Sugar beet-Saltmarsh caterpillar

Estigmene acrea

Pest description and crop damage "Woolly bear" caterpillars up to 2 inches long, covered by long, red-brown hairs. They are seen especially in late season but rarely are an economic problem.

Scouting and thresholds No formal economic thresholds exist for saltmarsh caterpillar insecticide treatment decisions.

Management-biological control

A few commercial formulations of insect-killing bacteria are available (Table 3).

Management-chemical control

Several post-emergence products are available (Tables 2-3).