Insect trap networks for pests of oilseed crops in western Canada

Insect monitoring supports integrated pest management, ecological pest management, and the emerging concept of biovigilance. Canola and other oilseeds are important field crops produced in western Canada, with 8.26 million ha (20.4 million acres) of canola produced in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba in 2020. This important crop is host to a diversity of insect pests that are capable of reducing crop yield. To reduce crop losses and the need for insecticide application, monitoring programs have been established for key insect pests of canola, including bertha armyworm (Mamestra configurata Walker, Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and swede midge (Contarinia nasturtii (Keiffer) Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). Both insects are monitored using pheromone traps, but the purposes of the monitoring programs differ. Bertha armyworm is an endemic species that is present annually but only causes significant economic damage during outbreak years. Thus, the monitoring program estimates regional risk during the growing season so that farmers know when to scout their crops more intensively for larvae. In comparison, swede midge populations are not established in western Canada and the monitoring program is meant to detect potential invasions. Here we provide an overview of the monitoring protocols and discuss how the results of the monitoring programs are disseminated to the Canadian agricultural industry.