The wheat stem sawfly has been a continual problem for wheat growers in Montana, North Dakota, southeast Wyoming, western Nebraska, and northeast Colorado, but the sawfly could be widening its domain.
Jeff Bradshaw, Nebraska Extension entomologist, says there are early indications the wheat stem sawfly is on the move.
The sawfly was also reported in northwestern Kansas. Bradshaw says they’re not sure why it’s moving, but there are new releases of solid stem wheat and sawfly resistant wheat.
Bradshaw and colleagues are working on a wheat stem sawfly project at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln – High Plains Ag Lab in Sidney, which is in its first year to combat the insect.
