An Alberta cereal specialist is asking farmers to start checking their grain bins because more producers in the province are facing pest issues that they normally don’t have during this time of year. Clair Langlois with Alberta Agriculture said in a recent blog post that reports of grain bug infestation are likely a result of […] Read more
Tag Archives pests — page 2
Diamondback moths pressure canola growers
Diamondback moths are the big story in canola of late, says Canola Council of Canada agronomy specialist Keith Gabert. He said Aug. 4 that farmer queries about the pesky insects have dominated his voice mail in recent days, and problems have been reported from Calgary to Winnipeg. “We’re reminding (farmers) that there’s no better way […] 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
Growers warned to scout canola for flea beetles
Flea beetles are feeding on canola crops in some regions of the Prairies this spring, and growers are being advised to scout for the pests. Whether they take action will depend on number, level of damage and crop stage, but the type of flea beetle involved is also important. Crucifer flea beetles, which are solid […] Read more
Pea weevil recovery requires early detection
Pea leaf weevil is munching its way through pea crops to the point where at least one farmer near Fort Macleod, Alta., is considering plowing up the stand. Hector Carcamo, an entomologist and senior researcher at Agriculture Canada in Lethbridge, advises against that. “Never plow your field (of peas) even if it looks this bad,” […] Read more
Researcher keeps watch for new canola pest
Pollen beetles cause extensive damage to crops in the Maritimes and Europe but haven’t been spotted in the west … yet
Entomologist Hector Carcamo has seen many, many insects in his career but he has yet to lay eyes on Brassicogethes aeneus, otherwise known as the pollen beetle. He doesn’t want to, either. Carcamo, a research scientist with Agriculture Canada, works in Lethbridge and a sighting of the pollen beetle in his region would mean the […] Read more
Hunting licence no longer needed for wild boar in Sask.
Saskatchewan hunters may now hunt wild boar without a licence. The government has amended both the wildlife regulations and the stray animal regulations to allow feral or free-ranging wild boar to be killed. Hunters are still required to ask permission to hunt on private land and must follow proper safety precautions. Wild boar can become […] Read more
Growers face pest of different stripe
Striped flea beetles are taking over some of the territories once dominated by the crucifer flea beetle and that means farmers may have to change their control methods. Owen Olfert, a research scientist with Agriculture Canada and operator of the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network, said the species are different and must be treated as such. […] Read more
Seed treatments good way to fight flea beetles
Producers are urged to watch their canola fields closely but not to be too afraid of some feeding, which is necessary
Flea beetles account for more than $250 million annually in crop damage on the Prairies, despite farmers’ best efforts to control them. And with the mild winter and warm spring, farmers might want to be extra vigilant. Scott Hartley, Saskatchewan Agriculture entomologist, said he is not surprised to see beetle movement already because last year […] Read more
Alberta releases grasshopper outlook
Latest forecast map shows several hotspots to watch, but predictions depend on weather and could change with rain or cool conditions
When the lilacs begin to bloom, check the fields for grasshoppers. It’s a matter of timing, not of direct relationship. The grasshoppers that fly early in spring, before the lilacs reveal their blossom beauty, are not the ones farmers need to worry about, says Alberta Agriculture livestock and forage specialist Grant Lastiwka. But the hoppers […] Read more
