In his weekly Call of the Land interview, Alberta Agriculture pest specialist Scott Meers says there is a high risk of bertha armyworm infestation in the Lacombe/Stettler area and moderate risk elsewhere. He suggests checking the bertha trap map and zooming in to check the risk in your area.
Meers says there are some reports of wheat stem maggots and leaf miners, but both cause minor damage and that parasitoids are helping with control.
As for an alligator-like insect which has been reported in wheat and canola, leave it be. It’s the larva of the ladybug, a voracious predator of aphids.
