Mark Abney, peanut entomologist at the University of Georgia, provided an overview of his work during the 2026 Georgia Peanut Tour. He receives the question many times from people asking, what does the peanut entomologist at the University of Georgia do?

According to Abney, his research and extension responsibilities center on helping growers manage insects in ways that protect their crop and improve profitability.

“We’re really interested in now is continuing to work on lesser cornstalk borer,” Abney says. “That’s an insect that affects all of our growers wherever they are in the state.”

Abney conducts research across Georgia because peanut production occurs in a variety of environments throughout the state. Research is conducted at locations including Tifton, Plains and Midville to better understand what growers in different areas need to do to manage insects most effectively.

“When you look across the state, you’ll see that there’s a lot of different environment,” Abney says. “We grow peanuts in different kind of places. It’s really important that we do research all over the state.”

At the end of the day, insects can cost growers money. While insects can be found in almost every peanut field in Georgia, they do not always need to be controlled. Some insects are pests while others are beneficial. In some cases, an insect may be considered a pest, but the population in the field may not be high enough to warrant an insecticide application.

That is where Abney sees his role as the peanut entomologist in helping growers. His research focuses on the insects that occur in peanuts, developing thresholds and evaluating insecticides and other management tools to determine what works best and what is most economical for growers.

The goal is to help farmers reduce the risk of insect injury, protect yield and make profitable decisions about when and how to manage pests.

The lesser cornstalk borer continues to be an important insect pest across Georgia. Abney’s research also looks at how soil types can influence pest pressure, including differences researchers see  in areas such as East Georgia.

The southern corn rootworm is another historical pest problem in Georgia peanuts. Recently, however, growers have begun dealing with another rootworm pest, the banded cucumber beetle.

The banded cucumber beetle has expanded its range into areas where the southern corn rootworm did not used to be a problem. As a result, growers in East Georgia are now reporting banded cucumber beetles in areas where they previously did not have to manage the pest.

“The research we’re doing now is focused on trying to give growers answers of how they can most appropriately, most effectively manage that pest in peanuts because it’s one that they’ve never had to deal with before,” Abney says.

Every year is different in terms of insect and disease pressure and 2026 is no different. The production year started out cool and with thrips pressure and tomato spotted wilt virus. Later in the season, farmers dealt with foliage-feeding caterpillars, including velvetbean caterpillars, which came into some areas during the last few weeks of the growing season.

According to Abney, the 2026 peanut season has been an average year in terms of insect pressure. Conditions have varied across the state, with some areas experiencing more foliage-feeding caterpillars while other areas have experienced less pressure.

Overall, Abney says growers have been able to manage insects pests effectively.

“I think we’ve been able to manage our insect pests effectively,” Abney says. “I think growers have done a really good job listening to extension recommendations, listening to their county agents, having county agents come out and give them the advice.”

Abney’s research and extension program ultimately focuses on providing growers with the information they need to make effective pest-management decisions.

That’s really what we do in extension as a specialist: is provide the information to county agents so that they can deliver it to the farmers,” Abney says. “So that they can reduce losses by making the most effective management practices, the most effective strategies that they have to control pests in their peanuts..”

View the 2026 Georgia Peanut Photo Album.