Soybean Aphids Increasing

Some pictures have been coming in with soybean leaves puckered on top with some edges turning yellow. Soybean aphid numbers are rapidly multiplying and injuring the top couple of trifoliates. Again, in every instance, a seed insecticide was not used. If you did not treat your soybean seeds, you should be out scouting for aphids. I looked at a soybean field that I had found aphids last week and they are now covering the top three trifoliates. I could now find many ladybug larvae feeding on the aphids that were not there last week. I will follow up to see if they gain any ground next week. I checked a couple other close fields that were treated, and I could not find any aphids. Remember the threshold for aphids is 250 per plant on 80% of the plants.

What is This Insect in My Soybeans?

See the photo below. I get this question every year and have had it twice in the last week. This black and orange, alligator of the insect world, is the larva of the ladybug. The literature varies but most agree that the larva can consume 20 to 25 aphids

a day over the three weeks before it pupates. It is reported that adults will eat double that. If you see them in your soybeans right now, it means that you have soybean aphids. You better take a closer look!

Are You Ready for Wheat Harvest?

Malting barley fields were harvested this weekend and some moistures were below 14%. There were many fields over 100 bushels so I’m excited for wheat harvest to begin. I haven’t heard of any wheat moistures yet, but this hot weather should speed us up. On good days, wheat will dry down between 2 to 3% moisture a day. Combines need to be ready to go and check some grain moistures in the earliest planted fields this weekend. If moistures are at least 20% and you are drying on-farm, best to harvest now before the next rain. I believe this is the best step for getting the highest quality grain you can this year. Much of the literature says that we can lose a pound in test weight with each rain event after grain maturity. Hopefully, the grain bins are all cleaned out and ready for new crop. Tempo Ultra SC can be used as an empty bin insecticide treatment and Storcide II can still be applied to the grain for longer term protection in storage.

Next report will be July 12.