Saskatchewan Insect Update

Jun 04, 2020

With seeding operations wrapping up farmers are out scouting fields for weeds or insect damage.

The Province's Insect Specialist, James Tansey says they've had some reports of heavy damage to seedling Canola from flea beetles.

"For some growers, seedling emergence coincided with the emergence of flea beetles. They did suffer some damage and had to do some over sprays."

He says the southern part of the Province is now passed the peak emergence for flea beetles, while producers just getting the crop in may have missed the insect damage.

Tansey is also warning canola producers that we're seeing a larger population and earlier migration of diamondback moths this year.

He notes farmers will also see issues with wheat midge this year.

"We did see marked increases in detection of viable wheat midge pupae from our survey last year, primarily in northern wheat-growing areas. Of course, those areas have recently received a bit of moisture. This midge requires 25 millimeters of rain by the end of May and I think some of those regions may have achieved that."

He says as far as other insects, the pea leaf weevil survey is underway now, but there were very low numbers last year.

Meantime, grasshopper populations are reportedly showing an increase around the Estevan and Kindersley areas.

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.