Search

2-part webinar for soybean gall midge

January 26, 2022 6:54 PM
Blog Post

Since its discovery as a new species in 2019, soybean gall midge continues to be found in new counties across five states in the Midwest. For some farmers, the presence of soybean gall midge had a significant impact on soybean yield. The persistence of this new pest in existing areas and its presence in new counties highlight the need to stay up-to-date on the latest research-based information. 

How cold is enough?

October 28, 2021 12:41 PM
Blog Post

Following up on Meaghan’s blog post on October 5 about sap beetles in corn grain, I received a few more questions about infested bins. There are MANY insects that cause losses in stored grain and food processing facilities. Complete eradication is difficult to achieve, and therefore defining acceptable limits is a more practical way to manage pests after harvest. Developing post-harvest plans can greatly improve the effectiveness and profitability for farmers and maintain a safe food supply.

Soybean gall midge detections continue

July 14, 2021 2:49 PM
Blog Post

Soybean gall midge detections continue in western Iowa. As of this week, there are ten counties with infested soybean fields. These counties were previously infested with larvae. In some fields where we monitor activity a bit closer, we noticed first-generation adults were produced. These adults will move more into the field interior to find suitable plants for laying eggs. 

2021 Soybean gall midge update in Iowa

June 29, 2021 7:25 AM
Blog Post

I’ve had a lot of questions about soybean gall midge over the winter and in the last few weeks. Most fields have plants with 4-7 trifoliates and I’ve even seen some flowers! If you are connected with the Soybean Gall Midge Alert Network, you know midges have been active in Nebraska for a few weeks. But they first appeared in mid-June in Iowa, similar to 2019 and 2020.

Have you seen this cheater butterfly?

June 14, 2021 2:25 PM
Blog Post

Over the last 5 days, I’ve been asked numerous times about a small butterfly roaming the gravel roads and wooded areas around Iowa. It’s a fast, skittish insect and tracking down a good photo has been really tough. They are described by entomologists as mercurial, or subject to sudden and unpredictable behaviors. The best I could do was capture this small mass of adults over the weekend:

Insect Overwintering: A bit like Goldilocks?

February 16, 2021 1:35 PM
Blog Post

One of the most common questions coming out of any winter is “how did the insects do?” In winters like this, where we have extended cold spells, farmers and agronomists alike want to know whether the cold was enough to kill some of our most common crop pests. Entomologists Erin Hodgson and Ashley Dean have written several articles in the past regarding how (and how well) insect pests overwinter. You can find those resources listed below.

CALS Graduate Student Field Day

The CALS Graduate Student Field Day, put on by graduate students enrolled in the Experiences in Plant Science Extension and Outreach course, was a collaborative effort to inform attendees about the impacts of Iowa's extreme weather on the 2019 field season. Plant foliar and root diseases, and insect pests were some of the main highlights, as well as the discussion of integrated management to improve practices and prevent these diseases and pests from taking hold in future years.

Have you seen this bug?

August 29, 2019 7:33 AM
Blog Post

Yesterday, while waiting for my field day stop to begin at the ISU Northeast Research Farm, I noticed a bright green insect land on my leg. At first glance, I thought it was the threecornered alfalfa hopper (Photos 1 and 2). I’ve never seen one in real life and was surprised to see it in northeastern Iowa (and what good luck to land on me!). It is a frequent soybean and alfalfa pest in the south but my lab has never collected it during all my sampling in soybean since 2009.

Pages