Scouting fields, it’s very common to see several species of beetle scurrying along the ground and up plants. Plenty of these beetles are likely friends and not foes, as ground beetles are a diverse species with plenty of members doing good work in the crop canopy. Dr. Khaldoun Ali, a plant-insect ecologist at the University… Read More
Category: Pests & Predators
Wheat stem sawfly is a sneaky pest, as the damage caused by the larvae happens inside the cereal plant away from scouting eyes and out of reach of insecticides. Regardless of the struggle, this little yellow and black insect does require scouting and careful planning for its management as it is a pest on the… Read More
Along the lines of think before you drink and call before you dig, farmers should be scouting before they… tear out old fence lines and shelterbelts or fill in potholes. OK, we’ll admit the tagline needs work, but current Prairie ecosystems don’t always have huge areas to host biodiversity, and even small pockets of brush,… Read More
The focus is on pea aphids in this episode of the Pest & Predators podcast — and more importantly, what eats them! We know pea aphids can cause some definite damage in pulse crops — but to what extent? Dr. Tyler Wist, with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Saskatoon, joins host Shaun Haney to discuss the… Read More
Some Prairie pests coast in on wind, but several pest populations overwinter in the area. It’s these pests that can run in cycles, ebbing and flowing with conditions and predator populations. Knowing what pressure was like — and where — the year previously can be very helpful in anticipating pest problems. For this episode of… Read More
Welcome to Season 4 of the Pests & Predators podcast series, where top entomologists highlight the insect Field Heroes hard at work for Canadian farmers. Dr. Meghan Vankosky, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) at Saskatoon, Sask., co-chairs the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network (PPMN), a key tool in alerting farmers to pest population… Read More
Our collective knowledge of a particular pest, and also its enemies, builds over decades of observations, questions, and sound research. Sometimes, such as is the case with lygus in canola crops, research has to wait for the right person or timing to really get rolling forward. In this episode of the Pests & Predators podcast,… Read More
Although spiders can sometimes get a bad rap, when we are talking about beneficials and crop health, the eight-legged creatures actually can go a long way in protecting plants from hungry pests. For this episode of the Pests & Predators podcast, brought to you by Field Heroes powered by the Western Grains Research Foundation, host… Read More
Usually a pest of canola, but sometimes a pest of faba bean and other pulses, the bertha armyworm is a significant eater of crop yield in Canada. For this episode of the Pests & Predators podcast, brought to you by Field Heroes powered by the Western Grains Research Foundation, host Shaun Haney discusses a fascinating… Read More
If your idea of a beneficial insect is one that sits back and waits for dinner to crawl on by, you’ve likely never heard about the secret lives of lacewings. Green lacewings are nothing short of ferocious, and, as Dr. Tyler Wist of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada explains, they’re more like aphid-hunting lions than laid-back… Read More
Can you tell an armyworm from a hover fly larva? What about a helpful pirate bug from a lygus? The trouble with insect identification is that it’s actually incredibly difficult, especially when you’re looking for adults but find nymphs, or are nervous about a pest species and a look-alike pops up. John Gavolski, entomologist with… Read More
Mitigating pests will always be a top priority for many, but how much of a role can Mother Nature play in that process? In our season premiere of the Pests & Predators podcast, we’ll be talking about the relationship between unwanted pests and insects. This time we’re adding in a third element: weather. Host Shaun… Read More
Environmental conditions this year are certainly conducive to grasshopper population growth, and some areas of the Prairies are finding this pest a major cause for concern. Dr. James Tansey, provincial entomologist for Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, joins host Shaun Haney in this episode of the Pests & Predators Podcast, to chat about the common species… Read More
Why is it important to conserve beneficial insects? When is it time to “pull the trigger” on an insecticide application, and how does choice of insecticide influence populations of beneficial insects? John Gavloski, provincial entomologist at Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development, says that to farm most economically and efficiently, the way insects are viewed and reacted… Read More
In an ideal situation, farmers could identify field pests, look up a predator or parasitic foe of that pest, and make an order for delivery. While that isn’t exactly the case currently, bringing predatory or parasitic insects into an area does happen, and the practice is likely to gain traction as the knowledge of beneficial… Read More