insects Archives - Page 4 of 11

Jake Ayre says he was happy with the results of the AAC Wheatland VB midget tolerant wheat he grew on his family’s farm this past summer (shown here with his dog, Finn) and will consider growing it again.

Protect the midge tolerant trait : there is no plan B

Without the proper refuge, midge tolerance could break down within 10 years

By Jim Timlick January 16, 2023

You wouldn’t buy a brand new house without purchasing a home insurance policy, and you wouldn’t take that classic Corvette out for a spin without auto insurance. That line of thinking can also apply to farming. As a farmer, if there’s something you can do to protect your investment, odds are you’re going to do […] Read more

Livestock, Reuters

French insect-based ingredients maker Ynsect to expand in North America

U.S. plant would use Ardent Mills' flour milling byproducts

By GFM Network News December 14, 2022

Paris | Reuters — French company Ynsect said on Tuesday it had signed deals to build insect ingredient production sites in the United States and in Mexico as the firm kicks off what it says will be the world’s largest insect farm. Ynsect breeds mealworms that produce proteins for aquaculture, livestock, pet food, fertilizers and […] Read more

Canola, Features

Put a stop to canola yield robbers

This Canola Council of Canada quiz can help

By Jay Whetter August 17, 2022

A big step to improve yield in canola comes down to managing the major “yield robbers” — diseases, weeds and insects. Pest management begins with regular scouting. In a survey of 1,000 canola growers last year, the Canola Council of Canada (CCC) learned 45 per cent of those surveyed scout their fields at least once […] Read more

Flea beetles in canola seedlings. (Canola Council of Canada video screengrab via YouTube)

Canola, Crops, Weather

Flea beetles an issue in parts of Saskatchewan

By GFM Network News July 5, 2022

MarketsFarm — Delays to spring seeding in some regions of Saskatchewan, such as the northeast, have opened the door for infestations of flea beetles, according to provincial pest management specialist James Tansey. Canola crops that were planted later than normal are suffering from flea beetles, he said. Extremely late-seeded canola has been relatively free from […] Read more

Crops, Weather

Eastern Prairies’ wet conditions may curb insect pest risk

Late-seeded crops may germinate more quickly in warmer soils

By GFM Network News May 17, 2022

MarketsFarm — If there could be one benefit to the excessive moisture across much of southern Manitoba and the Interlake region, that would be a potentially reduced risk for insect pests, according to John Gavloski, entomologist for Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Resource Development. For example, Gavloski cited flea beetles, which could damage canola. “If [canola] […] Read more

Grasshoppers were one of the two biggest insect concerns in Manitoba last growing season.

Crops, News

Is your insect management plan ‘snug as a bug’ this year?

Grasshoppers weather winter better than you think. Scout early and often to gauge insect risks

By Jim Timlick May 10, 2022

For farmers who live in areas of the Prairies that received above-average snowfall this past winter, one entomologist is cautioning them not to get lulled into a false sense of security about the threat posed by insects this growing season. “I’ve been cautioning people not to assume that there’s going to be any increased mortality […] Read more

Flea beetles become active with the first extended period of warm weather in April and May. Striped flea beetles (shown) emerge from winter rest one to four weeks before the all-black crucifer flea beetles.

Canola, Crops, Features

Flea beetles in canola: to spray or not to spray

Scouting your canola fields early — right after crop emergence — should tell you if foliar insecticide is needed or not

By Mark Halsall May 3, 2022

Flea beetles aren’t a persistent threat, but they can pose a serious problem for canola producers. Insecticide seed treatments generally do a good job of keeping these voracious insects in check, but if conditions are right, flea beetles can thrive and decimate a canola field in a matter of days. Last year’s drought in Western […] Read more

Alfalfa looper larva. (CanolaCouncil.org)

Crops, Reuters

U.S. to ban use of chlorpyrifos on food crops

Cancellation already scheduled for most outdoor use in Canada

By Tom Polansek, GFM Network News August 19, 2021

UPDATED, Aug. 25 –– Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday said it will ban the use on food crops of chlorpyrifos insecticide, which has been linked to health problems in children. The decision is a victory for environmental activists who have fought to stop the use of the chemical that […] Read more

This photo taken in April 2021 is a female Anna’s hummingbird enjoying apple blossoms.

Farm Life, FarmLife

What to do if you get stung by an insect

Singing Gardener: Plus, a reader shares her experiences with hummingbirds

By Ted Meseyton July 16, 2021

It was the third ring on my telephone when I picked it up and answered. A woman with an anxious-sounding voice on the other end said, “Hi Ted, this is Marlene. I just got stung by a wasp or a bee — not sure which. I was outside folding towels that had dried in open-air […] Read more

Crops, Features

Tips to scout and identify crop pest grasshopper species

Flying before June, coloured hind wings and sings? It’s not eating your crops. Here’s how to identify the ones that are

By Angela Lovell June 10, 2021

It can be hard to distinguish between grasshopper species as many of them appear to look similar. And while they may look alike, only a few of them pose a threat to farmers. A typical Prairie system of pasture, cropland and roadside vegetation, for instance, might have 30 to 40 different species, but only four […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures higher on screwworm news

Trade mission heads for Japan as Canada becomes the country’s top pork supplier

U.S. grains: Soybeans drop on lack of Chinese demand, wheat hits contract lows

GFM Network News