Researchers Study Invasive Alien Insects

Insects can destroy crops, resulting in millions of dollars in lost yield.

 

That's why researchers at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) want to know more about invasive alien insects before they become a threat here in Canada.

 

Dr. Meghan Vankosky is based in Saskatoon.

 

"The objective of the project was to identify a few insect species of concern that could become invasive in Canada and use information on their biology and the climate date from Canada in order to put those things into a model to predict where in Canada those particular species might become established and if they have known parasitoids or predators then we were also hoping to include the parasitoids and predators in that model because that would allow for future work in biological control."

 

Video: Spring Planting Prep Just Got Serious… We NEED This!

Getting closer to planting season means one thing… it’s time to get EVERYTHING ready.

Today didn’t go exactly as planned—we thought we’d be hauling potatoes again, but instead we spent the day digging equipment out of the cellar, hooking up the grain drill, and getting tractors ready to roll. With wheat planting just around the corner, every piece of equipment matters.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a normal day without a few problems… dead batteries, hydraulic issues, and a truck tire that absolutely refused to cooperate. We tried everything—jump packs, bead bazooka, ratchet straps… and eventually had to bring out the “big guns” just to get things moving again.

But that’s farm life—adapt, fix, and keep moving forward.

We’re getting close to go-time. Wheat seed is coming soon, and planting season is right around the corner