MarketsFarm — With most Prairie growers’ newly seeded crops already up against dry conditions, growers remain on the lookout for insects which further threaten the health of those seedlings. Considering the high prices of many crops this season, the potential damage would be more costly. John Gavloski, entomologist for Manitoba Agriculture, said there is a […] Read more
Prairie growers on lookout as insects seize opportunity
Dry conditions, delayed seeding lift pest counts
Spring weather to determine Prairies’ crop pest load
MarketsFarm — How problematic insects fare across the Prairies in 2020 depends largely on the weather this spring, according to three provincial insect specialists. Be the insects grasshoppers, flea beetles, cutworms, or a few other types, their potential to cause significant damage to Prairie crops will partly depend on how dry and warm this coming […] Read more
There’s a time of year when it pays to go looking for a fight
To combat the hordes of bad guys looking for a free meal, you need to plan your attack
Reading Time: 3 minutes Looking for trouble? You should be when it comes to insects that might be a threat to your crops. The “big three” this year are bertha army worm, grasshoppers, and wheat stem sawfly, says provincial pest specialist Scott Meers. But it depends where you farm, so Meers recommends you bookmark the website of the Alberta […] Read more
Flea beetles top Manitoba’s 2019 watch list
Cold temperatures hitting Manitoba won’t do much to hurt flea beetles overwintering, leaving the pest as a major concern for canola farmers heading into spring. Flea beetle numbers were quite high in Manitoba in 2018, making them “probably at the top of the list of (insects) to watch out for this year,” said John Gavloski, […] Read more
Flea beetles take advantage of late seeding
CNS Canada — A heat wave in late May and a slow start to the planting season have created some ideal conditions for flea beetles. Pest specialists in Saskatchewan and Manitoba say farmers have already begun to spray for the beetle in certain locations. “They’ve been getting good conditions to feed under, they like it […] Read more
Ergot tolerances set for chickpeas, fababeans
Chickpeas and fababean crops graded in Canada will have a new maximum tolerance for ergot next year, even though the cereal disease doesn’t occur in either crop. The Canadian Grain Commission on Wednesday announced an ergot tolerance of 0.05 per cent for all grades of fababeans and chickpeas in Western Canada effective Aug. 1, 2017, […] Read more
Keep watch because pests got an early start
The mild winter and warm start to spring have given pests an ideal start
Reading Time: 3 minutes Here’s the bad news: The dry, hot start to spring means more insect pests this year. And even the bit of rain received during the May long weekend won’t make a difference. “Insects respond to the heat and it’s been hot — their life cycles are all moved forward and the crops are not thriving under […] Read more
Alberta rain good news for farmers, bad news for grasshoppers
CNS Canada — After a dry spring, the rainfall across Alberta is a welcome change — unless you’re a grasshopper. “I’d hoped that over the weekend with the rain we had it would drown the little buggers out. When they’re small like that, they’re easily drowned if there’s water on the surface,” said crop specialist […] Read more
‘Severe’ grasshopper numbers loom over northern Alberta
CNS Canada –– A mild winter and a warm, dry spring have created some favourable hatching conditions for grasshoppers in Alberta, with the possibility of a severe outbreak in some areas. According to Mark Cutts, a crop specialist with Alberta Agriculture in Stettler, higher numbers of grasshoppers lie in a region northwest of Edmonton. Beyond […] Read more
EU food safety experts warn on crop insecticide
Brussels | Reuters –– Dimethoate, an insecticide widely used to protect crops such as cherries, could be harmful to humans, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which advises EU policymakers, said Tuesday. The report follows a request from France, which is calling for a Europe-wide ban of the substance made by companies including BASF and […] Read more
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