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By Erin Hodgson, Department of Entomology and Adam Sisson, Integrated Pest Management

Common stalk borers are moving to corn in southern Iowa.

About 10 percent of stalk borer larvae can begin moving to corn after accumulating 1,300 to 1,400 degree days. Part of southern Iowa hit this degree day benchmark over the weekend; central and northern Iowa should reach this mark mid-month. This is about three weeks earlier than last year.

Go to the fields NOW and scout for early-season insects, even in unexpected places such as fields planted with Poncho 250 treated seed.

By Marlin Rice and Rich Pope, Department of Entomology

Stalk borers are notorious for killing or stunting corn rows next to fences, grassed waterways and conservation terraces. To stop this damage, fields must be scouted and an insecticide applied on a timely basis before the larvae have an opportunity to tunnel into the growing point of the young plants.