Insect update

The insect situation is fairly quiet but we’ve had a few questions. Before spraying anything at this stage, be mindful of the preharvest intervals. If you plan to swath within the next week, nothing is registered with a pre-harvest interval of less than 7 days.

Bertha armyworm. Don’t let your guard down just yet. Berthas have been at thresholds in east central Alberta and western Saskatchewan fields in the past week. Some fields probably should be sprayed, as long as they’re more than 7 days from swathing. Scout in the heat of day.

Zebra caterpillar. Ten to 15 per sweep have been found on some fields in Manitoba’s Interlake region. They normally prefer to feed on foliage, but in some cases are feeding directly on pods. Zebra caterpillars tend to congregate in smaller patches, so scout throughout fields to better assess their potential impact.

Lady beetle larvae. Some growers saw these on canola pods and were wondering what to do. They do not cause damage. They are actually eating pests, so don’t spray them.