Insects

Scott Meers, the provincial entomologist for Alberta, provides an insect forecast for 2011 in this video provided by the Government of Alberta. Please click

Once crops are seeded, check fields on a twice weekly basis for flea beetles and cutworms. Canola in the western Prairie will emerge quickly,

Flea beetles are the most chronically damaging insect pest of canola in western Canada. Direct losses to oilseed production average 8-10% of the annual

Fields taken out of pasture or hayland last year and planned for canola this year could have high wireworm and cutworm populations. Wireworms can

Given the rush to complete the seeding task, growers can’t forget to scout their already emerged crop. Keep an eye out for cutworm damage.

Lygus feeding at the bud stage is rarely an economic cost — unless the canola is under some other stress, such as drought. Stressed

Young canola plants are vulnerable to numerous stresses, particularly flea beetles, cutworms and seedling diseases. It pays to scout often at this time of

Scouting for flea beetles at field edges works early in the season when conditions are cool. With warmer weather, flea beetles will have moved

Much of southern and central Alberta and parts of western Saskatchewan still have high levels of lygus bug feeding. Lygus bug numbers are up

Issues of the week: July 21, 2010 — Diamondback moth larvae are showing up across the Prairies, and some growers are spraying. Crops just

First signs of diamondback moth larvae are larvae hanging from threads and feeding on leaves. Feeding damage is usually a mining of the leaf,

Issues of the week: July 14, 2010 — Unexplained bud browning and strange plant growth has retailers and growers in the Peace unsure of