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Content by Philip Rozeboom

Gloved hands examining a musk thistle seedhead.

Now is the Time to Plan for Noxious Weed Control in 2026

Most of South Dakota experienced first frosts that were delayed by at least one month, allowing for noxious weed growth to continue later in the season. Now is the time to plan for noxious weed management tactics.

Snow-dusted, harvested field with a few scattered plants throughout.

Now is the Time to Prepare Your Weed Management Plan for the 2026 Growing Season

As harvest season comes to an end, now is the time to start formulating your weed management plan for next year. Learn some expert tips for getting your operation off to a good start this coming growing season.

Cream colored larva that has an accordion shape and a brown head in the stem of a sunflower.

Dectes Stem Borer in South Dakota Sunflowers

Factsheet covering Dectes stem borer in sunflowers.

Swarm of mosquitoes.

West Nile Virus Update: October 16, 2025

As of October 16, 2025, the South Dakota Department of Health reported 86 human cases of West Nile virus from Aurora, Beadle, Bon Homme, Brookings, Brown, Charles Mix, Clay, Codington, Corson, Douglas, Grant, Gregory, Haakon, Hamlin, Hand, Hughes, Hutchison, Hyde, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marshall, Meade, Miner, Minnehaha, Pennington, Roberts, Sanborn, Spink, Stanley, Todd, Union, Walworth, and Yankton counties.

Examples of Wild violet, Creeping Bellflower, and Ground Ivy growing on a lawn.

Perennial Weed Control in Lawns and Turf With Fall Herbicide Applications

Early fall is great time to control perennial weeds in lawns, including Wild violet, Creeping Bellflower, Ground Ivy, and Canada Thistle. Learn some expert tips selecting the right herbicides to manage these difficult-to-control weeds this fall.

Yellowjacket feeding on decaying produce.

Yellowjackets: Swarming decaying produce or garbage near you

Fall is here, and if you have a garden, fruit trees, or outdoor dumpsters, you are likely to encounter yellowjackets in search of food. Learn some expert tips to avoid getting stung this fall.

Swarm of mosquitoes.

West Nile Virus Update: September 26, 2025

As of September 26, 2025, the South Dakota Department of Health (SD DOH) reported 74 human cases of West Nile Virus from Aurora, Beadle, Bon Homme, Brookings, Brown, Charles Mix, Clay, Codington, Corson, Douglas, Grant, Gregory, Haakon, Hamlin, Hand, Hughes, Hutchison, Hyde, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marshall, Meade, Miner, Minnehaha, Pennington, Roberts, Sanborn, Spink, Stanley, Union, Walworth, and Yankton counties.

Multicolored Asian lady beetle, female mosquito, and boxelder bug.

Insects Are Being a Nuisance This Fall

The weather is changing, and many of us are noticing an uptick in the nuisance bites caused by several insects. The continued warm weather is going to increase the activity of all insects, including the ones that are causing us displeasure.

Yellow toadflax plants flowering in a grassy area beside a field.

Yellow Toadflax Has Begun Producing Seeds: Scout before treating infested areas

Yellow toadflax is a perennial weed that infests pasture and rangeland across South Dakota. This year, with an abundance of heat and moisture, plants flowered in early August and now have started to produce seeds.

Multi-rotor drone used for spray, spread and seeding

Required Licensing For Applying Pesticide Using Spray Drones

Fact sheet for South Dakota stakeholders wanting to get certified to apply pesticides with a spray drone.