Insect Alert For

Corn Earworm

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

Corn earworm migration risks will be in the forecast the next four nights as a favorable weather pattern along with crops at a susceptible stage to damage leads to a prolonged migration window. Low risks are predicted tonight and tomorrow night across Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri, with the risk slightly further north tonight also into far southern South Dakota and extreme southern Minnesota as a weak cold front boundary moves southeast into the region. Moderate risks, however, are in place over the weekend across a large portion of the corn-growing region from eastern Nebraska and South Dakota into Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, southwest lower Michigan, Indiana, and far northwest Ohio as a stronger cold front moves southeast through the region. South to southwest winds originating initially in the southern Plains but eventually into the mid-south region may lead to scattered flights especially over the weekend into early next week ahead of the cold front. Corn earworms have already been found in some fresh market produce in portions of the corn-growing region so growers should be on the alert for potential larvae now but also new moth flights and subsequent problems over the next few weeks.