Several of the crop pest species farmers grapple with in a season aren’t actually native to the area. Pea leaf weevil, cabbage seedpod weevil, and wheat midge all came from other geographies before setting up shop on the Canadian Prairies.
Still more insect pests could find their way here — or could be here already — so entomologists are asking for the farming and non-farming public’s help to identify invasive species should they turn up.
For this episode of the Pests & Predators podcast, host Shaun Haney is joined by Drs Meghan Vankosky, James Tansey, John Gavloski to discuss the current state of invasive pest species on the Prairies, what to watch for, and how some introduced species can actually end up helping (but only in very specific cases, so don’t get any big ideas.)
Referenced in this episode are resources that include some of the top offenders that researchers and extension want to know about, including Japanese beetle, spotted lantern fly, and northern giant hornet (a.k.a murder hornets!). Farmers, agronomists, or even hobby insect watchers are asked to contact their provincial specialists if they find any of the named pests. (Check out the visuals, here)
The Pests and Predators Podcast is brought to you by Field Heroes! Check out all the resources available, including how-to videos, at FieldHeroes.ca
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