Corn Earworm
Northwest flow is expected to dominate the corn-growing region weather through Thursday, so little to no corn earworm migration risk is predicted until that time. By late week and into next weekend, however, as high pressure moves to the east and southerly flow returns to especially the western portion of the region, corn earworm migration risks will once again return and we could see the potential for a significant moth flight from Saturday into early next week as a strong cold front moves southeast through the corn-growing region. Low risks are initially in place across the Plains states Thursday night into Friday, with Low risks then spreading east to Lake Michigan and Illinois by Friday night into Saturday. Moderate risks have been introduced to the forecast Saturday night into Sunday from Nebraska and Iowa northeast into eastern South Dakota, Minnesota, and western Wisconsin with Low risks as far east as lower Michigan and Indiana. Growers should continue to monitor traps and scout fields, not only in fresh market and processing crops but also in field corn as there have been a higher than average number of reports of corn earworm infestations in field corn, even in trait-protected corn. A moth flight may have occurred last weekend in some areas, and those moths may begin to appear soon if not already.