Western Bean Cutworm
The annual western bean cutworm flight has begun in the usual hot spots for this insect. Moths are appearing, so far mainly at very low numbers, in portions of Nebraska as well as in the Great Lakes region from Wisconsin south and east into Indiana. Corn is beginning to enter into susceptible stages to damage in some areas, so Low risks are in place for these early-emergent moths across northern Kansas into Nebraska as well as in Wisconsin, northern and central Indiana, northwest Ohio, and far southern lower Michigan. A Moderate risk is also in place across far northern Kansas into southern Nebraska by late week and into next weekend as this should be the region that potentially sees moth captures increase the earliest and also where some corn may be entering into critical growth stages. Growers should monitor traps and where captures are increasing, be on the lookout for egg masses on corn leaves and be prepared to take treatment steps based on threshold values for this insect.