Increasingly, we are getting inquires of swarms of “bee-like” flies around Indiana fields, farmsteads, and rural environments, and wanted to take the opportunity to tell you a bit about this curiosity.
Increasingly, we are getting inquires of swarms of “bee-like” flies around Indiana fields, farmsteads, and rural environments, and wanted to take the opportunity to tell you a bit about this curiosity.
The sugarcane aphid (Melanaphis sacchari), a relatively new pest of grain sorghum, forage sorghums, sudangrass, sorghum-sudangrass hybrids and Johnson grass, first detected in Indiana in 2016, is making its presence known primarily in southcentral and southwestern counties.
Recently there have been numerous reports of swarms of “bee-like” flies around Indiana fields, farmsteads, and rural environments, and wanted to take the opportunity to tell you a bit about this curiosity. Adult hover flies (aka syrphid flies) can sometimes be mistaken for bees or wasps, because they look a lot like them! Some people refer to hover flies as “corn flies” or “sweat bees,” but these insects are actually quite different from bees. Hover flies belong to the Order Diptera, or the true flies. The most noticeable group at this time of year belong to the genus Toxomerus, which feed on pollen. There are many other syrphid flies present throughout the season that are beneficial, as their larvae feed on soft-bodied insects like aphids. Compared to sweat bees, hover flies have black and yellow markings, are able to fly in place yet dart away quickly, have a[Read More…]
Wheat has greened up and is actively growing across Indiana (except during these last few cold spells).
Many black cutworm trappers have captured large numbers of moths, see “Black Cutworm Pheromone Trap Report.” In trying to find levity during the Covid-19 pandemic, there have been various quips during their reports about this pest’s lack of adherence to our social distancing guidelines!
As the season progresses, hemp farmers in Indiana are learning what it is like to grow hemp compared to their other crops.
As the growing season progresses, I am getting more questions about insects feeding on hemp.
Wheat has greened-up and is actively growing across Indiana. Our southern field plots in Vincennes were at Feekes 8 (flag leaf emerged) earlier this week, while in West Lafayette plots are at Feekes 5 (leaf sheath strongly erect).
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