Daily Network News

More News →

Tag Archives insects

A tray of black soldier fly larvae photographed in Malaysia in 2022 at Nutrition Technologies’ plant.
Farmit Manitoba

From ashes to fly larvae, new ideas aim to revive farm soil

New research aims to take the fight to stave off soil degradation in a promising new direction

By
Reuters – As extreme weather and human activity degrade the world’s arable land, scientists and developers are looking at new and largely unproven methods to save soil for agriculture. One company is injecting liquid clay into California desert to trap moisture and help fruit to grow, while another in Malaysia boosts soil with droppings from
With grasshopper populations rising, now might be the time to consider some new strategies.
News

Grasshopper populations on the rise

Lessons from organic farms reveal a broader approach to grasshopper management

By
There is a low risk of a widespread grasshopper infestation in Manitoba this year, though there are a few areas of concern. “I don’t want people to let the guard down,” says John Gavloski, Manitoba Agriculture’s entomologist. “I certainly don’t want to indicate that we’re in an outbreak because I don’t believe that’s necessarily true.
“[Flea beetle] seem to overwinter well under our Prairie conditions and we don’t have the natural enemies that seem to knock a population out, the way it does to other insects.” – John Gavloski.
News

The year in pest insects on Manitoba fields

There were many of the usual suspects and some strange new issues in Manitoba fields last season

By
Flea beetles and grasshoppers topped provincial entomologist John Gavloski’s list as the peskiest insects on Manitoba farms this past season and he said producers should be on the lookout for them next year. In addition, “we’ve got three aphid species this year along with your army worms, lygus and cutworms, but our biggest surprise of the year
Flea beetles are showing signs of resistance to pyrethroids in Europe, where neonics have been banned for years.
Crops, Oilseeds

Neonics still best flea beetle option

There’s mounting evidence the European ban has significant unintended consequences, entomologist says

By
Neonicotinoids used as a seed treatment remain the safest and most effective tool for managing flea beetles, an entomologist says. Neonicotinoids are a widely used class of insecticides available since the 1990s. Concerns about their environmental impact emerged in the early 2000s, when studies showed they caused harm to honeybees and other pollinators. These findings
Clumps of grasshoppers, killed by a fungus, are scattered throughout a field.
Crops, News

Weird pest phenomena a boon for farmers

They might sound creepy, but aphid ‘mummies’ and ‘summit disease’ are signs friendly fungi, insects are at hand

By
For once, it’s not a bad thing if the mummy returns – unless you’re an aphid. In 2022, pea aphids plagued many Manitoba farmers, said John Gavloski, entomologist with Manitoba Agriculture. Aphids on soybeans also hit economic levels, particularly in the central, east and Interlake regions. “Some people were caught in a dilemma,” Gavloski told
“Having more selective insecticide options is welcome, as a fundamental component of integrated pest management is preserving natural enemies of crop feeding pests.” – John Gavloski, Manitoba Agriculture.
Crops, News

New weapon launched against aphids

Group 29 insecticide Carbine was registered at the end of November

By
Pulse and alfalfa growers will have another arrow in their quiver to battle aphids this summer. Ag-chemical company FMC has announced that its flonicamid-based insecticide, Carbine, has the stamp of approval from Canadian regulators and will reach the market in 2023. The Group 29 product “disrupts the potassium channels in the pests’ nervous system,” interfering
Varroa mites feeding on honeybee pupae.
Livestock

Control slipping on varroa mites

Anecdotal and small scale studies continue to suggest that a leading varroa mite control product may no longer be enough

By
The quest to find effective varroa mite control has given producers little respite this year, according to the Manitoba Beekeepers Association. Chair Ian Steppler says producers are once again reporting varroa infestations. “There are producers who are talking about not being able to keep the mite counts down, so that’s the only concern about our
Edible mealworms in a wooden spoon
Livestock

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

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

By ,
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
Aphids were once again a problem to contend with this year.
News

It’s a wrap on harvest 2022

Late seeding, wet conditions affected almost all aspects of this year’s crop

By
Despite normal or slightly above average crop quality and yield, it was far from a typical year for most farmers. For the province’s roll call of extension specialists, it wasn’t a typical year either. The extreme weather swing this year compared to 2021 left grain farmers fighting late seeding, different staging for insects and disease pressure but yields
A trap crop could lure the pests into a spot where they can be more readily managed.
Crops, News

Pea leaf weevil a tough pest to control

Uneven emergence and unpredictable life cycle make it a worthy opponent

By
The pea leaf weevil has a biology that’s a real pain in the anatomy when growing field peas or faba beans. Whatever the management strategy, the beetle shrugs and walks away pretty much unscathed. Agriculture Canada entomologist Meghan Vankosky in Saskatoon has spent the last few years looking at the weevil’s biology to find a

AgCanadaTV

AgCanadaTV: In case you missed it; your national ag news recap for Feb. 6, 2026

Sponsored by:
More Videos →

Cyber-Savvy Farmer

Glacier Farmmedia Podcast

Latest Market News

More Market News →