What are the benefits of a CRW beetle control program?
A. University studies show that the number of adult beetles that emerge in fields infested with CRW larvae actual can be greater in fields treated with soil insecticides that in untreated fields.Dr. Mike Gray, Extension agronomist with the University off Illinois, says soil insecticides kill larvae in the band only where they are applied, but many larvae survive and thrive on roots outside the treated band. these larvae emerge as adult beetles, which lay eggs that become the next generation of larvae. Soil-applied insecticides are designed to protect roots, but do little to manage a corn rootworm population in the long run, concludes Gray.Mild winters, pesticide resistance and earlier planted hybrids all play an additional role in promoting the survival of CRW larvae and subsequent adult beetle population growth.The adult-beetle-spray approach can help break the cycle, and eliminate the need for spring soil insecticide applications. Silk clippings by adult CRW beetles, which interfere
