1. Field Observations

Crops are looking good! So far our insect pest pressure has been relatively low. Corn moth pests are few, and while the leafhoppers are here, their populations are still low at this point. However, bird damage has been devastating in some cases. I've seen several corn fields with crow damage (including my own research plots…), and one 20-acre field of soybeans mown down by geese (see pics). It's too late to replant at this point, but the plants will recover. Unfortunately, even though the geese were kind enough to defoliate the plants at a very early stage (and topdress the field with quite a bit of fertilizer - ahem), it's almost certain that this crop will be set back. But by how much remains to be seen.

3. Pest and disease monitoring

A. Black cutworm (BCW), western bean cutworm (WBC), and true armyworm (TAW) in corn.
This week, trap numbers remained low. This means that oviposition (egg-laying) may be low, but larval activity will be relatively high. Once again, check your fields until v6 (around 12") for cutworm damage:

B. Potato leafhopper in alfalfa. *No action needed within a week of harvest

C. Fusarium head blight in grains. As winter grains are flowering, now would be the time to decide whether to protect crops from fusarium head blight. According to the Fusarium Risk Tool, the risk in our region is currently low (yellow) to moderate (orange) except for eastern Fulton County and east of Schoharie in the Gallupville/Berne area, as well as Herkimer county north of the Mohawk where the risk is high (red) if your crops are currently flowering: