Bait
Stations Can Be Helpful In Determining Need For Soil Insecticides
Some of the insects of cold
soils have become a much greater factor in stand establishment as reduced
tillage planting systems have gained popularity. Bait stations can serve
as a useful tool in assessing levels of wireworms, white grubs and other
seed attacking insects before planting time. They also can be particularly
helpful in deciding whether to use a soil insecticide.
Sod fields being brought into
production, CRP ground, soybean fields with grassy weed escapes last year
and fields with high organic residues being planted to corn should all
be evaluated.
Bait stations should be set
up in fields 2 to 4 weeks before your desired planting date. Place stations
randomly throughout the field at a rate of one station per acre. In large
fields, these numbers may not be practical, so use a minimum of 10 stations
per field.
The bait for the station should
consist of both corn and wheat seeds whenever possible, although either
can be used alone. Substances given off by the germinating seeds will
attract insects to the traps.
To make the trap, dig a hole
4 inches deep. Place about 1/2 cup of the mixture of untreated corn and/or
wheat per trap.
After placing bait in the bottom
of the hole, finish filling the hole with loosely packed soil. Next, cover
the soil with an 18-inch square of black plastic. Then cover the black
plastic with a slightly larger piece of transparent plastic.
Anchor all edges of the plastic
with soil to prevent blowing. Finally, mark each bait trap with a flag
or stake to aid in locating the trap later. Also record the approximate
location of each trap on a field map.
After waiting 10-14 days, dig
up the traps. First, remove the plastic covering, then carefully scrap
aside most of the soil covering the grain. Next, scoop the remainder of
the covering soil and trap grain into a shallow pan. Count the number
of wireworms and white grubs you find. On your field map, record the number
of wireworms or white grubs found at each trap.
An average of one wireworm
or white grub per trap warrants the use of a soil insecticide and perhaps
even a seed box treatment. By reviewing data gathered at each trap location,
you may discover a pattern of infestation that will allow treating only
certain parts of the field.
While setting and reading the
traps requires some time and effort, the benefits often can far outweigh
the cost … in minimizing the harm these insects can inflect on your
crop or in helping you avoid unnecessary insecticide treatments.
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