My interest in entomology began in high school through FFA, where I first learned how much insects can influence agricultural production and became interested in helping farmers manage the problems they cause. I competed in the FFA entomology and creed speaking contests and was selected as a national agriscience finalist to present a research project—experiences that ultimately led me to pursue a career in entomology. Before joining the University of Georgia faculty at the Tifton Campus in August, I spent 12 years at Auburn University working in row-crop entomology. Throughout my career, the question that has interested me most has remained fairly simple: How can we better understand insect problems so that producers can make better management decisions?
I joined UGA in August, near the end of the 2026 cotton growing season, so I am still experiencing my first Georgia crop from a somewhat unusual vantage point. However, one thing is already obvious: no two growing seasons are alike. In fact, we only need to compare the past two years to see how the insect-management landscape can change.
The 2025 season was dominated by concerns about the arrival of cotton jassid, Amrasca biguttula, a new invasive pest never seen before in U.S. cotton. When it was first detected in July, many of the most basic questions needed to make management decisions did not yet have answers. Where was it? How quickly was it spreading? How should we scout for it? What insecticides would control it? Most importantly, how did the number of insects and the amount of plant injury relate to the need for treatment? New recommendations had to evolve as observations came in from fields and new information was generated through research across the Southeast. Not all decisions were as timely or optimal as we wanted, but our response was as good as could be expected under the circumstances, we learned a lot, and were better prepared to look for this problem the next year.
In 2026, researchers, Extension specialists, county agents, crop consultants, growers, industry representatives and others across Georgia and the Southeast continued looking for jassids, reporting detections, and comparing observations. This coordinated response led to earlier detections and timely interventions that prevented the major losses that some fields experienced last year. The response to cotton jassid over the past two seasons has reinforced something I believe strongly: we are better equipped to solve agricultural problems when we work together. The strength of Georgia agriculture lies, in part, in this network of people who are willing to share what they see and what they learn so that we can make better decisions together.
And 2026 reminded us why we scout. A cornerstone of making sound management decisions for any insect pest situation is the same scouting and surveillance we have invested into preparing for the cotton jassid. We didn’t know what to expect headed into this growing season, but jassid populations were generally lower than in 2025. Cold winter temperatures, including a hard freeze in Florida, may have reduced overwintering populations and delayed movement into Georgia. Scouting efforts for cotton jassid returned zeros early- and mid-season, and were successful in detecting new infestations when they were at low levels across the state. This enabled timely decision making and applications of insecticides, when needed. Having eyes on so many fields also helped detect the other pest problems that cropped up this year. Silverleaf whitefly populations increased and became a significant management issue in some areas. Plant bugs, stink bugs, spider mites and other established pests also continued to create problems in particular fields and areas.
Next year will almost certainly be different again. Proper scouting is key to dealing with changing local pests and pest complexes in cotton. That information has economic value. Cotton producers operate with tight margins, and every unnecessary input adds to production costs. At the same time, failing to treat an economically damaging population can cost far more than the treatment itself. Scouting and economic thresholds help us navigate between those risks. As we continue to manage cotton jassid, there is also a need for research to understand which insecticides fit into the broader pest-management program, and what consequences management of one pest may have for another. Better selection of insecticides to manage season-long local pest complexes in cotton systems that may simultaneously be dealing with plant bugs, stink bugs, whiteflies and beneficial insects will help improve the sustainability of insect management. Reducing unnecessary insecticide applications lowers production costs, reduces selection pressure for insecticide resistance and helps conserve predators and parasitoids that provide biological control. When an insecticide is needed, scouting also helps us choose the right product for the pest or combination of pests actually present in the field.
Research has to lead to better decisions about how to use all of our management tools as strategically as possible so that they remain effective, economical and available to growers in the future. That is also how I view my research and Extension responsibilities at UGA. Although I arrived late in the 2026 growing season and we have not yet harvested this crop, it will not be long before we begin making the first insect-management decisions for 2027. Those decisions start long before anyone carries a sweep net into a cotton field. Variety and trait selection, crop rotation, cover crops, planting date, seed treatments and other production decisions can influence which pests we encounter and the tools available to manage them. As the season progresses, scouting tells us how those risks are actually developing in individual fields and whether additional intervention is justified.
We cannot predict exactly which insect will dominate our conversations next summer. If the last two seasons have taught us anything, it is that the answer may surprise us. What we can do is continue building a system capable of responding—one grounded in research, scouting, economic thresholds, communication and the collective experience of Georgia’s growers, consultants, county agents, researchers, Extension specialists and agricultural industry.
The question that first interested me in entomology as an FFA student—how can we better manage insects that threaten agricultural production?—is still the question that drives my work today. I am excited to be part of the UGA Cotton Team and look forward to working with Georgia’s cotton community to find those answers.