Corn Earworm
Corn earworm migration risks will continue in the forecast for at least the next three nights until a slow-moving cold front moves east out of the corn-growing region. That may not occur until late in the weekend or early next week, so Low risks are in the forecast mainly across the southeastern half or so of the area until that time. Low risks focus from southeast Kansas into Missouri, southeast Iowa, Illinois, southeast Wisconsin, and points east into the southern Great Lakes and eastern corn-growing region to the east of a low pressure system and cold front. The same is true for tomorrow night into Saturday as the front moves little and another low pressure wave moves northeast along the front. Finally, by later Saturday into Sunday, the front makes a little more of a push southeast with lingering Low corn earworm migration risks east of the I-55 corridor in Illinois. Field corn growers are advised that there is little risk to this crop at this point based on crop stage but vegetable and fresh market growers, especially those that were able to plant earlier this spring, may have some sweet corn, tomatoes, and other suitable corn earworm hosts that could be at a critical growth stage where corn earworm may cause damage. Sometimes when these are the only plants available, they can get hit hard even this early in the season when the weather pattern is favorable for migration.