Losses caused by insects and pests to US cotton farmers in 2009 amounted to $491 million, according to a report issued Wednesday. Michael Williams, a member of the entomology and plant pathology department of Mississippi State University, stated in a report to the annual Beltwide cotton conference that such insects as lygus, thrips, bollworms/budworms and stink bugs caused the damage.
But the pest losses were down from $543 million in 2008. Williams said direct management costs to get infestations under control stood at $43.79 per acre against $55.53 an acre in 2008.