It’s been a challenging year on many fronts, but here we are, yet again, gearing up for the new season. And that’s exciting! Rootworm, western bean cutworm, and flea beetles are just a few of the insects that are on the watch list for Tracey Baute, field crop entomologist with OMAFRA. James Tansey, entomologist with… Read More
Category: Wireworms
What’s bugging your crop? (See what we did there?) Scott Meers, independent agronomist and founder of Mayland Ag Consulting joins RealAg LIVE! host Shaun Haney for an informative and fun chat all about counting bugs. Well, not really. Also not all insects are bugs. Scott would want us to say that. Check out the video… Read More
Nature is pretty amazing, but that wonder and adaptability can translate to a huge problem in a crop. Wireworms, for example, can determine they don’t like what is on the menu when you seed your crop in the spring, wait until the following spring, and attack a more vulnerable crop instead. What’s more, they can… Read More
Syngenta Canada has applied for registration of Fortenza insecticide in soybeans. The diamide insecticide is currently used in corn, and the company has submitted trial data to demonstrate its effectiveness for wireworm, seed corn maggot, and European chaffer control in soybeans. Last week, Syngenta agronomic services manager Chris Denys told those attending the Crop Masters tour… 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
Regulatory restrictions are not on the radar in Manitoba, but the province’s agriculture entomologist suggests farmers in Western Canada should ask themselves “why?” before using neonicotinoid seed treatments. The Ontario and Quebec governments are restricting the use of insecticide-treated seed in response to concerns about neonics hurting bee health, but there haven’t been the same problems with pollinator populations… Read More
Confused about what the new rules governing neonicotinoid-treated corn and soybean seed means for seed orders this fall? You’re not the only one — the Ontario government is hosting information sessions and webinars this week, but several questions and plenty of confusion swirl about what paperwork you must do to access neonic-treated seed. To help… Read More
Skipped plants in a corn row aren’t always due to mechanical error or seedling blights. Early insects like wireworm or grubs can kill plants rather stealthily, leaving gaps in a row or neat leaf damage, while cutworm can clip off a patch of plants overnight. Knowing which insect causes what damage is important when assessing… Read More
Farmers still have a bit of time to evaluate their fields for levels of grubs and wireworms, two key pests that will factor in to the need for a neonicotinoid pesticide seed treatment. And that’s good news, because the deadline to ordering fungicide-only corn seed is rapidly approaching. Most companies have a mid- to late-November… Read More
The first few weeks’ of crop growth are critical for two things — one, evaluating your seeding or planting pass; and, two, providing timely protection for the crop at its most vulnerable stage. In this special version of the Agronomy Geeks podcast, I’m joined by Brunel Sabourin, agronomic advisor with Cargill based at Morris, Man…. Read More
Tune in to Twitter tomorrow at 10 a.m. (mountain) to participate in the second #AbBugChat. Hosted by Scott Meers, tomorrow’s #AbBugChat will cover reports of early cutworm damage, what to scout for with wireworms and a caution on pea leaf weevil and flea beetle. Anyone with a Twitter account can participate in a chat. Simply… 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
Wireworms have been on the rise in many areas of the prairies, due in part to the banning effective insecticides, such as Lindane, years ago. Unlike several other pests, wireworms have a very long lifecycle —spending three to five years as seed-eating worms. There are about 30 species of the pest that are of economic… Read More
Wireworms are one of the pests that come with a lot of speculation and misinformation for many farmers. Patchy stands are often blamed on poor seed or conditions when the blame should be placed on wire worms. Dr. Bob Vernon’s research shows that wire worms are not isolated to the light brown soil zone of… Read More