Scouting Charts - Canola and Flax

Click here to access TWO generalized insect pest scouting charts (with hyperlinks to the insect guide) intended to aid in-field scouting on the Canadian prairies.

Scouting Charts - Canola and Flax

Click here to access TWO generalized insect pest scouting charts (with hyperlinks to the insect guide) intended to aid in-field scouting on the Canadian prairies.

Scouting Charts - Canola and Flax

Reminder - Field scouting is critical - it enables the identification of potential risks to crops. Accurate identification of insect pests PLUS the application of established monitoring methods will enable growers to make informed pest management decisions.

We offer TWO generalized insect pest scouting charts (with hyperlinks) to aid in-field scouting on the Canadian prairies:

1. CANOLA INSECT SCOUTING CHART



2. FLAX INSECT SCOUTING CHART




These charts feature hyperlinks directing growers to downloadable PDF pages within the "Field crop and forage pests and their natural enemies in western Canada: Identification and management field guide".

Whenever possible, monitor and compare pest densities to established economic or action thresholds to protect and preserve pollinators and beneficial arthropods. Economic thresholds, by definition, help growers avoid crop losses related to outbreaking insect pest species.

Good luck with scouting!

Scouting Charts - Canola and Flax

Field scouting is critical - it enables the identification of potential risks to crops. Accurate identification of insect pests PLUS the application of established monitoring methods will enable growers to make informed pest management decisions.

We offer TWO generalized insect pest scouting charts to aid in-field scouting on the Canadian prairies:

1. CANOLA INSECT SCOUTING CHART
 

2. FLAX INSECT SCOUTING CHART
 

These charts feature hyperlinks directing growers to downloadable PDF pages within the "Field crop and forage pests and their natural enemies in western Canada: Identification and management field guide".

Whenever possible, monitor and compare pest densities to established economic or action thresholds to protect and preserve pollinators and beneficial arthropods. Economic thresholds, by definition, help growers avoid crop losses related to outbreaking insect pest species.

Good luck with your scouting!

Scouting Charts - Canola and Flax (August 1, 2019; Wk 17)

Reminder - One last time for this growing season..... We have updated the field scouting charts so they now link to pages within the 2018 version of the Insect Field Guide. 

We offer TWO generalized insect pest scouting charts to aid in-field scouting on the Canadian prairies:

1. CANOLA INSECT SCOUTING CHART
    

2. FLAX INSECT SCOUTING CHART
    

These charts feature hyperlinks directing growers to downloadable PDF pages within the "Field crop and forage pests and their natural enemies in western Canada: Identification and management field guide".

Whenever possible, monitor and compare pest densities to established economic or action thresholds to protect and preserve pollinators and beneficial arthropods. Economic thresholds, by definition, help growers avoid crop losses related to insect pest species but they rely on in-field scouting!

Insect of the Week (June 10, 2019) – Doppelgangers: Bertha armyworm and clover cutworm

The case of the bertha armyworm and the clover cutworm (and other cutworm species)

Clover cutworm larva

cc-by 3.0 Lo Troisfontaine

Bertha armyworm – caterpillar 

Mike Dolinski, MikeDolinski@hotmail.com

Are those bertha armyworms (Mamestra configurata) eating your canola, mustard or alfalfa (also found on lamb’s-quarters, peas, flax, potato)? Or is it maybe a clover cutworm (Discestra trifolii)? [Note: not all cutworm species spend their larval stage underground.] The larvae of the two species are doppelgangers as they are similar in appearance, have a large overlap in host crops, and have similar timing (June-September). Telling them apart can be a challenge but here are few tips to focus on to help distinguish:

-         Colour: there are generally fewer velvety black clover cutworm caterpillars, with most of the clover cutworm larvae being green or pale brown

-          Lateral stripe:

o   On the clover cutworm it is yellowish-pink

o   On the bertha armyworm it is yellowish-orange

Climbing cutworm larva - from Cutworm Field Guide

Climbing cutworm adults - from Cutworm Field Guide

In terms of scouting, economic thresholds and control options, treat both species as you would bertha armyworms.

Bertha armyworm – adult

Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development

Clover cutworm adult

cc-by-nc-sa 2.0 Ilona Loser

To learn more about bertha armyworms and clover cutworms, go to the Insect of theWeek page or download copies of the Field Crop and Forage Pests andtheir Natural Enemies in Western Canada and Cutworm Pests of Crops onthe Canadian Prairies identification field guides.

Scouting Charts - Canola and Flax (May 16, 2019; Wk 06)

Reminder - We have updated the field scouting charts so they now link to pages within the 2018 version of the Insect Field Guide. 

We offer TWO generalized insect pest scouting charts to aid in-field scouting on the Canadian prairies:

1. CANOLA INSECT SCOUTING CHART
    

2. FLAX INSECT SCOUTING CHART
    

These charts feature hyperlinks directing growers to downloadable PDF pages within the "Field crop and forage pests and their natural enemies in western Canada: Identification and management field guide".

Whenever possible, monitor and compare pest densities to established economic or action thresholds to protect and preserve pollinators and beneficial arthropods. Economic thresholds, by definition, help growers avoid crop losses related to outbreaking insect pest species.

Good luck with your scouting!

2018 Insect Field Guide (May 9, 2019; Wk 05)

Get your copy of the newly updated version of the Insect Field Guide!

Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: IDENTIFICATION AND MANAGEMENT FIELD GUIDE

Find links to download the FREE Insect Field Guide.

Insect of the Week (May 7) - Brown marmorated stink bug

This week's Insect of the Week is the brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys). Stink bugs get their name from the foul odour they release when threatened. Brown marmorated stink bug is not known to be established in the Prairies, but the species has been found in the Southern Interior of BC, in Ontario and Quebec. Feeding causes damage to seeds and seed pods, reducing yield. Nymphs and adults prefer field corn and soybean, but infestations have been reported on rape, pea, sunflower and cereals in the USA. They have also been known to attack tree fruits, berries, vegetables and many ornamental trees and shrubs.

Brown marmorated stink bug - adult (CC-BY 2.0 Katja Schulz)

Additional information and fact sheets for this insect have been posted by Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Development, and BC Ministry of Agriculture and Seafood. You can also check out our Insect of the Week page.

This insect is featured in our Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies Field Guide which is available for download from the Insect Field Guide page. 

Scouting Charts - Canola and Flax (May 2, 2019; Wk 04)

Field scouting is critical - it enables the identification of potential risks to crops. Accurate identification of insect pests PLUS the application of established monitoring methods will enable growers to make informed pest management decisions.

We offer TWO generalized insect pest scouting charts to aid in-field scouting on the Canadian prairies:

1. CANOLA INSECT SCOUTING CHART


2. FLAX INSECT SCOUTING CHART


These charts feature hyperlinks directing growers to downloadable PDF pages within the "Field crop and forage pests and their natural enemies in western Canada: Identification and management field guide".

Whenever possible, monitor and compare pest densities to established economic or action thresholds to protect and preserve pollinators and beneficial arthropods. Economic thresholds, by definition, help growers avoid crop losses related to outbreaking insect pest species.

Good luck with your scouting!

Insect of the Week (Aug 13, 2018) - Twospotted spider mite (Acarina: Tetranychus)

This week's Insect of the Week is the twospotted spider mite. This tiny mite is 0.5 mm long and has eight legs. It has a greenish, yellowish to orange oval body with two dark spots on its abdomen. To the unaided eye, it looks like a small speck. they feed on corn, soybean, dry beans, alfalfa, vegetables and fruit.

These mites overwinter in protected sites as eggs, immatures or adults depending on food hosts and habitat. Immatures and adults move to emerging plant hosts in the spring. They create webbing on the underside of leaves where they puncture cells to feed on cell contents. This feeding causes stippling, yellowing or browning of the leaves. Leaves may dry and drop which can further reduce crop yields.
Infestations start at the field edge and move inwards. Extended hot, dry conditions favour rapid population build up and exacerbate feeding injury.

For more information on the twospotted spider mite, check out our Insect of the Week page!

Twospotted spider mite – adult closeup

David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org

Twospotted spider mite - stippling damage on bean
Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org

Insect of the Week (Aug 07, 2018) - Natural Enemies of the wheat stem sawfly

This week's Insects of the Week are the natural enemies (@FieldHeroes) of the wheat stem sawfly, namely Bracon cephi (Gahan) and B. lissogaster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).

Nine species of parasitic wasps are known to attack wheat stem sawfly but Bracon cephi and B. lissogaster are the main species that help regulate this pest in North America.  These closely related wasp species are described as idiobiont ectoparasitoids meaning the parasitoid larva, after hatching from an egg laid on the surface of the sawfly larva, feeds on the exterior of the host. Normally, both Bracon species will complete their development (i.e., pupates) inside the wheat stem within the integument of the sawfly larva or just beside the consumed host.  There are two generations of B. cephi and B. lissogaster per year.  The first generation normally completes its lifecycle then escapes from the wheat stem to locate a new sawfly larva to parasitize.  The second generation of these wasps will overwinter within the wheat stem.

These wasps are 2-15 mm long and are usually brown in colour. They have a narrow waist connecting the abdomen to the thorax and the combined length of head plus thorax is equal to the length of the abdomen.  These parastiod wasps have long antennae and two pairs of transparent wings. Females have a noticeable ovipositor protruding from the end of the abdomen.

For more information about the natural enemies of the wheat stem sawfly, check out our Insect of the Week page!

Bracon cephi (Gahan) (H. Goulet)

Extra Insect of the Week - English grain aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

The English grain aphid (Sitobion avenae) has started to appear across the Prairies in various cereal crops this past week so the time to scout is now. Look for this aphid infesting wheat heads (favourite host) as well as barley, oat, rye, Timothy and canaryseed.  This aphid can also be a vector for barley yellow dwarf virus. You might see the green, red colour morph or both morphs in fields this year (Fig. 1). You will probably also see ladybeetle (@FieldHeroes) adults and larvae hunting the aphids (Fig. 2). The economic threshold for aphids in spring wheat in Western Canada is 12-15 aphids per head prior to the soft dough stage. 

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, with funding from the Pest Management Centre, has developed a smartphone app called Cereal Aphid Manager (CAM) to facilitate scouting for aphids in cereals that also allows you to record the beneficial insects in the field that can keep aphid populations below the economic threshold – available at Apple iTunes and Google Play app stores. CAM information and download links.

For more information on the English grain aphid, check out our Insect of the Week page!

Submitted by Dr. Tyler Wist (Tyler.Wist@agr.gc.ca).

Fig. 1 Green and red morph English grain aphid
(Tyler Wist, AAFC)

Fig. 2 Seven-spotted lady bird larva hunting aphids
(Tyler Wist, AAFC)

Insect of the Week (July 30, 2018) - Wheat stem sawfly (Cephus cinctus, Hymenoptera: Cephidae)

This week's Insect of the Week is the wheat stem sawfly (Cephus cinctus). Adults are 8-13mm long and have a shiny, black, wasp-like body and yellow legs. When at rest on plant stems, they point their heads downwards.
Mature larvae overwinter in the base of stems in infested fields. In June, females emerge and fly to nearby wheat crops, where they can lay up to 50 eggs each on stems.

The wheat stem sawfly feeds primarily on spring and durum wheat, though winter wheat, rye, grain corn, barley, and some native grasses can support sawfly development. It cannot develop on oats.

Larvae feed on the pith of host plants stems which can cause a reduction in crop yield and quality. When plants mature, larvae move to the bottom of the stem to overwinter.

For more information about the wheat stem sawfly, head over to our Insect of the Week page!

Wheat stem sawfly - adult
(Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development)

Wheat stem sawfly - egg, larva, adult, damage
(Art Cushman, USDA Systematics Entomology Laboratory, Bugwood.org)

Insect of the Week (July 23, 2018) - Natural enemies of the canola flower midge

This week’s Insects of the Week are two parasitoid wasps, an Inostemma sp. (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) and a Gastrancistus sp. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). These parasitoids are natural enemies of the canola flower midge (Contarinia sp., Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), a newly discovered fly species that uses canola as its host plant. The parasitoids have been found throughout the Prairies emerging from infested galls created by the canola flower midge. Little is known about these two species, but parasitism rates as high as 30% have been noted in northeast Saskatchewan.

Gastrancistrus sp. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)
(c) 2016 Boyd Mori, AAFC

Inostemma sp. (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae)
(c) 2016 Boyd Mori, AAFC

Submitted by Dr. Boyd Mori and Dr. Meghan Vankosky

Find out more about the natural enemies of the canola flower midge and more at the Insect of the Week page!

Download the Field Guide (Jul 12, 2018; Wk 10)

If you haven't downloaded the FREE field guide yet, please do so now!

Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: IDENTIFICATION AND MANAGEMENT FIELD GUIDE

The 152-page, full-colour field guide, now available online, is designed to help you make informed decisions in managing over 90 harmful pests of field and forage crops in Western Canada. Better decision making helps save time and effort and eliminates unnecessary pesticide applications to improve your bottom line. The guide also helps the reader identify many natural enemies that prey on or parasitize pest insects. Recognizing and fostering populations of natural enemies will enhance their role in keeping or reducing pest populations below economic levels.

Find links to download the FREE Insect Field Guide.

Insect of the Week (July 09, 2018) - Natural enemies of pea aphids

Populations of pea aphids, Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris (Hemiptera: Aphididae), can be kept below the economic threshold by their natural enemies if these are present early and in sufficient numbers. Natural enemies include parasitoids, predators, and diseases that reduce pest populations.

Predators of pea aphids include ladybird beetles (adults and larvae), syrphid fly larvae, and damsel bugs. These predators catch and eat pea aphids of all ages and sizes. They are classified as generalists because they also prey on other insect species.



The many faces of the adult harlequin ladybeetle 
 (aka multicoloured Asian ladybeetle) (Photo: ©Entomart)



Harlequin ladybeetle larva (Photo: cc by-sa Quartl)

Pea aphids are attacked by several species of parasitoid, including Aphidius ervi Haliday (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae: Aphidiinae). Female parasitoids lay individual eggs inside aphid nymphs. After hatching, the parasitoid larva consumes its host, eventually killing it. The parasitoid pupates inside the dead or mummified aphid before a new adult parasitoid emerges. Aphid mummies look bloated and discoloured compared to healthy adult aphids. Parasitism rates can be estimated by counting the number of aphid mummies on five host plants at five locations within a field.

Aphidius ervi parasitoid (Photo: cc by Penny Greeves)

For more information about the predators and parasitoids of pea aphids, visit the Insect of the Week page or consult Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and Management Field Guide.

To learn more about some of the natural enemies fighting pests in background for free, go to www.fieldheroes.ca or follow @FieldHeroes on Twitter.

Blog post submitted by Dr. Meghan Vankosky. Follow her at @Vanbugsky.