By Alice McFarlane

Insect Maps

Provincial insect maps released

Feb 8, 2019 | 12:49 PM

As producers prepare for the 2019 growing season they will have another tool to help manage pests.

The Ministry of Agriculture insect forecast maps were released for pea leaf weevil, wheat midge, grasshopper, bertha army worm and cabbage seedpod weevil.

Crop Extension Specialist Kaeley Kindrachuk said the ministry leads and participates in a number of surveys each year. Through this information forecast maps are produced.

The grasshopper forecase map is the first released in the series.

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“Actually looks pretty light, except for a few spots south of Kindersley and between Weyburn and Estevan,” Kindrachuk said.

Another map the ministry released is for the bertha army worm.

“For the most part this is fairly light. Some concern south of Watrous and around Outlook and near Kindersley,” Kindrachuk said.

The forecast maps were created to provide some direction as to where farmers should be looking. Kindrachuk said the maps are strictly guidelines as conditions can change.

“These are just to be used as tools,” Kindrachuk said. “Weather can definitely influence what insects we see so nothing will ever replace actually going to the field and taking a look at each field individually.”

(submitted photo/Ministry of Agriculture)