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Ag Talk Tuesdays for 2025 resume in May
All Crops All Locations
General Announcement related to Agriculture
Posted on: April 18, 2025 by Kasia Duellman
University of Idaho Extension once again presents our bi-monthly summer series, Ag Talk Tuesday.
These sessions are held live via Zoom, the first and third Tuesday of May, June, July and August every summer. Sessions start at 11:00 AM (MDT) and begin with crop updates, followed by a Featured Topic presented by an invited speaker.
Registration is required. Register only once and you will automatically be able to attend all sessions. The registration link can be found at the Ag Talk Tuesday website, https://www.uidaho.edu/ag-talk, and then by clicking on the gold bar that says "Select to register once for all sessions". The registration link is also provided below.
» https://www.uidaho.edu/ag-talk
» https://uidaho.zoom.us/meeting/register/kqdDHArFRTOKvtvx6v4nhg#/registration
Cereal Leaf Beetle Found in Barley – New Plymouth, Payette County, Idaho
All Crops Treasure Valley, Treasure Valley - Idaho, Eastern Idaho, Magic Valley, Northern Idaho
Cereal Leaf Beetle
Posted on: April 17, 2025 by Jemila Chellappa
Cereal Leaf Beetle (Oulema melanopus) adults and eggs have been observed attacking winter barley in New Plymouth, Idaho. This pest, originally from Europe, is known to feed on small grain crops such as barley, wheat, oats, corn, sorghum, and other grasses. While adults feed on leaves, the most significant damage is caused by larvae, which strip leaf tissue between veins and leave behind long, skeletonized strips that reduce the plant’s ability to photosynthesize.
Early scouting is essential. Damage to the flag leaf—especially before or during head emergence—can result in significant yield loss. Growers are advised to monitor their fields closely and look for signs of pest activity, especially along field edges and historical hot spots.
Field signs include metallic-blue adult beetles with red thoraxes, yellowish larvae coated in black fecal material, skeletonized leaves (particularly the flag leaf), and small eggs laid singly on the upper surfaces of leaves.
Treatment thresholds are as follows: before the boot stage, control measures are recommended if 3 larvae per plant and/or 3 eggs per plant are observed. After the boot stage (when the flag leaf is visible), the threshold is If thresholds are exceeded, insecticide application may be warranted. Use selective insecticides when possible to protect beneficial natural enemies like Tetrastichus julis, a parasitic wasp that helps suppress CLB populations.
Growers should scout fields using sweep nets, hand lenses, and by visually inspecting plants. Record pest counts and note areas of concern for future management planning. If treatment is not necessary, documentation of pest presence can still inform long-term crop and input decisions.
More information, including identification images and management guidelines, is available through the Pacific Northwest Insect Management Handbook:
https://pnwhandbooks.org/insect/agronomic/small-grain/small-grain-cereal-leaf-beetle
Pest Biology:
Overwintering: Adults shelter in field trash, tree bark, rolled leaves, and other protected areas.
Spring Activation: Adults become active when temperatures reach 10–15°C (50–59°F).
Egg Laying: Eggs are laid singly or in pairs on the upper surface of grass blades, often midway up the plant.
Larval Emergence: Eggs hatch in about 5 days. Larvae begin feeding immediately and pass through 4 instars before pupating.
Adult Emergence: New adults emerge, feed for ~2 weeks, then return to overwintering sites.
For assistance or questions, please contact your local University of Idaho Extension Educator or the University of Idaho IPM Team https://www.uidaho.edu/extension/ipm/people
» Cereal Leaf Beetle Eggs found in Barley - New Plymouth, Idaho
