A non-winter for much of Ontario and a milder-than-average early spring for parts of Western Canada has got farmers and entomologists on high alert. Parts of Ontario are as much as two or three weeks ahead of the 10-year average for growing degree accumulation, and because insect development is driven by heat, those first crops… Read More

Early season pest pressure can be a huge drag on canola seedling survivability and producers’ pocket books. A seed treatment can be a useful tool in protecting tiny plants, and BASF is launching new treatment treatment stack options in the 2024 Invigor line up. Farmers growing InVigor hybrid canola likely noticed the shift in ’23… Read More

Once the canola crop has emerged, keep eyes peeled for pesky early insects. Across Western Canada, the top two insects of concern tend to be cutworms and — you guessed it — flea beetles. Anique Josuttes of BASF says even though we say it year after year, the number one tool you can use is… Read More

As another season growing season approaches, farmers are once again planning for flea beetle control. This year planning comes with an additional question of what tools are left in the toolshed after re-labeling of lambda-cy insecticide products may limit use in 2023. One of the alternative products available is Pounce, an FMC insecticide. Prior to… Read More

With some insects, we may be confused as to why they have the name they do. When it comes to cutworms — this isn’t the case. It’s pretty “cut” and dry…as the pest will feed on the stems of the plant. Cutworms unfortunately don’t have terrific forecast maps, as Jack Payne of South Country Co-op… Read More

Cutworms are a common pest in several crops, including canola, across the Prairies. These below-ground dwellers cause damage by clipping or severing stems of seedlings, so unlike other pest damage, cutworm feeding kills young plants. In this episode of RealAgriculture’s Canola School, Kara Oosterhuis sits down with Dr. Vincent Hervet, research scientist with Agriculture and… Read More

This week’s Wheat Pete’s Word has got some good news, some good ideas, and finally a discussion on just how terrible timothy really is as a forage option. Host Peter Johnson answers questions on a crop’s first drink of water, how much starter fertilizer you can pack into strip-till strips, and reminds growers that armyworm… Read More

With the cooler soil temperatures we’ve been seeing across Western Canada, unwanted pests are beginning to show up in some fields. Alberta Agriculture and Forestry Insect Management Specialist Scott Meers says that early on in the season we should be keeping our eyes out for stand establishment insects such as cutworms and wireworms. There have been a… Read More