We’ve pretty much wrapped up this season in terms of insect control. Below are the last few reminders as we close out this year’s crop.

Pastures

Fall armyworms have been quite the scourge in our pastures throughout the state. It appears infestations have subsided. But continue to watch any pastures that you plan to cut one more time. Populations may rebound, and these critters can potentially hang around until the first frost. Refer to this previous article if you need a refresher on when and with what to treat.

Soybean

With the exception of stink bugs, insect problems in soybean are generally mild. It appears many of the loopers and green cloverworms have succumbed to various diseases. 

Stink bugs still remain a threat to our latest fields, and many fields are at or approaching treatment levels. We discussed when or when not to treat in a recent article. It is treatment-level infestations that start before R6 that have the greatest potential to reduce yields. 

Many people will elect not to spray fields because of the concerns about sprayer damage. This is a legitimate concern, especially if you are spraying narrow rows, with a small boom width. It's even worse in smaller fields where a lot of turning is required. We’ve seen research indicating anywhere from 0 to 4 bushels lost from tire tracks depending upon row width, boom wide, maturity of the crop, etc. This is good reason to consider hiring an airplane when a spray is needed.

Wheat

This is a good time to remind people to NOT plant too early. Plantings before the fly-free date (Oct. 15), and particularly those in September, are much more likely to be infested during the fall with Hessian flies and aphids. You should also consider this if using wheat for a cover crop. This can build populations of Hessian flies that attack nearby fields.