Western Bean Cutworm
The annual western bean cutworm flight is beginning to wind down across much of the United States corn-growing region, but continues across portions of Ontario and Quebec, Canada. Greatest moth flights and pressure from this insect will focus from far eastern lower Michigan into southern Ontario, Canada and into portions of eastern Ontario and southwest Quebec, Canada over the next week or two. High risks remain in place across southwest Ontario, Canada where moth captures are or have just recently been consistently high and where the greatest egg laying/larvae pressure is likely to exist. Moderate risks extend from eastern lower Michigan into southern Ontario as well as eastern Ontario and southwest Quebec, Canada in the next week as well. Low risks for a continued isolated but primarily waning western bean cutworm threat continues from northeast Colorado into far northwest Kansas, Nebraska, southeast South Dakota, far northwest Missouri, Iowa, southeast Minnesota, central/southern Wisconsin, northern Illinois, northern and central Indiana and Ohio, central and southern lower Michigan, northwest Pennsylvania upstate New York, and into Ontario and Quebec, Canada. Growers located in lower Michigan and into Ontario and Quebec, Canada should especially continue to monitor trap counts and signs of egg laying in the week ahead, and time any needed insecticide applications based on field level thresholds and development of eggs/larvae.