In the early season, insects begin colonizing soybean plants as they emerge from the ground. However, insects that occur early seldom pose any threat since the crop can tolerate loosing many seedlings without adverse effect and foliage injury is not of concern until the prebloom foliage loss threshold of 30% is met or exceeded (a "threshold" is an established level of damage or pest numbers describing when control action should be taken). Seedling insect pests include thrips, bean leaf beetle, grasshoppers and crickets, cutworms, and the grape colaspis. Several of these pests are common enough to warrant further discussion.
This page (http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/plymouth/pubs/soybean2.html) was created by John W. Van Duyn Ph D. Extension Entomologist, Wayne Modlin, Res. Tech. III.
Date Created 12/10/98.
Last revised on 2/04/04.
Published by North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service
Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Employment and program opportunities are offered to all people regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. North Carolina State University at Raleigh, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.