— by Dr. Jeff Whitworth and Dr. Holly Davis
Very small alfalfa weevil larvae were 1st detected on 5 April, 2019 in north central Kansas. Every field sampled had at least one newly hatched larva. There were not enough to sample for a treatment threshold as they are just hatching. The 1st indication of these small larvae are visible, but very tiny, pinholes in leaves, or a little chewing on plant terminals. These tiny larvae are quite difficult to dislodge from their feeding sites when they are this small. Thus, sampling at this early stage to determine an infestation level is not practical using the bucket-shake method or a sweep net.
