Important Pest Alert

As was feared, the Orange Wheat Blossom Midge has been found in Richland County. Pheromone traps that were placed in fields by staff at the EARC have been capturing an increasing number of this potentially serious wheat pest. The photograph below shows a trap taken from a field in Richland County. If you are a wheat producer, it is imperative that you scout your fields for the pest. A recommended method for scouting is to go into your field at dusk as the midge adults (if there are any present) will be hovering above the canopy at that time. Pick 3 to 4 random spots in the field and monitor the adult midge activity. If you notice 1 midge per 6 wheat heads then control may be warranted. Provided that this threshold is met, the optimum stage to apply an insecticide is when 70 percent of the crop is headed. Applications prior to this growth stage will result in reduced control. In fact, if only 30 percent of the crop is headed, you should wait up to four days before treating. Likewise, applications made after 70 percent heading may result in reduced control and can potentially kill beneficial parasitic wasps as well. For more information on control options, crop progress, and Midge monitoring results, consult the MSU Pest Management Network at http://pestweb.montana.edu/. Information in regards to control can be found at http://wiki.bugwood.org/HPIPM:Orange_Wheat_Blossom_Midge