The following images illustrate the vegetation vigor across the continental United States for similar time periods in 2008 and this year (2009). By comparing the level of greenness from last year to this year (darker shades of green indicate more developed plants, trees, and crops), we see that conditions in the lower Mississippi River valley and extending west into Texas are behind last year, indicating that insect source regions, including corn earworm, may also be developing more slowly. Likely causes of this are more frequent and intense cold air outbreaks this past winter and into this spring compared to last year with a general lack of precipitation likely the cause in portions of Texas where a drought is ongoing.

Conterminous U.S. Vegetation Condition - 2008 (click image for full size)	Conterminous U.S. Vegetation Condition - 2009 (click image for full size)

Image Source: NASS (National Agricultural Statistics Service), the vegetation condition program source, and the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture). Used with permission.

PLANTING PROGRESS (updated April 27): Host plant progress for southern states indicates that the percent of soybeans planted in Louisiana and Mississippi is 10-12% behind last year and cotton in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Missouri is the same to 10% behind last year. With delayed crop planting comes an increase in a delay in southern insect source regions. SOURCE: USDA Crop Progress Report