Phenology model creation and validation for striped cucumber beetle (Acalymma vittatum)

Striped cucumber beetle (SCB) is an important pest of cucurbits because of its transmission of bacterial wilt. This pest is especially difficult to control in organic production systems. As part of a multi-state organic cucurbit farming project, we worked to develop and validate a model for the emergence of SCB and deploy it within a web-based system. We deployed trap flats of Blue Hubbard beginning in early May and monitored them for beetle activity. Beetle emergence data was compared to a Gompertz curve based on earlier data and developmental rate curves, and then used to evaluate an online decision-support tool for growers that combined historical and real time meteorology.