Reading Time: < 1 minute In his final regular weekly Call of the Land interview, Alberta Agriculture pest management specialist Scott Meers says there have been some reports of wheat head armyworms, with one “pretty major hotspot” in Wheatland County and into Kneehill County, with some reports from the Peace. Meers says the insect is difficult to spot as it […] Read more
Wheat head armyworms emerge in Alberta
A better way to beat your bug troubles
Integrated pest management allows beneficial bugs to prosper
Reading Time: 2 minutes Prevention — not eradication — is the trick to managing pest outbreaks in crops, says a B.C. government entomologist. “In integrated pest management, pest suppression is truly the goal,” Tracey Hueppelsheuser said at a workshop in late July. “The end goal is to limit pest outbreaks and impacts — not completely remove them, but limit […] Read more
Bugs helping control bugs in Alberta
Reading Time: < 1 minute In his weekly Call of the Land interview, Alberta Agriculture insect specialist Scott Meers says wheat midge are now emerging across the province. “Interestingly enough, they’re actually coming out first in the Peace and just this week they’re starting to come out across the rest of the province,” Meers said. Recent warm weather should mean […] Read more
Pea leaf weevil popping up in south
Pea or faba bean crops seeded in mid- to late May will likely see a reduced risk of pea leaf weevil infestation this summer
Reading Time: 2 minutes Pea leaf weevils are starting to spring up in pea and faba bean crops in southern Alberta, but the cool, damp start to spring could keep infestation levels low this summer. “The years when we have the highest risk are actually years with early, warm springs,” said Hector Carcamo, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food […] Read more
Pests starting to emerge after cool spring
Reading Time: < 1 minute Spring’s late arrival has caused all kinds of grief for farmers, but their insect foes take it all in stride. Pests such as the pea leaf weevil benefit from something called “facultative diapause,” provincial insect specialist Scott Meers tweeted during the May 7 edition of #ABbugchat. “Which is a fancy word for if it’s cold […] Read more
Twitter forum highlights pest issues for Alberta producers
Reading Time: < 1 minute Wheat midge and Bertha armyworm top the list of insects to be on the watch for this spring, says insect management specialists Scott Meers and Shelley Barkley. Dry conditions in the U.S. High Plains could also see a northward migration of pests, the duo said in their first #ABbugchat of the growing season. The two […] Read more
Cutworms bug off when beneficial insects come calling
It’s a bug-eat-bug world when you’ve got beneficial insects in your field
Reading Time: 2 minutes Producers looking to cut spray costs this year may want to think about a different type of pest control. “(Predatory insects) can be really effective, with cutworms especially,” said Vincent Hervet, PhD candidate at the University of Lethbridge. Cutworms have “cyclic outbreaks” on the Prairies lasting three to four years, and right now Alberta is […] Read more
Producers asked to send in wireworm samples
Wireworm numbers are on the rise and AgCanada researchers need samples to develop control methods
Reading Time: 2 minutes Producers can help in the effort to find a wireworm control solution by submitting samples to Canada’s wireworm research team. “Lindane (such as Vitavax Dual) insecticide kept wireworm numbers low for several decades on the Prairies,” says Neil Whatley, crop specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “(But) since the ban of this organochlorine pesticide […] Read more
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