There are various strategies, some of which involve turning nature around and decreasing the conditions for the insects, but sometimes there’s a need for an insecticide intervention.

At a forage workshop hosted by the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association at the University of Manitoba early this year, Manitoba Agriculture entomologist John Gavloski highlighted several key insect pests that can affect forage production and shared strategies for managing them.

Grasshoppers

Grasshoppers are a common pest in Prairie fields. Canada is home to 129 species of grasshoppers, but very few of those cause crop damage. There are only four or five grasshopper species that are considered to be pests, and of those, three are responsible for most of the damage.

“The top three grasshoppers in our survey this year are two-striped, which has been our dominant species in recent years, followed by either clear-winged or migratory,” Gavloski says.

All three have a similar life cycle. They all overwinter as eggs, laid in clusters of 20 to 30.The individual eggs resemble grains of brown rice.

“If you can dig those up easily, then you know you’ve got a decent grasshopper egg population,” Gavloski warns.

The ideal time for control is when the grasshoppers’ wing buds become visible. At this stage, the hatch is likely complete.

Farmers can also lean on provincial grasshopper risk maps. Each of the Prairie provinces puts out a risk map in the fall based on samples taken, usually in August. The maps can help estimate the next season’s egg-laying potential.

While these maps can help, Gavloski warns they’re estimates and don’t guarantee outcomes for the following season.“They’re more vulnerable when they’re really tiny,” Gavloski says. “They get disease, they get bloated and they can drown.”

Economic thresholds: Estimating whether grasshopper numbers have reached the economic threshold can be challenging.

Gavloski estimates grasshopper populations by walking 50 metres along a field edge or ditch, selecting five random one-metre square areas and counting the grasshoppers that jump as he approaches. He then disturbs the plants to check for remaining insects.

These counts provide an estimate of the grasshopper population. The process doesn’t give very accurate results, but can probably let you know if you’re near the threshold.

“Usually, you can get a ballpark range,” Gavloski says. “If you think it was somewhere around 12 to 15, that is good. You don’t have to know that it was actually 13.”

For forage crops, the economic threshold for grasshopper control is generally considered to be eight to 12 grasshoppers per square metre.

Control methods: Gavloski recommends using what is called the Reduced Area and Agent Treatments (RAATS), which involve treating alternating swaths of land. This method works because grasshoppers move from untreated areas to treated areas. Research done in Wisconsin has shown RAATS can provide very good control while using half the insecticide.

“The results of the research showed they were getting 94 per cent control when they sprayed the whole rangeland, but they were able to get 81 per cent control by only doing half of the rangeland,” Gavloski says.

Insecticides such as Coragen (chlorantraniliprole) are commonly used to control grasshoppers. Coragen is effective, with relatively low toxicity to pollinators. Generic insecticide versions have made treatments more affordable.

Cutworms

Cutworms are a diverse group of pests in Canada. Gavloski spoke about three different categories of cutworms: climbing, surface-feeding and subterranean.

Climbing cutworms climb plants at night to feed, then retreat underground or under debris during the day. Unlike other cutworms, they don’t cut plants but leave feeding damage on leaves, which can be misleading when scouting. The dingy cutworm is the most common climber in Manitoba. It can be identified by small leaf-like markings on its body. To find them, dig around damaged plants.

Gavloski also pointed out that some infestations can appear in patches. The patchiness can depend on egg-laying patterns the previous season, but it can also depend on topography. In more rolling landscapes, the warmer, southern side of the slopes tends to attract the bugs.

Economic thresholds: Gavloski didn’t speak to economic thresholds in his presentation. Manitoba Agriculture’s website says economic thresholds haven’t been well researched for cutworms, but included some anecdotal thresholds for various crops.

For alfalfa (the only forage crop listed), the website suggests four to five larvae per square foot (30 cm) as a threshold. Otherwise, farmers can just make a judgement based on the level of plant injury. Visible, widespread damage that threatens plant stands would obviously signal the need for control.

Control methods: Management strategies depend on the species. Coragen Max is the only insecticide registered for cutworms in forages — and while Gavloski says more options are needed, the pesticide is effective.

Since cutworms are most active at night, insecticides should be applied late in the afternoon or evening.

Unfortunately, the effectiveness of insecticides to control subterranean species is “hit-and-miss,” Gavloski says. “Because they’re not coming above the ground to feed, they can be a real nuisance to manage with insecticides.

“If the problem is small — say, 10 or 20 acres have a lot and the rest of the fields aren’t bad — you can patch-spray for cutworms.”

Cereal armyworm

The pest Gavloski refers to here shouldn’t be confused with the better-known bertha armyworm, which is mostly a concern for canola growers. As the name suggests, cereal armyworms are more likely to be found in forage grasses than alfalfa stands. It is also known as true armyworm or simply as “armyworm.”

Adults don’t overwinter in Canada but migrate from southern areas, often carried by wind currents in spring and summer, and while they have a particular affinity for timothy, most forage grasses are excellent hosts for armyworms.

“When the adults arrive, they’re looking for a lush, dense grassy stand to lay their eggs into,” Gavloski says. “So a perennial grass is just ideal … that’s where the eggs often end up.”

Armyworm larvae have distinct stripes, with a V-shaped marking on their heads. The colours can vary, but those striped patterns are usually visible. The adult moths are light brown with white dots on their wings. Armyworm larvae feed primarily on grasses and are often found in forage stands, especially in early spring.

“During the day, they’re trying to hide, so they’re underneath the debris and may go into the cracks in the soil,” Gavloski says. “So you have to look in the cracks, peel away the debris and do your counts.”

In cereal and grass crops, begin scouting in late June and examine at least five areas, focusing on patches of lodged plants and grassy weed infestations. Fields or sections with significant bird activity should also be monitored, as birds often feed on armyworms. Additionally, check the backs of larvae for parasite eggs, which can indicate natural control.

Economic thresholds: The threshold for control varies by crop. For forage grasses, it’s generally five larvae per square foot (929 cm2). However, as mentioned, they love timothy. Instead of feeding on the leaves before moving on to the heads like they do with other grasses, with timothy, they attack the heads first. As a result, they may require intervention even if the threshold isn’t met.

“Sometimes, it will pay to control them at levels below a threshold, depending on where they’re feeding and how much damage they’re doing,” Gavloski says.

Control methods: Insecticide applications should be timed for the evening or late afternoon, as armyworms primarily feed at night.

As with cutworms, chlorantraniliprole is the only active ingredient registered for armyworms. The products Coragen Max, Coragen (the pre-Max version) and a new generic version called Shenzi are available for farmers to use.

Alfalfa weevil

The alfalfa weevil is a major economic pest for alfalfa crops, but will also feed on other legumes such as clover, making it a major concern for many farmers growing forages.

Adults overwinter under plant debris and soil in and around alfalfa fields and emerge in spring, feeding on alfalfa leaves. Round, elongated holes in the leaves are an indication of adult alfalfa weevils feeding.

When females are ready to lay eggs, they chew a hole in the stem and deposit from one to 40 eggs. When they hatch, the larvae will feed upon the stem before moving to fresh buds and leaves. After the larval stage, they make silky cocoons that, if the infestation is widespread, can be visible as a white haze over the field.

“People often first notice this driving by their field and see the crop is looking kind of frosted,” Gavloski says. “If you see this, you’ve probably got lots of feeding, and you probably should have been in there earlier.”

As a general guideline, he recommends scouting for the bugs in early June and continuing weekly checks.

Economic thresholds: Alfalfa weevils cause significant damage, particularly to young alfalfa crops. The general action threshold for larvae varies based on crop height. For hay crops under 30 cm, the threshold is one larva per stem. For crops between 30 and 40 cm, it’s two larvae per stem. If three larvae per stem are found, control measures are generally needed.

Control methods: For hay crops, cutting the plants early is the main strategy used to control the insects because the larvae will starve or desiccate after cutting. Several insecticides are available for use, but many only provide partial suppression.

“Our insecticides don’t always work well for alfalfa weevil,” Gavloski says.

Natural predators, such as parasitoid wasps (bathyplectes and oomyzus), can help control alfalfa weevil populations. These predators can sometimes reduce the need for chemical control. n

The post What pests are bugging your forage crops? appeared first on Canadian Cattlemen.

The event brought together growers, livestock producers, researchers, policymakers, and industry partners in celebration of Ontario’s agri-food sector.

Jocelyn Smith, an assistant professor of field crop entomology at Guelph, shared ongoing challenges facing farmers as pest-resistant crops continue to emerge in Ontario.

“Pests keep changing, and new pests come into Ontario. We need to learn about them,” she said, adding that her department continues to develop monitoring programs to test and evaluate new pest control products.

She noted that there is also ongoing evaluation of old economic thresholds in an effort to develop more cost-effective treatment options.

As of 2006, she said that there has been an increase of insecticide-resistant corn, with the most common pest threat being the European corn borer.

She said that 85 per cent of corn grown in Ontario is genetically modified. As of 2018, she noted that there has been resistance discovered in Nova Scotia.

To help slow the spread of resistance, she added that her team is partnering with organizations across Canada and the United States to develop further prevention programs.

Maximizing Calf Health

Michael Steele, a professor with the department of animal biosciences, continued the discussion, sharing updates on his team’s research to enhance the quality of breeding calves in Ontario.

He noted that 40 per cent of calves in Ontario are crossbred beef animals, as producers are breeding more of their lower end dairy cows to beef cows.

He added that research is also being done to reduce the level of microbial use during the early stages of calving. Genetic markers are also being traced among bulls to select the best breeding options.

The next stage of research, he added, is post-weaning nutrition. He said many calves are given a high-starch diet and that new research will explore if this is an environmentally friendly and healthy option, versus other diet alternatives.

The overall objective is to develop a better understanding of how pre-weaning nutritional and management factors can impact gastrointestinal development and metabolism during the pre-weaning phase and later in life.

For more of our coverage of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show 2025, visit the Farmtario landing page.

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Locusts, which can destroy huge areas of crops in a matter of days, traditionally breed in secluded places along rivers or in uncultivated areas, and controlling that is almost impossible in regions neighbouring the frontline.

Why it matters: Locusts are destroying crops in Ukraine, a major global exporter of grain and oilseeds.

The situation is complicated by record high temperatures this summer, the inability to use aircraft for locust control and the absence of birds – locusts’ natural predators – which are avoiding the combat zone.

Local and government officials declined to provide data on the extent of the locust infestation or damage caused so far. Ukraine is the world’s largest sunflower oil exporter and before the war ranked fifth among wheat exporters.

Swarms of locusts are covering roads, fields and bushes in Zaporizhzhia region and farmers say the insects have destroyed up to a third of their sunflower crops.

“We saw a big swarm. And the next day the ‘infantry’ marched in. The small ones, they ate everything that was hanging low, they ate everything,” said Oleh Tolmatov, 46, a resident of Kushuhum village in Zaporizhzhia region.

Russia, which invaded Ukraine in 2022, has partially occupied the southern Ukrainian regions of Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv and Kherson, forcing farmers to abandon their fields.

Grains and oilseeds are traditional crops for these regions.

“The reason for all of this is high temperatures, the reason for all of this is abandoned land, the reason for all of this is the corresponding Russian aggression,” Vadym Chaikovskyi, Ukraine’s Chief Phytosanitary Inspector, told Reuters.

Denys Marchuk, deputy head of Ukraine’s largest farm producers’ union UAC, said that the destruction of the Kakhovka dam on the Dnipro River by Russian troops two years ago had created huge swampy areas where locusts are breeding.

Kyiv says that Russia blew up the Kakhovka dam in the summer of 2023, draining thousands of square kilometres of the former reservoir and leaving farms and Europe’s largest nuclear power plant without water.

— Reporting by Sergiy Chalyi

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“I was looking for a general book for the layperson,” explains Floate, a senior researcher at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Lethbridge Research and Development Centre.

While he found bits of information scattered across various scientific journals, a one-stop-shop of relevant cattle dung insect information didn’t exist. Naturally, his goal was to create one.

During COVID, Floate had an opportunity to dedicate time toward creating and publishing a resource book. 

The guidebook features colour photographs and high-quality images and each fact source is carefully documented and cited. Floate says it’s personally fulfilling to read dung insect discovery work from 100 years ago and find a relevant use for it today.

“The guide was written with ranchers and producers in mind,” says Floate. With 1,000 printed copies quickly distributed worldwide and more than 4,500 online views in English and 2,500 views in French, the guidebook is proving to fill a gap.

Manure as an oasis

Much of Floate’s career has focused on cow dung pats, an ecosystem that often goes under the radar, yet a valuable component of the animal-plant-soil interface.

“A cow pie is like an oasis in a prairie desert,” Floate says. In an area that was bone dry before, suddenly you have a deposit that is 80 per cent water and rich in plant bacteria, he explains.

However, the presence (or absence) of dung insects will affect the efficiency of how cow patty components are recycled back into the land.

“From an applied perspective, if you have a cow pie that is dropped on the pasture, it immediately removes that surface amount available by grazing,” says Floate.

Cow Patty Critters states in Canada, approximately 110 million dung pats are deposited daily by cattle.

Without active dung insects, Floate explains that the nutrients from the patty will leach out into the surrounding soil, over-fertilizing nearby vegetation and leaving a “green halo” effect. The forage may look green and lush, but Floate says it is not very palatable to livestock initially, which can further remove additional grazing surface area.

“If you take (dung) insects out of the equation, in Alberta or Saskatchewan that pie could be there for years,” he says.

When dung insects are active, however, they will take nutrients that are trapped in the manure and return them to the land.

“When insects are present, they dig holes, form tunnels. They physically remove chunks of the dung pat to accelerate the process of dung degradation,” says Floate.

“Simply by digging those tunnels, dung insects improve the porosity for water infiltration and aeration. Plant roots find those tunnels and use them as channels,” he adds.

“In scattering the pie, there are over 300 species of insects that can be involved.”

Dung pat degradation also reduces the incidence of livestock nuisance fly species such as face flies, horn flies and stable flies that cause production losses and discomfort among beef cattle.

Horn flies, for example, can complete three or four generations in a growing season, Floate says. “A lot of dung insect activity can help reduce the impact of these pest species.”

Floate notes that dung insects also provide other valued ecosystem services including pollination and seed dispersal, and they are an important source of food for small mammals and grassland bird species.

Dung insect dynamics

Weather conditions dictate when a “skin” forms on the patty and which odours are released or masked.

“If it were a wet day, the crust would not form as quickly and odours would be released for a longer period of time, attracting more insects,” Floate says.

“When the cow pie is deposited, low humidity and high temperatures accelerate the formation of a crust on a fresh pie, almost like saran wrap,” says Floate. That crust will block insect-attracting odours.

“(Dung pats) are not static, they change almost by the minute,” says Floate.

The amount of soil disturbance also plays a role in supporting some dung insects over others.

Many dung insects in Canada were unintentionally introduced from Europe, says Floate. Native dung beetle rollers and tunnellers exist, but are more likely to be found on undisturbed pastures than tame fields that have seen lots of disturbance, he says.

“If the ground is disturbed on a regular basis, that will disrupt those species.”

In contrast, dung beetle “dweller” species are less affected by soil disturbance. “Dwellers fly in, lay their eggs in the cow pie, and emerge as a new adult.”

Livestock parasite control products are another factor influencing dung insect activity.

Floate suggests producers use a careful approach when applying parasite control products but he defers to producers to make a decision that works for them.

“Their decision affects their pocketbook. If cattle have to be treated for parasite control, do that,” he says, but suggests producers watch the timing and type of product.

“If you’re using a parasiticide, and are concerned about dung health community, some products have less of a (negative) effect than others,” Floate says. He recommends treating after early June, which is when dung beetle insects tend to lay their eggs.

Product selection is also important. Float says that some products, such as eprinomectin, release active ingredients that can suppress or nearly suppress dung insects over several months rather than weeks. “This will reduce dung insects for an entire season.”

Future fecal projects

For Floate, studying cow pie ecology requires a team approach and can answer some detailed questions.

Along with fellow researchers, a new project on the docket will assess the effect of chemical residues from a dung pat on the adjacent soil.

“The residue from the cow pie will leach into the soil and affect the organisms in the soil beneath the pie and the immediate proximity,” he says. “The range of effect is pretty localized, but it is still an effect.”

Floate also continues to look for feedback on Cow Patty Critters as he considers working on potential updates that include additional dung insect species prevalent across North America and into Mexico.

“I’ve been asked a lot of questions about dung insects over my career,” says Floate, adding that referring producers, students and fellow researchers to this made-in-Canada book gives him great satisfaction.

“This is the guide I wish I had when I started my career.”

Readers can download a copy of the guidebook by scanning the QR code included with this article. c

Tara Mulhern Davidson is a writer and a beef and forage consultant. She ranches with her family in southwestern Saskatchewan.

The post Cow patty critters: Understanding dung insects in your pasture appeared first on Canadian Cattlemen.

Lyme disease is spreading in Canada. The disease itself is caused by a bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) spread from ticks seeking a blood meal. It’s not a serious cattle disease, but can cause symptoms in dogs, horses, possibly cats and humans. Stock dogs, horses and owners who spend long periods of time on range (moving cattle, fixing fences, etc.) are at the highest risk of contracting Lyme disease. Rodents and passerine birds serve as reservoirs for the agent of Lyme disease. Other animals, such as domestic ungulates, serve as hosts for the tick but fail to support the pathogen long term. 

At least four known species of ticks transmit Lyme disease. However, the great majority of Lyme disease cases are due to the bite of a very tiny tick called the deer tick, or black-legged tick. The scientific name of the tick involved on the West Coast is Ixodes pacificus and Ixodes scapularis in the Northeast and Midwest. It is important to note ticks do not cause Lyme disease. They harbour and transmit the bacteria that cause it. 

Ticks that carry Bb live throughout most of the United States. Lyme disease is most common in the upper Midwest and the northeastern and mid-Atlantic states. Black legged ticks are common in Europe and, in Canada, have established themselves in the Maritimes, Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba. Deer ticks are growing in prevalence across Western Canada. Last year, nearly 95 per cent of cases were reported in Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia. 

Lyme disease researchers state their “findings are consistent with the hypothesis that increases in Lyme disease incidence in recent decades are attributable at least in part to the effects of climate change.” Lyme disease is also being reported in parts of Canada previously thought to be too cold for the ticks, the study states (read the study at cmajopen.ca/content/1/1/E43.full). 

Researchers at the University of Toronto have also studied the issue, using Lyme disease data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They considered factors beyond latitude that affect the rate of Lyme disease, and how it relates to population density in rural areas and the growth of human populations in suburbs. 

Passerine birds or perching birds, the largest order of birds with about 5,700 species, are primary hosts of Bb. Domestic cattle and wild ungulates may show mild signs after infection, but for the most part clear infections after showing mild symptoms. 

Clinical signs of Lyme borreliosis have been well documented in dogs, in which the characteristic presentation includes an intermittent, shifting lameness. Horses with Lyme borreliosis may exhibit neurologic signs and uveitis (inflammation of iris and mid-structures of eye), or cutaneous lymphoma (pre-cancerous skin lesions). Horses showing involvement of the nervous system may develop the inability to swallow, voice changes due to dysfunction of the larynx, facial paralysis and in co-ordination related to spinal paralysis. Behavioural changes are common. 

In humans, Lyme disease progresses through stages. 

In the first stage, a Lyme disease rash appears three to 30 days after a tick bite. This stage of disease has a limited set of symptoms. The rash looks like a target or bull’s-eye — clear in the centre surrounded by redness. The rash may be warm to the touch, but usually not painful or itchy. Other Stage 1 symptoms include: 

• Fever
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Joint stiffness
• Muscle aches and pains
• Swollen lymph nodes

Without treatment, Lyme disease can get worse. The symptoms often show up within three to 10 weeks after a tick bite. Stage 2 is often more serious and widespread. It is called early disseminated disease. Signs include: 

• Many rashes on other parts of the body
• Neck pain or stiffness 
• Muscle weakness on one or both sides of the face 
• Immune-system activity in heart tissue that causes irregular heartbeats 
• Pain that starts from the back and hips and spreads to the legs 
• Pain, numbness or weakness in the hands or feet 
• Painful swelling in tissues of the eye or eyelid 
• Immune-system activity in eye nerves that causes pain or vision loss 

Stage 3 symptoms usually begin two to 12 months after a tick bite and involve marked skin lesions and arthritis of large joints. 

Chronic Lyme disease is a “highly controversial catch-all term for a host of long-lasting symptoms that may or may not stem from prior infection with the bacterium that causes acute Lyme disease. Often mis-diagnosed and mistreated, chronic Lyme disease leaves thousands of people physically and mentally debilitated, and without a medically established recourse.” (When Lyme Disease Lasts and Lasts by Jane E. Brody, New York Times) 

The good news is that most animals that contract Lyme disease develop mild symptoms that often resolve without treatment. The bad news is that those animals that go on to develop the full-blown illness can suffer significantly. From a veterinary prevention aspect, two different vaccines are available for dogs. 

In humans, Lyme disease is diagnosed by many naturopathic practitioners. Germany seems to be where most diagnoses are made. If — by the most recent statistics — Alberta had 16 confirmed positive human cases, 25 per cent of incidents of Lyme dis- ease live on my block in Cochrane. I know in three cases, diagnoses of Lyme disease followed submission of hair samples. People apparently recover after a hodgepodge of supplements and if no harm is done, good. If cured, great. 

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VT4PRO includes RNAi-based traits at the Bt protein, and incorporates both above- and below-ground traits to control pests. It delivers the latest in corn rootworm defense below the soil, and adds comprehensive above-ground control.

Adam Pfeffer, agronomic solutions lead with Bayer, told Farmtario at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show 2024, that corn rootworm is a challenging pest for Eastern Canadian growers. That challenging production environment is what VT4PRO is aimed at.

Above ground it’s got three modes of action that control an array of pests like European corn borer, corn earworm, fall armyworm and western bean cutworm, then below ground it’s got two modes of action that control corn rootworm, Pfeffer says. The RNAi-based traits prevent the insect from producing a vital protein, killing it.

“It’s a totally different mode of action,” Pfeffer says. “But it pairs very well with Bt protein.”

VT4PRO also includes the Roundup Ready trait for herbicide tolerance.

“It really fits a broad range of acres here in Eastern Canada,” Pfeffer says. “Growers that aren’t truly committed to continuous corn, lighter soil types, where they’re concerned about western bean cutworm, where they’ve also got some rootworm in their acres, this will be a great fit.”

In a media release announcing the new product, Bayer noted that “yield-robbing pests are increasingly showing up in Canadian fields, with Southwestern Ontario, Eastern Ontario, and small pockets of Quebec being considered particularly high-risk regions.”

Worst-case scenarios see corn rootworm robbing as much as half of the crop’s potential yield.

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“The name ‘blister beetle’ stems from a naturally occurring toxin called cantharidin produced by the beetle that causes blistering of skin when the beetle is crushed and the toxin is released,” says James Rogers, Extension forage crops production specialist at North Dakota State University’s North Central Research Extension Center.

Adult blister beetles are attracted to blooming alfalfa fields and weeds (goldenrods, dandelions). They will feed on nectar and pollen and devour leaves, stems and flowers. Blister beetles produce one generation per year and will be active from June to September. Adult blister beetles will lay their eggs in soil from late summer to early fall and can overwinter in North Dakota as larvae, emerging in mid to early summer.

Cantharidin from blister beetles can cause severe inflammation and even death in horses, says Rogers. In horses, depression, inflammation and ulceration of the mouth, irritation of the gastrointestinal tract, and painful urination are common symptoms of sub-lethal doses of cantharidin. Cattle and sheep are much more tolerant of cantharidin ingestion. Little work has been done to establish toxicity levels, though symptoms can occur with cantharidin ingestion. These symptoms may include depression, elevated temperatures and dehydration.

The most common species of blister beetles found in North Dakota are the ash-gray and black blister beetle. Lesser seen are the striped and Nuttall’s blister beetle. Blister beetle toxicity levels are higher in males but also vary by species and by the region in which the beetles are found, says Rogers. Adults range in size from ½ inch to 1 inch long. Blister beetles are fairly easy to identify among other beetles, as the “neck” region located behind the head is narrower than the head when viewed from above.

Blister beetles are very mobile and tend to swarm in large numbers in small areas of the field, says Miranda Meehan, NDSU Extension livestock environmental stewardship specialist. They can move into alfalfa fields from field edges that have a host plant such as sweet clover, which blooms earlier than alfalfa. Once alfalfa begins to bloom, they may move into a field and feed for a short period of time before migrating to other areas of the field or to new fields. After alfalfa is cut, they often move into blooming canola and other blooming field crops. Hay infested with blister beetles is a big concern for hay producers and livestock owners.

Here are some ways to reduce the threat of blister beetles:

• Use equipment such as a disc mower without hay conditioners or crimpers that may crush blister beetles and release toxin into the hay. This also encourages beetles to move out of the hay field.
• Allow cut hay to fully dry before raking to allow beetles to move out of the hay. Raking may dislodge dead beetles from hay; however, the potential still exists for cantharidin in the hay.
• Control blooming weed hosts near or in alfalfa fields.
• Cut alfalfa at less than 10 per cent bloom and/or late in the season (mid-August to early September).
• Check fields 24 hours prior to cutting to ensure that new swarms of blister beetles have not re-infested the fields.
• Scout harvested hay and underneath windrows closely for blister beetles and allow blister beetles to move out of drying hay before baling. Turning the windrows may be helpful to get blister beetles to move out.

“Even tractor tires can crush blister beetles in hay when turning equipment around,” says Karl Hoppe, Extension livestock systems specialist at NDSU’s Carrington Research Extension Center. “Cut hay with a sickle bar or disc mower that allows blister beetles to move out of hay after cutting. If large numbers of blister beetles are observed in spots during harvesting, it is best to quit harvesting and allow blister beetles to move out of the way or go around them.”

 If blister beetles are suspected in harvested hay, do not feed it to horses. If alfalfa is fed to horses and symptoms such as blood-tinged urine, depression or placing their muzzle in water without drinking appear, call a veterinarian immediately. Hay contaminated with blister beetles can be used by cattle, but be cautious. Offer other hay sources that are clean of blister beetles or blend hays. Grinding hay containing blister beetles and then mixing with other feeds will dilute the cantharidin but won’t get rid of it. If feed refusal is noted with cattle offered alfalfa hay, then remove it and replace with another hay source. Keep track of bales that are suspected to have blister beetle contamination so you can manage accordingly and avoid accidental feeding to horses.

It can be difficult to detect blister beetles in harvested hay because beetles may be crushed from the haying process. Blister beetles may not be present in every bale due to the insects’ tendency to swarm, which means that it is possible that only bales from certain areas of the field may be infested. Chemical control is generally not recommended at harvest because dead beetles could be still be incorporated into cured hay instead of falling onto the ground.

If blister beetle toxicity is suspected, a diagnostic test is available through the NDSU veterinary diagnostic laboratory. Plasma or urine samples are used for the test. For more information about the test, visit ndsu.ag/VDL-sample at the NDSU website. Additional information on blister beetle identification and management is available at ndsu.ag/blister-beetle. NDSU Extension agents are also available to aid in identification and determine best management practices for dealing with blister beetles.

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The Canadian Grain Commission on Tuesday announced changes in store effective Aug. 1 for how Canadian wheat is graded, along with a list of clarifications and new housekeeping rules for the grading of other crops it regulates.

For one, the CGC will update its Official Grain Grading Guide’s definition of “severely sprouted” as a grading factor for western classes of wheat, following research on how far sprouting has to advance to affect end-use quality.

Under the current rule, a kernel of wheat is classified as “regular sprouted” if it has sprouts that are visible but still “within the contours of the germ.”

To be classified instead as “severely sprouted,” a kernel today must either be clearly “severely degenerated,” or clearly sprouted beyond the contour of the germ — or it must show signs of a sprout that’s broken or missing, whether with or without clear evidence of a sprout’s length or severity.

It’s been given that a kernel deemed “severely sprouted” contains a higher level of alpha-amylase than a “regular sprouted” kernel, which has negative impacts on the wheat’s falling number, which in turn is an indicator of the soundness of the grain.

But the research done last year and this year at the CGC’s Grain Research Laboratory found kernels of Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) and durum wheats that show a sprout broken or missing, without clear evidence of a sprout’s length or severity, had alpha-amylase activity and impact on falling number in the same range as in “regular sprouted” wheat, rather than the other forms of “severely sprouted” wheat.

Thus, starting Aug. 1, kernels of sprouted western wheats with sprouts broken or missing, but without any clear evidence of a sprout’s length or severity, will be redefined as “regular sprouted” rather than “severely sprouted.” The impact on end-use functionality, the lab found, was “similar to that of regular sprouted kernels.”

Tolerances

Among other changes scheduled to take effect Aug. 1, tolerances for test weight and total foreign material are being matched up in most classes of western wheat that until now had different tolerances for “primary” or “export” use.

Under the new rule, test weight and total foreign material tolerances will be aligned to the “export” tolerances for all grades of:

• Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS);
• Canada Western Hard White Spring (CWHWS);
• Canada Western Extra Strong (CWES);
• Canada Western Soft White Spring (CWSWS); and
• Canada Northern Hard Red (CNHR) wheats.

On a related note, total foreign material “primary” and “export” tolerances for Canada Western Amber Durum (CWAD) wheat will also be lined up to the “export” tolerances for all grades.

An “export” tolerance is used when grain is destined for a market overseas and is shipped out of the country through a terminal grain elevator. Such a tolerance is set based on research and is used to ensure milling quality expectations are met for end-use customers, the CGC said Tuesday.

A “primary” tolerance, meanwhile, is set lower than an export tolerance; it’s used when grain is delivered directly to a primary grain elevator within Canada.

Sieves

Among other changes taking effect in the Grain Grading Guide starting Aug. 1, the process for determination of dockage, in the canola chapter, will clarify the process and the different-sized sieves that should be used.

That change, the CGC said, comes in the wake of concerns raised by producers about “inconsistencies in the process used at delivery.”

The guide’s definition of “processed sample” will also be updated in all chapters, in the wake of issues with samples submitted to the CGC for official grades from which dockage was already removed.

The guide will also see adjustment to the composition of dockage to include insect parts, and the definition for insect parts will be adjusted in the lentils, beans, chickpeas and fababeans chapters.

Also, in the canary seed chapter, the composition of dockage will be adjusted to include the percentage of hulled seeds in dockage, and the definition of foreign material and hulled seeds will be adjusted accordingly. — Glacier FarmMedia Network

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Among the pests he cited were grasshoppers, flea beetles and pea leaf weevils. 

Tansey said the grasshopper hatch is well underway in Saskatchewan, but recent rains could change how much of a problem they become. 

“We’ve had some rain in the south of the province and we are still waiting to see what… that has done with these grasshopper nests. The moisture can contribute to disease in these animals and contribute to direct mortality,” he said, noting there have been some reports already of crop damage, 

Tansey stressed the need for vigilance with farmers checking their crops and the surrounding areas for signs of grasshoppers and other pests. He said there has been estimates of 50 to 70 grasshopper nymphs per square meter in ditches, which normal rates tend to be around 40. 

There have also been reports of striped and crucifer flea beetles in the province, especially in the central area. 

“We are hearing about damage to seedling canola in the Saskatoon area,” Tansey said, also noting large numbers of striped flea beetles in the province’s northeast. That said, he cautioned there are still few reports to go on at this time and there was still something of a chance the problem might not be as bad as expected. 

“There’s no replacement for getting out and seeing what’s happening,” he said. 

Pea leaf weevils have been reported as well, though it’s still on the early side to fully know how much of a problem they could become this year. 

“There was a pretty dramatic increase in the number of pea leaf weevil numbers in the northeast last year,” he said, noting monitoring just recently started for this year. 

Some farmers recently began spraying for different insect pests in the province, he said, but added that when reports and numbers have firmed up, the province will make the insect situation well known to them. 

— Glen Hallick reports for MarketsFarm from Winnipeg.

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Gavloski couldn’t say for sure if insect damage was going to be bad this year but based on what’s transpired over the last three years, he said it depends on conditions, especially for flea beetles and canola.

“Canola growers should definitely be scouting for flea beetles. A large degree of how much damage they cause will be determined by how quickly the plants are germinating and growing through those seedling stages,” he said.

“If we get weather conditions where there is quick germination and quick seedling growth, the seed treatments might be all that we need to protect from the flea beetles. If growth seems to stall in that seedling stage, that can sometimes result in the seed treatment wearing out and people are having to spray.”

Gavloski also advised to watch for signs of cutworms in canola, wheat, sunflowers and other crops.

“A couple of years ago we had some really high levels. Things seem to be tailing off a bit, but there are probably still areas where cutworms could be economical,” he said.

Grasshoppers are another potential pest that need to be high on one’s scouting list. Gavloski noted the last few years have been “conducive for grasshopper populations to build.”

Besides the above three pests, the entomologist said there’s always a chance of the winds carrying in other pests — something that cannot be predetermined. Besides scouting for insects, he suggested farmers review the Manitoba crop pest updates.

— Glen Hallick reports for MarketsFarm from Winnipeg.

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