In his weekly Call of the Land report, Alberta Agriculture pest specialist Scott Meers says cabbage seedpod weevils are present at above-threshold levels in "virtually every field that’s coming into bloom right now south of No. 1 Highway." Scouting is recommended — threshold level is two per sweep; more than 10 are being reported in many fields.
Meers says diamondback moth reports have slowed, largely because feeding is less of a concern on larger leaves and possibly because the population has been set back by heavy rains in the south.
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Basis heat units units so far across the province, "We’re not at a point where wheat midge should be emerging," Meers said. However, "It’s worthwhile if you have wheat that’s heading to go out and do some sweeping."
Meers said there is a "really low forecast" for wheat stem sawfly this year," and grasshopper reports are also limited. Heavy rains have slowed populations in the south and activity has been less than expected in areas where forecasts were for high populations. However it is worthwhile checking roadsides in those areas, Meers said.
Alberta Agriculture reminds that producers can check the Alberta Insect Pest Monitoring Network web page regularly for updates on the insect situation in Alberta.
The new weed web page is also available
Current content includes:
• One page document on all 75 Alberta Weed Control Act species
• E-publications
• Dryland weed survey 2010
• Irrigated weed survey 2009
• Weed posters available as pdf files
• Prohibited Noxious weeds Hawkweed and Knapweed
