Insect Alert For

Corn Earworm

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

A cold front will be moving southeast through the northern corn-growing region over the next 24-48 hours. South to southwest winds will continue to the southeast of this front and a continuation of shower/thunderstorm clusters is likely especially during the late afternoon-evening and into the very early morning hours. These precipitation areas are likely to be the dividing line between potential corn earworm migration events along and to the south of their track versus little to no migration to the north. Before the front moves far enough south in the corn-growing region by Wednesday, migration risks will remain in the forecast tonight into tomorrow, especially, from northeast Iowa into northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, northern Indiana, northern Ohio, lower Michigan, and east into far southwest Ontario, Canada where a Moderate risk is in place. More isolated risks are possible southeast of the front from Kansas, Nebraska, and southeast Minnesota as far east as the western edge of the Appalachian Mountains. Growers are advised to continue to monitor traps and scout fields as numerous flights have been documented in the past month and additional flights will remain possible through tomorrow. Once we get past mid-week, any migration risk looks little to none as northwest flow at least briefly locks in to much of the corn-growing region with the cold front focusing more in the mid-south. We may see some return southerly flow and potential migration risk by next weekend or early next week.