Taking an environmentally sensitive approach to pest management
Although some alfalfa fields in southwest Missouri have required insecticide applications to control alfalfa weevils, numbers of alfalfa weevil larvae are very low in most central and northern Missouri counties. Low numbers of alfalfa weevil adults can be observed laying eggs in some fields in the northern half of the state, but the rapid growth of most alfalfa fields and some harvests of alfalfa taking place at this time should keep levels of weevil low through spring and summer. One reason for the low levels of weevils observed this year may be due to winter kill of eggs or the presence of a fungal pathogen which occurs during years with cool, wet springs. Regardless of the reasons, alfalfa weevil larvae should not be a problem in 2011.
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REVISED: December 1, 2011