Insect pest pressure in the 2020 growing season is quite clearly divided between Eastern and Western Canada. The hot, dry conditions in Ontario have resulted in an increase of insect pests in variety and populations. On the Prairies, the wet conditions haven’t allowed many insect pests to flourish, so pressure is lower across the board, but there are some new insects to watch out for.

Tracey Baute, field crop entomologist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), and Tyler Wist, field crop entomologist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in Saskatoon, shed light on the environmental conditions create insect pressure, which insects to watch for in August, and useful resources that will help identify and manage insect pests.

• @TraceyBaute on Twitter
• Field Crop News
• Corn silk-clipping threats
• Baute Bug Blog
• Hashtags to follow on Twitter: #scout20, #ontag
• Great Lakes and Maritimes Pest Monitoring Network
• OMAFRA Publication 811, Agronomy Guide for Field Crops
• Pest Manager app (second app in the list)
• @TylerWist1 on Twitter
• Field Heroes
• Field crop and forage pests and their natural enemies in Western Canada: identification and management
• The new Prairie Pest Monitoring Network website
• Western Forum on Pest Management
• Meghan Vankosky and Boyd Mori on Twitter