Tag: Canola

Bertha armyworm

The phenology model for bertha armyworm development on the Canadian prairies was developed by Ross Weiss and Owen Olfert. Model simulations used to estimate development of bertha armyworm are now complete for the 2025 growing season. Now, in-field scouting for larvae is important!

Figure 1 includes photos of the various life stages of the bertha armyworm. There is one generation per year and pupae overwinter in the soil (Fig. 1, C). Each growing season, green unitraps utilizing pheromone lures are deployed and checked weekly over a 6-week window. Cumulative counts generated from the pheromone traps are used to estimate subsequent bertha armyworm densities. The cumulative moth count data is compiled using geospatial maps then posted to support and time in-field scouting for damaging populations of larvae by mid-July through to August.

**Figure 1.** Stages of bertha armyworm from egg (A), larva (B), pupa (C), to adult (D). Photos: J. Williams (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada).

Please refer to this week’s Provincial Insect Pest Report Links to find the most up-to-date information summarizing weekly cumulative counts compiled by provincial pheromone trapping networks across the Canadian prairies in 2025. For example, Manitoba Agriculture’s June 19th Crop Pest Report includes Figure 2 with a reminder that other moth species are actively flying now so examine wing colourations and patterning carefully when checking the contents of bertha armyworm pheromone traps! Clover cutworm can be common by-catch in pheromone traps designed to monitor bertha armyworm, but also those designed to monitor true armyworm.

**Figure 2**. Comparison of diagnostic wing features of three moth species. Images and information all courtesy of Manitoba Agriculture, J. Gavloski who originally included in the June 19, 2025, issue of the Manitoba Crop Pest Update.

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 “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018), accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our Field Guides page. Also consider reviewing this 2019 Insect of the Week featuring bertha armyworm and its doppelganger, the clover cutworm!

Predicted diamondback moth development

Diamondback moths (DBM; Plutella xylostella) are a migratory invasive species. Each spring, adult populations migrate northward to the Canadian prairies on wind currents from infested regions in the southern or western U.S.A. Upon arrival to the prairies, migrant diamondback moths begin to reproduce and this results in subsequent non-migrant populations that may have three or four generations during the growing season.

Spring Pheromone Trap Monitoring of Adult Males: Across the Canadian prairies, spring monitoring is initiated to acquire weekly counts of adult moths (Fig. 1) attracted to pheromone-baited delta traps deployed in fields. Weekly trap interceptions are observed to generate cumulative counts. These cumulative count estimates are broadly categorized to help producers prioritize and time in-field scouting for larvae.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is DBM_adult_AAFC-1.png — **Figure 1**. Adult diamondback moth.

Diamondback moths were captured on pheromone traps across western Canada from mid- to late-May in 2025. Once adults arrive, there can be several in-season, non-migrant generations of diamondback moth developing throughout the remainder of the growing season. Warm, dry weather tends to promote rapid development of high-density populations of larvae capable of causing severe damage to host crops, including canola.

The model for diamondback moth development on the prairies was developed by Ross Weiss and Owen Olfert. Model simulations were used to estimate the number of non-migrant generations of diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella).

As of July 20, 2025, model outputs suggest diamondback moth populations are primarily in the second non-migrant generation across the Prairie growing region although populations east of Lethbridge and surrounding Winnipeg are likely entering the third non-migrant generation (Fig. 2).

**Figure 2**. Predicted number of in-season generations of diamondback moth (*Plutella xylostella*) expected to have developed across the Canadian prairies, ***as of July 20, 2025***.

In-Field Monitoring: Remove plants in an area measuring 0.1 m² (about 12″ square), beat them onto a clean surface and count the number of larvae (Fig. 3) dislodged from the plant. Repeat this procedure at least in five locations in the field to get an accurate count.

**Figure 3**. Diamondback larva measuring ~8mm long.
Note brown head capsule and forked appearance of prolegs on posterior.

The economic threshold for diamondback moth in canola at the advanced pod stage is 20 to 30 larvae/ 0.1 m² (approximately 2-3 larvae per plant). Economic thresholds for canola or mustard in the early flowering stage are not available. However, insecticide applications are likely required at larval densities of 10 to 15 larvae/ 0.1 m² (approximately 1-2 larvae per plant).

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is DBM_Pupa_AAFC-1.jpg — **Figure 4**. Diamondback moth pupa within silken cocoon.

Biological and monitoring information for DBM (including tips for scouting and economic thresholds) is posted by Manitoba Agriculture, Saskatchewan Agriculture, Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, and the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network. Also, refer to the diamondback moth pages within the “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018), accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our Field Guides page.

Lygus bug monitoring

Lygus bugs are polyphagous (i.e., feed on plants belonging to several Families of plants) and multivoltine (i.e., capable of producing multiple generations per year). Both the adult (Fig. 1) and five nymphal instar stages (Fig. 2) are a sucking insect that focuses feeding activities on developing buds, pods and seeds. Adults overwinter in northern climates. The economic threshold for Lygus in canola is applied at late flower and early pod stages.

Recent research in Alberta has resulted in a revision to the thresholds recommended for the management of Lygus in canola. Under ideal growing conditions (i.e., ample moisture) a threshold of 20-30 lygus per 10 sweeps is recommended. Under dry conditions, a lower threshold may be used, however, because drought limits yield potential in canola, growers should be cautious if considering the use of foliar-applied insecticide at lygus densities below the established threshold of 20-30 per 10 sweeps. In drought-affected fields that still support near-average yield potential, a lower threshold of ~20 lygus per 10 sweeps may be appropriate for stressed canola. Even if the current value of canola remains high (e.g., >$19.00 per bu), control at densities of <10 lygus per 10 sweeps is not likely to be economical. Research indicates that lygus numbers below 10 per 10 sweeps (one per sweep) can on occasion increase yield in good growing conditions – likely through plant compensation for a small amount of feeding stress.

**Figure 1**. Adult *Lygus lineolaris* (5-6 mm long) (photo: AAFC-Saskatoon).

**Figure 2**. Fifth instar lygus bug nymph (3-4 mm long) (photo: AAFC-Saskatoon).

Damage: Lygus bugs have piercing-sucking mouthparts and physically damage the plant by puncturing the tissue and sucking plant juices. The plants also react to the toxic saliva that the insects inject when they feed. Lygus bug infestations can cause alfalfa to have short stem internodes, excessive branching, and small, distorted leaves. In canola, lygus bugs feed on buds and blossoms and cause them to drop. They also puncture seed pods and feed on the developing seeds causing them to turn brown and shrivel.

Scouting tips to keep in mind: Begin monitoring canola when it bolts and continues until seeds within the pods are firm. Since adults can move into canola from alfalfa, check lygus bug numbers in canola when nearby alfalfa crops are cut.

Sample the crop for lygus bugs on a sunny day when the temperature is above 20 °C and the crop canopy is dry. With a standard insect net (38 cm diameter), take ten 180 ° sweeps. Count the number of lygus bugs in the net. Sampling becomes more representative IF repeated at multiple spots within a field so sweep in at least 10 locations within a field to estimate the density of lygus bugs.

How to tell them apart: The 2019 Insect of the Week’s doppelganger for Wk 15 was lygus bug versus the alfalfa plant bug while Wk 16 featured lygus bug nymphs vs. aphids! Both posts include tips to discern the difference between when doing in-field scouting!

Biological and monitoring information related to Lygus in field crops is posted by the provinces of Manitoba or Alberta fact sheets or the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network’s monitoring protocol. Also refer to the Lygus pages within the “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page. The Canola Council of Canada’s “Canola Encyclopedia” also summarizes Lygus bugs. The Flax Council of Canada includes Lygus bugs in their Insect Pest downloadable PDF chapter plus the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers summarize Lygus bugs in faba beans.

Canola Flower Midge Scouting

Scouting for canola flower midge tends to be easiest as the flowering stage of canola ends and pod development begins. Female canola flower midge lay eggs on developing canola buds and larvae develop inside the buds, resulting in galled flowers that do not open or produce pods.

Although canola flower midge does not appear to occur at densities that cause economic damage, scouting for canola flower midge will help to monitor population growth at the local scale to avoid surprises in the future. The monitoring protocol used during our survey from 2017-2019 is now available online so that everyone can scout for canola flower midge.

Check out the Canola Flower Midge Scouting post from Week 10 in 2023 for pictures of damage caused by this insect and to see a map of canola flower midge distribution.

Bertha armyworm

The phenology model for bertha armyworm development on the Canadian prairies was developed by Ross Weiss and Owen Olfert. Model simulations used to estimate development of bertha armyworm are now complete for the 2025 growing season. Now, in-field scouting for larvae is important!

Lygus bug monitoring

Cabbage seedpod weevil

There is one generation of cabbage seedpod weevil (CSPW; Ceutorhynchus obstrictus) per year. The overwintered adult is an ash-grey weevil measuring 3-4mm long (Fig. 1; left photo). Mating and oviposition are quickly followed by eggs hatching within developing canola pods (Fig. 1; right photo). The highly concealed larvae feed within the pod, consuming the developing seeds.

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 (Fig. 1; 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 (Fig. 2; 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 (Fig. 2; right photo, lower pod), feeding on the developing seeds. A single larva consumes about 5 canola seeds. The mature larva chews a small, circular exit hole (Fig. 2; right photo, upper pod) 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.

**Figure 2.** Larva feeding amongst developing seeds within canola pod (left) and larval entrance hole (right photo, lower pod) compared to mature larval exit hole (right photo, uppower pod). Photos: the late Dr. Lloyd Dosdall.

In-Field 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.

Albertan growers can report field observations and check the live map for CSPW posted by Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation.

Predicted diamondback moth development

As of July 13, 2025, model outputs suggest that diamondback moth populations are primarily in the second non-migrant generation across the Prairie except for areas within the Peace River region (Fig. 2).

Canola Flower Midge Scouting

Check out the Canola Flower Midge Scouting post from Week 10 in 2023 for pictures of damage caused by this insect and to see a map of canola flower midge distribution.

Predicted diamondback moth development

As of July 6, 2025, model outputs suggest that diamondback moth populations have moved into the second non-migrant generation across much of the Canadian prairies except for areas in eastern Alberta and the Peace River region (Fig. 2).

Bertha armyworm

Lygus bug monitoring

Cabbage seedpod weevil

Prairie-Wide Monitoring: The annual cabbage seedpod weevil survey is performed in canola at early flower stages using sweep-net collections. Review the prairie-wide historical survey maps for this insect species. Review the PPMN monitoring protocol although the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba have specific survey protocols for their respective network cooperators. Commercial fields where comparatively higher densities of adult cabbage seedpod weevils were observed in 2024 are highlighted yellow, orange, or red in the geospatial map featured in Figure 3. Areas where historically higher densities of cabbage seedpod weevil were observed in 2024 are worth prioritizing in 2025.

**Figure 3.** Densities of cabbage seedpod weevil (*Ceutorhynchus obstrictus*) observed in sweep-net samples retrieved from commercial fields of canola (*Brassica napus*) grown in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and the British Columbia portion of the Peace River region in 2024.

In-Field 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.

Albertan growers can report field observations and check the live map for CSPW posted by Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation (screenshot provided below as an example; retrieved 2025Jun19 but will be updated with 2025 reports as the season progresses).

Week 10: Pollen Beetle

The pollen beetle, Brassicogethes viridescens, also known as the bronzed blossom pollen beetle can be a serious pest of canola. It is native to Europe and is an invasive species in Canada. Pollen beetle is now established in Quebec, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia in eastern Canada. Thus far, pollen beetle has not been detected in the prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba.

Adult pollen beetles are quite small, only about 2.5 mm, but can disperse up to 3 km to find host plants. Hosts include canola, mustard, and a variety of cruciferous weeds. In the spring, pollen beetles emerge from overwintering sites and disperse to their host crops. Female pollen beetles lay eggs in buds and larvae develop inside the buds. Larvae can be about 4 mm long when they are ready to pupate, have black heads, and have black spots on each segment of their abdomen. Larvae pupate in the soil and new generation adults emerge in late summer. The adult stage overwinters.

**Pollen beetle feeding damage on canola buds. Photographed by Olivia Dorn, AAFC-Charlottetown.**

Both adult and larval stages of the pollen beetle can cause damage to canola and other host plants. Adult pollen beetles feed on developing buds, flower parts, and pollen. Adults may also consume the pollen of non-host crops, especially in the spring and late summer. Larvae consume pollen, both from developing buds and from open flowers. Larval damage can significantly reduce seed production.

For more information (and pictures), please check out the pollen beetle pages in Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada available in English and French.

Cabbage seedpod weevil

In-Field 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.

Aphids in field crops

Aphid populations can quickly increase at this point in the season and particularly when growing conditions are warm and dry. Access the Provincial Insect Pest Report for Wk15 to remain alert to areas and crops suffering from aphid pest pressure.

**Figure 1**. Pea aphid adults (each 3-4 mm long) and nymph. Photo: M. Dolinski.

Biological and monitoring information (including tips for scouting and economic thresholds) related to aphids in field crops is posted by:
• Manitoba Agriculture (aphids on cereals, aphids on flax, soybean aphid, aphids on peas, faba beans, and lentils)
• Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (aphids in pulse crops or access the PDF copy)
• Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission
• Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers (soybean aphids: identification, scouting and management or access the PDF copy)
• The Canola Council of Canada’s “Canola Encyclopedia” section on aphids
• or check your provincial commodity group’s insect pest webpages for more detailed information.

Additionally, several aphid pest species are described in the “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) which is accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our Field Guides page. PDF copies of the individual pages have been linked below to access quickly:
• Corn leaf aphid or Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch)
• English grain aphid or Sitobion (Macrosiphum) avenae (Fabricius)
• Oat-birdcherry aphid or Rhopalosiphum padi (Linnaeus)
• Pea aphid or Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris)
• Potato aphid or Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas)
• Soybean aphid or Aphis glycines (Matsumura)
• Turnip aphid or Lipaphis erysimi (Kaltenbach)
• Sugar beet root aphid or Pemphigus betae Doane
• Russian wheat aphid or Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko)

Over the years, both the Weekly Updates and Insect of the Week have included aphid-related information but also important natural enemy details to support in-field scouting. Review the list below so pest and beneficial insects can be distinguished readily when scouting fields:
• Aphidius wasp (Insect of the Week; 2015 Wk15)
• Aphids in canola (Insect of the Week; 2016 Wk13)
• Aphids in cereals (Insect of the Week; 2017 Wk09)
• Cereal aphid manager APP (Weekly Update; 2021 Wk07) presently available only for iOS
• Ladybird larva vs. lacewing larva (Insect of the Week; 2019 Wk18)
• Ladybird beetles and mummies (Weekly Update; 2020 Wk15)
• Lygus bug nymphs vs. aphids (Insect of the Week; 2019 Wk16)
• Hoverflies vs. bees vs. yellow jacket wasps (Insect of the Week; 2019 Wk19)
• Pea aphids: a persistent problem for legume growers (Insect of the Week; 2021 Wk12)
• Soybean aphids and aphid annihilating allies (Insect of the Week; 2022 Wk07)
• Syrphid flies (Insect of the Week; 2015 Wk16)

Predicted diamondback moth development

As of June 29, 2025, model outputs suggest that diamondback moth populations are primarily in the first non-migrant generation but the second generation may be emerging in areas around Winnipeg and east of Lethbridge (Fig. 2).

Predicted bertha armyworm development

The model outputs show bertha armyworm populations, where present, should consist mainly of either eggs and larvae (Fig. 1). Populations across the in the majority of Prairie growing region should mainly be in the egg stage. Larvae should be present in areas south of Winnipeg and between Lethbridge and Swift Current (Fig. 2).

**Figure 1**. The proportion of the (*Mamestra configurata*) population that is predicted to be in the **EGG stage** (% of total population) across the Canadian prairies ***as of June 29, 2025***.

**Figure 2**. The proportion of the (*Mamestra configurata*) population that is predicted to be in the **LARVAL stage** (% of total population) across the Canadian prairies ***as of June 29, 2025***.

Figure 3 includes photos of the various life stages of the bertha armyworm. There is one generation per year and pupae overwinter in the soil (Fig. 3, C). Each growing season, green unitraps utilizing pheromone lures are deployed and checked weekly over a 6-week window. Cumulative counts generated from the pheromone traps are used to estimate subsequent bertha armyworm densities. The cumulative moth count data is compiled using geospatial maps then posted to support and time in-field scouting for damaging populations of larvae by mid-July through to August.

**Figure 3.** Stages of bertha armyworm from egg (A), larva (B), pupa (C), to adult (D). Photos: J. Williams (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada).

Please refer to this week’s Provincial Insect Pest Report Links to find the most up-to-date information summarizing weekly cumulative counts compiled by provincial pheromone trapping networks across the Canadian prairies in 2025. For example, Manitoba Agriculture’s June 19th Crop Pest Report includes Figure 4 with a reminder that other moth species are actively flying now so examine wing colourations and patterning carefully when checking the contents of bertha armyworm pheromone traps! Clover cutworm can be common by-catch in pheromone traps designed to monitor bertha armyworm, but also those designed to monitor true armyworm.

**Figure 4**. Comparison of diagnostic wing features of three moth species. Images and information all courtesy of Manitoba Agriculture, J. Gavloski who originally included in the June 19, 2025, issue of the Manitoba Crop Pest Update.

Lygus bug monitoring

Predicted diamondback moth development

As of June 22, 2025, model outputs predict that diamondback moth populations are in the first non-migrant generation (Fig. 2).

Predicted bertha armyworm development

The model outputs predict that bertha armyworm populations, where present, should consist mainly of adults laying eggs (Fig. 1). Based on the model outputs, populations throughout most of Alberta and Saskatchewan are predicted to be mainly be in the egg stage (as of June 22, 2025). In some areas south of Winnipeg, east of Lethbridge, and northeast of Swift Current, larvae may be present (Fig. 2).

Please refer to this week’s Provincial Insect Pest Report Links to find the most up-to-date information summarizing weekly cumulative counts compiled by provincial pheromone trapping networks across the Canadian prairies in 2025. For example, Manitoba Agriculture’s June 19th Crop Pest Report includes Figure 4 with a reminder that other moth species are actively flying now so examine wing colourations and patterning carefully when checking the contents of bertha armyworm pheromone traps! Clover cutworm can be common by-catch in pheromone traps designed to monitor bertha armyworm, but also those designed to monitor true armyworm.

Predicted bertha armyworm development

The model indicates that in areas where bertha armyworm populations are present, the population should consist mainly of adults (Fig. 1). Based on the model readings, the percentage of adult berth armyworm in the population should be highest in Alberta and Saskatchewan. In some areas south of Winnipeg, east of Lethbridge, and northeast of Swift Current, the model predicts that female moths are already laying eggs (Fig. 2).

**Figure 1**. The proportion of the (*Mamestra configurata*) population that is predicted to be in the adult stage (% of total population) across the Canadian prairies ***as of June 15, 2025***.

**Figure 2**. The proportion of the (*Mamestra configurata*) population that is predicted to be in the egg stage (% of total population) across the Canadian prairies ***as of June 15, 2025***.

Please refer to this week’s Provincial Insect Pest Report Links to find the most up-to-date information summarizing weekly cumulative counts compiled by provincial pheromone trapping networks across the Canadian prairies in 2025. For example, Manitoba Agriculture’s June 19th Crop Pest Report includes Figure 4 with a reminder that other moth species are actively flying now so examine wing colourations and patterning carefully when checking the contents of bertha armyworm pheromone traps! Clover cutworm can be common by-catch in pheromone traps designed to monitor bertha armyworm, but also those designed to monitor true armyworm.

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 “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018), accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page. Also consider reviewing this 2019 Insect of the Week featuring bertha armyworm and its doppelganger, the clover cutworm!

Diamondback moth

In-Field Monitoring: Remove plants in an area measuring 0.1 m² (about 12″ square), beat them onto a clean surface and count the number of larvae (Fig. 2) dislodged from the plant. Repeat this procedure at least in five locations in the field to get an accurate count.

**Figure 2**. Diamondback larva measuring ~8mm long.
Note brown head capsule and forked appearance of prolegs on posterior.

Cabbage seedpod weevil

In-Field 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.

Lygus bug monitoring

Predicted bertha armyworm development

The phenology model for bertha armyworm development on the Canadian prairies was developed by Ross Weiss and Owen Olfert. Model simulations were used to estimate development of bertha armyworm as of June 8, 2025. Model outputs predict that the adult flight has likely started in most areas where bertha armyworm populations are present except for in parts of the BC Peace River region and along the foothills in western Alberta where the percentage of the population in the adult stage is estimated to be less than 15 % (Fig. 1). Based on the model readings, the percentage of bertha armyworm in the adult stage, where populations are present, should be highest in areas between Edmonton and Calgary in Alberta.

Figure 2 includes photos of the various life stages of the bertha armyworm. There is one generation per year and pupae overwinter in the soil (Fig. 2, C). Each growing season, green unitraps utilizing pheromone lures are deployed and checked weekly over a 6-week window. Cumulative counts generated from the pheromone traps are used to estimate subsequent bertha armyworm densities. The cumulative moth count data is compiled using geospatial maps then posted to support and time in-field scouting for damaging populations of larvae by mid-July through to August.

**Figure 2.** Stages of bertha armyworm from egg (A), larva (B), pupa (C), to adult (D). Photos: J. Williams (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada).

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 “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018), accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page. Also consider reviewing the 2019 Insect of the Week, which featured bertha armyworm and its doppelganger, the clover cutworm!

Cabbage seedpod weevil

Prairie-Wide Monitoring: The annual cabbage seedpod weevil survey is performed in canola at early flower stages using sweep-net collections. Review the prairie-wide historical survey maps for this insect species. Review the PPMN monitoring protocol although the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba have specific survey protocols for their respective network cooperators. Commercial fields where comparatively higher densities of adult cabbage seedpod weevils were observed in 2024 are highlighted yellow, orange, or red in the geospatial map featured in Figure 3. Areas where historically higher densities of cabbage seedpod weevil were observed in 2024 are worth prioritizing in 2025.

In-Field 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.

Albertan growers can report field observations and check the live map for CSPW posted by Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation (screenshot provided below as an example; retrieved 2022Jul28 but will be updated with 2025 reports as season progresses).

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 2022Jul28_CSPW-map_AB.png

Diamondback moth

Biological and monitoring information for DBM (including tips for scouting and economic thresholds) is posted by Manitoba Agriculture, Saskatchewan Agriculture, Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, and the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network. Also, refer to the diamondback moth pages within the “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page.

Cabbage seedpod weevil

Prairie-Wide Monitoring: The annual cabbage seedpod weevil survey is performed in canola at early flower stages using sweep-net collections. Review the prairie-wide historical survey maps for this insect species. Review the PPMN monitoring protocol although the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba have specific survey protocols for their respective network cooperators. Commercial fields where comparatively higher densities of adult cabbage seedpod weevils were observed in 2024 are highlighted yellow, orange, or red in the geospatial map featured in Figure 3. Areas where historically higher densities of cabbage seedpod weevil were observed in 2024 are worth prioritizing in 2025.

In-Field 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.

Albertan growers can report field observations and check the live map for CSPW posted by Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation (screenshot provided below as an example; retrieved 2022Jul28 but will be updated with 2025 reports as season progresses).

Diamondback moth

Biological and monitoring information for DBM (including tips for scouting and economic thresholds) is posted by Manitoba Agriculture, Saskatchewan Agriculture, Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, and the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network. Also, refer to the diamondback moth pages within the “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page.

Bertha armyworm

Degree-days can be used to predict the timing of insect development and plan for pest scouting and management. Degree-days are calculated for different insect species using temperature thresholds specific to their development. Based on research, the temperature threshold for bertha armyworm (Mamestra configurata) development is 7 °C and 352 accumulated degree-days (base 7 °C) are required for overwintered pupae to begin their spring development phase. As of May 25, there are no areas on the prairies that have surpassed the degree-day requirement for pupal development of bertha armyworm (Fig. 1).

**Figure 1**. Growing degree-day heat units (Base 7 °C) accumulated across the Canadian prairies from April 1 to May 25, 2025.

Pheromone traps used to monitor bertha armyworm are typically set up along canola fields when pupal development reaches 75-80%; the 2024 monitoring season started the week of June 10, 2024. Cumulative counts from sentinel pheromone monitoring sites targeting bertha armyworm moths across the Canadian prairies in 2024 are highlighted as geospatial areas where producers are encouraged to prioritize in-field monitoring in 2025. Areas in Figure 2 highlighted yellow, orange, or especially red hosted pheromone traps that intercepted relatively high cumulative counts of moths in 2024 and should be prioritized for in-field scouting in 2025. Review the prairie-wide historical survey maps for this insect species.

**Figure 2.** Cumulative weekly counts of Bertha armyworm (*Mamestra configurata*) moths arising from the 2024 growing season.

Figure 3 includes photos of the various life stages of the bertha armyworm. There is one generation per year and pupae overwinter in the soil (Fig. 3, C). Each growing season, green unitraps utilizing pheromone lures are deployed and checked weekly over a 6-week window. Cumlative counts generated from the pheromone traps are used to estimate subsequent bertha armyworm densities. The cumulative moth count data is compiled using geospatial maps then posted to support and time in-field scouting for damaging populations of larvae by mid-July through to August.

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 “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018), accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page. Also consider reviewing the 2019 Insect of the Week, which featured bertha armyworm and its doppelganger, the clover cutworm!

Week 5: Swede Midge

Swede midge, Contarinia nasturtii, is an invasive species in Canada and the United States. Swede midge has been detected by the CFIA in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, but is NOT ESTABLISHED IN THE PRAIRIE REGION and has not been detected in pheromone traps used for monitoring since the CFIA detections in 2007/2008. Swede midge has been found in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, and Quebec. It is well-established in Ontario and Quebec, where it has been extremely damaging to brassica vegetable crops (cabbage, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, etc.) and canola crops.

Swede midge has been found in at least 12 states in the northeastern region of the United States (e.g., Vermont, New York). It has recently been found in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

**A canola raceme with flower buds damaged by feeding swede midge larvae. Photographed by Jonathon Williams, AAFC-Saskatoon.**

Swede Midge Identification and Life History: Adult swede midge are small, grey or brown coloured flies, about 2 mm long. Adults lay eggs on the growing points of their brassicaceous host plants and larval development prevents normal plant development.

**An adult swede midge and translucent swede midge larvae on a growing point of a canola plant. Photographed by Jonathon Williams, AAFC-Saskatoon.**

Larvae are 2-4 mm long and yellow-coloured when ready to pupate; early instar larvae are smaller and are often translucent. Once larval development is complete, larvae drop to the soil to pupate. There can be multiple generations per growing season. Swede midge can also remain in the pupal stage in the soil for over a year if soil and temperature conditions are not suitable for adult emergence.

A canola plant from a lab-reared colony of swede midge where the growing points infested with large numbers of swede midge larvae that are nearly ready to pupate. Photographed by Meghan Vankosky, AAFC-Saskatoon.

Swede Midge Monitoring: Pheromone-baited traps are used to monitor for swede midge in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and the Peace River Region of BC. This monitoring program is primarily in place as an early detection system. So far, no swede midge have been caught in pheromone traps set up in the prairie provinces. Results from the 2024 monitoring season are shown below.

As swede midge are moving westward in the United States, it is important to keep monitoring for swede midge in an effort to protect the prairie canola and vegetable industries from this potentially devastating pest.

For more information about swede midge visit:

The swede midge page in Field Crop and Forage Pests and Their Natural Enemies in Western Canada (English or French)
Previous Insect of the Week articles (2021, 2024) and swede midge monitoring protocol from the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network
Canola Council of Canada Encyclopedia swede midge article
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness swede midge webpage

Flea beetles

Flea Beetles (Chrysomelidae: Phyllotreta species) – Be on the lookout for flea beetle damage resulting from feeding on canola cotyledons but also on the stem. Two species, Phyllotreta striolata and P. cruciferae, will feed on all cruciferous plants but they can cause economic levels of damage in canola during the seedling stages.

**Figure 1.** Flea beetle feeding inflicted by overwintered adults including ‘shot-hole’ and stem feeding on seedling canola (B. napus). Photos: AAFC-Beaverlodge-Otani

Remember, the Action Threshold for flea beetles on canola is 25% of cotyledon leaf area consumed. Watch for shot-hole feeding in seedling canola but also watch the growing point and stems of seedlings which are particularly vulnerable to flea beetle feeding.

If flea beetle densities are high, seedling damage levels can advance quickly – even within the same day! The cotyledon stage of canola is vulnerable to flea beetle feeding.

Estimating flea beetle feeding damage can be challenging. Using a visual guide to estimate damage can be helpful. Use the two images (copied below for reference) produced by Dr. J. Soroka (AAFC-Saskatoon) to help estimate percent of leaf area consumed for canola seedlings – take Figures 2 and 3 scouting!

**Figure 2.** Canola cotyledons with various percentages of leaf area consume owing to
flea beetle feeding damage (Photo: Soroka & Underwood, AAFC-Saskatoon).

**Figure 3.** Percent leaf area consumed by flea beetles feeding on canola seedlings
(Photo: Soroka & Underwood, AAFC-Saskatoon).

Flea beetles were the Insect of the Week (Wk 02 – May 13, 2024)! Additionally, access biological and pest management information posted by Saskatchewan Agriculture, or Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development, or the Canola Council of Canada’s Canola Encyclopedia. Refer to the flea beetle page within the “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018), accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page.

Cabbage seedpod weevil

Prairie-Wide Monitoring: The annual cabbage seedpod weevil survey is performed in canola at early flower stages using sweep-net collections. Review the prairie-wide historical survey maps for this insect species. Review the PPMN monitoring protocol although the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba have specific survey protocols for their respective network cooperators. Commercial fields where comparatively higher densities of adult cabbage seedpod weevils were observed in 2024 are highlighted yellow, orange, or red in the geospatial map featured in Figure 3. Areas where historically higher densities of cabbage seedpod weevil were observed in 2024 are worth prioritizing in 2025.

In-Field 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.

Albertan growers can report field observations and check the live map for CSPW posted by Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation (screenshot provided below as an example; retrieved 2022Jul28 but will be updated with 2025 reports as season progresses).

Diamondback moth

Biological and monitoring information for DBM (including tips for scouting and economic thresholds) is posted by Manitoba Agriculture, Saskatchewan Agriculture, Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, and the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network. Also, refer to the diamondback moth pages within the “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page.

Bertha armyworm

Figure 3 includes photos of the various life stages of the bertha armyworm. There is one generation per year and pupae overwinter in the soil (Fig. 3, C). Each growing season, green unitraps utilizing pheromone lures are deployed and checked weekly over a 6-week window. Cumlative counts generated from the pheromone traps are used to estimate subsequent bertha armyworm densities. The cumulative moth count data is compiled using geospatial maps then posted to support and time in-field scouting for damaging populations of larvae by mid-July through to August.

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 “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018), accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page. Also consider reviewing the 2019 Insect of the Week, which featured bertha armyworm and its doppelganger, the clover cutworm!

Week 4: Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle

Unfortunately, prairie canola farmers are very familiar with striped and crucifer flea beetles and the damage they cause.

Striped (above) and crucifer (below) flea beetles and damage symptoms caused by these beetles to the foliage of brassica plants. Both species are established and often are considered pests in Canadian agroecosystems. Photographed by Meghan Vankosky, AAFC-Saskatoon.

In Europe, the cabbage stem flea beetle (Psylliodes chrysocephalus) is known as the most serious pest of oilseed rape, especially winter oilseed rape. Cabbage stem flea beetle can also affect the yield and marketability of brassica vegetables (e.g., kale, cabbage). Managing cabbage stem flea beetles in the United Kingdom is challenging because this species is resistant to pyrethroid insecticides and neonicotinoids are no longer registered for use in Europe.

Cabbage stem flea beetle is not established in Canada.

Cabbage stem beetle can be extremely damaging to brassica crops and can be very difficult to manage. As a result, it is important that we prevent cabbage stem flea beetle from becoming established in Canada.

Life cycle in United Kingdom: Adults of the cabbage stem flea beetle emerge from the pupal stage in early summer (June-July). At this time, adults consume foliage of the host plant. When temperatures are hot in August, adult cabbage stem flea beetles undergo a period of ‘rest’ or aestivation (i.e., summer diapause). Once temperatures have moderated, adults disperse back to the oilseed rape crops from their aestivation sites, continue to feed on host plant leaves and begin to mate.

Egg laying occurs from September to December. As long as temperatures remain above 3°C, eggs will hatch and larval feeding will occur between October and February. The larvae of cabbage stem flea beetles feed in the petioles of the host plant leaves and in the stems of the plants. Larval feeding reduces the vigour of the plants; severe infestations can result in yield losses and plant death. Larval feeding damage increases in March and April when temperatures increase in spring then pupate in the soil near their host plant in May. Adults begin to emerge in June, and the cycle repeats.

For more information about cabbage stem flea beetle, which is not a pest in Canada, please visit the United Kingdom’s Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board cabbage stem flea beetle webpages.

Flea beetles

If flea beetle densities are high, seedling damage levels can advance quickly – even within the same day! The cotyledon stage of canola is vulnerable to flea beetle feeding.

Cutworms

Cutworm scouting spans April to late June across the Canadian prairies! Scout fields that are “slow” to emerge, are missing rows, include wilting or yellowing plants, have bare patches, or appear highly attractive to birds – these are areas warranting a closer look. Plan to follow up by walking these areas either very early or late in the day when some cutworm species (or climbing cutworms) move above-ground to feed. Start to dig below the soil surface (1-5 cm deep) near the base of symptomatic plants and also any healthy plants immediately adjacent to missing rows or wilting or clipped plants. Some cutworms feed while remaining just below the soil surface, clipping then pulling the plant below the soil surface as they munch away! If the plant is well-established (e.g., perennial grass or legume), check within the crown plus in the adjacent soil. The culprits could be cutworms, wireworms, or more!

Important: Several species of cutworms (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) can be present in fields. They range in colour from shiny opaque, to tan, to brownish-red with chevron patterning. A field guide is available to help growers scout and manage the various species of cutworms that can appear in field crops grown on the Canadian prairies. Cutworm Pest of Crops is available free in either English or French! Download a searchable PDF copy to access helpful diagnostic photos plus a table showing which larvae are active at different points in the growing season!

Other vital resources to scout and manage cutworms include:

● For anyone on the Canadian prairies, Manitoba Agriculture’s Cutworms in Field Crops fact sheet includes suggested nominal thresholds for cutworms in several crops (Table 1). The same fact sheet describes important biological information, and provides great cutworm photos to support in-field scouting!

● For Albertans….. If you find cutworms, please consider using the Alberta Insect Pest Monitoring Network’s “2025 Cutworm Reporting Tool” then view the live 2025 cutworm map updated daily. Review the live map to see where cutworms are appearing then prioritize in-field scouting accordingly.

● Cutworms were featured as 2024’s first Insect of the Week.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is CutwormNominalThresholds_MB-Ag_2024May.png

Text and table extracted from Gavloski, J. 2024. Cutworms in Field Crops. Manitoba Agriculture. Pages 1-6. Available at https://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/insects/pubs/cutworms-in-field-crops.pdf (retrieved May 8, 2025).

Diamondback moth

Biological and monitoring information for DBM (including tips for scouting and economic thresholds) is posted by Manitoba Agriculture, Saskatchewan Agriculture, Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, and the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network. Also, refer to the diamondback moth pages within the “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page.

Bertha armyworm

Degree-days can be used to predict the timing of insect development and plan for pest scouting and management. Degree-days are calculated for different insect species using temperature thresholds specific to their development. Based on research, the temperature threshold for bertha armyworm (Mamestra configurata) development is 7 °C and 352 accumulated degree-days (base 7 °C) are required for overwintered pupae to begin their spring development phase. As of May 18, much of the prairies has not reached the degree-day requirement for pupal development of bertha armyworm (Fig. 1).

**Figure 1**. Growing degree-day heat units (Base 7 °C) accumulated across the Canadian prairies as of May 18, 2025.

Pheromone traps used to monitor bertha armyworm are typically set up along canola fields when pupal development reaches 75-80%; the 2024 monitoring season started the week of June 10, 2024.

Figure 2 includes photos of the various life stages of the bertha armyworm. There is one generation per year and pupae overwinter in the soil (Fig. 2, C). Each growing season, green unitraps utilizing pheromone lures are deployed and checked weekly over a 6-week window. Cumlative counts generated from the pheromone traps are used to estimate subsequent bertha armyworm densities. The cumulative moth count data is compiled using geospatial maps then posted to support and time in-field scouting for damaging populations of larvae by mid-July through to August.

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 “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page. Also consider reviewing the 2019 Insect of the Week which featured bertha armyworm and its doppelganger, the clover cutworm!

Flea beetles

If flea beetle densities are high, seedling damage levels can advance quickly – even within the same day! The cotyledon stage of canola is vulnerable to flea beetle feeding.

Flea beetles were the Insect of the Week (Wk 02 – May 13, 2024)! Additiionally, access biological and pest management information posted by Saskatchewan Agriculture, or Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development, or the Canola Council of Canada’s Canola Encyclopedia. Refer to the flea beetle page within the “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page.

Week 17: Invasive Insect Awareness

Invasive insects and other invasive pests can have significant and negative impacts on agroecosystems and increase the cost of crop production. For example, the pea leaf weevil and cabbage seedpod weevil invaded and established in the prairie region in the past 25 years. Both have affected yield and required insecticide application for management.

Managing invasive alien species, including insects, involves: Preparedness, Prevention, Detection, Response and Recovery.

Preparedness, Prevention, and Detection are important steps that can help to keep invasive species from becoming established. Everyone can help to prevent the invasion of insects by following guidelines to avoid the accidental movement or introduction of insects to Canada.

Similarly, everyone can help with early detection of invasive insects. In the Prairie Region, 12 important insect pests to watch out for are included on posters developed by the Canadian Plant Health Council. The poster is also available in French.

This is the last Insect of the Week post of 2024. Thank you for reading the Insect of the Week series this year!

Bertha armyworm

Access the Provincial Insect Pest Report for Wk16 for updates for this economic insect pest.

Remember: in-field scouting is required to apply the economic threshold to manage both this pest and its natural enemies. Use the images below (Fig. 1) to help identify moths from the by-catch that will be retained in the green phermone-baited unitraps.

Refer to the PPMN Bertha armyworm monitoring protocol for help when performing in-field scouting or review the 2024 Insect of the Week featuring bertha armyworm. Also scan over the 2019 Insect of the Week featuring bertha armyworm and its doppelganger, the clover cutworm!

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 “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page.

Diamondback moth

Scouting and pest management for diamondback moth depends on in-field counts of larvae per metre2! This means plants need to be pulled and tapped off to assess the number of larvae! Use Figure 1 below to help identify the different stages of the diamondback moth.

The economic threshold for immature and flowering canola is 100-150 larvae per metre².

Access the Provincial Insect Pest Report for Wk16 for updates for this economic insect pest.

Biological and monitoring information for DBM (including tips for scouting and economic thresholds) is posted by Manitoba Agriculture, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, and the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network. Also, refer to the diamondback moth pages within the “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our Field Guides page.

Diamondback moth

The economic threshold for immature and flowering canola is 100-150 larvae per metre².

Access the Provincial Insect Pest Report for Wk15 for updates for this economic insect pest.

Bertha armyworm

Access the Provincial Insect Pest Report for Wk14 for updates for this economic insect pest.

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 “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page.

Diamondback moth

The economic threshold for immature and flowering canola is 100-150 larvae per metre².

Access the Provincial Insect Pest Report for Wk14 for updates for this economic insect pest.

Lygus bug monitoring

Access the Provincial Insect Pest Report for Wk14 for updates for this economic pest.

Week 14: Cabbage White Butterfly

Pieris rapae is known as the imported cabbageworm, the cabbage butterfly, and the cabbage white butterfly. Larvae are green and are covered in short, soft hairs, giving them a velvety appearance. The larvae are the damaging stage of the cabbage white butterfly life cycle. The larvae will eat the leaves and pods of canola and related field crops, but cabbage white butterflies are not considered to be an economic pest of canola.

**A group of larvae of the imported cabbageworm (a.k.a. cabbage white butterfly) feeding inside a broccoli crown. Picture by Meghan Vankosky, AAFC-Saskatoon.**

The larvae of cabbage white butterflies also consume the leaves of cruciferous weeds and vegetables, like broccoli, cabbage, and rutabaga. In vegetables, feeding damage to the leaves results in jagged holes.

A broccoli plant in a backyard garden with jagged holes in the leaves caused by cabbage white butterfly larvae. At least two larvae are also visible in the picture. Picture by Meghan Vankosky, AAFC-Saskatoon.

Larvae can also tunnel into the heads of vegetables, as pictured below. The combination of feeding damage to the heads and build-up of frass (fecal matter) can affect the marketability of vegetables infested with cabbage white butterfly larvae.

A broccoli crown with two holes in the head where larvae of the cabbage white butterfly tunneled into the center of the crown. The larvae pictured above were found feeding inside this broccoli crown. Picture by Meghan Vankosky, AAFC-Saskatoon.

Adult cabbage white butterflies do not damage crops as they feed on nectar. The white butterflies have black-tipped forewings with black spots and are often seen flying around canola and mustard fields and around gardens where cruciferous vegetables are grown. In 2023, cabbage white butterflies were especially numerous in southeastern Saskatchewan in August.

**An adult cabbage white butterfly. Picture by David Cappaert, bugwood.org.**

For more information, please read the Imported Cabbageworm page in Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada, also available in French, or check out the cabbageworm page in the Canola Council of Canada Canola Encyclopedia.

Diamondback moth

The economic threshold for immature and flowering canola is 100-150 larvae per metre².

Access the Provincial Insect Pest Report for Wk13 for updates for this economic insect pest.

Week 13: Canola Flower Midge

Canola flower midge overwinter inside cocoons in the soil and adults usually begin to emerge in late June and can be found until late August, so long as canola flowers are available. There are likely two generations per year, but emergence of adults also seems to be relatively unsynchronized and may not always occur in distinct peaks that align with discrete generations. Canola flower midge adults are not damaging to their host plants. The presence of adult canola flower midge can be detected using pheromone-baited traps.

**A canola flower with canola flower midge larvae developing inside. Picture by Jon Williams, AAFC-Saskatoon.**

Adult female canola flower midge lay their eggs on developing canola buds before they bloom. The larvae develop in groups inside the flower, resulting in a galled flower that does not produce a pod.

**Galled flowers, resulting from larval feeding by canola flower midge on a canola raceme. Picture by Boyd Mori, University of Alberta.**

Galled flowers can occur at any point along a canola raceme, with early emerging adults laying eggs on the first flowers to open. The galled flowers tend to remain ‘stuck’ on the raceme, even after the larvae have dropped to the soil to pupate. A monitoring protocol for canola flower midge, based on galled flowers can be used to estimate population densities in canola fields.

**A canola raceme with galled flowers (circled), caused by canola flower midge in the field. Picture by Boyd Mori, University of Alberta.**

Canola flower midge was described in the scientific literature in a paper published by Mori et al. in 2019, after its identify was confirmed in 2016. There is still a lot to learn about canola flower midge, including its potential to have economic impacts on canola yield.

Please read more about canola flower midge in previous Insect of the Week posts published in 2018 and 2021 or visit the Canola Council of Canada Canola Encyclopedia for more information about canola flower midge.

Aphids in field crops

Aphid populations can quickly increase at this point in the season and particularly when growing conditions are warm and dry. Access the Provincial Insect Pest Report for Wk12 to remain alert to areas and crops suffering from aphid pest pressure.

Biological and monitoring information (including tips for scouting and economic thresholds) related to aphids in field crops is posted by:
• Manitoba Agriculture (aphids on cereals, aphids on flax, soybean aphid, aphids on peas)
• Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (aphids in pulse crops or access the PDF copy)
• Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission
• Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers (soybean aphids: identification, scouting and management or access the PDF copy)
• The Canola Council of Canada’s “Canola Encyclopedia” section on aphids
• or check your provincial commodity group’s insect pest webpages for more detailed information.

Alternatively, several aphid pest species are described in the “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) and is accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our Field Guides page. PDF copies of the individual pages have been linked below to access quickly:
• Corn leaf aphid or Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch)
• English grain aphid or Sitobion (Macrosiphum) avenae (Fabricius)
• Oat-birdcherry aphid or Rhopalosiphum padi (Linnaeus)
• Pea aphid or Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris)
• Potato aphid or Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas)
• Soybean aphid or Aphis glycines (Matsumura)
• Turnip aphid or Lipaphis erysimi (Kaltenbach)
• Sugar beet root aphid or Pemphigus betae Doane
• Russian wheat aphid or Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko)

Over the years, both the Weekly Updates and Insect of the Week have included aphid-related information but also important natural enemy details to support in-field scouting. Review the list below so pest and beneficial insects can be distinguished readily when scouting fields:
• Aphidius wasp (Insect of the Week; 2015 Wk15)
• Aphids in canola (Insect of the Week; 2016 Wk13)
• Aphids in cereals (Insect of the Week; 2017 Wk09)
• Cereal aphid manager APP (Weekly Update; 2021 Wk07) that presently is available only for iOS
• Ladybird larva vs. lacewing larva (Insect of the Week; 2019 Wk18)
• Ladybird beetles and mummies (Weekly Update; 2020 Wk15)
• Lygus bug nymphs vs. aphids (Insect of the Week; 2019 Wk16)
• Hoverflies vs. bees vs. yellow jacket wasps (Insect of the Week; 2019 Wk19)
• Pea aphids: a persistent problem for legume growers (Insect of the Week; 2021 Wk12)
• Soybean aphids and aphid annihilating allies (Insect of the Week; 2022 Wk07)
• Syrphid flies (Insect of the Week; 2015 Wk16)

Canola Flower Midge Scouting

Check out the Canola Flower Midge Scouting post from Week 10 in 2023 for pictures of damage caused by this insect and to see a map of canola flower midge distribution.

Compare canola flower midge damage to the closely related Swede midge which was featured as Wk12’s Insect of the Week.

Access the Provincial Insect Pest Report for Wk12 for updates for this economic insect pest.

Bertha armyworm

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 “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page.

Diamondback moth

The economic threshold for immature and flowering canola is 100-150 larvae per metre².

Access the Provincial Insect Pest Report for Wk12 for updates for this economic insect pest.

Lygus bug monitoring

On the Canadian prairies, lygus bugs (Heteroptera: Miridae) are normally a complex of several native species usually including Lygus lineolaris, L. keltoni, L. borealis, L. elisus although several more species are distributed throughout Canada. The species of Lygus forming the “complex” can vary by host plant, by region or even seasonally.

Week 12: Swede Midge

To the very best of our knowledge, swede midge are NOT currently present in western Canada.

**Adult and larval swede midge on a growing point of a canola plant; note the characteristic purpling of the infested growing point. Picture by Jon Williams, AAFC-Saskatoon.**

Every year, the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network coordinates a pheromone-based monitoring program for swede midge because of the high risk that swede midge poses to the canola industry in western Canada. Swede midge is also a threat to the vegetable industry in western Canada, as it can use broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and other crucifer vegetables as a host.

Adult swede midge do not damage canola or crucifer vegetables, but females lay eggs on the growing points of the plant. When eggs are laid on the florets of canola, some flowers on the raceme may develop normally, but the others become ‘fused’ together as a result of swede midge larval feeding.

**Flower buds ‘fused’ together on a floret, the result of infestation by swede midge. Picture by Jon Williams, AAFC-Saskatoon.**

Female swede midge can also lay eggs where new racemes or branches grow off the main stem of canola plants. In this situation, larval feeding stops the growth of the new raceme, leaving a stunted raceme with crumpled leaves that often turn purple.

**Crumpled and purple-coloured new growth on a canola plant, as in the circled part of the picture, is a symptom of infestation by swede midge. Picture by Meghan Vankosky, AAFC-Saskatoon.**

In vegetable crops like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, larval feeding on the growing point of the plant prevents development of the harvestable heads. Very high yield losses have been observed in eastern Canada and the eastern United States in vegetable crops because of swede midge damage.

So far, swede midge is not an established pest in western Canada and we have not found it in pheromone traps in 10+ years of monitoring in Alberta, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba. But, swede midge is slowly moving farther and farther west in the United States. To protect the canola and vegetable industries in western Canada, it is very important to be vigilant and continue to monitor for swede midge.

If you find damage on canola or crucifer vegetable crops that looks like it could be swede midge damage, please report it. You can email meghan.vankosky@agr.gc.ca with pictures or questions.

Please visit the Canola Council of Canada Canola Encyclopedia for more information about swede midge. You can find additional information in previous Insect of the Week posts and in Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada (also available in French).

Diamondback moth

The economic threshold for immature and flowering canola is 100-150 larvae per metre².

Access the Provincial Insect Pest Report for Wk11 for updates for this economic insect pest.

Bertha armyworm

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 “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page.

Aphids in field crops

Aphid populations can quickly increase at this point in the season and particularly when growing conditions are warm and dry. Over the years, both the Weekly Updates and Insect of the Week included aphid-related information so here’s a list of these items to access when scouting fields:

• Aphidius wasp (Insect of the Week; 2015 Wk15)
• Aphids in canola (Insect of the Week; 2016 Wk13)
• Aphids in cereals (Insect of the Week; 2017 Wk09)
• Cereal aphid manager APP (Weekly Update; 2021 Wk07) that presently is available only for iOS
• Ladybird larva vs. lacewing larva (Insect of the Week; 2019 Wk18)
• Ladybird beetles and mummies (Weekly Update; 2020 Wk15)
• Lygus bug nymphs vs. aphids (Insect of the Week; 2019 Wk16)
• Hoverflies vs. bees vs. yellow jacket wasps (Insect of the Week; 2019 Wk19)
• Pea aphids: a persistent problem for legume growers (Insect of the Week; 2021 Wk12)
• Soybean aphids and aphid annihilating allies (Insect of the Week; 2022 Wk07)
• Syrphid flies (Insect of the Week; 2015 Wk16)

Lygus bug monitoring

Canola Flower Midge Scouting

Check out the Canola Flower Midge Scouting post from Week 10 in 2023 for pictures of damage caused by this insect and to see a map of canola flower midge distribution.

Week 11: Lygus Bugs

The Lygus bug pest complex includes at least 5 species, including the tarnished plant bug (Lygus lineolaris), Lygus keltoni, and Lygus borealis. Lygus bugs have an upside down triangle on their backs and adults are about 5-6 mm long; their colour varies depending on the species and their stage of development. Lygus bugs have a fairly wide host range, but canola, soybean and alfalfa are prone to yield losses resulting from Lygus feeding damage.

**An adult *Lygus* bug, with the characteristic triangle on the back. Picture by AAFC-Saskatoon.**

*Lygus* nymphs of different instars and an adult *Lygus* bug. Pictures by Hector Carcamo, AAFC-Lethbridge.

The nymphs and adults use piercing and sucking mouthparts to drink from their host plants. They prefer to feed on new growth and reproductive tissues, as these are more nutrient-rich than other plant structures. Feeding by Lygus bugs can result in bud-blasting, where developing buds or flowers do not continue to develop and drop from the plant. If Lygus bugs feed on developing seeds, the seeds become shriveled, reducing yield quality and quantity. Watch for circular, black scars on canola pods, as these are an indicator that Lygus bugs has been feeding on canola pods, and probably on the seeds inside the pods.

Top: A canola raceme with bud blasting symptoms typical of *Lygus* feeding injury. Bottom: Canola seeds damaged by *Lygus* feeding (left, middle) and healthy canola seeds (right). All pictures by R.A. Butts, AAFC-Lethbridge.

In addition to direct yield losses due to Lygus feeding damage, the wounds left by their mouthparts make plant tissues vulnerable to infection by pathogens. Because Lyugs bugs inject digestive enzymes into the plant to help break down plant tissues for consumption, they can also vector plant diseases.

Use a sweep net to scout for Lygus bugs in canola and alfalfa crops. The PPMN has a monitoring protocol available here.

In canola, scout as flowering is complete and pods are beginning to ripen. Take 10 sweeps at 15 locations in the field and estimate the number of lygus nymphs and adults per sweep. Recent research suggests that the economic threshold to avoid yield loss in canola is 2-3 Lygus bugs per sweep; check out the Canola Council of Canada, Manitoba Agriculture, and Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation Lygus pages for more information about Lygus bugs and economic thresholds in canola.

In alfalfa, scout at the start of the bud stage by taking 5 sweeps in at least 15 locations per field and estimating the number of Lygus nymphs and adults per sweep. In seed alfalfa fields, the economic threshold is 8 Lygus per sweep in at least 40 sweeps.

For more information about Lygus bugs, visit previous Insect of the Week articles and find the Lygus page in Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada, available in English and in French. SaskPulse also recently published an overview of Lygus impacts on pulse crops written by Jennifer Bogdan.

Diamondback moth

The economic threshold for immature and flowering canola is 100-150 larvae per metre².

Access the Provincial Insect Pest Report for Wk09 for updates for this economic insect pest.

Cabbage seedpod weevil

There is one generation of cabbage seedpod weevil (CSPW; Ceutorhynchus obstrictus) per year. The overwintered adult is an ash-grey weevil measuring 3-4mm long (e.g., lower left photo). Mating and oviposition are quickly followed by eggs hatching within developing canola pods (e.g., lower right photo). The highly concealed larvae feed within the pod, consuming the developing seeds.

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.

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.

Albertan growers can report and check the live map for CSPW posted by Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation (screenshot provided below for reference; retrieved 2024Jul04).

Please find additional detailed information for CSPW in fact sheets posted by Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, or the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network. Also refer to the cabbage seedpod weevil pages within the “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page. The Canola Council of Canada’s “Canola Encyclopedia” also summarizes CSPW.

Bertha armyworm

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 “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page.

Week 10: Cabbage Seedpod Weevil

Cabbage seedpod weevil, Ceutorhynchus obstrictus, is an invasive alien insect. Cabbage seedpod weevil is present in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba but it has not yet been detected in the Peace River region. Both the adult and larval stages of cabbage seedpod weevil feed on canola, brown mustard, and wild mustard. Feeding by the larvae generally has a greater impact on crop yields than feeding by the adults.

**A dead adult cabbage seedpod weevil, posed for a picture by Jon Williams, AAFC-Saskatoon.**

Cabbage seedpod weevil larval feeding results in direct yield loss because the developing larvae consume developing canola and brown mustard seeds inside the pods. Each larva can eat up to 5 seeds during its development. In addition to the direct yield loss caused by the larvae, pods infested by cabbage seedpod weevil are more likely to shatter during harvest and are prone to secondary infection by fungal pathogens.

**A cabbage seedpod weevil larva inside a canola pod, where it developed by consuming canola seeds. Picture by AAFC.**

Adult cabbage seedpod weevil will feed on a variety of brassica species, both crops and weeds, but does not use yellow mustard as a host plant. In spring, adult cabbage seedpod weevil can be found feeding in patches of flix weed, hoary cress, stinkweed, and volunteer canola. The adults then disperse into canola and brown mustard crops, where they eat flower buds and flowers. This feeding damage can result in bud-blasting, but does not typically impact crop yields. The new generation of cabbage seedpod weevil adults that emerge in late summer can also feed on pods before the crops are harvested.

**Exit holes in canola pods that were chewed by cabbage seedpod weevil larvae. Larvae exit the pods to pupate in the soil once larval development is completed. Picture by AAFC.**

Scout for adult cabbage seedpod weevil as they disperse into canola fields and prepare to lay eggs. When scouting, take ten 180° sweeps at ten locations in the field. Count the adult weevils after each set of 10 sweeps and calculate the average number of adult cabbage seedpod weevil per sweep. Carcamo et al. published new research about cabbage seedpod weevil in 2019, where they found that the economic threshold for cabbage seedpod weevil is 2.5-4 adult weevils per sweep.

The Canola Council of Canada, Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, and Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture have more information about cabbage seedpod weevil and excellent pictures of the damage caused by cabbage seedpod weevil.

For more information about cabbage seedpod weevil, visit previous Insect of the Week articles and find the cabbage seedpod weevil page in Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada, available in English and in French.

Diamondback moth

The economic threshold for immature and flowering canola is 100-150 larvae per metre². Biological and monitoring information for DBM (including tips for scouting and economic thresholds) is posted by Manitoba Agriculture, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, and the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network. Also, refer to the diamondback moth pages within the “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our Field Guides page.

Cabbage seedpod weevil

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.

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.

Albertan growers can report and check the live map for CSPW posted by Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation (screenshot provided below for reference; retrieved 2024Jul04).

Bertha armyworm

Weekly Pheromone-baited Trapping Results – Early season detection of bertha armyworm is improved through the use of pheromone-baited unitraps traps deployed in fields across the Canadian prairies. Please refer to this week’s Provincial Insect Pest Report Links to find the most up-to-date information summarizing weekly cumulative counts compiled by provincial pheromone trapping networks across the Canadian prairies in 2024.

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 “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page.

Cabbage seedpod weevil

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.

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.

Albertan growers can report and check the live map for CSPW posted by Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation (screenshot provided below for reference; retrieved 2024Jun27).

Diamondback moth

Diamondback moths (DBM; Plutella xylostella) are a migratory invasive species. Each spring adult populations migrate northward to the Canadian prairies on wind currents from infested regions in the southern or western U.S.A. Upon arrival to the prairies, migrant diamondback moths begin to reproduce and this results in subsequent non-migrant populations that may have three or four generations during the growing season.

By this week, a second generation of adult diamondback moth should be active in parts of the prairies.

Pheromone-baited delta traps housing sticky cards are used to monitor diamondback moth across the Canadian prairies. Research has shown that cumulative counts > 25 moths indicate elevated risk. In those areas, it then becomes important to scout and assess larval densities.

Bertha armyworm

Pheromone traps used to monitor bertha armyworm are typically set up along canola fields when pupal development reaches 75-80%; the 2024 monitoring season started the week of June 10, 2024. Use the images below (Fig. 1) to help identify moths from the by-catch that will be retained in the green phermone-baited unitraps.

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 “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page.

Week 8: Bertha Armyworm

During bertha armyworm outbreaks, canola and mustard crops typically experience the most damage and highest economic losses. However, bertha armyworm also eat alfalfa, peas, quinoa, flax, potatoes, and other crop and weed plants. Adult moths do not damage crops. Larvae consume green plant tissues using their chewing mouthparts.

**A canola field stripped of leaves and with damage to pods following a severe infestation of bertha armyworm in Manitoba. Picture by John Gavloski, Manitoba Agriculture.**

Bertha armyworm larvae are cause for concern when they occur in high numbers when canola pods are developing and maturing. This is because ‘mature’ bertha armyworm larvae (e.g., 5^th and 6^th instars) will start eating developing canola pods. Pod damage includes debarking, which can result in pod shatter before or during harvest. Bertha armyworm larvae can also directly consume the developing seeds. Bertha armyworm larvae can also clip flowers and bolls off of flax plants.

**A bertha armyworm caterpillar in the process of feeding on a canola pod. Picture by John Gavloski, Manitoba Agriculture.**

**Bertha armyworm damage, caused by larvae, to canola pods. Picture by Shelley Barkley, Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation.**

The Prairie Pest Monitoring Network, Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture and Manitoba Agriculture coordinate an annual monitoring program for bertha armyworm using pheromone traps. The 2024 monitoring season started the week of June 10 and will continue until late July. Thank you to all of the volunteers across the prairies who are hosting bertha armyworm pheromone traps!

The number of bertha armyworm moths captured in the pheromone traps serves as an estimate of local risk. Watch for information about the bertha armyworm monitoring program from the PPMN Weekly Updates and the provincial insect updates. If trap catches indicate possible risk, then scout canola crops for larvae using the bertha armyworm monitoring protocol found on the PPMN Protocol page. Information to calculate economic thresholds can also be found in the monitoring protocol.

The life cycle of bertha armyworm: A) eggs, B) larval stage, C) pupal stage, and D) adult stage. The larval stage is the only stage that actively damages crops. All pictures by Jon Williams, AAFC-Saskatoon.

More information about bertha armyworm is available from the Canola Council of Canada, Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, Manitoba Agriculture, and the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. You can also read about bertha armyworm in Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada, available in English and French on the PPMN Field Guides page.

Diamondback moth

The week of May 27, 2024, very mature larvae were retrieved in flixweed in southern Alberta (Barkley, pers. comm. 2024). Thus, a second generation of adult diamondback moth is likely active in southern parts of the prairies.

Pheromone-baited Delta traps housing sticky cards are used to monitor diamondback moth across the Canadian prairies. Research has shown that cumulative counts > 25 moths indicate elevated risk. In those areas, it then becomes important to scout and assess larval densities.

Scouting and pest management for diamondback moth depends on in-field counts of larvae per metre²! This means plants need to be pulled and tapped off to assess the number of larvae! Use Figure 1 below to help identify the different stages of diamondback moth.

Biological and monitoring information for DBM (including tips for scouting and economic thresholds) is posted by Manitoba Agriculture, Saskatchewan Agriculture, and the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network. Also, refer to the diamondback moth pages within the “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our Field Guides page.

Cabbage seedpod weevil

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.

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.

Albertan growers can report and check the live map for CSPW posted by Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation (screenshot provided below as an example; retrieved 2022Jul28).

Please find additional detailed information for CSPW in fact sheets posted by Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, Saskatchewan Agriculture, or the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network. Also refer to the cabbage seedpod weevil pages within the “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page. The Canola Council of Canada’s “Canola Encyclopedia” also summarizes CSPW.

Bertha armyworm

Pheromone traps used to monitor bertha armyworm are typically set up along canola fields when pupal development reaches 75-80%; the 2024 monitoring season started the week of June 10, 2024.

Use the images below (Fig. 1) to help identify moths from the by-catch that will be retained in the green phermone-baited unitraps.

Refer to the PPMN Bertha armyworm monitoring protocol for help when performing in-field scouting or review the 2019 Insect of the Week which featured bertha armyworm and its doppelganger, the clover cutworm!

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 “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page.

Week 7: Diamondback Moth

Diamondback moth larvae have voracious appetites for canola, mustard, flix weed, and vegetables including broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and kale. They are specialists of plants in the family Brassicaceae (formerly Cruciferae).

When diamondback moth larvae first hatch, they are very small and tunnel inside the leaves to eat, resulting in damage that looks like shot-holes and leaf mines.

The life cycle of diamondback moth and damage characteristic of B) first and second instar larvae that tunnel and mine leaves, often leaving ‘shot-hole’ damage, and C) third and fourth instar larvae that can eat entire leaves, except for the leaf veins. All pictures taken by Jon Williams, AAFC-Saskatoon.

Third and fourth instar larvae are larger and can consume entire leaves, leaving just the leaf veins. Larvae will also eat the buds, flowers and developing pods. Later in the growing season, as canola matures, diamondback moth larvae can strip the pods of any remaining green tissues.

Damage caused to a canola plant in a colony of diamondback moth maintained at AAFC-Saskatoon. This is an extreme example of the capacity of diamondback moth larvae to strip all green material from the stems, leaving a skeletonized plant with a frosted appearance. **The picture also shows how frass (fecal material) can accumulate on the remaining plant tissues. Picture by Meghan Vankosky, AAFC-Saskatoon.**

In addition to feeding damage, frass (or fecal material) excreted by diamondback moth larvae can affect the marketability and the quality of crucifer vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and brussels sprouts by contaminating or staining the developing vegetable heads.

Remember that the diamondback moth can have multiple generations per year and that each generation takes about 18-20 days (but can be shorter or longer depending on temperature). With each generation, there is potential for the population density to grow and exceed economic thresholds. Scout for diamondback moth by examining plants for larvae and estimate the number of larvae per m² to determine if the population is nearing or has exceeded the economic threshold.

In canola, the economic threshold for diamondback moth larvae is 100-150 larvae/m² when canola plants are immature and flowering. The threshold is 200-300 larvae/m² when canola plants are mature.

Also, refer to the diamondback moth pages within the “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page.

Diamondback moth

The week of May 27, 2024, very mature larvae were retrieved in flixweed in southern Alberta (Barkley, pers.comm. 2024). Thus, a second generation of adult diamondback moth is likely active in southern parts of the prairies.

Provincial entomologist (Barkley, Tansey, Peru, Gavloski) have kindly provided the following summary for this week:
• Alberta – two traps have caught > 25 adult diamondback moths; one trap deployed in the County of Warner (as of June 15, 2024) and one trap deployed in the County of Grande Prairie (as of June 8, 2024).
• Saskatchewan – 6 RMs have observed cumulative counts >25 (as of June 6, 2024); traps are located near Regina (RM 129), Macroie (RM 285), Buchanan (RM 304), Laura (RM 315), Delisle (RM 345) and Makwa (RM 428). As of June 6, 2024, the highest cumulative count was 61 moths.
• Manitoba – pheromone traps at 20 locations have captured > 25 moths, with cumulative trap catches ranging form 28 to 187. All of the traps with elevated risk are located in the Central, Eastern, South Interlake and North Interlake regions of Manitoba.

Bertha armyworm

Pheromone traps used to monitor bertha armyworm are typically set up along canola fields when pupal development reaches 75-80%; the 2024 monitoring season started the week of June 10, 2024.

Use the images below (Fig. 1) to help identify moths from the by-catch that will be retained in the green phermone-baited unitraps.

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 “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page.

Diamondback moth

Last week, Shelley Barkley (Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation) swept a flixweed patch in a ditch and found very mature diamondback moth larvae in southern Alberta. Thus, in some parts of the prairies, the first local generation of diamondback moth is nearing completion.

Please refer to this week’s Provincial Insect Pest Report Links to find the most up-to-date information summarizing weekly cumulative counts being compiled by provincial pheromone trapping networks across the Canadian prairies in 2024.

Bertha armyworm

Pheromone traps used to monitor bertha armyworm are typically set up along canola fields when pupal development reaches 75-80%; the 2024 monitoring season will start soon with traps due to be set up the week of June 10, 2024.

Use the images below (Fig. 1) to help identify moths from the by-catch that will be retained in the green phermone-baited unitraps.

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 “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page.

Flea beetles

Two species, the striped and crucifer flea beetles, are the most chronic and economically important insect pests of cruciferous field crops grown across western Canada. Both species are already active so prioritize field scouting in fields of emerging and seedling canola and mustard. All cruciferous crops and plants of any Brassicaceae are similarly attractive and can suffer damage from crucifer (P. cruciferae) and striped flea beetles (P. striolata).

Damage to emerging crops can progress very quickly when flea beetle densities are high, even within the same day! The cotyledon stage of canola is most vulnerable to flea beetle feeding.

Learn more about flea beetle damage in canola by reviewing the Insect of the Week (Wk 2 released May 13, 2024). Review photos of flea beetle feeding damage posted in the Weekly Update (Wk 02 – May 14, 2021) to help assess percent feeding damage and to apply the action threshold of 25 % leaf area of cotyledons. The Canola Council of Canada’s Canola Encyclopedia also features flea beetles along with an excellent visual guide to help estimate feeding damage.

Access biological and pest management information posted by Saskatchewan Agriculture, Manitoba Agriculture, or the Canola Council of Canada’s Canola Encyclopedia. Refer to the flea beetle page within the “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (Philip et al. 2018) as an English-enhanced or French-enhanced version.

Diamondback moth

Earlier this week, Shelley Barkley (Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation) swept a flixweed patch in a ditch and found diamondback moth larvae (Fig. 1) that were nearly ready to pupate! Thus, in some parts of the prairies, the first local generation of diamondback moth is well underway and nearing completion.

**Figure 1.** Diamondback larvae collected using a sweep-net in flixweed growing near Dunmore AB on May 27, 24. Photo: S. Barkley (Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation).

It’s a busy week in the field, so we do not have a full update on diamondback moth trap captures to share this week. Please check out the Provincial Reports for the most up-to-date information available from the diamondback moth pheromone monitoring program.

Bertha armyworm

Based on long-term data for the prairie region, bertha armyworm pupal development should be 30-75% completed by late May in a normal year (Fig. 1).

Pheromone traps used to monitor bertha armyworm are typically set up along canola fields when pupal development reaches 75-80%; the 2024 monitoring season will be starting soon, with traps likely to be set up the week of June 10, 2024.

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 “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our new Field Guides page.

Flea beetles

Damage to emerging crops can progress very quickly when flea beetle densities are high, even within the same day! The cotyledon stage of canola is most vulnerable to flea beetle feeding.

Diamondback moth

Spring Pheromone Trap Monitoring of Adult Males: Across the Canadian prairies, spring monitoring is initiated to acquire weekly counts of adult moths attracted to pheromone-baited delta traps deployed in fields. Thank you to the many people who deployed and are weekly checking traps across the BC Peace, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba! Weekly trap interceptions are observed to generate cumulative counts.

As the season progresses, cumulative count estimates arising from these pheromone traps are broadly categorized to help producers prioritize and time in-field scouting for larvae. Preliminary data from the initial weeks of monitoring includes:

Alberta – So far, two traps in southern Alberta have caught more than 10 moths, one in Mountain View County and one in Kneehill County. Visit Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation’s ‘live’ reporting map for updates through the 2024 growing season.
Saskatchewan – Dr. James Tansey and Carter Peru (Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture) shared that traps near Regina (RM129), Makwa (RM561), and Lumsden (RM189) have caught 20-25 adult diamondback moths. Several traps have also caught more than 25 moths so far this monitoring season, including traps near Laura (RM315), Delisle (RM345), Macroie (RM285), and Buchanan (RM304).
Manitoba – Dr. John Gavloski (Manitoba Agriculture) reported that five diamondback moth traps have now captured more than 25 moths in Manitoba. These traps are located in the Central region (2), Eastern region (1) and North Interlake region (2) of the province. So far, the highest cumulative count in a single trap is 69.