Soybean Aphid
Moderate soybean aphid risks continue especially across the upper Midwest from eastern North Dakota southeast into Minnesota, far northern Iowa, and also into west central Wisconsin this week. Low risks continue from the eastern Dakotas into northeast Nebraska, northern Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, northern Illinois, northern Indiana and Ohio, and lower Michigan in addition to southern Ontario, Canada. Continued isolated to scattered reports of soybean aphids reaching or exceeding economic threshold values are coming in from the Low risk area, with greatest concern in the Moderate risk area where more problems, although still scattered in nature, persist. The greatest concern at this point is in late or re-planted fields across the upper Midwest where conditions are drier as these fields will be most attractive to soybean aphids in the coming weeks. Recent and expected heavy rainfall events, however, may keep soybean aphid counts lower in some areas and predators continue to keep populations in check in some regions as well. Still, if you have fields located in any risk area, it is encouraged that you continue to scout until the soybeans advance past the R5 growth stage as populations can migrate and/or increase in population quickly.