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Farmers ask about winter impact on corn rootworm

Farmers are wondering how winter conditions impacted overwintering pests like corn rootworm.

Iowa State University Extension agronomist Meaghan Anderson says she’s been asked about the insect a lot in recent weeks.

“Though I don’t know that I’m going to make any big decisions, any management changes, based off that. But we definitely heard a lot this winter and even this spring about how mild it felt like the winter was.”

She tells Brownfield many areas of the Midwest experienced less snowfall than normal.

“But it really wasn’t that mild of a winter probably for our insects, especially with the fluctuating air temperatures. And then the fact that we did get really cold a couple times, and at least one of those times when we got really cold we didn’t have any snow cover.”

Anderson says once egg hatch begins in May farmers will have a better idea of what corn rootworm populations might be for this year.