The city state’s authority approved 16 insect species for human consumption including grubs and grasshoppers
SINGAPORE (Reuters) — At Singapore’s House of Seafood restaurant, the fish-head curry comes with a side of crunchy crickets, the tofu has bugs crawling out of it and the patrons can’t get enough. The seaside restaurant is the first eatery to put insects on the menu after the city state’s stringent food authority approved for […] Read moreTag Archives insects — page 2
Nutrien purchases bio-control
WINNIPEG — Photodynamic inactivation is not a phrase used in everyday conversation, but it could become an effective control of insect and fungal pests in agriculture. “Photodynamic Inactivation (PDI) of micro-organisms using natural photosensitizers has shown itself to be a powerful tool to combat bacteria and fungi (in crops),” says a 2019 paper published on […] Read more
Native insect acquires new taste for soybeans
The soybean tentiform leafminer has been seen in Manitoba creating leaf injuries on the lower and upper surface
A tiny North American moth species that has been seen in Canada has been developing a new appetite for soybean plants on the U.S. Plains. The species, Macrosaccus morrisella — now officially named the soybean tentiform leafminer — was detected feeding on soybean crops in eastern Minnesota in 2021 and has since taken its newfound […] Read more
The wild side of pollination
Flowering plants have developed a few ways to move their pollen around, and thus protect their genetic diversity. Many grasses are wind pollinated and, as a backup for their long-shot pollination method, can self-pollinate to bring about the next generation. If you’re a broadleaf plant, you’re likely putting animals to work, whether that’s birds, insects […] Read more
Warm December delighted grain beetles; farmers not so much
CALGARY — Unusually warm weather that lasted into early January prompted a Saskatchewan farmer to warn producers about hot spots and insects in grain bins. “I’m hearing that more and more farmers are finding bugs,” said Michael Reimer, who primarily grows durum wheat near Eston, Sask. “I mean, a year ago, we were at minus […] Read more
Bugs: always eager to eat and ready to hide
You don’t even know they were in your crop until after they’ve had their free lunch and moved on over to your neighbour’s
Insects are always eager to decimate pulse crops. There’s a wide array of the destructive little bugs, and they go about doing their damage in a number of different ways. Their timing, devious behavior and variety of modes of action make outbreaks difficult to predict with a high degree of accuracy, according to entomologists. “And […] Read more
Alfalfa weevil infestation requires immediate action
Prairie growers should be checking their alfalfa fields for alfalfa weevils as soon as possible, say forage experts in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. If weevil larvae numbers are high, the alfalfa crop should be cut immediately, weather permitting. If that’s not possible, growers should consider a pesticide application. “There are many alfalfa fields where if it’s […] Read more
Experts excited but puzzled by hairy midge discovery
It’s bigger and it’s hairier than Swede midge, but there’s a lot more to be learned about a new species of midge recently identified in Saskatchewan and Alberta canola fields. Researchers know the midge can damage canola flowers, but more study is planned to determine whether that damage is economically significant and whether the insect […] Read more
Producers improve ’hopper forecast
It is hard to find producers concerned about grasshoppers this season. The conditions for the pests have not been ideal and where populations are significant, there is more than enough plant material to share with farmers. Being able predict pest populations and potential costs to growers across the Prairies is based on studies carried out […] Read more
Online network helps farmers get jump on pests
Farmers who subscribe to the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network (PPMN) can get year-long information on what is predicted for their fields. The online prairie-wide monitoring system forecasts insect threats, monitors insect populations and offers advice on the best way to scout for pests and keep them under control. Owen Olfert is a research scientist with […] Read more
