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 across much of the province. Fields that…
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 bean trap sites. And the…
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 the comment sections…
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 that look very similar. …
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 may be peaking this week. Though…
Tracey Baute August 8, 2011 1312 Comments Off on Soybean Aphids Reaching Threshold in Parts of OntarioReports are coming in late last week of fields in Eastern Ontario reaching well above threshold levels for soybean aphids. Just a few weeks prior, these fields had only 30 to 40 per plant. I suspect other fields in even Central and Southern Ontario will also experience this kind of rapid increase as daytime and more importantly night time temps…
As mentioned yesterday, last week trap catches shot up significantly. I’ve included a graph to show just how big of a flight we are experiencing this year compared to previous years. Ontario 2009 2010 2011 Averages I’ve also included an updated graph showing the counties that have been catching the highest average number moths per trap so far this year. …
If you can believe it, we have not reached WBC peak moth flight yet! Trap counts continue to climb and some participants are having a hard time counting them all. During this intense period, I do recommend that our trap participants check their traps more than once a week, simply to keep on top of the numbers you are catching. …
Some scouts are starting to notice tiny WBC larvae that have hatched that crawling in the whorl or making their way down to the ear of the plants. To help you know whether they are WBC larvae, here are some photos. You can click on them to enlarge them. They start out with spots along their bodies (spots have tiny…
I’ve been getting asked this a lot over the last few weeks so I thought I had better finally write a quick blog on it. What is this insect? It’s a red-headed flea beetle. Very common in soybeans but even more abundant this year, showing up in other crops too. Defoliation in corn is not a concern and in soybeans,…
Trap counts sent in to the network this week from last week’s moth catches indicate that moth flight increased dramatically. And from tweets on Twitter and emails coming in from participants, even higher numbers are being caught this week in some traps. So we haven’t quite reached peak moth flight yet here in Ontario. The top counties that caught the…
The official announcement came through today. Coragen Insecticide is now also approved for use in dry beans and other legumes (except soybeans) for WBC control in Canada through the URMULE system. Rate is 250 to 375 mL/ha. Use a minimum of 100L/ha of water for ground app. 1 day PHI. Click link to see revised label: Coragen CG6 except soybeans…
Despite the heat, western bean cutworm activity is increasing. Trap catches over the past week have climbed significantly, indicating that peak flight is here or soon to be here. The counties that have accumulated the most moth catches so far include Chatham-Kent (544), Lambton (256), Middlesex (244), Huron (206), Haldimand-Norfolk (138), Essex (155) and Elgin (105). Click here to see…
I have been negligent in not mentioning the newest insecticide to be registered for WBC control in corn. I have no excuse except that I been conveying product information through links to Publication 812, Field Crop Protection Guide and the product didn’t get registered for WBC control in time to make the printing deadline. So it is going to get…
Many questions are starting to come in regarding WBC. Just to help clarify what the action thresholds for western bean cutworm are, here is a quick summary: In Corn: Scout 10 plants in a row in 10 areas of the field. In non-Bt corn or transgenic corn that does not provide any protection against WBC (click here to see corn…