Cereal leaf beetles make a comeback

Entomologists in Ohio are warning producers that this could be a big year for cereal leaf beetles.
So far, there's nothing widespread to report in Ontario but OMAFRA field crops entomologist Tracey Baute says there are hot spots and wheat growers are being advised to keep an eye out for the pests.
Ohio State university entomologist Ron Hammond wrote in a recent newsletter that the beetles are being found in southern and central counties but are likely to spread north as well.
The intriguing part is that cereal leaf beetles were thought to be under control. They had not been a problem for many year, controlled mostly by parasitic wasps and other beneficial insects. Now, suddenly they're back.
Why? Hammond isn't sure, but figures a recent stretch of mild winters may be helping the pests to survive in greater numbers, overwhelming predator attempts to keep them under control.
Hammond says the larva of the beetle causes the most damage in wheat crop, attacking the flag leaf soon after emergence. Just two larvae per flag leaf stem can be devastating.
Larvae are one-quarter to three-quarters of an inch in size and look like small black slugs because of their feces that sticks to their bodies. In the insect world, personal hygiene isn't always a requirement.
So far, folks in Ohio seem to be more concerned than those in Ontario. But the pests are here, they're showing up in decent numbers in a few fields - so keep checking those fields.