With record-shattering temperatures and the warmest February the South and Midwest have experienced in years, expect a season full of yield-robbing pests.

Kelly Estes, agricultural pest survey coordinator with the University of Illinois, in a recent Prairie Farmer article, named top pests to pay extra attention to going into the 2017 growing season.

One pest to be scouting for early on is the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), which could wreak havoc on soybeans. With mild winter temperatures, overwintering BMSB populations could be high.

Estes also mentions to be on the lookout for Japanese beetles. They typically cause most harm beginning in June, but growers should be scouting before they reach an economic threshold. Purdue University warns that Japanese beetles are usually not uniformly distributed throughout a field, so sweeping multiple areas is crucial to an accurate diagnosis.

To prevent BMSB and Japanese beetles from injuring soybeans early on, we recommending using Endigo^® ZC insecticide to provide quick knockdown and extended residual control.

Using an insecticide treatment when pests reach economic threshold is an essential component of maximizing yield potential to grow more soybeans.

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