Quality assurance, market access and yield are key to the success of Alberta’s agriculture industry. Surveillance and monitoring for insects provides a key piece to this success by gathering information about established species populations and new invasive threats to the cropping industry. This information can play an important piece in support of pest related trade discussions.
This work helps us to understand insect populations and range expansion of the targeted insects so that industry can understand the risk and potential damage. The information gathered from pheromone traps, field insect collections and counts or damage assessment is used to create forecast maps and make control recommendations. The data from the surveys is used for more than just creating forecast maps though, it can be used to direct insect pest research priorities or researchers can use the collection of samples in their studies.
The Alberta Insect Pest Monitoring Network coordinates, manages and carries out 7 insect surveys provincewide in Alberta’s field crops to assess presence, abundance and impact to the agriculture industry. The Network also conducts smaller targeted surveys on new and emerging pests working with Universities, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
The success of the network depends on its dedicated partners that assist with surveillance, including:
- Agriculture fieldmen
- agronomists
- producers
Plant and Bee Health Surveillance Section, Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation
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