Reading Time: < 1 minute In his weekly Call of the Land report, Alberta Agriculture insect management specialist Scott Meers says there is good news on bertha armyworm in the province this year. “We’re finding very few bertha armyworm moths, which means we’re not expecting any trouble with them this year,” he said. Only three traps have been found with […] Read more
Good news on berthas but watch for hoppers
Alberta weekly pest update
Conditions as of July 16, 2015
Reading Time: < 1 minute Grasshoppers love the heat and so far this summer they’ve had more than their share. According to Scott Meers, insect management specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, all the additional heat has allowed grasshoppers to reach their adult stage two weeks earlier than normal. If grasshoppers are attacking your crop, Meers offers some advice about […] Read more
Alberta weekly pest update
Conditions as of July 9, 2015
Reading Time: < 1 minute Grasshoppers and thrips are just two of the insects enjoying Alberta’s hot, dry weather. Scott Meers, insect management specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, talks about these and other insect issues on his weekly ‘Call of the Land’ podcast. To listen to Scott’s July 9 ‘Call of the Land’ broadcast, visit the Alberta Agriculture website.
Alberta weekly pest update
Crop insect conditions as of June 25
Reading Time: < 1 minute Conditions have been hot and dry across much of Alberta. What has this meant for insect populations and their pressure on crops? Insects that like the dry heat such as flea beetles and grasshoppers comprise the usual suspects, but there are several others as well. In his weekly ‘Call of the Land’ broadcast, Scott Meers offers […] Read more
Prairies’ dry fields good, if you’re a grasshopper
CNS Canada –– Dry conditions causing production concerns across large areas of Alberta and Saskatchewan are certainly bad for the crops, but the weather could prove ideal for grasshoppers. Grasshopper forecast maps put out over the winter were not initially all that bad for Alberta and Saskatchewan, given the conditions in 2014, but weather in […] Read more
Crop pest and disease watch for 2015
Some of the usual suspects could be back this year, especially if you are pushing your rotations
Reading Time: 6 minutes The new growing season is underway, with a combination of old and new challenges and opportunities. Alberta Farmer reporter Alexis Kienlen asked some experts about things that producers should look out for this growing season. Here’s what they had to say: Plant diseases It’s difficult for plant pathologists to predict the possibility of diseases, said Kelly […] Read more
Pests likely to survive Manitoba winter
CNS Canada –– Sufficient snow cover will likely help insect crop pests survive the winter in Manitoba, despite a recent bout of extremely cold weather. “Snow is a great insulator, so even though we have had some quite cool temperatures the last several weeks, where the insects are beneath the snow it’s actually nice and […] Read more
Grasshopper risk light in most of Western Canada
CNS Canada — Most of Western Canada is expected to see low populations of grasshoppers in 2015, although there are a few areas of concern, according to forecasts from the three provinces. Most of Manitoba has a low risk of seeing high grasshopper populations this year, according to a forecast from Manitoba Agriculture, Food and […] Read more
Time to start counting bugs for next year
Reading Time: < 1 minute In his weekly Call of the Land interview Alberta Agriculture pest management specialist says Scott Meers now is the time to start watching the swather and cutter bar for insects to get an idea of whether they will be a problem next year. While conditions will still determine numbers and this year’s lygus populations don’t influence […] 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
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