Content by Adam Varenhorst

A small, green, winged insect sitting on a soybean leaf.

First Soybean Aphid Populations Detected in South Dakota

While scouting fields this week, we observed winged (alate) soybean aphids in Southeast South Dakota.

Barley yellow dwarf developing in winter wheat.

Barley yellow dwarf is starting to develop in winter wheat. Barley yellow dwarf is caused by the Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV). This disease usually becomes more distinct at flag leaf emergence. A typical symptom of Barley yellow dwarf is the purplish-yellow color of infected leaves, especially the flag leaf.

large multi-row sprayer adding chemicals to a field

Early Season Insecticide Applications in Wheat

Many wheat producers in South Dakota have adopted more intensive management practices in the last few years, including an early season application of fungicide and, in some cases, insecticide.

small light green mites on a green stem

Which mite is it? Identifying the mites in wheat fields

In South Dakota, the most commonly encountered mites in wheat are wheat curl mite and brown wheat mite. In addition to feeding, wheat curl mites are vectors of Wheat streak mosaic virus. Brown wheat mites can build up large populations and injure wheat through feeding. There are other species of mites that may also be observed in wheat, but generally do not reach populations large enough to cause significant injury.

two black beetles rolling a ball of dung

Promoting Dung Beetles on the Range

In South Dakota, dung beetles help regulate rangeland health through dung dispersal.

A wheat field with patchy brown areas.

Brown Wheat Mite Affecting South Dakota Wheat

Recently, there have been reports of brown wheat mites throughout central and western South Dakota. The brown wheat mite is generally more of an issue in the drier parts of the state, or in areas experiencing drought. The feeding injury caused by these mites leaves white or brown spots that are referred to as stippling.

a small red bug on a green leaf

Overwintering S.D. Bean Leaf Beetles: 2017 predicted mortality

The overwintering generation of bean leaf beetle adults emerge in the spring and can cause serious defoliation injury to seedling soybean plants. However, the abundance of overwintering bean leaf beetles is negatively affected when the air temperatures get too cold. Therefore, an estimate of the emerging populations can be made based on how cold the winter was.

A field of emerging winter wheat in early spring.

Winter Wheat Breaking Dormancy Early

A threshold indicator for winter wheat emergence is to consider average temperatures over a 14-day period. When that 14-day average temperature is equal to or above 5°C, or 41°F, then hard red winter wheat can break dormancy.

An orange beetle with black spots and a white head sitting on a green leaf

Fall Household Pests

Fall is here, but many insects are still active – especially on unseasonably warm days. Southern exposures of buildings are a common gathering spot for insects.

Small white mites crawling on a blade of wheat.

Managing Wheat Curl Mite

Wheat curl mite is one of the more difficult pests to manage in wheat. This is in part due to the limited options available for preventing populations from infesting a field and rapidly reproducing.