thrips parvispinus populations range from low to high in peppers grown in eastern Palm Beach County. Regular insecticide applications can keep levels fairly low. Adults have also been reported on cucumber in locations where highly infestated peppers were previously grown, although larvae have been more difficult to find. Reports indicate that females have been detected in very low numbers near Loxahatchee on peppers and beans, and as far north as Martin County.

Homestead: A few reports indicated T. parvispinus populations on peppers in Homestead area, but population levels still need to be confirmed. 

Observations: It seems that population densities greatly depend on management, previous crop, as well as surrounding habitat. 

It seems that it takes very few T. parvispinus to see fruit damage on pepper. Even with no apparent adults or larvae in blooms, it is possible to find larvae on fruit and under stems. Even one small larvae under a stem can cause some damage. Larvae or adults can be found in tight spaces between larger fruit or where fruit are against a stem or have foliage against it. It appears that T. parvispinus adult females are drawn to fruit and it is not unusual to find from 1-5 per fruit in areas where population levels are high.

Please keep monitoring overall thrips populations in your pepper, green bean, eggplant, cucumber, and strawberry fields. If you suspect T. parvispinus in your crop, please contact Anna Mészáros: ameszaros@ufl.edu or Craig Frey: craigfrey@ufl.edu for sampling and confirmation.

Southwest FL: Whitefly pressure is high on many crops and still increasing. It is reported that adults begin invading some fields the day they are transplanted. Levels of associated tomato virus, TYLCV, are high as well.

East Coast: Whiteflies populations are low to moderate on cucumber.

Homestead: In beans and squash, whitefly pressure is high. In tomato crops, pressure is medium to high depending on location.

Click here for virus reports.

Southwest FL: Caterpillar pressure remains fairly low overall with a few increases in the past week. The dominate species is southern armyworm, but loopers, melonworms, fall armyworms and beet armyworms have also been reported. In corn, fall armyworm is the dominate species, and populations are low and steady.

East Coast: Beet armyworm pressure is low overall. Low pressure from southern armyworm has been reported on pepper in Martin County. 

Homestead: Low levels of fall armyworm are reported in corn. Diamondback moth pressure is increasing in cruciferous crops, but populations are mostly concentrated in cabbage.
 

Southwest FL: Leafminer pressure is variable, with reports of low to high populations depending on the location. Overall trend is increasing.


Homestead: In beans, leafminer populations are medium and increasing. In tomato, populations are low to high depending on the area. Populations are medium in squash.
 

Southwest FL: Pepper weevil populations are low to moderate but increasing quickly.

East Coast: Pepper weevil populations are low.
 

Listronotus sparsus is an emerging weevil pest of Apiaceae crops (celery, parsley, dill, and carrot).

On-farm trials are ongoing to study different management options for weevil control in celery and parsley. See data from a fall 2022 research trial. Grower partners indicate that some insecticides have been effective to lower the pest population in conventional celery and parsley production. However, managing this pest in organic production remains challenging. Blacklight traps seem to be an effective method to monitor weevil populations, but this method still needs to be studied further.
 
Southwest Florida: Populations continue to be moderate.

EAA: Populations were reported to be low.
 
If you suspect L. sparsus in your celery, parsley, dill, cilantro, and carrot field, please contact Anna Meszaros: ameszaros@ufl.edu or Craig Frey: craigfrey@ufl.edu for sampling and confirmation.
 

Southwest FL and EAA: Some silk fly adults have been reported in younger corn at steady levels.

Homestead: Silk fly populations are increasing, but maggot counts still remain low. 
 

Southwest FL: Some aphid colonization has been reported in beans, eggplant, and watermelon. Isolated populations have reached moderate to high levels in a cabbage crop.

EAA: Occasional aphid colonies have been reported in beans.

East Coast: Aphids nymphs have been increasing on pepper, but populations are low.

Homestead: Aphids are reported in cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, and tomato. Populations are on the rise.
 

Southwest FL: Red spidermite and spotted spidermite colonies are at low to moderate, but increasing in tomato, pepper, eggplant, watermelon, and other cucurbits. Broadmite pressure is also low to moderate. Broadmite populations are increasing in some areas and steady in others. 

East Coast: Spidermite and broadmite populations are both low in this area.

Homestead: In corn, mites are being found around field edges. In eggplant, mites are increasing. In strawberry, mites are already exerting heavy pressure.
 

Southwest FL: Some Cucurbit Leaf Crumple Virus and Cucurbit Yellow Stunt Disorder Virus incidence has been reported in watermelon and squash. WCLav-1 and -2 has also been found infecting watermelon on multiple farms.