The Dakotan: This is Ag Issues with Neil Roberts. Neil Roberts: Welcome to another edition of A Issues. Our guest today is industry crop protection specialist TJ Prochaska from the North Central Research Center. And TJ, as temps remain cool but may soon become warmer, especially with nighttime, temps, is kind of a game changer. For bugs. Is that fair to say? TJ Prochaska: Yes, I'd say that's spot on. The last few weeks, we've gone from blizzard and snow to we're up in the sixties and seventies. Now, on average, as you look at some of the different types of insects and I'll just take two of them, grasshoppers and canola, flea beetle. These are ones that we can start to see becoming more active with the warmer daytime temperatures. But really, as these temperatures get into the fifties, as we all start to see this activity rise, especially in agricultural areas. 3 Neil Roberts: Good stuff, T.J.. And hey, we'll have more on these warmer conditions when we come back. The Dakotan: You're listening to Ag Issues with Neil Roberts on the Dakotan Network. Neil Roberts: With TJ Prochaska talking insects and warmer conditions today on ag issues. And T.J., what are you getting phone calls on right now? TJ Prochaska: Right. Should the biggest phone calls this I'm actually getting right now are actually in house pets and these are going to be the bulk shelter bag as well as the picture we fly the picture in, quite often recognized by the receiver like stripes on their wings. The big deal is there in the house and a lot of people don't like them in. The big question is why? And like I talked about earlier, with the warmer overnight temperatures, right now they're coming indoors cooler temperatures. Once some inside those overnight temps get to the fifties, they'll begin to disappear themselves. That's kind of the connection I want to build with some of our other AG related pest, the grasshoppers, canola, flea beetles. Don't get me wrong, we're beginning to see a little bit of movement, but it'll really begin to increase as those overnight temps rise. Neil Roberts: Good stuff as always. Thanks, T.J.. And that brings this report to a close. If you missed one, check us on the website, agissues.com. Until next time, I'm Neil Roberts. The Dakotan: You're listening to the Dakotan Network. Real, Honest, Local News.
