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In this extra podcast, Matt O'Neal discusses a recent change to the Iowa bee rule with Betsy Buffington. Betsy works for The Pesticide Applicator Training Program at Iowa State University. She has created a publication about the bee rule, which can be found at the Iowa State University Extension publication office as PAT 47. Visit https://www.extension.iastate.edu/store/ for more information.

Its Friday the 13th and farmers have much to worry about. But despite the record breaking temperatures and drought, there is some good news. We discuss the lack of soybean aphids throughout most of Iowa. However, there are other insect pests that growers should be scouting, including japanese beetles and spider mites. For more info about insects this summer, see Dr. Hodgson's blog (http://iowabuglife.blogspot.com).

Erin Hodgson and Matt O'Neal return to talk about insect pests of soybean in Iowa and the greater midwest. On today's episode, the return of the soybean aphid, the japanese beetles and a variety of uncommon insects that feed on soybean plants and other crops (stink bugs, celery leaf tier, and colapspis beetles).

Yes, Phil, they are spraying for aphids in Iowa. Erin and I discuss where in Iowa soybean aphid outbreaks are occurring and the factors that help explain some of the variation in aphid populations between fields. The occurrence of two other pests are noted. Finally, Matt was interviewed on Agribusiness Reports about his lab's work on efforts to conserve bees. For more info see:
(Skip to 1:49): http://whotv.com/2013/08/27/agribusiness-hot-weather-threatens-promising-hog-market/

(Skip to 0:35): http://whotv.com/2013/08/28/agribusiness-researcher-says-bee-habitats-have-multiple-benefits-for-growers/ 

Today, Matt and Erin talk about the recent EPA proposal to revoke all tolerances to chlorpyrifos. This insecticide is an option in corn and soybean in Iowa and restricting or removing the use could have potential implications for field crop pest management. Matt shares a paper that shows a decrease of chlorpyrifos in corn but relatively steady use in soybean (doi:10.1088/1748-9326/10/9/094016). He isn't sure if revoking the use would have an immediate impact, but Erin offers a Coke analogy to say otherwise. To learn more about the EPA proposal and leave a comment, go here: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-11-06/pdf/2015-28083.pdf.