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Adam Varenhorst

Associate Professor & SDSU Extension Field Crop Entomologist

605-688-6854

Berg Agricultural Hall 226
Box 2100A
Brookings, SD 57007

As the SDSU Extension Field Crop Entomologist Adam serves South Dakota stakeholders by addressing insect pest issues in field crops. He conducts applied research that focuses on corn, soybean, wheat and sunflower. Additionally, he assists the other extension entomologists to address questions pertaining to insect questions for the home and garden, urban insect pests and general entomology questions.

State & Regional Offices

SDSU Campus

Also by Adam Varenhorst

Sunflower moth, banded sunflower moth, and sunflower maggot adult.

Sunflower Pest Recap

During 2026, we will be producing a new weekly update on sunflower insect pest activity. This information will be attained via a sampling network of eight locations that are in central South Dakota.

a brown bug with wings on a wood stick with a black background

Wheat Stem Sawfly Parasitoid: Bracon lissogaster

Factsheet on indentification and lifecycle of Wheat Stem Sawfly Parasitoid.

Small beetle with elongated black snout. Beetle is red-orange in color.

Vertento® Insecticide Approved for Red Sunflower Seed Weevil Management

Recently the Environmental Protection Agency approved a Section 18 Emergency Exemption label for Vertento® Insecticide for use on sunflowers for red sunflower seed weevil management in South Dakota. This exemption is effective from July 15 to August 31, 2026.