–by Jeff Whitworth and Holly Schwarting
Ms. Rene Hessel, Assistant Scientist in the KSU Agronomy Dept. found soybean aphids in Dr. Bill Schapaugh’s soybean research plots at Ashland Bottoms in Riley Co. on 1 August. This is the first documented case of these annual migrants we have heard about this year in Kansas. These aphids are most easily detected by finding ants in a soybean canopy. If you do discover ants on the leaves/stems etc. in the canopy, look very closely for these tiny aphids. Since they first migrated into KS in 2002, the easiest and most reliable way of detecting the initial infestation is by finding ants. Hopefully, the heat will help retard the soybean aphid’s population growth over the next few weeks but soybean fields should be periodically monitored.
