Each year new insect management resources are made available or are updated to provide the latest information. This blog provides a brief update to some popular resources.
The 2023 version of the Handy Bt Trait Table is now available through this Texas A&M Agrilife Extension web page, along with other reference material and a “how to use” guide. The table specific to field corn was updated in early February and can be found directly at Handy Bt Trait Table for Field Corn. The biggest change for 2023 is the increased size in the table as companies continue to rename packages and add technology. This table is a valuable resource when evaluating your corn hybrid portfolio to manage insect resistance such as corn rootworm.
The Iowa Environmental Mesonet now has insect pest forecasting models available for your own use. It is possible to predict feeding activity, egg hatch or larval movement based on degree days or heat accumulation for alfalfa weevil, seedcorn maggot, common stalk borer, Japanese beetle, soybean aphid, and western bean cutworm. The Pest Forecasting Tool allows you to choose your state, an insect pest of concern, and a date range to display a map and forecast of degree day accumulation. Use the key degree day levels provided for each pest to track development and plan accordingly for scouting. A more permanent link to the tool is to bookmark the Ag Weather page and use the Pest Maps and Forecasts link on the right hand side of the page.
Iowa State University’s IPM team will continue to offer the Iowa Moth Trapping Network in 2023. At this point in time, the number of traps available have been allocated and trapping for black cutworm and true armyworm will start on April 1. Watch for updates on these migratory pests as they move into Iowa this spring via the Integrated Crop Management Blog site.
Updates from the Iowa Moth Trapping Network and the Pest Forecasting Tool will also be shared via the Iowa Pest Alert Network. This network began in 2022 and aims to provide people with quick text message updates about insect pest activity. You can sign up to receive customized alerts here.