Western Bean Cutworm
The annual western bean cutworm emergence and flight is expected to increase in the next week or so, with greatest increases in moth counts and captures expected over the usual “hot spots” in the central Plains states with an eventual increase further east into the Great Lakes region. Moderate risks are now in place across northern Kansas and southern Nebraska where emergence and moth activity is most likely to be the greatest, with eventual Moderate risks by late week and into next weekend (and beyond) across far northern Indiana, northwest Ohio, southern lower Michigan, and into far southern Ontario, Canada as the flight increases there. Low risks are found across Nebraska/Kansas as well as central Wisconsin and much of the southern Great Lakes region, as well. Growers are encouraged to monitor moth captures in their traps and scout fields that are near or in critical growth stages as the treatment window for western bean cutworms is fairly narrow and recent/expected heat will push crops further along in their growth more quickly.