July 20, 2011

Wheat harvest has come on fast over the past couple days as warm temperatures have given us many degree days in short order.

Grasshopper numbers continue to increase as the "summer hatching" species continues to “boil” out of the ground. There have been numerous inquiries regarding grasshopper treatment options.

In dry beans, Mexican bean beetle numbers have been low so far, perhaps as a result of late planting many of our dry bean acres. However, they are beginning to be seen and the survival potential of the second generation of Mexican bean beetles will not be known until next month.

Western bean cutworm flights began last week in this area and so far their numbers remain low. To date we have received samples from eight wheat fields from around western Nebraska as part of our wheat stem sawfly survey. So far some locations have large number of parasitoids emerging (most likely aphid parasitoids).

Potato psyllids continue to march northward with large numbers reported in Kansas, eastern Colorado, and as of last week a few adults were caught in the Bridgeport area. So far, no serious outbreaks have been noted.

Jeff Bradshaw
Extension Entomologist at the Panhandle REC, Scottsbluff