Black Cutworm and Armyworm – Get Out and Scout!

Lots of reports are coming in of black cutworm and armyworm damage in Ontario. Black cutworm has been found feeding in numerous corn fields and even an alfalfa field.  Locations that I know of so far include fields near: Parkhill, Watford, Embro (alfalfa field), Renfrew County, and parts of West Elgin. True armyworm has also […]

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Grubs and Slugs and Wireworms…OH MY!

Despite all this rain, pests are still doing quite well out there, as long as they have something to eat.  We had a lot of snow cover this winter which has helped insulate any insects that overwinter and the cool wet soils are helping these soil pests remain active.   Some are just waiting for their […]

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WBC – What We Learned in 2010

I am sure we will be talking about western bean cutworm all winter but there are a few key learnings that we gained in 2010 that I thought I would point out: 1.  The dark bands behind their heads that we use to identify the larvae are not obvious until their last few stages of […]

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It’s All in the Ears Now

I am still hearing from people who are looking for WBC egg masses on corn leaves.  But unless they are scouting very late corn that is not in tassel yet, most of the WBC will already be larvae on the tassel or more likely in the ear.  So focus on scouting the ears and tassels […]

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Fall Armyworm, True Armyworm and Others

I was sent a message today from Deb Campbell of Syngenta Seeds, that they are finding fall armyworm in corn in Grey, Perth, Oxford, Huron and Simcoe counties.  Infestations are low and the larvae are small but it is something to keep an eye on.  There could be fields with heavier infestations. Also, both Michigan […]

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WBC Infosheets and Maps

I realize that I am bombarding you guys with WBC blog entries but we are entering a critical time for scouting and WBC management.  I don’t want to find out that you couldn’t find all of the information you needed to effectively monitor and determine if you needed to control this pest. Here are some […]

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DO NOT Spray Field Based on Trap Counts!

I have heard of grower who is going to spray his corn next week because there have been a lot of WBC moths flying around.  This is not an acceptable practice.  Trap counts do not necessarily reflect what is going on in the field.  It simply tells us when to expect peak egg laying.  Scouting […]

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