Quick trip to Jay Cooke St Park and a small section of the Superior Trail. Other than mourning cloak butterflies preparing for hibernation, and Hymenopteran pollinators, low insect activity. Many birds spp have left. Several aster and sunflower species in bloom.

Another disruption in the harmonious life at my hummingbird feeders. An earlier wasp issue was fixed but an absconded honeybee colony must have moved in nearby. The bees are doing a bang up job pollinating plastic.

Celebrated retirement with UMN coworkers, farmers, consultants and other ag industry friends last night. Humbled. It has been an honor and privilege to work for MN agriculture. Not a sport star but donated this shirt I've saved for many years to the SWROC anyhow.

Greater tar spot incidence and severity in parts of SC and SW MN this year. Was the disease early and severe enough to affect yield? We may get some clues from fields with check strips. Photo: UAT consulting

I found a second brood white-lined sphinx moth caterpillar feeding on purslane in my garden. In MN, this species overwinters as a pupae. Unfortunately, I have either too few caterpillars or too much purslane.

I'm not aware of this disease being confirmed in MN. However, depending on vector survival and movement, this may be another corn disease to keep in mind in the future. x.com/KSUCropdisease…

Good job Gophers!

This evening's insect pest report. Too dry here for mosquitoes but, as fall progresses and they run out of small invertebrate prey such as aphids, swarms of minute pirate bug's switch to human prey. When good bugs go bad.

Western corn rootworm eggs are seeing an open winter and cold soil temps. Will 2025 continue to see lower rootworm populations in SW MN?

Research update meeting at the UMN SWROC today. A new experience not presenting this year.

Soybean aphids are easy to find on V4 soybeans at UM UM SWROC near Lamberton MN. Too early to panic but may want to scout indicator fields earlier this year.

Looks like extended diapause rootworm problems could be more prevalent in MN corn this year.

Visited the SWROC western corn rootworm site this AM. Western corn rootworm pressure in continuous corn much higher here than 2024. It's early, male beetles are just beginning to emerge and no females..

The zinnia patch is seeing 8 or more monarchs at a time and several painted ladies. Hummingbirds are busy at the feeders too. It takes a lot of fuel on the trip south. Soybean harvest starting and a lot of silage cut.

The Oreus (aka minute pirate bugs) must be running out of mite and aphid prey. Sunny weather in SW MN has brought them out to do some test feeding on humans. Good bugs gone bad-happens every fall.

Numerous calls on corn earworms in late planted corn. Insecticides have limited effectiveness inside ear husker. Moths are abundant in my garden now (did not confirm sp.). Need to do better on monitoring late migrants.