Corn Insects

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sun rising over South Dakota field

South Dakota Pest Management Guides

The South Dakota Pest Management guides are now available for free. The guides offer recommendations for controlling weeds, insects, and diseases in a variety of South Dakota crops.

All Corn Insects Content

aerial view of South Dakota farm and surrounding land

Crops

During the growing season, SDSU Extension provides weekly production recommendations.

Multiple grasshoppers feeding on a corn ear.

Don’t Let Grasshoppers Decrease Your Yields

Throughout the 2023 growing season, grasshopper populations have been causing problems. Those problems aren’t over yet, and we won’t be able to stop monitoring grasshopper activity until the crops are harvested.

corn field with sunrise in the background

Corn

Nearly one out of every three dollars generated by South Dakota agriculture starts in a corn field. Two of every three rows of corn become ethanol.

Corn silks with a beetle on them.

Redheaded Flea Beetles Clipping Corn Silks

While scouting corn last week, we noticed populations of redheaded flea beetles. These defoliators were removing leaf tissue, but the bigger issue with redheaded flea beetles is that they feed on corn silks as well.

Eight green beetles in the top portion of the image and seven yellow beetles with varying black stripes in the bottom portion of the image.

Corn Rootworm Adults Are Active in South Dakota

We have been observing a lot of corn rootworm adults in South Dakota. The emergence of these primarily underground pests can provide insight into field population levels and the potential for future root injury.

Black beetle with a red head on soybean leaf.

Redheaded Flea Beetles Are Active in South Dakota

Redheaded flea beetles are now active in soybean. Although they haven’t caused significant defoliation yet, their activity should be monitored, as other defoliating insects are also present in soybean.

A pasture containing a mixture of grasses and alfalfa.

Grasshopper Activity Is Ramping Up

We have already observed increased grasshopper activity in many areas of the state and, depending on the 2022 season, they may become problematic in crops.

Dark colored caterpillar with two distinct black lines on head capsule.

Dingy Cutworms Observed in South Dakota Crops

Dingy cutworms have been reported in South Dakota crops, and their activity is likely to continue for at least another couple of weeks.

A black and yellow striped fly with large red eyes resting on a flower. The fly is covered in yellow pollen.

It’s a Bee! It’s a Wasp! No, It’s a Hover Fly!

Many types of insects are responsible for some degree of pollination in landscapes. In this article, we will focus on the syrphid fly as both an important pollinator and a beneficial insect predator.

A metallic blue-green tiger beetle feeding on a light green caterpillar.

Tiger Beetles: Beneficial Predators and Ecosystem Health Indicators

Tiger beetles are generalist predators, meaning they prey on a wide variety of pests. Observing them in a landscape is a great sign that an ecosystem is healthy and supporting a diversity of both prey and predators.