Tag: WEEKLY UPDATE

2023 Week 16 (Released August 25, 2023)

Harvest is now well underway and the risk of insect damage to crops is declining as crops mature and are being harvested. This will be the last Weekly Update of 2023. The Prairie Pest Monitoring Network sincerely thanks everyone who has contributed to the 2023 Weekly Updates.

We wish everyone a safe and insect-free harvest season and fall insect scouting season – remember that the annual grasshopper survey is happening now across the prairies and that the wheat midge and wheat stem sawfly surveys will start after harvest is completed.

In 2023, development of many pest insects occurred earlier than normal, thanks to warmer than average weather during this growing season. In particular, we observed adult grasshoppers in mid-June for the first time in more than 30 years (if ever!). Adult grasshoppers will be busy reproducing now, and in looking to next year, insect surveyors are working to estimate grasshopper populations in ditches/roadsides and may be collecting samples of adult grasshoppers for species identification.

Diamondback moth, if present, are into the fifth non-migrant generation across the southern prairies now, with the fourth generation occurring in the more northern parts of the prairies. Diamondback moths could pose a threat to crucifer vegetables right now, as well as any canola that is late to mature.

This week, the Prairie Research post highlights studies being done at the University of Saskatchewan to learn more about the ability of ground beetles to contribute to weed seed management.

Use the links in the Provincial Insect Updates post to learn more about what is happening with populations of insect pests (and beneficial insects) in your province. In Manitoba, Dr. John Gavloski notes that grasshoppers remain a concern, that flea beetles are being found in high numbers on the pods in some canola fields and that some bertha armyworm larvae have been found in some canola fields. Dr. Gavloski also noted that there have been a lot of cabbage white and checkered white butterflies active in Manitoba late this summer. Dr. Vankosky observed high numbers of both butterflies in southeast Saskatchewan too. As in Manitoba, Dr. James Tansey reports that high grasshopper densities are a particular problem in central and southern Saskatchewan.

Remember:

1) There are many resources available to help with planning for late-season insecticide applications to ensure Pre-Harvest Interval requirements are met.

2) Insect Monitoring Protocols containing information about in-field scouting as well as information about insect pest biology and identification are available from the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network.

To receive Weekly Updates automatically, please subscribe to the website!

Questions or problems accessing the contents of this Weekly Update? Please contact Dr. Meghan Vankosky (meghan.vankosky@agr.gc.ca) to get connected to our information. Past Weekly Updates, full of information and helpful links, can be accessed on our Weekly Update page .

2023 Week 15 (Released August 17, 2023)

Insect scouting season continues, even though harvest has already started in some regions! Development of many pest insects has been ahead of schedule all year in most parts of the prairies, thanks to warmer than average weather during this growing season.

Adult grasshoppers are now in flight and will be laying eggs across the prairie region. Scouting individual fields is the best way to estimate crop risk. At this time of year, we start to look forward to next season. Insect surveyors are working to estimate grasshopper populations in ditches/roadsides and may be collecting samples of adult grasshoppers for species identification.

Aside from grasshoppers, fall surveys for wheat midge and wheat stem sawfly will begin as harvest is completed in Alberta and Saskatchewan. This week, the Insect of the Week post features wheat stem sawfly, including information about how to estimate their population densities in the fall.

Diamondback moth, if present, are into the fourth non-migrant generation across most of the prairies now and could be starting a fifth generation in some southern parts of the prairies. Keep in mind that diamondback moth develop quickly in warm weather which could lead to rapidly increasing populations over the summer.

On the topic of diamondback moths, Dr. Maya Evenden’s lab at the University of Alberta is conducting research on diamondback moth, flea beetles, and alfalfa weevil. Learn more about Maya’s research program in this week’s Prairie Research post.

Use the links in the Provincial Insect Updates post to learn more about what is happening with populations of insect pests (and beneficial insects) in your province.

Remember:

1) There are many resources available to help with planning for late-season insecticide applications to ensure Pre-Harvest Interval requirements are met.

To receive Weekly Updates automatically, please subscribe to the website!

2023 Week 13 (Released August 3, 2023)

Insect scouting season continues! Development of many pest insects (and of their host crops) is ahead of schedule this year, thanks to warmer than average weather during this growing season.

Between fieldwork and summer vacations, this Weekly Update is a short one. Thankfully, Shelley Barkley (Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation), James Tansey (Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture) and John Gavloski (Manitoba Agriculture) have kindly shared information about what they are seeing for insect pests in their respective prairie provinces.

Adult grasshoppers are now in flight and are expected to be busy reproducing across the prairie region. Scouting individual fields is important to best estimate crop risk. Information about grasshoppers and grasshopper monitoring is available from the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network, in the Field Crop and Forage Pests guide, Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, and Manitoba Agriculture.

**Adult (brown with fully developed wings) and immature (green with wing ‘nubs’). Picture by Meghan Vankosky, AAFC-Saskatoon.**

Diamondback moth, if present, should now be well into their fourth generation across the prairies. As warm temperatures prevail, remember that diamondback moth develop from eggs to adults quickly and the population increases with each generation. Scout canola fields for diamondback moth larvae. To scout for diamondback moth, estimate the number of diamondback moth larvae per m² at several locations in a field. The economic threshold for diamondback moth is NOT based on pheromone traps or sweep net samples, but on the density of larvae per plant. For immature and flowering canola, the economic threshold is 100-150 larvae/m². In podded canola, the economic threshold is 200-300 larvae/m². See the Field Crop and Forage Pests guide and monitoring protocol for more information about scouting for diamondback moth.

Watch out for Invasive and Migrating Insects! If you suspect that you have found any of the insects on the Prairie Region Poster, please let us know using the form linked to the QR code on the poster. Note: many of us entomologists on the prairies are members of the Insect Surveillance Community of Practice!

On the topic of invasive insects, August is Tree Check Month! The Prairie Region Poster (and posters for BC, Ontario & Quebec, and Atlantic Canada) include invasive insect pests that could affect our forests in Canada.

Remember: 1) there are many resources available to help with planning for late-season insecticide applications to ensure Pre-Harvest Interval requirements are met, and 2) insect Monitoring Protocols containing information about in-field scouting as well as information about insect pest biology and identification are available from the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network.

To receive Weekly Updates automatically, please subscribe to the website!

2023 Week 12 (Released July 27, 2023)

It sounds like harvest has started in some parts of the prairies in the past week, but crop development and insect pest issues are variable across the prairie region. Insect scouting season continues! Development of many pest insects (and of their host crops) is ahead of schedule this year, thanks to warmer than average weather during this growing season.

Adult grasshoppers are becoming more and more common across the prairies. The stage of grasshopper development and grasshopper population densities can vary between fields, thus scouting individual fields is important to best estimate crop risk. Now that adult grasshoppers are active, egg laying has begun.

Diamondback moth, if present, are into the fourth non-migrant generation in some parts of the prairies now. Keep in mind that diamondback moth develop quickly in warm weather which could lead to rapidly increasing populations over the summer. Scout canola fields for diamondback moth larvae and use the links in the Provincial Insect Updates post to learn about diamondback moth risk in your region. Parasitoids of diamondback moth are highlighted in the Week 12 Insect of the Week!

To receive Weekly Updates automatically, please subscribe to the website!

2023 Week 11 (Released July 20, 2023)

Insect scouting season continues! Development of many pest insects (and of their host crops) is ahead of schedule this year, thanks to warmer than average weather during this growing season.

Adult grasshoppers are becoming more and more common across the prairies. Although grasshoppers are more widespread this year than in the past few years, the stage of grasshopper development and grasshopper population densities can vary between even relatively close locations. Scouting individual fields is important to best estimate crop risk.

Diamondback moth, if present, are into the third non-migrant generation across most of the prairies. Keep in mind that diamondback moth develop quickly in warm weather which could lead to rapidly increasing populations over the summer. Scout when you can and use the links in the Provincial Insect Updates post to learn about diamondback moth and bertha armyworm risk in your region. Diamondback moth was also the Week 11 Insect of the Week!

There is now a monitoring protocol for canola flower midge! As canola flowering finishes, it can be easy to see the galled flowers that result from infestation by canola flower midge, so the time to scout could be now. A three-year survey completed in 2019 found that canola flower midge is quite widely distributed across the prairies, but in relatively low densities and probably doesn’t cause economic yield losses. If you scout for canola flower midge this year and are willing to share your results please send them to meghan.vankosky@agr.gc.ca. If we get enough information, we will map the results!

This is a busy time for our field research programs across western Canada and with upcoming field days, we are even busier. A list of events can be found on the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network homepage and in the Week 10 update.

Watch out for Invasive and Migrating Insects! The Insect Surveillance Community Practice has created posters for the Prairie Region, BC, Ontario & Quebec, and Atlantic Canada to raise awareness of potentially invasive insects to each region. If you suspect that you have found any of the insects on the Prairie Region Poster, please let us know using the form linked to the QR code on the poster. Note: many of us entomologists on the prairies are members of the Insect Surveillance Community of Practice!

Remember: insect Monitoring Protocols containing information about in-field scouting as well as information about insect pest biology and identification are available from the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network.

To receive Weekly Updates automatically, please subscribe to the website!

2023 WEEK 9 (Released July 7, 2023)

Insect scouting season is in full swing after the long weekend! The Prairie Pest Monitoring Network is busy with the annual cabbage seedpod weevil survey right now. Grasshoppers, wheat midge, and moths remain on our radar though, with development of many insect pests ahead of schedule this year thanks to warmer than average weather.

The first adult wheat midge of 2023 were reported in Saskatchewan in late June. Although not all areas had enough rainfall at the right time for wheat midge development, but scouting for wheat midge will be important in wetter areas. Models suggest that pupal development is well underway and that adults are flying and laying eggs in some areas. This could be an interesting year for wheat midge.

Adult grasshoppers are becoming more common across the prairies now. Diamondback moth could be entering into the third non-migrant generation in some areas (if present), and the peak flight of adult bertha armyworm should now be finished. Where present, bertha armyworm populations should mostly consist of larvae. Use information from this Weekly Update and updates from our provincial partners to learn more about risk in your area and to plan scouting activities.

This is a busy time for our field research programs across western Canada. In particular, the annual cabbage seedpod weevil survey is well underway. For farmers in Alberta, watch the map for near-real-time monitoring results from the cabbage seedpod weevil survey! It looks like some fields in southern Alberta have high numbers of cabbage seedpod weevils. The PPMN monitoring protocol for cabbage seedpod weevil is available on the Monitoring Protocol page.

This week, the Insect of the Week featured Tetrastichus julis, a parasitoid that attacks cereal leaf beetle. Next week, look for our post about natural enemies of wheat midge.

Remember, insect Monitoring Protocols containing information about in-field scouting as well as information about insect pest biology and identification.

To receive Weekly Updates automatically, please subscribe to the website!

2023 WEEK 7 (RELEASED JUNE 22, 2023)

It’s officially summer!

Grasshoppers thrive in warm, dry conditions. The first adult two-striped grasshoppers of 2023 were reported in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan in the last 5 days, although the majority the grasshopper population are still nymphs. Signs of damage in the roadsides and field edges are being reported. Now is the time to scout for grasshoppers in your fields.

Diamondback moths develop rapidly when it is warm and their population densities can build up quickly with each generation. Like other insects, bertha armyworm development is also well ahead of schedule. Other green caterpillars, like clover cutworm and alfalfa looper, might also be found in canola crops at this time of year. Correctly identifying green caterpillars is important to ensure the correct economic thresholds (where available) and management tactics are used.

This year could be an interesting year for wheat midge. Some areas have had sufficient rain to trigger the end of diapause and the completion of larval and pupal development, but crop staging is also widely variable. Scouting for wheat midge will be important in the next few weeks.

This week, the Insect of the Week featured the cereal leaf beetle, a pest of cereal crops. Next week, we will feature a very important natural enemy of cereal leaf beetle, the parasitoid Tetrastichus julis.

Remember, insect Monitoring Protocols containing information about in-field scouting as well as information about insect pest biology and identification.

To receive Weekly Updates automatically, please subscribe to the website!

2023 Week 4 (Released June 1, 2023)

Happy new month! Week 4 kicks off June 2023.

May was characterized by wonky weather – unseasonably warm days and very little rain. As a result, some prairie insect pests are developing faster than normal.

Grasshoppers thrive in warm, dry conditions and we continue to hear about high numbers of nymphs along roadsides and field edges. Last week, we also observed some third instar grasshopper nymphs, which normally do not appear in the population until mid-June. Diamondback moths that arrived in early May have likely reproduced and adult moths found now could be from the first generation produced on the prairies. Bertha armyworm development is also well ahead of schedule – pupal development could be 90% complete in some areas, so it is probably time to set up pheromone traps for bertha armyworm monitoring in most parts of the prairies. This week, we featured the pea leaf weevil in the Insect of the Week – the annual damage survey for pea leaf weevil is now underway! For more information, check out the posts in the Weekly Update!

Remember, insect Monitoring Protocols containing helpful insect pest biology, how and when to plan for in-field scouting, and even thresholds to help support in-field management decisions are all available for review or download.

To receive free Weekly Updates automatically, please subscribe to the website!

2023 Week 3 (Released May 25, 2023)

It’s already Week 3!

The week of May 22-26 saw the arrival of some much needed precipitation to parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan, but hot weather up to May 21 across most of the prairies has affected insect development so far this spring.

Grasshoppers thrive in warm, dry conditions and we continue to hear about high numbers of nymphs along roadsides and field edges. Diamondback moths have been captured in pheromone traps across the prairies, generally in low numbers. In preparation for bertha armyworm monitoring, we ran the model for pupal development this week and unsurprisingly, development is ahead of schedule. For more information, check out the posts in the Weekly Update! The Insect of the Week is about parasitoids of cutworms this week – read on and check out the links for more information. Finally, Dr. Kevin Floate has written a new book about dung beetles that is available for free download!

The prairie-wide maps summarizing the results from the 2022 growing season are online and available for review, as are the historical insect pest distribution maps. These prairie-wide geospatial maps offer insight into potential risk and help growers prioritize their scouting lists.

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