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Corn aphid damage coming to light

A crop entomologist at the University of Illinois says this summer was one of the worst on record for corn aphid infestations.

Nick Seiter says portions of central Illinois were especially hard it.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever actually recommended people treat for them.”  He says, “One of the big things that made things different this year is we did have instances of them getting in prior to pollination. They can interfere with pollination.”

Jeff Brown, who farms in Macon County, tells Brownfield…

“Aphids are going to ding us this year where we maybe didn’t get it treated at the time we should have.”  He says, “Those ears just aren’t there. I mean, they’re half years, but aphids will be a definite surprise for people that haven’t been in the field as much as maybe they should have been at that time.”

Brown says it’s not a pest he usually has to deal with, or one that typically has such a dramatic impact.

“They’re high one day and they could be zero the next, so it was tough to pull the trigger to spray.”  He says, “Then when to properly spray, and also if you spray too early you actually maybe help the aphids’ populations. It was a wild card. I’ll kind of be glad to have ‘24 over with.”

Seiter says corn aphids tend to prefer certain hybrids, so farmers should adjust accordingly moving forward. 

AUDIO: Jeff Brown – Illinois farmer