Tag: mustard

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.

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., 5th and 6th 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.

Flea Beetles Setting Their Sights on Canola

Shot-hole feeding on seedling canola is NOT a pretty sight in newly emerging stands but growers need to be wary of flea beetles even in the initial 7 days following seeding. The best defense is in-field scouting which continues from germination until the first true leaves unfurl and enlarge in size beyond the cotyledon leaf area.  Overwintered adults are highly mobile and attracted to yellow. They even orient towards kairomones released by canola and other closely related Brassicaceae.

Adults are defoliators and small in size, ranging 2-3 mm in length. Even so, the combination of high densities of flea beetles and adverse growing conditions that slow canola seedling growth and extend the vulnerable number of days plants remain seedlings. In some cases, daily in-field monitoring may be necessary to protect canola seedlings from high densities of flea beetles that move into a field en masse.

Crucifer Beetle on Canola Leaf — photo credit: Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org

Several species of flea beetles are present across the Canadian prairies and not all are considered pests. Historically, crucifer (Phyllotreta crucifer), striped (Phyllotreta striolata), and hops (Psylliodes punctulata) flea beetle species have caused damage in canola. Over the past decade, the bluish-black crucifer and especially black-with-yellow-lined striped flea beetles have proven to be consistent economic pests in canola grown across the Canadian prairies.

The 2022 Insect of the Week kicks off by featuring these small yet economically important 2-3 mm long beetles. The adults create shot-hole damage visible on the topsides of the highly vulnerable cotyledons of canola but careful scouting also involves checking for feeding damage on the undersides of cotyledons and tiny stem where they also can feed.

Striped Flea Beetle–Photo: Mike Dolinski, MikeDolinski@hotmail.com

A few key links to aid in-field scouting include:

• PPMN’s Weekly Update from May 2021 (Wk 02)
• Biological and pest management information posted by Saskatchewan Agriculture
• Biological and pest management information posted by Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development
• The Canola Council of Canada’s Flea beetle pages in the Canola Encyclopedia
• Flea beetle pages within the “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (Philip et al. 2018) available as an English-enhanced or French-enhanced version.

Doppelgangers: Bertha armyworm and clover cutworm

The case of the bertha armyworm and the clover cutworm (and other cutworm species)

Clover cutworm larva
cc-by 3.0 Lo Troisfontaine
Bertha armyworm – caterpillar 
Mike Dolinski, MikeDolinski@hotmail.com

Are those bertha armyworms (Mamestra configurata) eating your canola, mustard or alfalfa (also found on lamb’s-quarters, peas, flax, potato)? Or is it maybe a clover cutworm (Discestra trifolii)? [Note: not all cutworm species spend their larval stage underground.] The larvae of the two species are doppelgangers as they are similar in appearance, have a large overlap in host crops, and have similar timing (June-September). Telling them apart can be a challenge but here are few tips to focus on to help distinguish:

Colour:

  • there are generally fewer velvety black clover cutworm caterpillars, with most of the clover cutworm larvae being green or pale brown

Lateral stripe:

  • On the clover cutworm it is yellowish-pink
  • On the bertha armyworm it is yellowish-orange
Climbing cutworm larva – from Cutworm Field Guide
Climbing cutworm adults – from Cutworm Field Guide

In terms of scouting, economic thresholds and control options, treat both species as you would bertha armyworms.

Bertha armyworm – adult
Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development
Clover cutworm adult
cc-by-nc-sa 2.0 Ilona Loser

To learn more about bertha armyworms and clover cutworms, go to the Insect of the Week page or download copies of the Field Crop and Forage Pests andtheir Natural Enemies in Western Canada and Cutworm Pests of Crops onthe Canadian Prairies identification field guides.