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Extension Entomology

Kansas Monarch Conservation Workshop

Posted on by Department of Entomology
May 22 at 0900 to 1600, there will be a Kansas Monarch Conversation Workshop.

Mark your calendar for the Kansas Monarch Conservation Workshop May 22nd at the  Kansas – Manhattan Plant Materials Center, 3800 S. 20th St. Manhattan, KS 66502-9535. It is hosted by Monarch Joint Venture.

This workshop is scheduled in response to the significant conservation concerns surrounding the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has proposed as threatened with a 4d Rule in December 2024. 

The Kansas Pollinator Conservation Workshop aims to: 

  • Gain insights into the status of the monarch population and familiarize participants with the listing process under the Endangered Species Act. 
  • Explore the intricacies of monarch biology in North America. 
  • Discuss pollinator habitat management and resources for funding efforts. 
  • Understand Monarch Monitoring Protocols and receive an overview of the Integrated Monarch Monitoring Program (IMMP). 
  • Connect with local state and federal partners 

There is no fee to attend, however, lunch will not be provided. 

Tips for Attending

  1. Please fill out the google form below before the workshop. Even if you have registered with MJV, the form will gather metrics needed for their grant reporting. Monarch Joint Venture appreciate your participation.
  2. Please bring your lunch. We will only have an hour scheduled for lunch. Plus, if you bring your lunch you can network with others during that break.
  3. Dress for the field. We will be practicing the survey protocols outside, so please dress accordingly. 
  4. Bring a butterfly net if you have one.
  5. Bring a water bottle.
  6. Bring tick spray, and we highly recommend treating your clothes with permethrin. 
  7. Think about what are some of your biggest issues when it comes to getting quality pollinator habitat on the ground (examples: knowledge and data gaps around pollinators, accessing funding opportunities, upper management buy-in on pollinator habitat)
  8. Wear organizational name tags if you have one.

For more information or to register, please contact mmanzanares@monarchjointventure.org.

About Monarch Joint Venture
Recognizing the importance of the monarch butterfly and its potential listing, which could significantly impact various federal agencies, the DoD has entered into a cooperative initiative with the Monarch Joint Venture (MJV). Among other objectives, their agreement aims to integrate DoD staff into broader monarch conservation networks including federal agencies such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service, United States Forest Service, USFWS and state regulatory partners. This highlights the commitment of not only the DoD but also other federal agencies to the conservation of the monarch butterfly.

Through this initiative, MJV has successfully conducted monarch workshops for multiple federal agencies leveraging their extensive partnership network across the country. These workshops have strengthened partnerships across state and federal networks and fostered regional collaboration.

Brownheaded Ash Sawfly

Posted on by Department of Entomology
Brownheaded ash sawfly larvae congregating at the base of a green ash tree.

By Raymond Cloyd, Professor and Extension Specialist in Horticultural Entomology/Plant Protection.

We have received several inquiries regarding caterpillar like insects feeding on green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) trees. The insects in question are larvae of the brownheaded ash sawfly, Tomostethus multicinctus, which are sporadic, early season, defoliating insect pests. The larvae feed extensively causing noticeable leaf damage and producing frass or fecal material.

Figure1. Larva of brownheaded ash sawfly (Raymond Cloyd)
Figure1. Larva of brownheaded ash sawfly (Raymond Cloyd).

Brownheaded ash sawfly larvae are approximately 15 to 20 millimeters (1/2 to 3/4 of an inch) long, yellow green, with white and green stripes extending the length of the body (Figure 1). The larvae have a brown head, and there are prolegs (fleshy, leg like appendages) on every segment of the body, which distinguishes sawfly larvae from caterpillars. Brownheaded ash sawfly larvae feed primarily on green and white ash trees. Adults are wasp like in appearance. Brownheaded ash sawfly pupate in the spring, with adults emerging and females laying eggs inside leaves. Larvae emerge (eclose) from eggs and congregate in groups, feeding from May through June.

Figure 2. Damage to leaves caused by brownheaded ash sawfly larvae (Raymond Cloyd)
Figure 2. Damage to leaves caused by brownheaded ash sawfly larvae (Raymond Cloyd).

Larvae create shot holes or pin holes on young leaves (Figure 2), but as they increase in size, the larvae consume entire leaves, especially terminal leaves (except the main veins), resulting in almost complete defoliation. By June, larvae are fully grown and shed a papery like skin that is attached to the leaf (Figure 3). The larvae move toward the base of the tree and construct protective cocoons. High numbers of larvae may be present at the base of trees (Figure 4). Brownheaded ash sawfly overwinter as full grown larvae or pre pupae within silken lined cells located on the top of the soil at the base of previously infested trees. There is one generation per year in Kansas.

Figure 3. Shed skin of brownhead ash sawfly (Raymond Cloyd)
Figure 3. Shed skin of brownhead ash sawfly (Raymond Cloyd).
Figure 4. Brownheaded ash sawfly larvae at base of tree (Raymond Cloyd)
Figure 4. Brownheaded ash sawfly larvae at base of tree (Raymond Cloyd).

Rainfall will quickly remove larvae from trees. In addition, the larvae can be removed by hand and placed into a container of soapy water to kill them. An insecticide application is not warranted unless brownheaded ash sawfly larval populations are causing extensive damage that compromises the aesthetic value of an ash tree. Insecticides with contact activity can be applied, but thorough coverage of the tree canopy, in particularly, the leaf undersides, is important. Do not apply an insecticide containing the active ingredient, Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki, because the product will not kill sawfly larvae.

For more information on brownheaded ash sawfly, you can access the following extension publication:

Cloyd, R. A. 2016. Brownheaded ash sawfly. Kansas State University

Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service. Kansas State University; Manhattan, KS. MF3297. 2 pages.

http://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF3297.pdf

Related: Brownheaded ash sawfly

Keep an eye out for Soybean Gall Midge

Posted on by Department of Entomology
The soybean midge gall can be devastating to fields, says K-State entomologist Anthony Zukoff.

By Anthony Zukoff, Extension Entomology, Southwest Research and Extension Center

Related: The Soybean Gall Midge Alert Network

In 2023, soybean gall midge was found infesting soybean and sweet clover in Marshall and Nemaha counties. Washington county was added to the list of soybean gall midge positive locations in 2024.  Since this pest can overwinter in Kansas, producers should be on the lookout for additional infestations in 2025.

The Soybean Gall Midge (Resseliella maxima) was first observed in Nebraska in 2011 but was not officially described as a new species until 2018 when this tiny fly established itself as an emerging pest of soybeans in South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Iowa. New infestations have been documented every year since and its range has expanded into Missouri. Soybean gall midge has been documented in Nebraska along the Kansas border as recently as 2021. This pest should be actively scouted for during the growing season, especially in counties along the Nebraska border.

Soybean field with damage by soybean gall midge. Photo by Justin McMechan, Univ. of Nebraska.
Figure 1. Soybean field with damage by soybean gall midge. Photo by Justin McMechan, Univ. of Nebraska.

Losses from soybean gall midge infestation are due to plant death and lodging (Figure 1). Heavily infested fields have shown the potential for complete yield losses from the edge of the field up to 100 feet into the field and a 20% yield loss from 200 to 400 feet into the field.

Identification and Lifecycle

Figure 2. Adult soybean gall midge. Photo by Mitchell Helton, Iowa State Univ.
Figure 2. Adult soybean gall midge. Photo by Mitchell Helton, Iowa State Univ.

Adults: tiny (2-3mm), delicate flies with an orange abdomen, slender bodies and mottled wings. Long legs are banded with alternating light and dark markings (Figure 2).

Larvae: small, legless, maggots that are clear to white-colored when young but turn bright orange when mature (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Soybean gall midge larvae. Photo by Justin McMechan, Univ. of Nebraska.
Figure 3. Soybean gall midge larvae. Photo by Justin McMechan, Univ. of Nebraska.

Soybean gall midge overwinters as larvae in the first few inches of soil. After pupation in the early spring, adult midges emerge and lay their eggs on the lower portions of stems or at the base of soybean plants. The eggs hatch and the larvae feed within the stems. Infestation does not occur until the V2 stage when natural fissures and cracks appear in stems allowing entry by larvae. Infestation can continue into the reproductive growth stages. So far, there appear to be at least two generations per growing season. The adult soybean gall midges do not feed on soybeans.

Scouting

Begin scouting soybean plants at the V2 growth stage. Symptoms of infestation include:

  1. wilting or dead soybeans along field edges with decreasing damage into the center of the field (Figure 4),
  2. darkening and swelling at the base of stems (Figure 5),
  3. brittle stems that break easily near their base, and
  4. small orange larvae present in split open stems.
Figure 4. Wilting soybean plant from gall midge infestation. Photo by Justin McMechan, Univ. of Nebraska.
Figure 4. Wilting soybean plant from gall midge infestation. Photo by Justin McMechan, Univ. of Nebraska.
Figure 5. Darkening and swelling of stem. Photo by Adam Varenhorst, South Dakota State Univ.
Figure 5. Darkening and swelling of stem. Photo by Adam Varenhorst, South Dakota State Univ.

Management

Effective management recommendations for this relatively new pest continue to be evaluated. On-farm studies in impacted states are examining the effects of various cultural practices and insecticides on preventing losses. Seed treatments have not been shown to be effective.

Please report any occurrence of soybean gall midge to your local extension professional or contact the K-State Entomology Department. The Soybean Gall Midge Alert Network, https://soybeangallmidge.org/, can be used to track developments regarding this pest.

Anthony Zukoff, Extension Entomology, Southwest Research and Extension Center
azukoff@ksu.edu

 

Announcing the Insect Farming Initiative

Posted on by Department of Entomology
Poultry eating bugs from cupped hands.

By Pat Melgares, K-State Research and Extension news service

More information: Insect Farming Initiative, entomology@ksu.edu

Related: Insect Farming Initiative

Could efforts to raise and breed insects – crickets, mealworms, black soldier flies and the like – help to feed the world?

Kansas State University entomologist Brian McCornack thinks they can, so much so that he’s part of a group that is raising awareness about the value of insect farming, the Insect Farming Initiative (IFI).  The initiative will officially begin in November 2025.

Continue reading “Announcing the Insect Farming Initiative” →

Tick, Tick, Tick: Warm weather creates opportunity for blood-sucking parasite

Posted on by Department of Entomology
questing tick

By Pat Melgares, K-State Research and Extension news service

More information: Cassandra Olds, colds@ksu.edu

Related: Ticks in Kansas

‘Tis the season for warmer temperatures, getting outdoors and playing in green, grassy fields – all fun, but also conditions that favor a blood-sucking parasite that preys on humans, pets and livestock.

Due to the early warming weather, Kansas State University entomologist Cassandra Olds said ticks have already been found around Manhattan in mid-March.

Continue reading “Tick, Tick, Tick: Warm weather creates opportunity for blood-sucking parasite” →