Insects

Managing Corn Rootworm Populations in Illinois: Considerations for 2018

  • March 8, 2018

  • Nick Seiter

 
Authors: Nick Seiter, Joe Spencer, and Kelly Estes
Rootworm management is a yearly consideration for most corn producers in central and northern Illinois. Western corn rootworm (Fig. 1) is the primary pest species throughout most of the state, but areas in northern IL can experience pest pressure from the northern corn rootworm (Fig. 2) as well. Adult population densities have been low in recent years compared with historical averages, although they did creep up a bit in 2017.…

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EPA Public Comment Period Open on Neonicotinoid Insecticide Ecological Risk Assessments, Closes February 20

  • January 26, 2018

  • Nick Seiter

The EPA recently opened a public comment period on ecological risk assessments of four neonicotinoid insecticides as part of the ongoing registration review for these materials. The purpose of this comment period is to allow stakeholders and the general public to provide input on the risks and benefits of these materials related to their use in agricultural production. A press release detailing this announcement can be found at the following link: https://www.epa.gov/pesticides/epa-releases-neonicotinoid-assessments-public-comment. At the bottom of the page,…

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Calling Central Illinois Landowners with CP42

  • January 16, 2018

  • Maddy Kangas

 
Agriculture comprises nearly half of terrestrial global landscapes posing a number of challenges to native pollinators. However, the Conservation Reserve Program’s CP42 Pollinator Habitat program aims to mitigate these challenges by providing pollen and nectar resources for pollinators where they may be lacking.
With funding from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the North Central IPM Center, Madeline Kangas, a University of Illinois graduate student in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences,…

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Increased Insect Densities Reflected in Annual Corn and Soybean Survey

  • August 28, 2017

  • Kelly Estes

 
Thirty-six counties representing the nine crop reporting districts were surveyed at the end of July/beginning of August as part of our annual statewide corn and soybean survey. The surveys were performed by sampling five corn and five soybean fields per county. For the past several years (2011, 2013–2017), surveys in corn and soybean fields have been conducted with the goal of estimating densities of common insect pests. The estimates provided in this article should not be considered a substitute for scouting individual fields and making informed pest management decisions—even areas of the state that appear to be at low risk could have contained fields with high densities of a given insect pest.…

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Join us for the Ewing Agronomy Field Day on Thursday, July 27, 2017

  • July 10, 2017

  • Nathan Johanning

The University of Illinois Extension will host the Ewing Demonstration Center Agronomy Field Day on Thursday, July 27, 2017 at 9 a.m.  Every growing season presents challenges to production, and this year is no exception!  We are happy to host this summer field day to share with local growers current, ongoing agronomy research in southern Illinois, including cover crop trials on corn and soybeans, nitrogen management in corn, weed management in soybean, and our continuous no-till field,…

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Insect Briefs – June 30

  • June 30, 2017

  • Kelly Estes

Japanese Beetles
Japanese beetles are back. Reports statewide indicate Japanese beetles are here (and in some locations, in very high numbers.) With corn starting to tassel and getting close to tassel, it’s important to remember, even though densities may appear to be extremely high, the average density of beetles across the field may be below levels of economic concern. An insecticidal treatment should be considered during silking if:

  • There are 3 or more beetles per ear,

…

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Impressive Moth Flights across Midwest

  • April 28, 2017

  • Kelly Estes

Impressive moth flights have not only kept the Illinois insect monitoring network cooperators busy, but neighboring states are reporting lots of black cutworm and true armyworm moth activity as well. The current forecast and planting progress has raised questions about the potential for these pests in the coming weeks.
With the assistance of University of Illinois Extension educators, producers and industry volunteers, nearly 60 trap sites have been established across Illinois. Captures of both black cutworm and true armyworm have been common across the state.…

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Cooperators Sought for Insect Trapping Network

  • March 13, 2017

  • Kelly Estes

Despite the snow falling outside of my window this morning, plans continue for the upcoming survey season. Mother Nature has hinted at spring with temperatures in the 70’s just last week and its time to start thinking about spring insect trapping.
We are starting to look for cooperators that are willing to place and monitor traps for black cutworm and true armyworm this spring and European corn borer, corn earworm, fall armyworm, and western bean cutworm this summer.…

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Extension Bi-State Crops Conferences in and near Western Illinois

  • December 12, 2016

  • Aaron Hager

Newer and longer-term partnerships between personnel in Illinois and personnel in Missouri and Iowa have resulted in several bi-state crops conferences to be held during January 2017 in Western Illinois or Eastern Iowa.
 
Friday, January 6, 2017: Bi-State Crop Advantage Conference, Burlington, IA, 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Comfort Suites, 1708 Stonegate Center Drive, Burlington, IA.
Hosts: Iowa State University and University of Illinois Extension
More Information: Click here to access the flier.…

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A Mixed Bag of Insect Densities in 2016 Corn and Soybean Surveys

  • August 22, 2016

  • Kelly Estes

Once again, statewide surveys of insects in corn and soybean fields were conducted during the summer of 2016.  A total of 33 counties were surveyed this year. The surveys were performed during the first week of August by sampling five corn and five soybean fields per county. For the past several years (2011, 2013–2016), surveys in corn and soybean fields have been conducted with the goal of estimating densities of common insect pests. Densities are reported for the various USDA crop reporting districts of Illinois to highlight portions of the state where the risk of economic insect damage is greatest.…

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