Insect Alert For

Corn Earworm

Risk Level:
Low Risk
Affected Area:
Full page
Alert Details

Corn earworm migration risks will be in the forecast on a nightly basis for the next five nights, and likely beyond, as a rather stagnant and complex weather pattern remains in place across the corn-growing region. Low pressure and an associated cold front are likely to linger from southern Canada into the High Plains, and Tropical Storm/Hurricane Francine is expected to move from the Mississippi River delta north into the mid-south and potentially the southern corn-growing region by late week and into next weekend. Both of these systems have the potential to result in corn earworm migration, so broad brushed Low migration risks are predicted initially for areas west of Lake Michigan and the I-55 corridor tonight into tomorrow, and then further south and east into the southwestern Great Lakes and eastern corn-growing region tomorrow night into Thursday as the tropical system moves north. Low risks then envelop a large portion of the corn-growing region by Friday and into the weekend, and uncertainties in the track of Francine precludes a more focused risk at this point. We do not see support for elevated risks at this point given time of year and forecast uncertainties, but growers with crops still at susceptible stages to corn earworm damage, especially fresh market and processing growers, should continue monitoring traps and scouting fields until harvest especially given continued potential for new moth flights.