The Last pest report of the year came out this week, detailing the notable insects on the fields this year.
Dr John Gavloski, the entomologist for this report went through some of the details this year, noting prominent levels of flea beetles, and declining levels of cutworms.
one thing that was remarkably different this year was grasshoppers.
"They're doing a survey right now on grasshoppers. Levels seem down from where they were over the last few years even."
Dr. Gavloski expects these numbers are due to the rain from early in the season.
"Rain, when the eggs have just hatched and they're really young grasshoppers, can be really hard on them. When they hatch from the egg, they don't have fat reserves yet, and they have to feed quickly to get their fat reserves built up and if they don't have a chance to do that because it's pouring rain, you'll get quite a few of them dying off"
Stay tuned for Monday's Noon-hour edition of Agriview for the full conversation with Dr. John Gavloski.
