Loopers Reference Page
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Sugar beet—Loopers
Alfalfa looper Autographa
californica ID photos: 
fact
page (pdf): 
Cabbage looper Trichoplusia ni ID photos:
fact
page (pdf):
fact
page (pdf):
Cabbage looper Trichoplusia ni ID photos:
fact
page (pdf):
Pest description and crop damage This is a minor leaf-feeding pest of sugar beets, most commonly observed late in the season in sugar beets that border alfalfa fields. Mature larvae are up to 11/2 inches long, light to dark green, with a thin white stripe along each side. Loopers differ from all other sugar beet cater-pillars in that they have only three pairs of fleshy prolegs—on abdominal segments 5, 6, and 10—and crawl in a characteristic looping motion; all other sugar beet caterpillars have five pairs of prolegs—on abdominal segments 3, 4, 5, 6, and 10.
Sampling and thresholds No formal economic thresholds exist for looper insecticide treatment decisions in sugar beets.
Management—chemical control
1. azadirachtin (Azatin XL) at
0.01 to 0.02 lb ai/a. Foliar application to cabbage looper larvae.
2. Bacillus thuringiensis aizawai
(Agree WG, Ketch, XenTari); see label for rates. PHI zero days. Biological
insecticide most effective against small, newly hatched larvae. No contact
action; larvae must eat treated leaves. Use a spreader-sticker.
3. Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki
(Biobit HP, Biobit XL, Deliver LC, Dipel 2X, Dipel ES, Dipel DF, Javelin
WG, Lepinox WDG); see label for rates. PHI zero days. Biological insecticide
most effective against small, newly hatched larvae. No contact action; larvae
must eat treated leaves. Use a spreader-sticker.
4. esfenvalerate (Asana XL) at
0.03 to 0.05 lb ai/a. PHI 21 days. Apply as necessary, but do not apply more
than 0.15 lb ai/a per season. Apply with ground or air equipment using sufficient
water (at least 2 gal/a) to provide uniform coverage.
5. pyrethrins and rotenone (Pyrellin
EC) at 1 to 2 pints product/a.
6. pyrethrins and silicon dioxide
(Diatect Multipurpose Insecticide II) at 1 to 3 lb product/a. Can be applied
either as dust or wettable powder.
7. spinosad (Entrust) at 0.075
to 0.15 lb ai/a; (Spintor, Success) at 0.073 to 0.093 lb ai/a. Do not make
applications less than 7 days apart or apply more than four times per crop.
Do not apply more than 0.33 lb ai/a per crop. PHI 3 days.
8. zeta-cypermethrin (Mustang) at
0.028 to 0.05 lb ai/a. PHI 50 days. Do not apply more than 0.15 lb ai/a per
season (at-planting + foliar applications). Apply by air or ground equipment
using sufficient water to obtain full coverage of foliage.
SOURCE: 2003 PACIFIC NORTHWEST INSECT MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK
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