Insect & Pests
All Insect & Pests Content
Soybean Gall Midge Are Emerging Around Us, But No Captures in S.D.
Last year, the soybean gall midge caused a lot of issues in soybean, including lodging and up to 50% yield loss. In an effort to determine when soybean gall midge adults are emerging in 2019, a network of emergence traps has been established in South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota. So far, emergence of the adult soybean gall midge have been reported from Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota.
Soybean Gall Midge Showing Up in More Counties
As the season continues, so is our soybean gall midge scouting efforts. For much of South Dakota, the soybean that are infested with soybean gall midge are asymptomatic. That is, they show limited signs of infestation, but we can still find the larvae of the soybean gall midge in the stems.
Should I Spray for Soybean Aphids? What’s the Threshold?
Although many soybean fields are behind schedule, so are the soybean aphid populations. In many reported areas, there are hotspots within a field where a few soybean plants may be heavily infested.
2020 South Dakota Overwintering Bean Leaf Beetle Predicted Mortality
Although bean leaf beetles won’t be emerging for a while yet, it is important to be prepared for potential early season defoliation. Once soybean are planted and begin emerging, the overwintering population of bean leaf beetle adults will move into soybean fields and begin feeding on the seedlings.
Millipedes May Be Responsible for Reduced Soybean Stands in 2020
When we think of millipedes, it is usually as a nuisance pest indoors. However, there have been reports in South Dakota and neighboring states of millipedes being more than just a nuisance in 2020.
Scout Soybean for Black Cutworm Activity
Typically, we are concerned with black cutworm activity in corn fields. However, 2020 has been anything but a typical year and we are instead concerned with black cutworm activity in soybean fields.
Soybean Gall Midge Adults Emerging in South Dakota
Over the weekend, a SDSU Extension collaborator reported that soybean gall midge adults had been captured in Southeastern South Dakota. These are the first adults that have been observed in South Dakota in 2020.
Watch for Seedcorn Maggots in Emerging Soybean
Of all of the potential early season pests, the seedcorn maggot is rarely an issue in South Dakota. However, we have started receiving reports of soybean fields that have poor emergence or seedling stand reductions occurring.
Don’t Get Surprised. Start Scouting for Soybean Aphids.
Soybean aphid populations have been observed in neighboring states and in very small populations in South Dakota. It is a good reminder that soybean aphid scouting should occur throughout the growing season to prevent population outbreaks and yield loss.
Monitor Soybean and Sunflower for Alfalfa Webworm Caterpillars
In the last couple of weeks, we have received numerous reports of small green caterpillars in soybean and sunflower. The caterpillars have been described as producing webbing and moving extremely quickly when disturbed.