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

What to do if you get stung by an insect

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

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

The two-striped grasshopper.

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

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


Cutworms. (Photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Prairie growers on lookout as insects seize opportunity

Dry conditions, delayed seeding lift pest counts

MarketsFarm — With most Prairie growers’ newly seeded crops already up against dry conditions, growers remain on the lookout for insects which further threaten the health of those seedlings. Considering the high prices of many crops this season, the potential damage would be more costly. John Gavloski, entomologist for Manitoba Agriculture, said there is a […] Read more

Reports of spraying for diamond-back moths were very low in Alberta and Saskatchewan in 2020 and limited to only a few fields in Manitoba.

Your 2020 canola insect roundup

How big of a bite did pests take out of canola crops last year?

Mother Nature rarely gives an easy ride on the Prairie pest front. And 2020 was no exception, said James Tansey, Saskatchewan Agriculture’s provincial insect and vertebrate pest specialist, at Canola Council of Canada’s Canola Week 2020 held last December. Though some key canola pest species showed relatively low population densities in 2020, other pests caused […] Read more


In a range of crops last year, dingy and redback cutworms were a widespread problem in Manitoba and may continue to be an issue this year. In Saskatchewan, farmers should be on the lookout for redback and pale western cutworms.

Insect pests to watch for in 2021

Provincial experts discuss top pest threats for your region and offer tips for scouting

It’s easy for farmers to get “scouted out.” Between crop diseases, destructive crop insects and simply checking for yield and growth stage, scouting can be a full-time job in and of itself. Knowing what to focus on can help. Experts across the Prairies are weighing in on the most likely insect threats for the 2021 […] Read more

Figuring out all the angles on rotation can be a complex challenge for farmers.

Rotation, rotation, rotation are a farmer’s best friend in the field

Not rotating crops and chemistries might just be the opportunity crop pests were waiting for

[UPDATED: April 1, 2021] Rotation isn’t a new word, but applying it to all aspects of annual crop production might be a newer concept for western Canadian farmers looking to keep a step ahead of various crop pests, say specialists with Corteva Agriscience. A proper crop rotation, a proper variety rotation, a proper herbicide rotation, […] Read more


(Innovafeed.com)

ADM, InnovaFeed to build world’s biggest insect protein plant in Illinois

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. grain trader and processor Archer Daniels Midland and French biotech company InnovaFeed announced plans on Thursday to build the world’s largest insect protein plant at Decatur, Illinois. The announcement comes amid rising global feed grain prices and tightening supplies, and as more companies work toward reducing the carbon footprint of […] Read more

Monarch butterflies hibernating in Mexico on fir trees.

Glyphosate gets off the butterfly hook

An example of a blatant effort to find a pesticide scapegoat

When I lived in Ontario in the early seventies, monarch butterflies were a common sight in the Guelph area, especially in late September. I would be coaching rugby on the University of Guelph rugby field late in the day and I would see hundreds of monarch butterflies heading south over the playing field at a […] Read more


Cabbage seedpod weevil.

Prairie Pest Monitoring Network launches website

The new website predicts insect risks, monitors insect populations and offers information on scouting, chemical controls and more

The Prairie Pest Monitoring Network (PPMN) launched a new website last July at Prairiepest.ca. The PPMN is a Prairie-wide insect pest monitoring group that provides valuable information, predicts insect risks, monitors insect populations and offers information to growers and agronomists to help them scout for pests, time their scouting activities, and make decisions about using […] Read more

By controlling grasshoppers in the nymph stage, you can keep them from feasting on your fields later on when they reach adulthood.

Higher grasshopper nymph populations expected this spring in Manitoba

Manage nymphs in hatching areas before they disperse into crops

It’ll come as no surprise to Manitoba producers that the major pests to watch for this coming growing season are flea beetles in canola as well as grasshoppers and cutworms across all Prairie crops. All three are well established in Manitoba, all three overwinter in the province and all three showed high populations last year. […] Read more