Pests & Diseases

The bermudagrass stem maggot (BSM) has become a pest for cattlemen and hay producers across the Southeast.

If you are in the farming and ranching business, a prolonged drought is impossible to ignore. Limited rainfall over the past couple of years has been hard on pastures, rangeland and hay production, as well as on people.

It’s not just minimal moisture that hurts forage production; one of the most aggravating side effects of drought can be a surge in hungry grasshopper populations.

Although many vertebrate pests cause problems in alfalfa, the most frequent offender is the pocket gopher (hereafter gopher; Thomomys spp.).

Insect pressure in alfalfa continues to build as the warm weather encourages both plant and insect development. Following is an overview of some of the primary insects growers may see in their alfalfa fields this year, as well as scouting and management tips to address them.

Although a few weeks early this year, we are entering that time period when potato leafhoppers are being collected and thus, might become a concern in alfalfa.

Flies are one of the most difficult pests to manage and, although they cannot be totally controlled, it is possible to reduce populations and irritation to livestock.