Alberta’s provincial grasshopper forecast map for 2016. Maximum risk ratings for June-July range from “very light” (green) to “severe” (red). (Stephen Ausmus photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

‘Severe’ grasshopper numbers loom over northern Alberta

CNS Canada –– A mild winter and a warm, dry spring have created some favourable hatching conditions for grasshoppers in Alberta, with the possibility of a severe outbreak in some areas. According to Mark Cutts, a crop specialist with Alberta Agriculture in Stettler, higher numbers of grasshoppers lie in a region northwest of Edmonton. Beyond […] Read more

(CanolaCouncil.org)

EU food safety experts warn on crop insecticide

Brussels | Reuters –– Dimethoate, an insecticide widely used to protect crops such as cherries, could be harmful to humans, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which advises EU policymakers, said Tuesday. The report follows a request from France, which is calling for a Europe-wide ban of the substance made by companies including BASF and […] Read more

(CanolaCouncil.org)

Prairies’ dry fields good, if you’re a grasshopper

CNS Canada –– Dry conditions causing production concerns across large areas of Alberta and Saskatchewan are certainly bad for the crops, but the weather could prove ideal for grasshoppers. Grasshopper forecast maps put out over the winter were not initially all that bad for Alberta and Saskatchewan, given the conditions in 2014, but weather in […] Read more

Flea beetle feeding (Photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Pests likely to survive Manitoba winter

CNS Canada –– Sufficient snow cover will likely help insect crop pests survive the winter in Manitoba, despite a recent bout of extremely cold weather. “Snow is a great insulator, so even though we have had some quite cool temperatures the last several weeks, where the insects are beneath the snow it’s actually nice and […] Read more

(CanolaCouncil.org)

Grasshopper risk light in most of Western Canada

CNS Canada — Most of Western Canada is expected to see low populations of grasshoppers in 2015, although there are a few areas of concern, according to forecasts from the three provinces. Most of Manitoba has a low risk of seeing high grasshopper populations this year, according to a forecast from Manitoba Agriculture, Food and […] Read more