Insect Alert For

Corn Earworm

Risk Level:
Moderate Risk Level
Affected Area:
Full page
Alert Details

Moderate corn earworm migration risks are in place across much of the corn-growing region in the next two nights as a seasonably strong low pressure system advances east along the United States/Canada border and a cold front sweeps through the area. South to southwest winds to the east of the front may provide the corridor necessary for migration to the north and precipitation along the front may serve as insect drop zone regions. The quick moving nature of the front, however, keeps risks in the Moderate category as the duration of south to southwest winds is expected to be less than favorable for a larger, more widespread migration event. Nonetheless, Moderate risks are in place tonight into Saturday morning from Kansas and eastern Nebraska into Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois with Low risks as far east as lower Michigan and western Ohio. As the cold front moves east tomorrow into Sunday morning, the Moderate risk area shifts east into the Great Lakes region and eastern Midwest. Fields from southeast Missouri into central/eastern Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, lower Michigan, southern Ontario, Canada, and Ohio are in a Moderate risk with Low risks as far east as the Appalachian Mountains. A break in migration chances comes in early next week as high pressure builds into the Plains and Midwest but a Low risk is back in the forecast by the middle of the week (especially across the Plains) as southerly winds are predicted to return to that area as high pressure begins to move eastward. Growers across much of the corn-growing region with field or sweet corn at susceptible stages to damage from corn earworm are urged to monitor their fields in the next week for signs of new moths.