If left unmanaged, the corn rootworm (CRW) life cycle can take a bite out of your yields, season after season.

An uncontrolled population of corn rootworm can cause damage to your crop. Even worse, the number of insects can expand exponentially if left unchecked. Understanding CRW stages can help you better deal with the pest and minimize crop damage.

Breaking Down the CRW Life Cycle

Adult CRW beetles emerge from the soil and feed on growing corn crop in late summer. After around 2 weeks, females will return to the soil to lay eggs; which remain buried over the winter months.

Upon hatching in the spring, CRW larvae immediately begin feeding on young corn roots. The larvae then undergo 3 developmental stages before pupating in the soil. Adult CRW beetles typically emerge in July to feed on corn silks, and the cycle continues.

How to Better Control CRW

To manage this highly adaptable pest’s life cycle, we recommend considering hybrids with Agrisure Duracade® trait stacks in combination with Force^® 6.5G insecticide for next season.

The Agrisure Duracade trait acts as a foundation for an effective control strategy and provides multiple modes of action against CRW to preserve trait durability and delay insect adaptation, all in one convenient trait stack. Hybrids with the Agrisure Duracade trait offer higher yield potential – a 4.1 bushel per acre average over products without Agrisure Duracade.* Force 6.5G insecticide features a high-load granular formulation for proven control with fewer stops to refill. It manages CRW and other soil-dwelling insects with enhanced convenience.

See the difference the Agrisure Duracade trait can make by watching this video and learn how to control corn rootworm pressure in your fields with the Force 6.5G Interactive Infographic.

It’s also important to regularly scout for pests that could be eating your profits. Get tips on scouting for CRW in our previous post.

Lastly, while weather conditions one year may reduce the next year’s CRW population in some areas, other locations could see increased numbers. Read our previous post to learn why a previous wet year won’t stop insect pressure for the next season.

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*Data based off 2018 Syngenta trials