Soybean Pest Podcast

It's a low-key episode that features new intro and outro-music and a new pest noted in our round up (grasshoppers). Erin's had a long week talking about corn rootworms. We recap the current insect species occuring in soybean fields (grasshoppers, Japanese beetles, soybean aphids, a mix of caterpillars). Some pests are no longer present on the plants as the second generation is developing as immature stages in the soil. These are gall midges and bean leaf beetles. Matt tries to bring her spirits up with two trivia question. The first is a bit silly, noting the music videos on youtube that have been viewed over one billion times. The second question is a FIT that Erin gets immediately. Erin's on a roll. see you next week, and as always, consider scouting your fields. Matt

Part two is an interview with our listener, Dr. Dominic Reisig of North Carolina State University. Dr Reisig is a Professor and Extension specialist in the Entomology and Plant Pathology Department. Dominic develops pest management programs for insects pests of corn, soybean cotton and small grains. https://cals.ncsu.edu/entomology-and-plant-pathology/people/ddreisig/. Hes' a long time listener and first time visitor to the SPP.  We invited him onto discuss stink bugs as pest of corn. The majority of our discussion this week is about four stink bug species (brown, southern green, green and the brown marmorated stink bugs) that can attack corn in the south. Dominic identifies stink bugs as the number one pest of corn in North Carolina. For more details visit this website: https://corn.ces.ncsu.edu/stink-bug-management-in-corn/. We discuss how best to sample stink bugs on corn when there is a risk of feeding on the ear. To see this scouting in action, watch this youtube video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUXf15Q-VuU&list=PLlmI2LdCTo8yP0eWDpUmVZe5gMkkoPzDt&index=11 Finally, we get to a F.I.T. for a Big 12 vs ACC showdown. Erin goes head-to-head against Dominic with a simple question about the etymology of the name for the family of insects to which stink bugs belong, the Pentatomidae.

This week's podcast is a long one that we split into two parts.  Part one is our usual pest round out. Erin gives us a quick summary of the insects active in soybeans. It's the usual for this time of year, Japanese beetles, rootworms in corn, gall midges in soybeans and potato leaf hoppers in alfalfa.    Soybean gall midges are active now and to find more information on what to look for when scouting, visit this website: https://soybeangallmidge.org/ Part two is an interview with our listener, Dr. Dominic Reisig of North Carolina State University. Dr Reisig is a Professor and Extension specialist in the Entomology and Plant Pathology Department. Dominic develops pest management programs for insects pests of corn, soybean cotton and small grains. https://cals.ncsu.edu/entomology-and-plant-pathology/people/ddreisig/. Hes' a long time listener and first time visitor to the SPP.  We invited him onto discuss stink bugs as pest of corn.

Here at the soybean pest podcast, we do not limit ourselves to our namesake. After Erin summarizes ongoing effortst to track insect pests of soybeans, we look to Iowa's other commodity, corn. She breaks down the progress of soybean aphids, Japanese beetles, thistle caterpillars and  leaf hoppers (in the drought plagued corner of nortwest Iowa). We discuss corn rootworms, and old wives tale connecting rootworms to lighting beetles and a surprise attack of stink bugs to a corn field in southeastern Iowa. If you want more immediate pest alerts, consider joining the Midwest Pest Alert Network: https://pestalerts.extension.iastate.edu/ After the pest talk, Erin shares a new insect identification challenge from University of Nebraska. See how well you do against Professor Doctor Erin, she scored a 97%. https://4h.unl.edu/online-insect-id-contest?fbclid=IwAR1uNzEBoqEgQx9QYcw8_p4nepJCnX9Mmwqd8twbSFx-owINXDfX90JARoM Matt completes the pod with a Fun Insect Trivia question.  What do the four insects have in common? Below are the scientific names that he tries to pronounce. If you look up the common names, you'll immediately learn the answer. 1.Aphis nerii 2.Tetraopes tetrophthalmus 3.Oncopeltus fasciatus 4.Danaus plexippus  

Erin and Matt recap a week that saw several firsts for 2022. Soybean aphids were first sighted, so too were thistle caterpillars, and Japanese beetles.  We are obligated to encourage you to scout for these pests, as the season goes on. Thier first appearance is not a cause for alarm, just a reminder that these potential pests may cause trouble later in the season. If you value updates about pests, consider signing up for pest-alerts: https://pestalerts.extension.iastate.edu/ After summarizing 5 different pests (soybean aphids, Japanese beetles, Thistle caterpillars, gall midge, Armyworms), Matt introduces 2022's first Fun Insect Trivia question. For more about the topic of the F.I.T., visit these websites: https://www.weareiowa.com/article/tech/science/environment/iowa-invasive-species-month-dnr-emerald-ash-borer-brown-marmorated-stink-bug/524-c701d374-52dc-4ba1-a4dc-c7505a3da30a https://www.inhf.org/blog/blog/5-of-iowas-most-invasive-species-and-how-to-get-rid-of-them/

Despite a slow start to planting, some insects are starting to respond to emerging soybeans. In this episode Erin and Matt kick off the 13th season on the 13th of June with a brief discussion of the spiders on Stranger Things before getting into soybean pest activity. Erin reviews predictions about bean leaf beetle winter mortality and subsequent activity on spring emerging soybeans.  Erin also reviews her groups work tracking several lepidopteran pests (that's a bunch of moth species that feed as caterpillars on corn and soybeans).  Matt notes that it's not just soybeans that these hungry beetles are feeding on. For more details about the overwintering survival of bean leaf beetles- https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/cropnews/2022/04/another-tough-winter-bean-leaf-beetle Erin and her technician Ashley Dean have developed a pest alert system. Visit this website for more details- https://pestalerts.extension.iastate.edu/. If you are looking for an interesting event about pollinators, visit ISU's Pollinator Fest on 25 June at Rieman Gardens, just south of the Jack Trice stadium.

Erin and Matt welcome Ashley Dean to the podcast to talk about her work tracking and trapping insect pests of corn and soybeans in Iowa, and the breaking news that the EPA has banned chlorpyrifos. Ashley gives us an update on the low populations of soybean aphids, occurrences of spider mites and grasshoppers, and the slow spread of soybean gall midge into the more central part of Iowa.  She also shares her work on trapping corn rootworms and the discovery of a red western corn rootworm. We geek-out a bit about that one. We discuss the recent announcement that the EPA is reducing the tolerances for chlorpyrifos to zero for all foods.  This is a bigger deal than the announcement just over a year ago that Corteva would stop producing chlorpyrifos. Ashley Dean wrote an article about that decision: https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/cropnews/2020/02/corteva%E2%84%A2-end-chlorpyrifos-production-what-does-mean-iowa-farmers We discuss how the removal of chlorpyrifos will reduce the number of insecticides with different modes of action that corn and soybean farmers can use.  For details about modes of action, visit this website: https://irac-online.org/modes-of-action/. There are insecticides that can replace chlorpryifos, but they are more expensive.  For soybean aphids, there are also aphid-resistant varieties. Ashley wrote an article about the economic factors related to pest management and soybean production. She developed partial budgets for this article that goes into great detail about the costs of different approaches for managing the soybean aphid: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ps.6093

We got some rain in central Iowa , but it is still hot and dry. This is important for the pest that is the subject of today's Fun Insect Trivia (FIT). IN addition to that pest, Erin and I discuss the insect pests that are persisting into August. Erin runs down the list of insects that are active in corn and soybean fields- rootworms, Japanese beetles, gall midges and soybean aphids. Although rootworms are active and surprising some farmers in their abundance, Japanese beetles are appearing to be limited to field edges. Gall midges were found in western Iowa, but aphids are low to non-existent.  Our last pest is the topic of todays FIT. Matt asks Erin a series of questions that include the pictures below, which are leaves damaged by this pest.  See if you can match Erins knowledge on this pest.   We also discuss the upcoming fair season- check out Erin in the beer tent on August 14-15. We also discuss the latest edition of the Tenderloin trail. https://www.iowapork.org/popular-tenderloin-trail-2-0-version/ Matt was also interviewed about the STRIPS project, including a discussion about the impact of CP43 for pollinator conservation: https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/local/iowa-state-university-prairie-strips-project-farmland-benefits/524-84d4d05c-59cc-47c8-916d-16cf6c0dfd60  

Erin's back. ON this episode we talk soybean aphids (so few), soybean gall midge (they are active agian), redheaded flea beetle (not really a pest, but common in some parts of Iowa) and on ogoing research. Erin shares with us a might haul of articles she just published in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management. Check this links for her work on some key pests, including one on the soybean gall midge (is it new to science? read and find out). 1.Identification and Biology of Common Caterpillars in U.S. Soybean https://academic.oup.com/jipm/article/12/1/13/6175259 2.Soybean Gall Midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), a New Species Causing Injury to Soybean in the United States  https://academic.oup.com/jipm/article/12/1/8/6140900 3.Current Distribution and Population Persistence of Five Lepidopteran Pests in U.S. Soybean https://academic.oup.com/jipm/article/12/1/11/6175257 4.Needs Assessment for Corn Insect Pest Management in Iowa https://academic.oup.com/jipm/article/12/1/pmab021/6319925   Finally, we discuss the FIT from last week. Check out the photo and hear Erin nail it! Read more about the insect that was the topic of this FIT here: https://beetlesinthebush.com/2013/11/29/t-g-i-flyday-soybean-nodule-fly/

This half pod is just Matt giving a few updates, a "thank you" to the Iowa Honey Producers Association and preparation for a Fun Insect Trivia (FIT) question for next week. Erin is out in the field today. She and I will return next week, Tuesday, to discuss what she is seeing in the field and the answer to the FIT. In the meantime, Matt wraps up the week of 12-16 July. One big observation is the occurence of soybean aphids at really low populations. One encouraging sign is the co-occurence of insect predators and mummies. The mummies are evidence that aphids have been parasitized by wasps.  Combined, these predators and parasitoid wasps may prevent outbreaks later in the summer. Matt gives a big thank you to the Iowa Honey Producers Association for the invite to speak at their field day last weekend. Ebert honey was the host, providing a great location to share our research on prairie strips.  The beekeepers were excited to learn more about this practice and how these patches could help improve honey bee productivity. Finally- Note the blurry picture below.  This picture was taken by a colleague working at a central Iowa research farm. Next week, I'll ask Erin what she thinks it is and what impact, if any, it could have on crops in Iowa.

This half pod is just Matt giving a few updates, a "thank you" to the Iowa Honey Producers Association and preparation for a Fun Insect Trivia (FIT) question for next week. Erin is out in the field today. She and I will return next week, Tuesday, to discuss what she is seeing in the field and the answer to the FIT. In the meantime, Matt wraps up the week of 12-16 July. One big observation is the occurence of soybean aphids at really low populations. One encouraging sign is the co-occurence of insect predators and mummies. The mummies are evidence that aphids have been parasitized by wasps.  Combined, these predators and parasitoid wasps may prevent outbreaks later in the summer. Matt gives a big thank you to the Iowa Honey Producers Association for the invite to speak at their field day last weekend. Ebert honey was the host, providing a great location to share our research on prairie strips.  The beekeepers were excited to learn more about this practice and how these patches could help improve honey bee productivity. Finally- Note the blurry picture below.  This picture was taken by a colleague working at a central Iowa research farm. Next week, I'll ask Erin what she thinks it is and what impact, if any, it could have on crops in Iowa. (Matt failed to add it in the original submission. Its added below.)

In todays episode, Erin shares her experience seeing RNAi-based techonology for rootworm management in action.  She was not impressed. Erin describes her rootworm trapping network as the adult rootworms start to emerge. If you would like to participate, contact Erin's colleague, Ashley Dean at adean@iastate.edu.  We talk about other insects including soybean gall midge, leafhoppers, flea beetles, and eventually soybean aphids. Matt offers up a Fun (?) Insect Trivia question. After listening read this for more detials: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2021.1065 Matt is talking at the Iowa Honey Producers Association on 10 July. Check this for more details: https://www.iowahoneyproducers.org/ See you next week.

The 4th of July weekend delayed Matt posting this podcast. We talk about pests: corn rootworms, japanese beetles, and soybean aphdis. The dry weather is making people worried about two-spotted spider mites, so we talk a bit about that. Matt gives shares a "Fun (?) Insect Trivia" question about the conservation reserve practice described as "Pollinator Habitat" or CP42.  Some new analysis of where CP42 is located in Iowa is the source of this question. We talk a bit about how and where this conservation practice is placed in Iowa farm land. For more information about CP42, visit https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/cp42_habitat.pdf  

Erin and Matt make it back for a second episode. There is a lot of soybean aphid talk in this episode, maybe, maybe too much talk. For a summary of some of that talk, check out this link (https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/blog/ashley-dean-erin-hodgson/first-soybean-aphids-found-central-iowa). If you get through the first 15 minutes and are still awake there is another 12 minutes about the following: Pea aphids on alfalfa in northern Iowa, may be insecticide resistant. Japanese beetle adults have emerged, look to them feeding on corn and soybean. Erin notes that the defoliation on younger soybeans is not 'more bad' than defoliation on older soybeans, it just looks worse because the beans are so small. Outside of crop pests, Erin shares a finding of 'kissing bugs' in Nebraska. This is a vector of Chagas disease, which can be lethal. https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Kissing-Bugs-and-Chagas-Disease-Parasite-Detected-for-the-First-Time-in-Nebraska-in-2020.aspx Matt gives Erin a FIT that involves this picture (what is the insect, listen to the podcast to find out). Erin is doing field days throughout the northern part of the state and at FEEL in central Iowa. Check her twitter account for details. Matt and many others are sharing their interests, research some swag at the Pollinator Fest at Reiman gardens: https://www.reimangardens.com/event/pollinator-fest-7/

Season 12 of the soybean pest podcast starts off with a bang, a hot, dry bang.  The midwestern drought is affecting all of us, even the 6-legged. Check the UNL drought monitor for the current status (hint, its bleak: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?IA) We talk spider mites, cause its hot and dry. Erin discusses the remarkable pests outbreaks occurring in alfalfa, exacerbated by a mild winter and hot, dry spring. Matt turns our attention to Japanese beetles (JB), and the duo speculate about the impact weather has on their abundance. Erin notes a trend of JB larvae in the interior of cropfields, not just the edges. (https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/cropnews/2021/06/japanese-beetle-adult-emergence-beginning-southern-iowa) Erin notes the first appearance of soybean gall midges in northeaster Iowa. Matt notes some progress in detecting insecticide resistant aphids. Rootworms are also discussed as we note egg hatch, signaled with the appearance of lightening bugs. Finally, Erin takes might to school with reports of the Hackberry emperor. Its a pretty butterfly, definitely not a thistle caterpillar and notorious for being a cheater (https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/blog/erin-hodgson/have-you-seen-cheater-butterfly) To wrap up- Erin gives updates on her live events and we note the 26 June is pollinator fest at Reiman gardens (https://www.reimangardens.com/event/pollinator-fest-7/) Also, did we mention its hot and dry? Stay tuned for weekly updates now that the field season is in full gear.

Erin reports back from a Extension meeting on the impact of the Derecho on agriculture in Iowa.  More details and help in recovering from the Derecho can be found here: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/disasterrecovery/ Matt tries to get our minds off of the Derecho, drought and rising soybean aphid populations with a Fun (?) Insect Trivia question. Stay safe. Courage, Matt

It was a terrible, horrible, no good very bad week in central Iowa.  Erin and I give a summary of the Derecho's impact. We give a brief shout-out to ISU Extension, and Meaghan Anderson's summary of the damage to corn (https://mailchi.mp/4d564a6886f2/aixk6z6qw1-5248549?e=89e709107e). Consider joining Meaghan's newsletter: https://iastate.us10.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=08f91c67b14ea5bf5a26ba3c9&id=dbef152d4f We also talk about the recent increase in soybean aphid populations and the occurence of sub-populations that are resistant to pyrethroids. This may result in soybean aphids remaining in fields that were sprayed with insecticide. No fun insect trivia this week. It was enough just to clear the yard, fields, etc and get the power back on.  

Erin and Matt are back after a week off of podcasting to discuss a remarkable sitatution in Iowa. Soybean plants are developing faster than normal, 1-2 weeks ahead of schedule.  Aphid populations are increasing. Are the plants going to out grow the aphids? So what should a farmer do? Erin and Matt discuss the pros and cons of a foliar insecticide application. Erin discusses some insects attacking the other crop grown in Iowa (hint: its corn). Corn earworms are causing injury due to the second summer migration. Its a drought in the wester half of Iowa and the duo discuss how that may or may not be the cause of more frequent observations of spider mites. Finally, Matt has a short FIT-ish question for Erin that she gets right! That's two in a row.

The heat is making field work challenging and podcasting an attractive alternative. Erin covers a lot of ground, recapping reports of increasing (though sub-economic) soybean aphid populations, rootworm injury and new additions to the insects found in corn and soybean fields, including skipper sightings in soybeans (https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/blog/erin-hodgson/have-you-spotted-skipper). The hot and dry conditions in the western half of the state is making it challnging for corn and soybeans. We've seen this issue in the past, and this article reviews how to address spider mites that may be exacerbated by these weather conditions: https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/cropnews/2018/08/you-%E2%80%9Cmite%E2%80%9D-want-scout-drought-stressed-crops Matt highlights some observations from a cannabis farm, in which a Eurasian Hemp Borer was observed on several plants.  A summary of this pests biology, ecology and management can be found in this factsheet from the Colorado State University: https://webdoc.agsci.colostate.edu/hempinsects/PDFs/Eurasian%20hemp%20borer%20September%202018%20rewrite(1).pdf On 23 July, 2020, Matt is speaking at a webinar sponsored by the Liberty Prairie Foundation.  He wil talk about how the prairie strips practive in the Conservation Reserve Program (CP-43) can conserve pollinators on farm land. Details about this webinar and others hosted by the Liberty Prairie Foundation can be found here: http://libertyprairie.org/calendar/. Please feel free to join the webinar. See you next week and stay safe.  

Erin breaks it down for us, describing the increasing the number of pest species attacking soybeans in Iowa.  This includes, but not limited to, aflafla caterpillar, soyean gall midge, soybean aphids and why not, Japanese beetles. Matt shares a mythological inspired FIT. Erin will be at "Essential Row Crop Managment Summer 2020" Webinar series. This is a joint venture between University of Minnesota Extension and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, starts next week. This series of short, timely, and topic-specific webinars for farmers, ag professionals, Extension personnel and other interested parties will be held from 1:00 to 1:30 p.m. on July 14, 16, 21, and 23.  To continue reading, view page: https://blog-crop-news.extension.umn.edu/2020/07/join-us-for-essential-row-crop.html   Matt will be featured in a webinar sponsored by the Liberty Prairie Foundation's summer lecturer series:  https://libertyprairiefoundation.salsalabs.org/PrairieStripsBenefitPollinatorsandFarmers/index.html Stay safe out there! Matt

Erin and Matt talk about the growing community of insects found in soybean and cornfields.  Erin shares updates from her field staff, including observations of several species of lepidoptera that are still in caterpillar form. For more details visit, https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/blog/erin-hodgson/caterpillars-noted-soybean She also gives an update on the frequency and growth stage of soybean gall midges.  For more information about the Soybean gall midge, visit https://soybeangallmidge.org/ Finally, Erin mentions her rootworm trapping network. Details can be found here: https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/blog/ashley-dean-erin-hodgson/new-trapping-network-corn-rootworm Matt shares a F.I.T. that was inspired by a 2019 interview of Saturday Night Live cast member Kate McKinnon, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63GC6z1RsQQ. Don't watch the clip until after you heard the clues, as Kate gives a way the name of the type of insect in her interview.  If you want a hint, names associated with this insect include, but are not limited to: biting, non-biting,  phantom, mountain, meniscus, and dung.  

Erin and Matt are back. Erin talks about insect pests that are starting to show up in fields, including the soybean gall midge.  Matt shares a FIT inspired by a trip to a field of Iowa's newest crop.  

Erin and Matt are back from a skipping a week. Erin shares a observations from around the state of a several different insect pest sightings, including japanese beetles, thistle caterpillars, and soybean aphids. This includes a discussion of Brian Lange's discovery of soybean aphids in north east Iowa. Erin also shares a first! Below is a link to the longer article about scouting for corn rootworm larvae. https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/blog/erin-hodgson/scouting-corn-rootworm-larvae Matt's been writing grants and a little out of it, but he took some time to challenge Erin and our listener with a Fun Insect Trivia. (Hint: its an insect). Stay safe!      

Erin and Matt talk about insects pests showing up in places other than soybeans, like alfalfa and the twin cities. Some are currently causing problems and others may be a problem in the future. Aphids in alfalfa: https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/cropnews/2020/06/aphids-observed-alfalfa-fields There are stalk borers on the move: https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/cropnews/2020/06/start-scouting-stalk-borers-southern-iowa Want to learn more about soybean gall midge (of course you do): https://soybeangallmidge.org/ Khapra beetle citing in MN:https://www.startribune.com/destructive-beetle-larvae-seized-at-international-falls-port-of-entry/570968452/ Matt gives a FIT with a bonus question and then goes on a historical tangent about the history of an ecological phenomenon described as "persistent and straightened-out movement effected by the animal’s own locomotory exertions or by its active embarkation on a vehicle.  It depends on some temporary inhibition of station-keeping responses, but promotes their eventual disinhibition and recurrence." This FIT was inspired by the recent book, Tne Next Great Migration written by Sonia Shah.        

In this episode, Matt and Erin quickly review current pest activity given slightly behind degree days in 2020. 

Matt and Erin welcome a special guest in this episode - Ashley Dean. The conversation revolves around early-season pests, like grubs, and scouting reminders. Also, Ashley shares updates on her moth trapping network and corn rootworm trapping network for Iowa. 

Matt and Erin are back in the swing of podcasting after a long winter. But the pandemic means they can record the episode in their sweatpants! Matt provides an update on brown marmorated stink bug, an invasive species on the rise in Iowa and Japanese beetle activity. Erin gives a short recap of recent pest conditions in soybean, noting wireworms. Matt wraps up the conversation with a newly-designed F.I.T. 

Matt and Erin took a 9-month break, but they promised to post more regular podcasts this year with Season 11. Erin provides a brief summary of statewide pest activity, including bean leaf beetle, seedcorn maggot, and alfalfa weevils. The first painted lady butterflies were also noted in Iowa over the weekend. Lastly, Matt poses the latest F.I.T. and talks about an invasive insect into North America.

Today, Matt and Erin recap insect activity around Iowa. They also discuss implications of the dry weather for 2019. 

After a break, Matt and Erin get together for episode 3 in 2019. Erin mentioned a flash drought is expected this week if high temperatures continue throughout Iowa. This could have implications for pest management - slowing down soybean aphid but perhaps accelerating twospotted spider mite. Erin also highlights current pest activity in field crops, including corn rootworm and Japanese beetle. But they spent some time talking about the newest pest in Iowa, soybean gall midge. So many unanswered questions, but it appears this will be an economic soybean pest. Matt comes back to an older podcast episode where they reviewed the cancellation of sulfoxaflor insecticide. It was recently registered (again) by the EPA and will be labeled in soybean. This insecticide offers an alternative mode of action for soybean aphid. Finally, Matt brings up a F.I.T. that is about isopods. 

In the second episode of season 10, Matt and Erin talk about recent planting conditions in Iowa and the midwest. It's behind for corn and beans, and for their research this summer, too. Matt explores recent cool, wet temps and the Drought Monitor. He poses a question...what's the opposite of a drought? Lastly, Matt has an interesting F.I.T. from Cleveland, OH this year. 

Matt and Erin are back and starting Season 10! Erin kicks off the episode by summarizing current pest activity for 2019. It's been a cool, wet spring and delayed planting will influence early-season pest activity. Specific updates: Bean leaf beetle winter mortality was high. Seedcorn maggots are flying. Alfalfa weevils are active. Expected corn cutting dates from black cutworm are approaching. Soybean egg hatch is happening, most likely in northern Iowa, where most of the buckthorn is located.  Matt talked about a new F.I.T. (fun insect trivia), where he highlights the mosquito trapping network at ISU. Dr. Ryan Smith coordinated a mosquito and tick surveillance program to learn more about activity and disease incidence around the state every summer. Learn more about his historical data on his website. Matt also had an opportunity to podcast with group of Iowa Youth who entered an NPR challenge. You can hear the episode where they talk about using insects for food here later this summer! Upcoming events include Pollinator Fest at Reiman Gardens (22 June), pollinator workshop (25-26 July), and many field days throughout Iowa (stay tuned!).   

In the first episode of 2019, Matt and Erin wax philosophical about IPM. The conversation wanders around profitability, durability, and sustainability of corn and soybean farming in Iowa and beyond. Is now the time to think about re-establishing IPM into farm as new technologies emerge?

In the last episode of the year, Matt and Erin talk about midges in the news and interesting honey bee behavior. Here are links to some of the research Matt mentioned in his re-occurring F.I.T. segment: Behavioral responses of honey bees to natural and synthetic xenobiotics in food. Liao et al. 2017 Bees prefer foods containing neonicotinoid pesticides. Kessler et al. 2015 NPR story about midges:“Scientists say miniature flies are a big worry for Antarctic island”

It's mid-September and the tenth episode of Season 9! Erin provides a brief update on the newest soybean pest in Iowa - soybean gall midge. Activity has slowed drastically since the last episode and is coordinated with quickly maturing fields in western Iowa. Matt traveled to Brazil for a soybean congress and gave some updates on new invasive in this large soybean-growing country. 

It's been a few weeks, but Matt and Erin have a new episode out today! Erin starts off by providing a statewide update on soybean pest populations in August. Good news is that most fields had low pest pressure in 2018. Matt shares his impressions of a recent court ruling that will ban chlorpyrifos use in the U.S. The episode title is a play off of Warren Zevon's song, "Lawyers, Guns and Money" from 1978. 

This Soybean Pest Podcast episode is packed with good stuff! Matt starts off by sharing some positive data from USDA-NASS from Iowa. A recent report showed 45,000 honey bee colonies in Iowa, a 275% increase from 2017. Also, the number of in-season losses is down from last year. Erin talks about a new soybean pest that is showing up in western Iowa. The soybean gall midge can be a devastating stem-boring pest. She summarizes her observations in a recent ICM News article. Erin also notes aphid activity in increasing throughout northern Iowa - in corn and soybean. It's a good time to scout fields to check for aphids. Also, there is a newly-revised field guide for soybean aphid. Find the pdf and hardcopy versions at the Extension Store. Lastly, PFI is hosting a field day on September 6 near Marble Rock. Erin will share some information about host plant resistance for soybean aphid. Click here for more details. 

This might be one of the best episodes yet, because Matt and Erin combine aphids with rock and roll. But first Erin gives a state update on pest activity that includes armyworms, leafhoppers, rootworm and bean leaf beetle. There haven't been any reports of soybean aphid in 2018 but immigration is expected soon. Matt is a friend of the FC Bugeaters and shares recent game activity from the midwest. The F.I.T. focused on an insect-themed game show tune and then they transition to a recently published article that hypothesizes AC/DC is noise pollution for insects.   

In this podcasting episode, Matt and Erin talk about a disagreement in insect ID. The false Japanese beetle often emerges before the true Japanese beetles and people mistakenly confuse the two species. Erin recently wrote about the timing of adult emergence of JB in ICM News and how to tell the difference between the two species in an ICM Blog post. By the way, we think Erin was right on this one even though Matt was super confident! Matt gives a quick summary of hexapods used as college team mascots (Thanks to fellow podcaster, Jonathan Larson at UNL, for the list!). Pollinator Fest is next weekend at Reiman Gardens. 

This podcasting episode provides a short recap of some early-season pests, like grubs, caterpillars and beetles. Matt is a fan of the Bug Eaters Nebraska soccer team, and lets everyone know their upcoming schedule. 

In this episode, Matt and Erin talk about randomness for the first 4 minutes (like usual). But they eventually move into recent insect activity in Iowa. The black flies, sometimes called buffalo gnats, are especially active this year and are aggressive blood feeders. It's hard to be outside the last two weeks because the females are swarming and causing painful bites. Matt noted an absence of soybean aphid activity on buckthorn, the overwintering host. They are unsure what this means for colonization timing and dynamics on soybean this summer. Matt presents a timely and interesting F.I.T. that combines soccer, Midwestern history and entomology. 

Today, Matt and Erin bounce around a few topics of insect-related news. The black flies and mosquitoes have been especially aggressive in central Iowa this week. Erin summarizes field crop pest activity in central and southern Iowa, mainly some caterpillar feeding in corn and bean leaf beetle feeding in soybean. Matt's F.I.T. is somewhat random, but eventually ties it together with an insect. 

In this second episode of Season 9, Matt and Erin bounce around a variety of topics. First, Matt provides an update on the neonicotinoid ban in Europe. Neonics have been temporarily banned in Europe for a few years because of risk to honey bees, bumble bees and wild bees. In February, more news came out that supports these risks to pollinators. A vote will happen soon that could possibly permanently restrict or ban neonic use in Europe. Then, Erin reminds us ticks are active in Iowa right now, so beware of these disease vectors if you are in areas with tall vegetation. Over 250 cases of Lyme disease and 17 cases of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever were confirmed in Iowa in 2017. Send your ticks in for ID at the ISU Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic.  Thanks, Andy, for the honey drop off! Learn more about Meadow Blazingstar honey and candles here.  Ever wondered what your state insect? Look at the Wikipedia list. Why doesn't Iowa have a state insect?  

The Soybean Pest Podcast is alive and kicking again! Matt and Erin had a long winter's nap but started Season 9 with a good conversation about new students and research, Bt soybean in the U.S., some upcoming events and recent pest activity in Iowa.  Monsanto not pursuing Bt soybean in the U.S. 2018 Pollinator Fest is 23 June! Soybean aphid egg hatch in northern Iowa Matt's latest F.I.T. (fun insect trivia) is related to the Little House on the Prairie.

Matt and Erin just got back from the Annual Entomological Society of America meeting in Denver and their brains are full! They summarize some of their favorite presentations and other highlights from the meeting. Specifically, Matt enjoyed a presentation by Cornell student Maxwell Helmberger who used entomopathogenic nematodes to manage grubs in turf. Maxwell has a YouTube channel with some fun animations!

Today, Matt and Erin take a major detour and talk about an art exhibit that features fantasy coffins. Matt visited with Eric Anang, an artist-in-residence at the University of Iowa. Erik's family is from Ghana and they have a tradition of building fantasy coffins designed to reflect unique personalities. He recently was interested in the decline of insects, particularly lightening bugs, in his native area and that sparked the idea for this exhibit. You can see the exhibit at the Blackbox Memorial Theater at U of I now and can hear Matt give a seminar on October 26.   

Today, Matt and Erin cover a wide range of topics. First, there are two entomologists interviewing for ISU president: Sonny Ramaswamy and Wendy Wintersteen. But the conversation is quickly diverted into talking about why entomologists make good leaders. Matt has another F.I.T. that includes a reference to Hogwarts. Tom Saunders named a new parasitoid wasp species after Lucius Malfoy, a character in the Harry Potter series. The new wasp was named Lusius malfoyi. Erin asks Matt about fall nuisance invaders around Ames, including multicolored Asian lady beetles, minute pirate bugs, and brown lacewings. Erin gives a shout-out to an insect-related podcast, Arthropod, from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. This interesting series goes in-depth on insects and closely related species (e.g., painted lady butterflies and brown recluse spiders). Lastly, they are spreading the word about a fundraiser for BugGuide - help them meet their goal of $15,000!

The long-awaited teaser is resolved in today's episode. Erin reveals she did get Lyme disease this summer. She recaps the experience and outlook for the future. There are 232 confirmed or probable cases of Lyme disease in Iowa this year, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health. References to Lyric's tick paper can be found in the previous episode. Matt brings up another interesting F.I.T. (fun insect trivia) featuring two entomologists: Jeffrey Lockwood and C. V. Riley. Lockwood is a rangeland entomologist focused on grasshopper management, and an award-winning author and University of Wyoming professor of Natural Sciences and Humanities. He writes science and fiction books, including his latest crime novel called Poison Justice. Riley also studied grasshoppers but is most known as the Father of Classical Biocontrol. He was one of the first to practice biocontrol, introducing a beetle that was the natural enemy to a scale that was damaging the California citrus industry.  

Matt and Erin were supposed to be in Savannah, GA for a soybean symposium this week. But due to Hurricane Irma, the conference was canceled and they created a bonus episode of random topics. Soybean is quickly maturing throughout Iowa and insects are making preparations for the winter. Matt summarized a last-minute soybean research symposium recapping some of the presentations planned for the Georgia gathering. Both Matt and Erin noticed a lot of wasp activity around human structures and Matt explained they lose their social structure this time of year. Erin thinks she might have Lyme disease and will update listeners on her progress the next episode (teaser!). ISU faculty member, Ryan Smith, shared the blacklegged tick is expanding range in Iowa and the proportion of infected ticks is increasing in Iowa (see this survey summary for more details). Dr. Smith also said there are 195 confirmed cases of Lyme disease in Iowa so far this year. Finally, Matt talks about another great F.I.T. of Ward Kimball, creator of Jiminy Cricket. 

Matt and Erin talk briefly about resurging soybean aphid populations around northern Iowa. In some fields, aphid numbers have increased as fields reach full seed set. They also talk about 2 videos of potential interest to everyone. The first video shows off the extremely high numbers of mosquitoes in Texas due to Hurricane Harvey. The second video talks about the importance of Bt resistance management of insects. Finally, Matt shares a F.I.T. and art at Iowa State University. 

Matt and Erin took a short podcasting break but are back to summarize late season soybean pest activity. Erin talks about a slight resurgence of soybean aphid populations in northern Iowa. Read more about treating at full seed set in a recent ICM Blog. Erin also recommends scouting in late August/early September for second-generation bean leaf beetles, as feeding injury to pods and seeds could be significant. Matt has noticed perhaps early field senescence in some commercial fields in Iowa. He also took a trip to Mississippi to see soybean production and learn more about pollinator protection. This podcast also features a F.I.T.!