Author: Justin Ballew
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Question of the Week – Hickory Horned Devil
This week, the question was: What is this wild-looking critter? This is a caterpillar known as the hickory horned devil. The adult is a beautiful moth known as the regal moth (Citheronia regalis), but it is rarely seen due to its nocturnal habit. The hickory horned devil commonly feeds on the leaves of walnut, hickory,…
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Cercospora Leaf Spot on Okra Looks Different than Other Cercospora Leaf Spots
From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath and USDA Plant Pathologist Gabriel Rennberger. August is the time of the year when Cercospora leaf spot appears on okra. This Cercospora leaf spot doesn’t look like Cercospora leaf spots on other crops, such as beet. Most of the disease is on the leaf underside. On the top of…
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Weekly Field Update – 8/22/22
Coming up this week the SC Dept. of Agriculture is hosting a couple Waste Pesticide Collection Events (8/23 in Kingstree and 8/24 in Dillon). If you have any old materials sitting around, take advantage of these free events. See more details on the Upcoming Events page. Be sure to scroll all the way to the…
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Question of the Week – Glyphosate
This week, the question was: What happened to this young tomato plant? This young tomato plant is suffering from glyphosate damage that occurred when row middles were being sprayed. Glyphosate is a systemic herbicide, so damage shows up at the growing point. At this stage of growth, it is unlikely the plant will grow out…
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Weekly Field Update – 8/15/22
Don’t forget about the virtual Preseason Strawberry Production Meeting coming up tomorrow (8/16) from 6:30 -8:00 pm. We have a great speaker lineup and pesticide credits available. Click here to register. Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see this week’s Question of the Week and check back on Thursday for…
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Question of the Week – Giant Swallowtail Caterpillar
This week, the question was: What is on this citrus leaf? This looks a lot like bird poop, however, it’s just a camouflage tactic of the giant swallowtail caterpillar. This species is often called the “orangedog” as they feed on members of the citrus family throughout their larval stage. They can be a pest to…
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Weekly Field Update – 8/8/22
Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see this week’s Question of the Week and check back on Thursday for the answer! Coastal Region Zack Snipes reports, “It has been hot and dry for the most part in the Lowcountry. Things are relatively quiet. I have heard reports of and seen high…
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Question of the Week – Mantidfly
This week, the question was: What is the critter sitting on this eggplant leaf? This may look a lot like a paper wasp, but it is actually a mantidfly. If you look carefully, you’ll notice the front pair of legs is different from the two back pairs. The front legs look like those of a…
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Anthracnose Identified on Lima Bean in the Pee Dee Region of South Carolina
From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath, Clemson Plant Breeder Jenna Hershberger, and Clemson Extension Agent Bruce McLean. Anthracnose on lima bean has been reported from the PeeDee area. Reddish brown blotches are found on leaves and pods. The disease appeared after a week of rain and, after another week of rain, quickly spread through the…
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Weekly Field Update – 8/1/22
Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see this week’s Question of the Week and check back on Thursday for the answer! Midlands Justin Ballew reports, “It has gotten dry again in the Midlands. Scattered areas received some good rain over the weekend, but others missed it and remain badly in…
The South Carolina Grower 