Japanese Beetles Emerging; Identification Key to Management
July 1, 2016
Japanese beetle adults are beginning to emerge in eastern Nebraska and have been reported feeding in corn and soybean. Here's how to differentiate them from the look-alike sand chafers and treatment thresholds to determine when treatment is recommended.
Scout Field Borders for Grasshoppers
June 30, 2016
Populations of immature grasshoppers are being reported in areas bordering crop fields in several parts of eastern Nebraska. If these grasshopper species are one of the four major species that are likely to infest cropland, control may be warranted. Check here are scouting guide and treatment thresholds and recommendations.
Using Degree-Days to Predict Western Bean Cutworm Flights
June 24, 2016
Accumulated degree-days offer a proven means for estimating when to scout for insects, including the western bean cutworm. Here's how to estimate insect growth and recommended dates to start scouting for WBC at 14 Nebraska sites.
First Generation European Corn Borer Scouting & Treatment
June 14, 2016
Growers are noting shot-hole feeding from European corn borer in non-Bt corn. Nebraska Extension offers several resources to monitor moth activity and determine when treatment is necessary.
Predicting Stalk Borer Development in Corn
June 13, 2016
Based on accumulated degree days, scouting should be underway across the state for common stalk borer in corn.
Wheat Stem Maggot Damaging Corn after Rye
June 9, 2016
UNL has been tracking an unusual insect pest the past couple of years in northeast Nebraska that may be a potential concern to farmers growing corn after rye or other grass cover crops. A number of producers and crop scouts have reported stunted corn plants at V1 to V2 with brown flagging in their fields due to the wheat stem maggot (WSM), a species of Chloropid fly. These are small flies that are typically about 1/8 inch long with black and yellow markings. The wheat stem maggot overwinters in the stem of its host plants as a larva and emerges in May to begin feeding.
Stalk Borer Scouting & Management in Corn
June 8, 2016
Common stalk borer eggs have hatched throughout Nebraska and scouting should begin when 1300-1400 degree days have accumulated (Figure 1). This is when larvae start moving into corn and other crops. Stalk borer growth is based on accumulated degree days since January 1, using a base of 41°F.
Insecticide Approved in Nebraska to Treat Sugarcane Aphids
June 3, 2016
The US EPA has approved sulfoxaflor (the active ingredient in Transform WG) for use against sugarcane aphids in Nebraska sorghum. This is a Section 18 emergency use exemption for 2016.