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Caterpillar with a red stripe on its back sitting on a green leaf. Bottom: Mottled gray caterpillar sitting on a green leaf.

Cutworms in Sunflowers

In South Dakota, some late-planted sunflower fields are having some cutworm pressure. Although most cutworm activity should be wrapped up by now, it is possible that some populations may have been feeding up until the beginning of July.

Light colored fly with dark pattern on wings sitting on a green leaf.

Sunflower Receptacle Maggot Flies Spotted in Sunflower

Quite a few sunflower receptacle maggot flies have been spotted in South Dakota sunflower fields. The adults don’t feed on sunflower, but the larvae of this insect are considered minor pests of South Dakota sunflower.

Cicada Killer Wasps Are Active in South Dakota

The cicada killer wasps are active in South Dakota, which means cicadas are probably not far behind. As their name implies, cicada killer wasps use cicadas as a food source. They can present an impressive spectacle if you observe one carrying a paralyzed cicada from a tree.

From left: Meadow deathcamas in a South Dakota prairie rangeland. Silvery Lupine in a rangeland in South Dakota.

Poisonous Plants on Rangelands: Deathcamas and Lupine

With prolonged drought conditions throughout many areas of South Dakota, there is an increase of invasive weeds and poisonous plants on rangelands. Identification of poisonous plants is crucial to ensure livestock production is not compromised.

Two men walking near a drainage water recycling pond

Conservation Drainage Complexities Part 1

How can farmers benefit from conservation drainage? Conservation drainage includes practices such as bioreactors, saturated buffers, wetlands and more.

SDSU Extension Launches New Streamlines Podcast

July 14, 2021

Hosted by John McMaine, Assistant Professor and SDSU Extension Water Management Engineer, and Anthony Bly, SDSU Extension Soils Field Specialist, the audio series aims to bring listeners insight and discussion on all things water.

a tractor driving in a field next to a pond

South Dakota Grassland Management School Workshops Set For July 27, 28

July 15, 2021

The 2021 Grassland Management School workshops will be held at the Eck Restoration Project north of Henry, South Dakota on the shores of Warner Lake.

Ranchers viewing USDA disaster assistance information on a computer in a home office.

Drought Assistance Questions Answered

Dry conditions persist across the state, and many new questions are being asked regarding the federal assistance programs available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency.

Several tiles connected by line segments representing a business network.

Networks, Hierarchies, and Power in the 21st Century

In this article, we look at how hierarchies and networks have influenced modern society. Then we examine how South Dakota innovators in the community development space have utilized these concepts in their work today.

Color-coded map of the Rapid City area showing flood risk scores.

South Dakota’s Changing Flood Risk

South Dakota’s flood risk is increasing in some areas of the state according to a recent report from the First Street Foundation. In 2020, 62,600 total properties are at substantial risk, with a projected increase to 63,000 properties by 2050.