Insects are always a problem in fields during the summer, but the best way to control them is by simply watching for them.
One, the western bean cutworm, fairly new the region, said Christian Krupke, a Purdue University entomologist. In addition to monitoring fields for western bean cutworm larvae, farmers can set pheromone traps to tell if female moths are in the area. Field scouting helps as well. Scouting should include at least 20 plants throughout the field, and if 5 percent of the plants scouted have been infected by the insect, Krupke advises spraying.
Farmers also should look for corn rootworm, the larvae of which can damage the roots of corn plants. The corn rootworm can harm cornfields if not controlled by using insecticides or Bt hybrids labeled for rootworm control.
The soybean aphid is the most likely pest to be in soybean fields this summer. The largest populations fly in from Wisconsin and Minnesota to colonize in Indiana and move into Ohio.… Continue reading
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