Digging into Research
Economic losses due to insect pests is estimated at over $204 million in an ‘average’ year. Every year, insect pests cause substantial economic losses on the Prairies. Yet there is no estimate of the total economic cost from insect damage. A review was conducted to develop...
A field survey of alfalfa seed insect pests and their predators found inconsistent patterns in seasonal abundance, predator diversity, and correlation between pests and predators. These inconsistent patterns were most likely due to differences in environmental conditions between years. Alfalfa seed production on the Prairies cover...
In alfalfa seed fields sweep-net sampling was the most effective sampling tool tested for adult alfalfa weevils. Early season scouting for alfalfa weevil adults can be a predictor of larval development to allow earlier management decisions, especially on intermediate- and old-aged alfalfa stands that had...
Most overwintering parasitoid cocoons (>80%) occurred in the bottom third of standing wheat stems from 0 to six inches (0-15 cm). Cutting wheat at six inches or higher at harvest increased Bracon cephi spring emergence by 40%, while cutting just below the wheat head increased...
Safflower and sunflower demonstrated potential as trap crops to reduce Lygus damage to faba beans. The Lygus pest complex in the Canadian Prairies is dominated by L. lineolaris, L. keltoni, L. elisus, and to a lesser extent, L. borealis. While Lygus have a broad host range,...
Swede midge was not detected in canola grown in the Northern Great Plains between 2006 and 2021. Monitoring continues in North Dakota and western Canada to ensure early detection of swede midge if it continues to move northwestwards. The swede midge, Contarinia nasturtii (Kieffer) is an...
Wheat stem sawfly larval mortality did not occur between fall and spring sampling periods indicating that populations are not affected by abiotic or biotic factors during the winter. The populations of wheat stem sawfly and its natural enemies varied across fields in southern Alberta. The...
Cabbage seedpod weevil continues to expand across the Prairies, contributing to yield losses of 5 to 30%. Insecticidal control remains the main management strategy despite decades of research into alternative biological and cultural methods of control. The cabbage seedpod weevil, Ceutorhynchus obstrictus (Marsham) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is native to...
The overall Economic Injury Level was found to be around 9 to 23 Lygus bugs per 10 sweeps using $15.47/bu ($682/tonne) canola prices. However, insecticide trials on farmers’ commercial fields found that yield was protected from Lygus feeding with a foliar insecticide application at the...
Wheat midge parasitism was found to be as high as 71% in the Peace River region of Alberta. Parasitism was primarily by Macroglenes penetrans, the main parasitic wasp species that attacks wheat midge on the Canadian Prairies. A parasitic wasp species, Inostemma walkeri, was newly...
