Alfalfa Weevil Reaching Threshold – Scout!
We are getting a lot of calls about alfalfa weevil in various counties nearing or reaching threshold. Scouting is strongly recommended. Joel Bagg wrote a very thorough blog entry last year regarding scouting and management options so I won't bother to repeat his efforts and instead direct you to... Continue reading
Cool, Wet April Means Good for Pests, Bad for their Enemies
It is rare to experience back to back armyworm outbreak years. This is usually because the natural enemies (particularly parasites and entomopathogens) build up in an outbreak year and are in good supply the following year to keep up with the armyworm. However, armyworm outbreaks do tend to occu... Continue reading
Posted in Baute Bug Blog, Pest Management
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Protecting Pollinators During Corn Planting Season
With corn planting season soon upon us, it is a good time to remind everyone to take extra precautions to try to reduce the risk to bees being exposed to neonicotinoid contaminated dust from corn planters. Virtually all corn seed is treated with a neonicotinoid insecticide (ie. Poncho or Cruiser), a... Continue reading
Posted in Baute Bug Blog, Corn
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SW Ontario Corn Growers Wanted for Corn Planter Dust/Bee Study
We are looking for growers who are interested in participating in our study this spring/summer. Art Schaafsma (UGRC) and myself have received funding to work on some particular questions with regards to corn planter dust and bee incidences.
We are looking for 2 corn growers per county from the ... Continue reading
Posted in Baute Bug Blog, Corn, Pest Management
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Canola Growers – Swede Midge ID Workshop at U of G – April 5th
Dr. Rebecca Hallett will be offering a Swede Midge Identification Workshop on Friday, April 5th from 10 am to noon, University of Guelph.
Session in the lab, looking at swede midge and other easily confused insects on sticky cards with naked eye and microscope; swede midge specimens on sticky ca... Continue reading
Taking Steps towards Reducing the Risk to Pollinators
Written by: Tracey Baute - Field Crop Entomologist and Greg Stewart - Corn Specialist, Ministry of Agriculture and Food and Ministry of Rural Affairs
A high level of concern was raised last spring regarding bee kills and corn planting. Many growers are asking what actions they can take to help redu... Continue reading
Posted in Baute Bug Blog, Pest Management
Tagged bee kills, best management practices, corn, corn planting
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Tracey is Back and So are Winter Cutworm
A winter wheat field near Owen Sound has 4 to 5 acres of "missing plants", cut off at the soil level. Not many insects could do that kind of damage this time of year. It sounds like a case of winter cutworm. It was to the day, 4 years ago when I wrote a CropPest article about this pest. ... Continue reading
Posted in Baute Bug Blog
Tagged Alfalfa Pests, Cereal Insects, Pest Alerts, Wheat Pests
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Insects Feeding on Soybean Leaves
Note: This post was originally published in July of 2010, but once again in 2012 there are reports of Japanese beetles feeding on soybeans. In particular it would be worthwhile to go and click on the article below that shows what the leaf feeding insects look like along with threshold values.
The... Continue reading
Introducing Web-based Refuge Selector Tool
Co-Author: Cara McCreary, and Jocelyn Smith, University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus
The Canadian Corn Refuge Hybrid Selector is a web-based tool that has been developed through collaboration of the Canadian Corn Pest Coalition, the Ontario Corn Committee, and the Canadian Seed Trade Association t... Continue reading
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Scout Corn Ears for Western Bean Cutworm
Some corn fields may be at risk of extended WBC feeding this fall, particularly those that were late planted or are situated where egg laying occurred over a wider window. This year in particular, we are seeing a wide range of larval sizes because of the extended egg laying period that took place ... Continue reading
Western Bean Cutworm and Scouting in Dry Beans
It's time to get out and scout for WBC damage in dry beans. Based on trap counts we are now confident that some counties experienced peak flight the last week of July and others the first week of August. Though I will admit that some trap sites are still catching lots of moths, especially the be... Continue reading
Soybean Aphids – What Is the Threshold Again?
It has been a few years for some since they have had to worry about soybean aphids, let alone make a spray decision. So I want to cover off the key points you need to know through some of the repeat questions that have been coming in. Anyone with more questions after reading this, please ask in ... Continue reading
Is This Brown Marmorated Stink Bug?
I am getting a lot of emails with photos from keen reps who think they have found Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs (BMSB). I think it is awesome that everyone is taking this pest seriously and keeping an eye out for it in the fields but they are quickly learning that there are many other stink bugs tha... Continue reading
WBC Peak Flight Was Last Week for Some Counties
The 2011 season is clearly not like 2010. We are not seeing a province wide WBC peak flight like last year. Based on the trap counts that came in this week, it appears that some counties experienced peak moth flight last week (August 1st to 7th) while other counties are still going strong and ma... Continue reading
Posted in Baute Bug Blog
Tagged Corn Pests, dry bean pests, Pest Alerts, western bean cutworm
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