Sugarcane aphids expanded to 22 Arkansas counties by mid-July 2016. (U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture image by Nick Seiter)
The aphids have been reported as far north as Crittenden and White counties and as far west as Logan County in the Arkansas River Valley. The full list: Arkansas, Ashley, Chicot, Crittenden, Desha, Drew, Lee, Lincoln, Logan, Lonoke, Phillips, St. Francis and White counties.
New to the list are Craighead, Cross, Jackson, Jefferson, Mississippi, Monroe, Poinsett, Pulaski,
Woodruff. On Seiter’s latest map, Prairie County is an aphid-free island.
Aphids exude honeydew that can grow black mold that inhibits photosynthesis on the leaves and the stickiness of the honeydew can gum up harvesting equipment.
For more information about managing sugarcane aphids, contact your county extension office or visit here.
