Corn Earworm
Corn earworm migration risks are on the increase across much of the corn-growing region over the next several nights. Virtually the whole of the corn-growing region, with the exception of portions of the Dakotas, are under at least a Low risk in the near nightly risks into early next week. Low risks are predicted tonight into tomorrow mainly west of Lake Michigan as south to southwesterly winds increase ahead of a developing low pressure system and cold front in the Plains. The Low risk then shifts east tomorrow night into Saturday and encompasses much of the corn-growing region from the Plains east into the Great Lakes region and eastern corn-growing region. Overall somewhat weak to occasionally stronger southerly winds precludes an elevated risk, however, so any flights are expected to be isolated to perhaps, on an isolated basis, a scattered fashion. The best chance for migration, however, in the next five days appears to be Saturday night into Sunday morning especially from southeast Minnesota and central/northeast Iowa eastward into Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, lower Michigan, and even into southwestern Ontario, Canada east of Detroit. Southerly wind speeds are expected to increase over the weekend and also focus in an active source region in the mid-south. In addition to all of these factors, there is also going to be a full moon so moth flights may be more intense near rivers and other large water bodies, and is also another reason for increased risks over a larger area. Growers need to prepare for moth flights in the next week across major processing, fresh market, and even regular field corn and other crops across much of the corn-growing region.