Meet our students (2019) - Introducing Matthew!

Hi! My name is Matthew Uniat.

Last summer I worked for AAFC-Lacombe with the Pulse Pathology program. Some of the major tasked I preformed were disease ratings for aphanomyces and fusarium, as well as applying a variety of spray treatments to field plots. This summer, I started working at the Beaverlodge Research Farm in the Integrated Pest Management program. I’m excited to expand my knowledge and look forward to learn about arthropods and their role within the Canadian prairie ecosystem. This job allows a continuation to improving and progressing my experience in doing laboratory/ field-based research.

This fall I will continue my third year of undergraduate studies at Concordia University of Edmonton, majoring in Cellular and Molecular Biology. I moved to the Prairie West region from Edmonton Alberta and am eager to live here for the summer. Throughout my life I’ve spent a great deal of time traveling around the rural areas of western North America; whether it be camping, fishing, or searching for rocks. Over this period, I’ve gained a great deal of respect for the outdoors.

So far, I have been assisting Shelby Dufton and Amanda Jorgensen, the program’s technicians. I’ve started to process sweep-net samples collected in 2018, helped set out diamondback moth pheromone traps, flea beetle sticky traps, and pitfall traps. Everyone I have worked with so far has been a great teacher and I’m excited to spend the next 4 months working with the Insect Pest Management crew.

Meet our students (2019) - Introducing Megan!

Hi! My name is Megan Yu and this is my first time working at the Beaverlodge Research Farm.

I am on my first Co-op work term, coming from the University of British Columbia, where I just finished my third year in Environmental Sciences (focusing on Ecology and Conservation). As this summer holds a lot of firsts for me, I am thrilled to learn about agriculture in the Peace River Region, as well as the insects that are both beneficial and detrimental in the agroecosystem.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been processing samples from sweep-net collections collected last year. This process involves dumping out contents of the sample onto a tray, retrieving the insect specimens using a paint brush, then sorting the insects into small petri dishes by size and shape. It can be quite difficult, as some insects such as thrips are very tiny. There are also many insects hiding within the plants such as the petals of the flower, so extra caution must be taken when processing these samples.

The two student research technicians I am working for, Amanda and Shelby, are extremely passionate about their work. With warmer and sunnier weather, I am looking forward to go out in the field to do more insect monitoring with our research technicians while exploring the prairies of Alberta. 

Meet our students (2019) - Introducing Cassie!

Hi, my name is Cassie Gerow!

This is my first year working at the Beaverlodge Research Farm. I am looking forward to working in the Insect Pest Management program and learning more about the impact insects have on the farming industry.

So far, I have had the opportunity to learn about some of the insects we will be studying over the summer as well as how samples are collected. I have also assisted my supervisor, Jennifer Otani, in updating the scouting charts on the Prairie Pest Management blog page. These charts are linked to the updated field guide and show growers when these insects are most active as well as their growth stages and what plants they prefer. I will also have the opportunity to process field sweeps from 2019 as well as setting up flea beetle, pit-fall, and diamondback moth traps.

Growing up in the area, I have had lots of exposure to the farming industry. Although my family never were large producers, many of my friends growing up lived and worked on large farms. This experience has given me a great appreciation for the work and research being done at the Beaverlodge Research Farm to help these farmers be more successful.

I have just completed my first year of prerequisites at the Grande Prairie Regional College for Vet school. The experience I will gain over the summer will help me in the future to have a better understanding for what the farmers have to deal with for both their livestock, and the crops they produce to maintain healthy animals.

Red clover casebearer in the Peace River region

We pulled together information related to the Red clover casebearer (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae: Coleophora deauratella):

• Insect pest Q & A describing the biology and damage initially reported in the Peace River region (2007).
• Preliminary research poster (2006) - "Clover insect pests - European flare for damage?"
• Red clover casebearer lifecycle in the Peace River region (Otani 2006).
• Prairie Pest Monitoring Network's "Insect of the Week" featuring the red clover casebearer and link to the Field Guide pages.
• IPM Lab Blog student write-up describing 2016 field activities.
• Slide deck from 2019Feb06 presentation shared with the Oregon Clover Growers Association summarizing red clover casebearer in the Peace River region.

Other insect pest related information pertinent to perennial grass and legume seed production in Canada:

• Alberta Forage Manual (2009; Ag-Dex120/20-1; ISBN 0-7732-6082-X; pdf version).  Includes Forage Insects and Natural Enemies of Forage Pest Insects chapters.
• Arthropods of legume forage crops (2011; ISBN 978-0-9689321-5-5; pdf version).
• Field crop and forage insect pests and natural enemies in western Canada (ISBN 978-1-100-25768-6; pdf version).
• Cutworm field guide (2017; ISBN 978-0-660-08051-2; pdf version).
• Information related to natural enemies in field crops - Western Grains Research Foundation is working with federal and provincial entomologists across the Canadian prairies to promote beneficial arthropods.  Growers are the target audience so check out the website and follow them on Twitter @FieldHeroes 

Meet our students (2019) - Introducing Stephanie!

Hi! My name is Stephanie Thompson and I recently started working with the Beaverlodge Research Farm in the Integrated Pest Management program. I am from Winnipeg, Manitoba, and in my third year of undergraduate studies at the University of Manitoba majoring in Biological Sciences. My goals for this work term are to learn more about the program and gain skills and experience doing laboratory-based research. I also hope to become more knowledgeable regarding the various types of arthropods that are both pests and beneficials in the agricultural ecosystem on the Canadian prairies.

So far, I have been assisting a M.Sc. student, Shelby Dufton, with processing pitfall samples collected through the summer of 2018. Everyone I have worked with thus far has been great and I look forward to spending the next 4 months learning with and from them.

2018 Cumulative counts for bertha armyworm pheromone traps

Pheromone trapping for the 2018 growing season is now completed with cumulative counts revealing  moths at five of the six sites AAFC-Beaverlodge monitored (Fig. 1).  The site near Fairview had the highest moth counts but the total number of intercepted moths still sits within the "low risk" category used by Alberta Agriculture and Forestry to help predict bertha armyworm larvae during the early pod stages. 

Figure 1.  Cumulative pheromone trap counts (n=1 trap per site) from commercial fields of canola grown in the Peace River region in 2018.  This preliminary data is not to be copied or reproduced without permission.

Growers are encouraged to use the above information to prioritize their in-field scouting.  The above pheromone traps are not precise predictors but remain valuable to growers because they help identify WHERE the moths were flying and WHICH FIELDS TO CHECK for larvae (Fig. 2).

Figure 2.  Late instar bertha aryworm larvae (photo credit: AAFC-Saskatoon).

When present, bertha armyworm larvae should now be moving upwards on canola plants to feed on the developing pods.  The economic threshold for bertha armyworm applies to the larval stages so use the tables posted here to help guide your in-field pest management. 

Remember two important concepts for insect pest management in your canola fields:

• Low numbers of bertha armyworm can fall within a tolerable level where negligible feeding damage may occur but no economic losses will result!  Scout and use the economic threshold values to avoid economic losses!
• Reserve insecticide use only to manage outbreaking populations of bertha armyworm!  Not spraying actually protects and preserves the many natural enemies already actively working for free in fields!

Learn more about bertha armyworm, @FieldHeroes, natural enemies, and use the canola scouting chart to help your canola produce this year!

Contact Jennifer Otani for more information and thank you to our producer-cooperators!

2018 Field Crop Student Assistants

Students are an important part of our research, especially during the summer months when field and laboratory work peaks at the Beaverlodge Research Farm.  Each summer, student assistants are hired using FSWEP1, COOP2, and RAP3 programs.  These job positions offer a unique opportunity for students to learn valuable on-the-job skills while supplementing the applied side of their scientific education.

The federal hiring programs used to staff our student assistant positions require that students be enrolled at a recognized post-secondary institution and that students carry a full-time course load both prior to and following their period of employment.  In fact, our research programs typically screen applicants by the end of December in order to offer positions to work at our Farm from May-August.

We’re pleased to have the following students join us to work and learn in the Agronomy & Crop AdaptationΨ, Integrated Forage Seed ManagementΦ, and Pest Management Programsπ for the 2018 growing season:

Back row (L to R): Nabeel Abdul-Basith2Φ enrolled at Mount Royal University, Maya Schmidt3π enrolled at the University of Alberta, Michael Theriault2Φ enrolled at Mount Royal University, Amanda Jorgensen3π enrolled at the University of Alberta,  and Shelby Dufton3π enrolled at the University of Lethbridge.

Front row (L to R): Marie McCallum2Ψ enrolled at the University of British Columbia, Jacey Toerper3Ψ enrolled at the Grande Prairie Regional College campus of the University of Alberta, Megan McElhinny2Ψ enrolled at the University of British Columbia, Haley Brackenridge2Ψ enrolled at Queens University, Rebecca Philip2π enrolled at Thompson River University, and Julia Kappeler3π enrolled at the Augustana Campus of the University of Alberta.

Absent from photo: Jeremy Poortvliet2Φ enrolled at University of the Fraser Valley.