Monitoring Your Alfalfa Fields for Weevil
Joshua Putman, Field Crops and Forage Specialist
Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program

Scouting for the alfalfa weevil involves walking a random pattern in the field and stopping to collect a stem every 10 steps. Once you have 10 stems, visually inspect the stems for weevil tip-feeding injury, and count each stem showing tip-feeding injury within the top three inches to determine a percentage of damaged stems. Repeat this collection of 10 random stems five more times throughout the field for a total of 50 stems inspected. Repeat this scouting in different patterns within the field weekly. Field Crops Specialist, Josh Putman, is monitoring alfalfa fields in SWNY to properly document and manage this pest. More information can be found through the Cornell University Integrated Pest Management Program.
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