The Magnitude and Distribution of Western Bean Cutworm, and the Risk to Dry Beans

Abstract

Western bean cutworm (WBC) moth counts were monitored in traps at 13 dry bean fields in Western NY in 2017. Traps were located in Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Wyoming, and Steuben counties. Ten of the 13 sites were the same as in 2016 and three sites were new. Of the ten repeat sites 8 saw a decrease in WBC trap catches from the previous year. Though the overall WBC trap counts from all of NY, which includes data from the field corn, sweet corn and dry bean trapping networks (101 total traps), were up from 2016, the average trap catch at the 13 dry bean sites was down. There was a 34% decrease in trap catch from 2016 (173 average moths) to 2017 (114 average moths) for the 13 dry bean sites. Of the 13 traps, six exceeded the 100-moth threshold at which time scouting is recommended. One of the highest trap counts this year came from one of the new sites, Covington in Wyoming county, and this was also the only site of the 13 at which pod damage was observed.