Reports of two spotted spider mite in some corn fields have been coming in. This pest is not normally a problem in corn but due to the hot, dry weather this year spider mites are showing up in numbers high enough to cause visible damage. Spider mite infestations start at the field edge and move […]
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. There are quite few […]
Peak flight is a bit difficult to pin point this week because there is some data missing from our week 10 trap reports however, we have received some missing data from previous weeks so I can provide information on peak flights for some counties and possible peak flights for others. Some areas are still experiencing […]
Since we’ve been getting a bit of rain across the province in the last week I’ve been asked about how the rain will affect spider mite populations in soybeans. Rains are very beneficial to help keep populations of spider mites down but don’t assume that because it rained our spider mite problems are over. If […]
The butterfly enthusiasts had a good spring this year with the early arrival of the red admiral butterfly and large flights of other species. Unfortunately for us, that also meant some pests also arrived in great numbers. Speaking of pests has anyone seen this caterpillar in soybeans? This is the larval stage of the painted […]
Our WBC trapping network has been catching relatively few moths over the past weeks but last week some higher numbers were reported. These numbers are still a bit behind what I would have expected considering the warmer weather but the trend is towards increasing numbers. Just last week the scouts were finding quite a few […]
Wondering what critter ate your timothy this spring? In addition to armyworm, there was also some European skipper (Thymelicus lineola) damage to timothy and other forage grasses. While it is typically fairly isolated, in 2012, the “year of the forage insect”, we had an unusually high number of reports. Damage and larvae were confused with […]
So far, areas south of the 401 appear to be hardest hit by armyworm in southern and central Ontario. Eastern Ontario is starting to report armyworm in wheat so producers in those areas should be out scouting fields. We have been seeing quite a size variation in the armyworm larvae this year which is likely […]
Synopsis Canola is advancing rapidly with April planted canola now bolting to 70% flower stage. Some canola stands are thin and uneven in growth which has growers questioning need or timing for fungicide. The biggest risk factors for sclerotinia are adequate soil moisture, rainfall during flowering, 48-72 hours of wetness in canopy for infection to […]
I’ve had a few calls in the past few days asking about armyworm and black cutworm damage in soybeans. I had the chance to get out to a few fields and found that the damage is being caused by the variegated cutworm (Peridroma saucia). The variegated cutworm is another migrating moth that comes into Ontario […]
Early-season leaf feeding before the 3rd trifoliate can look serious because plants are small. However, soybeans can compensate for large amounts of leaf loss with little impact on yield. Soybeans will put on new leaves quickly at the top of the plant and unaffected leaves actually grow larger to compensate. Before the plants begin to […]
They’re here early this year! We’ve been hearing reports of true armyworm numbers getting fairly high in some wheat fields and even above threshold in some cases. I think it’s a good time to post a refresher on armyworm management. In Cereals Armyworms typically feeding in the lower leaves of the wheat and work their […]
The weather is certainly warming up and it looks like the forecast is for more of the same. Things are getting busy and I’ve got a few things to talk about this week. The first is the start of the Western Bean Cutworm Trapping network. Traps should be set up this week and the data […]
Updated – May 27, 2020 There are several species of aphids that are grouped together as “cereal aphids”. The most common are bird cherry oat aphids (Figure 1) and corn leaf aphids (Figure 2), though English grain aphid and greenbugs can sometimes be found. The aphids would have been present since the fall and usually […]
When grubs hit hard, forage supplies dwindle fast! Stand loss in hay fields and pastures due to grub damage is becoming more common. Warm open falls and warm springs are ideal for grub feeding activity. (Figure 1) The result is a thin, weedy stand with low yields , and poor resistance to drought. Grubs prefer […]