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Diamondback moth and flea beetle damage can look similar in some cases. So can wireworm and cutworm underground feeding. Look for the damage and the insects before making a final spray decision…
Flea beetle
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You maybe went to a field to scout for flea beetles, but take time to look around. Consider all possible causes when you notice uneven emergence, patchy growth and unthrifty plants. Get a second opinion when necessary. You need to know what caused a problem before you can take effective corrective action… -
If flea beetles are already out and on volunteers given the conditions we’ve had, as soon as it gets warm, they will be feeding more aggressively… -
When the warmer weather returns, as is forecast later this week, canola still in the seedling stage that was seeded over 3 weeks ago may be at high risk of flea beetle damage. Also, dig down to look at the seed. A soft mushy seed is dead — likely from disease — and will not emerge…
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Have you looked closely at your flea beetles lately? Striped flea beetles may not have been a problem in your area in the past, but populations are shifting. This is important because striped flea beetles start feeding earlier, and are more tolerant of seed treatments currently on the market… -
Striped flea beetles seem to be more common each year, especially in the northern canola growing regions. Research suggests that a population of striped flea beetles may do more feeding on seed-treated canola prior to control than a similar population of the crucifer type, so look closely when scouting… -
Flea beetle spraying continues in Manitoba where crops are advancing slowly due to excess rain and limited warmth. Redbacked cutworms are still causing severe damage in southern Alberta. Some sprayed fields need to be reseeded…
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It could be a heavy year for flea beetle feeding, especially since a lot of canola will emerge right at peak activity for the insect. High winds may force flea beetles off leaf tops and down to leaf undersides and leaf stems. This could actually make the situation worse, since it takes just a few bites on a stem to… -
Flea beetles are the most chronically damaging insect pest of canola in western Canada. Direct losses to oilseed production average 8-10% of the annual crop yield, and in outbreak years flea beetles can cause hundred of millions of dollars damage.The nominal economic threshold for flea beetles in canola crops in Canada is an average defoliation level of 25% or more…
