Cabbage seedpod weevil

Jennifer Otani
Categories
Week 11

Cabbage seedpod weevil (Ceutorhynchus obstrictus) –  Reminder – There is one generation of CSPW per year and the overwintering stage is the adult which is an ash-grey weevil measuring 3-4mm long (Refer to lower left photo).  Adults typically overwinter in soil beneath leaf litter within shelter belts and roadside ditches.

Monitoring:  
 ● Begin sampling when the crop first enters the bud stage and continue through the flowering. 
 ● Sweep-net samples should be taken at ten locations within the field with ten 180° sweeps per location.  
 ● Count the number of weevils at each location. Samples should be taken in the field perimeter as well as throughout the field.  
 ● Adults will invade fields from the margins and if infestations are high in the borders, application of an insecticide to the field margins may be effective in reducing the population to levels below which economic injury will occur.  
 ● An insecticide application is recommended when three to four weevils per sweep are collected and has been shown to be the most effective when canola is in the 10 to 20% bloom stage (2-4 days after flowering starts). 
 ● Consider making insecticide applications late in the day to reduce the impact on pollinators.  Whenever possible, provide advanced warning of intended insecticide applications to commercial beekeepers operating in the vicinity to help protect foraging pollinators.  
 ● High numbers of adults in the fall may indicate the potential for economic infestations the following spring.

Damage: Adult feeding damage to buds is more evident in dry years when canola is unable to compensate for bud loss.  Adults mate following a pollen meal then the female will deposit a single egg through the wall of a developing pod or adjacent to a developing seed within the pod (refer to lower right photo).  Eggs are oval and an opaque white, each measuring ~1mm long.  Typically a single egg is laid per pod although, when CSPW densities are high, two or more eggs may be laid per pod.


There are four larval instar stages of the CSPW and each stage is white and grub-like in appearance ranging up to 5-6mm in length (refer to lower left photo).  The first instar larva feeds on the cuticle on the outside of the pod while the second instar larva bores into the pod, feeding on the developing seeds.  A single larva consumes about 5 canola seeds.  The mature larva chews a small, circular exit hole from which it drops to the soil surface and pupation takes place in the soil within an earthen cell.  Approximately 10 days later, the new adult emerges to feed on maturing canola pods.  Later in the season these new adults migrate to overwintering sites beyond the field.



Please find additional detailed information for CSPW in fact sheets posted by Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, Saskatchewan Agriculture, or the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network.

Also watch provincial reports for updates on surveying underway now.  Alberta Agriculture & Forestry has released a new live CSPW map and online reporting tool for growers.  A screenshot (retrieved 13 July 2016) is included below.

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Provincial Insect Pest Reports

Scott Hartley, Scott Meers, John Gavloski and prairiepest_admin
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Week 11

Provincial entomologists provide insect pest updates throughout the growing season so we have attempted to link to their most recent information: 

– Manitoba’s Insect and Disease Update which includes alfalfa weevil, pea aphid and wheat midge descriptions (July 8, 2016, prepared by John Gavloski and Pratisara Bajracharya).
– Saskatchewan’s Insect Report which mentions redbacked cutworms but emphasizes scouting for cabbage seedpod weevil, wheat midge and grasshoppers (Issue 4, prepared by Scott Hartley).
– Watch for Alberta Agriculture and Forestry’s Call of the Land for updates from Scott Meers  who recently provided an update (posted on July 7, 2016) including wheat midge, cereal leaf beetle and similar damage associated with slugs, and pea aphids.

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Insect of the Week – Crab spiders

Jennifer Otani
Categories
Week 11

Crab spiders


Last year, the focus of the Insect of the Week was crop pests. This year, we’re changing things up and highlighting the many natural enemies that help you out, silently and efficiently killing off crop pests. [note: featured Insects of the Week in 2015 are available on the Insect of the Week page] 

This week’s Insects of the Week are crab spiders. These are generalist predators, capturing any insects (small flies, ants, bees, wasps, beetles, small moths, thrips) visiting flowers, including canola which is in full flower right now. They are called crab spiders because they walk sideways like a crab.

For more information about these spiders, the other pests they control and other important crop and forage insects, see the new Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada – Identification and Management Field Guide for identification, life cycle and conservation options (download links for field guide available on the Insect of the Week page).

‘Will you walk into my parlor?’ said the [yellow crab] spider to the fly
– (c) AAFC, Tyler Wist


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Weekly Update

Jennifer Otani, David Giffen, Ross Weiss, Erl Svendsen, Boyd Mori and Owen Olfert
Categories
Week 11

Greetings!

A downloadable PDF version of the complete Weekly Update for Week 11 (July 11, 2016) can be accessed here.  

This edition includes the “Insect of the Week” featuring beneficial arthropods in 2016!


Notice too that the predictive model maps for Wheat midge from both Week 10 and Week 11 have been included this week!

Subscribe to the Blog by following the instructions posted here!  You can receive automatic updates in your inbox through the growing season.



Questions or problems accessing the contents of this Weekly Update?  Please e-mail either Dr. Owen Olfert or Jennifer Otani.  Past “Weekly Updates” are very kindly archived to the Western Forum website by webmaster, Dr. Kelly Turkington.  

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Weekly Update – Weather Synopsis

Ross Weiss, David Giffen, Owen Olfert and prairiepest_admin
Categories
Week 11

Average temperatures for June 27-July 3 were warmer in Alberta than Manitoba. This week the trend was reversed with the warmest temperatures being reported from Manitoba. Prairie wide, the average temperature was similar to Long Term Normals (LTN). 



Seven day (July 4-10, 2016) cumulative rainfall was greater in Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan and Alberta and western Saskatchewan. Average cumulative rainfall was marginally greater than LTN values.

The average 30 day temperature (June 10-July 10) was 0.5 °C warmer than LTN values.


The average 30 day rainfall was 20% greater than LTN values.



The average growing season temperature (April 1 – July 10) has been approximately 1 °C warmer than normal. Growing season rainfall has been approximately 10% above average. 


The map below shows the Lowest Temperatures the Past 7 Days (July 5-11, 2016) across the prairies:


The map below shows the Highest Temperatures the Past 7 Days (July 5-11, 2016):



The updated growing degree day map (GDD) (Base 5ºC, March 1 – July 10, 2016) is below:



While the growing degree day map (GDD) (Base 10ºC, March 1 – July 10, 2015) is below:






The maps above are all produced by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.  Growers may wish to bookmark the AAFC Drought Watch Maps for the growing season.


Additional precipitation and temperature data or maps are provided by the following:
Manitoba AGriculture’s Crop Weather Report
Alberta Agriculture and Food’s Weather Stations
Environment Canada’s Historical Data Interface



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Weekly Update – Bertha Armyworm

Jennifer Otani
Categories
Week 11

Bertha armyworm (Lepidoptera: Mamestra configurata) – Reporting sites across the prairies have generally reported lower cumulative interceptions with some exceptions in Saskatchewan.  Scouting within fields now becomes important.


In-field monitoring for egg masses and newly emerged larvae (photo below) should initially focus on the undersides of leaves plus watch the margins of leaves for feeding.  Bertha armyworm larvae will also feed on newly developing pods so the whole plant should be examined.  Watch for the following life stages:







Scouting tips:
● Some bertha armyworm larvae remain green or pale brown throughout their larval life. 
● Large larvae may drop off the plants and curl up when disturbed, a defensive behavior typical of cutworms and armyworms. 
● Young larvae chew irregular holes in leaves, but normally cause little damage. The fifth and sixth instars cause the most damage by defoliation and seed pod consumption. Crop losses due to pod feeding will be most severe if there are few leaves. 
● Larvae eat the outer green layer of the stems and pods exposing the white tissue. 
● At maturity, in late summer or early fall, larvae burrow into the ground and form pupae.


Monitoring:
– Larval sampling should commence once the adult moths are noted. 
– Sample at least three locations, a minimum of 50 m apart. 
– At each location, mark an area of 1 m2 and beat the plants growing within that area to dislodge the larvae. 
– Count them and compare the average against the values in the economic threshold table below:  


Biological and monitoring information related to bertha armyworm in field crops is posted by the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network.  Also refer to the bertha armyworm pages within the new “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” – both English-enhanced or French-enhanced versions are available.
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Weekly Update – Grasshoppers

Ross Weiss, Owen Olfert and prairiepest_admin
Categories
Week 11

Grasshoppers (Acrididae) – Across the prairies, the predicted mean instar of Melanoplus sanguinpes is 4.5 with adults appearing in many areas across the prairies.  In central Saskatchewan, grasshopper development continues to be more than 2-3 weeks ahead of average development. 



The following graph shows grasshopper development at Saskatoon for 2016. The model indicates that fifth instar numbers are beginning to peak and that adult grasshopper densities are increasing. 




The second graph below illustrates grasshopper development (for Saskatoon) based on LTN data. Based on average weather, the population should be primarily in the third instar and fourth instars with increasing numbers of fifth instars.  Adults are not predicted to occur until July 19. 



Reminders:
– The following image showing various stages of Camnulla pellucida is provided below – note that adults have wings extending the length of the abdomen whereas nymphs lack wings but develop wing buds that will eventually mature to wings.  

Figure 1. Life stages of Camnulla pellucida which including eggs, first-fifth instar nymphs and adult (L-R).



– Generally, the economic threshold for grasshoppers in cereals is 8-12 per square metre but will vary by crop and growing conditions.


Biological and monitoring information related to grasshoppers in field crops is posted by the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network.  Also refer to the grasshopper pages within the new “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” – both English-enhanced or French-enhanced versions are available.
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Weekly Update – Swede midge

Jennifer Otani and Julie Soroka
Categories
Week 11

Swede midge (Contarinia nasturtii)  – Pheromone traps captured the first swede midge of 2016 between May 25 and 31 in northeastern Saskatchewan.  This is substantially earlier (6-7 weeks) compared to 2014 and 2015. 


Emergence traps indicate high numbers of swede midge have emerged in northeastern Saskatchewan. Producers should monitor their canola fields for damage symptoms. We are currently unaware of the consequences the heavy rain this week will have on population numbers, but will continue to update the PPMN as results become available.



Figure 1. Swede midge infested canola buds which are enlarged with sepals fused together. 



Figure 2.  Swede midge large (~1mm long; yellowish-white) feeding within canola flower.



Swede midge scouting tips for in-field monitoring:
• Watch for unusual plant structures and plant discolourations then follow-up by closely scrutinizing the plant for larvae.
• The growing tip may become distorted and produce several growing tips or none at all, young leaves may become swollen, crinkled or crumpled and brown scarring caused by larval feeding may be seen on the leaf petioles and stems.
• Flowers may fail to open.
• Young plants that show unusual growth habits should be examined carefully for damage and larvae; especially if the sticky liners have many flies resembling midges (swede midges are about the size of orange blossom wheat midge but are not orange).
• Larvae can be seen with a hand lens.
• Refer to the Canola Watch article by Dr. Julie Soroka for more information on swede midge and watch for a new Ontario fact sheet produced by Baute et al. 2016.

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Weekly Update – Cereal leaf beetle

Jennifer Otani
Categories
Week 11

Cereal leaf beetle (Oulema melanopus) – Reminder – Cereal leaf beetle larvae hatch from eggs in about 5 days and feed for about 3 weeks, passing through 4 growth stages (instars). The head and legs are brownish-black; the body is yellowish. Larvae are usually covered with a secretion of mucus and fecal material, giving them a shiny black, wet appearance (Fig. 1).  When the larva completes its growth, it drops to the ground and pupates in the soil.  The pupal stage lasts 2 – 3 weeks. Adult beetles emerge and feed for a couple of weeks before seeking overwintering sites. There is one generation per year.


Figure 1.  Larval stage of Oulema melanopus with characteristic feeding damage visible on leaf.

Monitoring:
Give priority to following factors when selecting monitoring sites:
   □ Choose fields and sections of the fields with past or present damage symptoms.
   □ Choose fields that are well irrigated (leaves are dark green in color), including young, lush crops. Areas of a field that are under stress and not as lush (yellow) are less likely to support CLB. 
   □ Monitor fields located along riparian corridors, roads and railroads. 
   □ Survey field areas that are close to brush cover or weeds, easy to access, or are nearby sheltered areas such as hedge rows, forest edges, fence lines, etc.

Focus your site selection on the following host plant priorities:
   □ First – winter wheat. If no winter wheat is present then;
   □ Second – other cereal crops (barley, wheat, oats, and rye). If no cereal crops are present then;
   □ Third – hay crops. If no hay crops or cereal crops are present then;
   □ Fourth – ditches and water corridors


Sweep-net Sampling for Adults and Larvae:
 ● A sweep is defined as a one pass (from left to right, executing a full 180 degrees) through the upper foliage of the crop using a 37.5 cm diameter sweep-net. 
 ● A sample is defined as 100 sweeps taken at a moderate walking pace collected 4-5 meters inside the border of a field.  
 ● At each site, four samples should be collected, totaling 400 sweeps per site.  The contents of each sample should be visually inspected for life stages of CLB and all suspect specimens should be retained for identification.  
 ● Because the CLB larvae are covered in a sticky secretion, they are often covered in debris and are very difficult to see within a sweep-net sample. 
 ● To help determine the presence of CLB, place the contents of the sweep net into a large plastic bag for observation.


Visual Inspection:
Both the adults and larvae severely damage plants by chewing out long strips of tissue between the veins of leaves (Fig. 1), leaving only a thin membrane. When damage is extensive, leaves turn whitish. 

Fact sheets for CLB are published by the province of Alberta and available from the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network. Also access the Oulema melanopus page from the new “Field crop and forage pests and their natural enemies in western Canada – Identification and management field guide”.

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Weekly Update – Wheat midge

Ross Weiss, David Giffen, Owen Olfert and prairiepest_admin
Categories
Week 11

Wheat Midge (Sitodiplosis mosellana) – Predictive modelling will be used again to help  forecast wheat midge emergence across the Canadian prairies.  The map below predicts the geographic distribution and corresponding accumulation of heat units necessary for wheat midge to emerge from puparia developing in the soil.  



Monitoring:
When monitoring wheat fields, pay attention to the synchrony between flying midge and anthesis.  

REMEMBER that in-field counts of wheat midge per head remain the basis of economic threshold decision.  Also remember that the parasitoid, Macroglenes penetrans (shown below), is actively searching for wheat midge at the same time.  Preserve this parasitoid whenever possible and remember your insecticide control options for wheat midge also kill these beneficial insects which help reduce midge populations.





In-field monitoring for wheat midge should be carried out in the evening (preferably after 8:30 pm or later) when the female midges are most active. On warm (at least 15ºC), calm evenings, the midge can be observed in the field, laying their eggs on the wheat heads. Midge populations can be estimated by counting the number of adults present on 4 or 5 wheat heads. Inspect the field daily in at least 3 or 4 locations during the evening.




Economic Thresholds for Wheat Midge:
a) To maintain optimum grade: 1 adult midge per 8 to 10 wheat heads during the susceptible stage.


b) For yield only: 1 adult midge per 4 to 5 heads. At this level of infestation, wheat yields will be reduced by approximately 15% if the midge is not controlled.

Inspect the developing kernels for the presence of larvae and the larval damage. 


Wheat growers in Alberta can access mapped cumulative counts from wheat midge pheromone traps.  A screen shot below confirms that wheat midge are flying beyond the predicted model mapped above.




Additional information related to wheat midge biology and monitoring can be accessed by linking to your provincial fact sheet (Saskatchewan Agriculture or Alberta Agriculture & Forestry).  A review of wheat midge on the Canadian prairies was published by Elliott, Olfert, and Hartley in 2011.

More information about Wheat midge can be found by accessing the pages from the new “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and Field Guide”.  View ONLY the Wheat midge pages but remember the guide is available as a free downloadable document as both an English-enhanced or French-enhanced version.
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Weekly Update – Alfalfa weevil

David Giffen, Julie Soroka, Owen Olfert and prairiepest_admin
Categories
Week 11

Alfalfa Weevil (Hypera postica) – Reminder – The larval stage of this weevil feeds on alfalfa leaves in a manner that characterizes the pest as a “skeletonizer”.  The green larva featuring a dorsal, white line down the length of its body has a dark brown head capsule and will grow to 9mm long.  Alfalfa growers are encouraged to check the Alfalfa Weevil Fact Sheet prepared by Dr. Julie Soroka (AAFC-Saskatoon).



Updated – Degree-day maps of base 9°C are now being produced by Soroka, Olfert, and Giffen (2016) using the Harcourt/North Dakota models.  The aim or the modelling is to predict the development of Alfalfa weevil (Hypera postica) across the prairies and to help growers time their in-field scouting as second-instar larvae are predicted to occur.  Compare the following predicted development stages and degree-day values copied below (Soroka 2015) to the map below.




For the week of June 26, 2016, the following map predicts the developmental stages for alfalfa weevil and corresponding degree-days.  Areas highlighted orange are predicted to find fourth instar larvae so scout for major leaf feeding then compare larval densities to the action threshold for alfalfa weevil!



Economic thresholds for Alfalfa weevil (adapted from Soroka 2015) vary by crop type (hay or seed), area fed upon and larval densities.

In hay fields, forage losses can be economic if one or more of the following symptoms are noted:
● if 25-50 % of the leaves on the upper one-third of the stem show damage, or
● if 50-70% of the terminals are injured, or
● if 1 to 3 third or fourth instar larvae occur per stem (with shorter stems having lower economic thresholds and 3 or more larvae requiring treatment no matter what the alfalfa height), or 
● 20-30 larvae per sweep occur when 12% leaf loss is acceptable.
● Also consider these two points:
      1. Early cutting of the first growth of alfalfa or insecticide treatment will reduce alfalfa weevil populations.
      2. If the hay crop value is high and weevil injury is seen or 2 or more larvae per stem reappear in regrowth after cutting, insecticide may be necessary (if a second cut is anticipated). 

In alfalfa seed fields:
● Economic thresholds are 20-25 third to fourth instar larvae per sweep or 35-50% of the foliage tips showing damage. 
● Thresholds increase with the height of the alfalfa, and decrease in drought conditions. 
● Also know that several small wasps parasitize alfalfa weevil larvae and adults, and in the past these natural control agents kept the weevil in check in most years. One of these wasps, Bathyplectes curculionis (Thomson), parasitizes alfalfa weevil in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and is now found in Manitoba.

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Weekly Update – Previous Posts

Jennifer Otani
Categories
Week 11

The following is a list of previous 2016 Posts – click to review:

Cereal leaf beetle
Diamondback moth
Bertha armyworm development and flight
Grasshoppers
Canola scouting chart
Wind trajectories
Cutworms
Flea beetles in canola
Predicted cereal leaf beetle development
Predicted lygus bug development
Predicted wheat midge development
Pea leaf weevil monitoring
Crop protection guides
Using Environment Canada’s radar maps to follow precipitation events
Iceburg reports
Multitude of mayflies

Monarch migration

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