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Wheat head armyworms spotted in Alberta

Aug. 28, 2014 - Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (AARD) insect management specialist Scott Meers says there have been some reports of wheat head armyworms, with one "pretty major hotspot" in Wheatland County and into Kneehill County, with some calls from the Peace this year as well.

Meers says the insect is hard to see because it's the colour of ripening wheat. The insect lays along the awn and feeds on the developing kernels, "so you'll get kernels with holes in them and half-eaten kernels.

"The good news is we really rarely see anything for numbers. Generally, the numbers are so low that it's just more of a curiosity or an oddity. There are no established thresholds so it's hard to get a read on whether we should be spraying or not."

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September 2, 2014  By Top Crop Manager

Wheat head armyworm The insect is difficult to spot as it is the same colour as the kernels.