Bertha armyworm isn’t necessarily an insect pest the Prairies have had huge amounts of trouble with over the last few years. Which is exactly why it may be our turn for an “on” cycle, says Keith Gabert of the Canola Council of Canada. If there are bertha armyworm in the field, it’s important to get… Read More
Category: Bertha Armyworm
Some insect pests overwinter in or near fields, while others blow in later in the season. For those that overwinter, early scouting is especially important. Following a relatively mild winter, some insect pests are making the most of dry conditions on many parts of the Prairies and are beginning to emerge and feed. For this… Read More
Walking into a green, fully-podded canola field isn’t easy — it’s actually more like swimming if you’ve got a good stand and your plants are well knit together. But, it’s important to really get into the field to scout for bertha armyworms. Before you wade in to your canola to look for this pest, Gregory… Read More
There are few things as frustrating as spending untold hours of preparation and seeding (and finally some rain!) only to have a host of insects crawl or fly in and eat the crop’s yield potential. In this episode of the Canola School, provincial entomologist for Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Agriculture, James Tansey, gets outside to talk… Read More
Bertha armyworm larvae can come in many colours, ranging from green to brown-black, often later sporting an orange stripe along each side, and as they grow, so does the damage to the canola crop. According to the Canola Council of Canada, the worst damage tends to begin in July, as larvae moult through the last… Read More
We’re nearly through the annual flight for bertha armyworm, and numbers are certainly concerning in some areas. If you’ve got canola headed in to podding, you need to scout — this nasty pest can cause a lot of damage in a short time. As canola moves past flowering and into podding, bertha armyworm will move from… Read More
It’s mid-July and that means the canola is blooming! It also means you’re trying to sneak in some down-time at the local fair or at the cabin. And that’s a fantastic plan, says Angela Brackenreed, agronomist with the Canola Council of Canada, but before you go, there are a few things to scout for in… Read More
The Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture’s insect surveys and forecasts have been published online and Scott Hartley, provincial entomologist, was on hand at Saskatoon’s CropSphere to summarize some of the findings. In the video below, RealAgriculture’s Lyndsey Smith speaks to Hartley about three of Saskatchewan’s most revered agricultural pests: the cabbage seedpod weevil, bertha armyworms and… Read More
Have you been keeping an eye on the bertha armyworm monitoring trap numbers in your area? As we crawl closer to mid-July, it’s important to be aware of regional risks, and have a good understanding of proper scouting techniques and spray timing. “You’re going to have your best success spraying at night,” says John Gavloski, provincial entomologist with… Read More
Yeah, I am a bit of a nerd, but who wouldn’t be terribly excited to be a part of the Alberta Pest Monitoring Network (APMN)? Setting up the bertha armyworm pheromone traps last week required battling the mosquito cavalry, but the mozzies were no match for my baggy sweater and good help. The traps were… Read More
What, indeed. If you just read the title and aren’t sure, the short answer is nothing. The longer answer, however, is that tram lines may make scouting for insects easier and more thorough, and thus beneficial. Not convinced? Read on. Some insects are predictably found on the edge of the field — like flea beetles,… Read More
If there’s two things I learned from the GIJOE cartoons in the eighties it’s that 1) GIJOE must have a strict catch and release policy because I don’t recall any members of COBRA being killed and they come back every week. 2) Knowing is half the battle!(they said it at the end of every episode)… Read More
It can seem like an efficient way to solve two problems at once — add an insecticide in with the fungicide on canola and, voila, all your pest troubles go away. But not so fast. While applying an insecticide when pest insect levels are at or above threshold may be the right move, adding an… Read More
Welcome to what I hope will become part of your regular reading — The Bug Counter blog, here on RealAgriculture.com. As Insect Management Specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development my role is largely to count insects. Along with my technician, Shelley Barkley, and in-season help from summer students we have set out to create… Read More