Reading Time: 4 minutes Joe Ripley knew something was up in his wheat field — but he had no idea what. “We just had patches where it was very poor quality and there was hardly anything there,” said the grain and cattle producer from the Spring Coulee area in southern Alberta. “We didn’t realize what it was for a […] Read more
This hidden crop menace is stealthy, destructive and a devil to get rid of
There’s a wide variety of wireworms, their impact varies greatly, and there’s no effective control
Seedpod weevil numbers down in 2021
Reading Time: < 1 minute Cabbage seedpod weevil numbers in 2021 were lower than normal for the fourth year in a row, but canola growers in southern and south-central Alberta should still be on guard. A survey of 225 fields last summer (when canola was at 20 to 25 per cent flower) found that even in the south, numbers were […] Read more
Grasshopper numbers up last year, but outbreak may not occur
Hopper numbers tend to go in a two-year cycle and so this may be a ‘low’ year, says forecast
Reading Time: 2 minutes Not surprisingly, grasshoppers loved last year’s dry conditions, especially in the south, says a provincial outlook for the pest. “In southern Alberta, dry summers are resulting in increasing grasshopper numbers,” says an article from the provincial Ag Ministry detailing last year’s grasshopper survey and this year’s outlook. “This is especially true in the counties south […] Read more
Pea weevil damage dropped in 2021
Reading Time: < 1 minute Pea leaf weevils don’t like drought either, last year’s survey of the pest suggests. “The highest damage ratings were in a few fields around Edmonton,” Alberta Agriculture reports. “There were a couple of hot spots in southern Alberta, but nothing like we have seen in previous years.” But spring conditions are key and a stretch […] Read more
Watch out for grasshoppers and wheat stem sawfly this year
Some pests do just fine when it’s hot and dry while others suffer, and all try to adapt
Reading Time: 3 minutes Last summer’s drought and brutal heat was a game changer for insect pests across the Prairies. Some got knocked back, others managed just fine and many acted in new ways as they tried to adapt. “Every pest species we deal with could be responding to these hot and dry conditions differently,” said Meghan Vankosky, a […] Read more
Bin pest survey on deck for southern Alberta
Reading Time: < 1 minute Producers in southern Alberta are being asked to take part in a grain bin pest survey next fall. The survey is being conducted by a team led by Vincent Hervet, a stored grain specialist with AgCanada in Winnipeg. Team members would visit a farm twice in September/October, first to set traps and then to remove […] Read more
Rover and Mittens like it, but people aren’t so keen on insect protein
Company targets pet food market for its Alberta-raised protein made from black soldier fly larvae
Reading Time: 3 minutes Pet food is a $30-billion-a-year market in North America, and B.C. company Enterra wants to conquer it with some Alberta-raised protein — only in this case, it’s the ground larvae of black soldier flies. The protein powder that the company makes at its facility at Balzac is palatable to pets, has good digestibility, and helps […] Read more
Bugs get their due in new facility
Reading Time: < 1 minute The University of Saskatchewan is building a new facility specifically designed to conduct research on arthropod plant pests (such as aphids) and beneficial insects. The Insect Research Facility, a first in Western Canada, will be led by entomologist Sean Prager who was recruited four years ago “in response to increased need for entomological research, training […] Read more
Drone tech’s next big target? Insect pest management
There are multiple potential future applications for drone tech in the works
Reading Time: 2 minutes Drones keep getting smaller and smaller, while their potential applications keep getting bigger and bigger. And now unmanned aircraft systems are taking on some of the world’s biggest small problems: insect pests. From crop-munching caterpillars to disease-transmitting mosquitoes, insects that threaten crops, ecosystems, and public health are increasingly being targeted with new pest-management strategies that […] Read more
U.S. to ban use of chlorpyrifos on food crops
Cancellation already scheduled for most outdoor use in Canada
UPDATED, Aug. 25 –– Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday said it will ban the use on food crops of chlorpyrifos insecticide, which has been linked to health problems in children. The decision is a victory for environmental activists who have fought to stop the use of the chemical that […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
