Put safety first; prevent lady bug problems

Combine Safety A U of M study of combine fires done by John Shutske and Michael Venem found a typical combine fire costs the operator and insurance company on average – $15,182. This does not include downtime, cost of obtaining replacement equipment, or human injury. In the study, researchers learned 76 percent of combine fires are reported to have ignited within the engine compartment. Forty-one percent of the fires involved plant debris such as leaves, straw or chaff. This is another reminder that maintaining equipment to operate safely may take a few extra minutes each day but can save us dollars and injuries in the long term. Harvest is right around the corner so be sure to think about safety this fall and have a safe harvest. Cleaning grain reduces insects The U of M Ag Engineering Department studied how cleaning grain before storage effects the survivability of the Indian Meal Moth larvae. The Indian Meal Moth is one of the more common grain storage pests both in grain bins and in homes too. Indian Meal Moth is the small moth that is found in cupboards feeding on corn meal, flour products, etc. It is also popular in grain bins creating a webbing on the grain surface. Cracks and fines are normally screened out before grain goes into storage to improve the storability of grain. In this study, the survivability of Indian Meal Moth larvae was compared on 100 percent whole corn kernels, whole kernels mixed with 5 percent to 7 percent broken kernels, and 100 percent broken kernels. The study found that only 7 percent of the larvae survived on whole kernels, 61 percent survived on a diet containing 7 percent broken kernels, and 80 percent of the larvae survived on shelled corn in which 100 percent of the kernels were broken. Pros and cons of Ladybugs Growers were happy to see the Asian ladybugs in their soybean fields this summer feeding on soybean aphids. Aphids are a popular food source for all ladybugs so in the past, we were happy to see ladybugs because we knew they are a beneficial insect. The Asian ladybugs could be found late this summer in large numbers in all soybean fields. Unfortunately, as the summer wears down they begin showing up in homes looking for space to over-winter. I really think their populations this fall will be higher than last year. So if you had problems last year, begin sealing up the home as much as possible now. Make sure all windows are tight and cracks in the foundation are caulked especially on the south and west side of the home. The following insecticides can be applied on house-siding: deltamethrin, bifenthrin, and cyfluthrin. These chemicals are sold under different product names so check with your local garden center. Asian ladybugs, the past few years, have begun entering homes from late September through early November. The migration seems to peak when we experience warm weather following our first cold spell.