2016 is starting off warm

I was curious to compare growing degree days (GDDs) over the last couple summers. It seemed like 2014 and 2015 were cool, wet springs with a slow start for insects. But I wanted to check actual temperature history instead of relying on my memory. I used the ISU Agronomy Mesonet to query GDDs at three Iowa locations in 2014 and 2016 (Decorah, Ames and Burlington). What a difference in accumulating temperatures! So far this summer seems about a month ahead of 2014 in GDDs. Like I mentioned in a previous blog post, this warm spring is providing a head start for insect development and could have management implications later this summer.