Western Bean Cutworm
Western bean cutworms continue to advance through their annual flight and egg-laying cycles in the usual hot spot areas of the corn-growing region. We are beginning to see signs of the flight subsiding, however, in some areas both in the Plains states and the Great Lakes region where pressure is the highest. High risks remain in portions of central and southern Nebraska this week, but the High risk previously in Kansas has been reduced to a Moderate (more scattered) risk as the peak flight appears to be focusing more in Nebraska now. Moderate risks also extend into northeastern Colorado, as well. Similarly, the peak flight is beginning to subside across Indiana and Ohio, with more moth pressure now focusing across lower Michigan east into southern Ontario and southwest Quebec, Canada. Nonetheless, moths are still present across all of this region, and Moderate risks extend from Indiana and Ohio north and east to account for the risk. More isolated issues may appear in portions of Wisconsin and even further west into South Dakota, Minnesota, and northern Iowa, but any problems in areas west of the Mississippi River (outside of the Plains) are expected to be too isolated to warrant a risk. Growers are encouraged to scout regularly as treatment windows for this insect are very narrow to be effective.