If you’ve been anywhere near a Northern New York cornfield this fall, you’ve probably seen them – the small, solid-green or yellow-striped corn rootworm beetles.
Northern Corn Rootworm beetles are green, while the Western Corn Rootworm beetle is yellow with distinct black stripes. Populations of both species appear to be quite high this fall with the western type the most abundant, and more troublesome, species.
These beetles pose no further risks to this year’s corn, but beetle numbers this season indicate potential risk to those fields targeted to be planted to corn again next year.