Some good news! No tar spot lesions spotted in corn so far in Eastern Ontario. The lesions are small, black, raised spots on corn leaves. Look like specks of tar splattered on the surface and don’t rub off when touched (unlike insect frass or dirt).

Adding to the mix: Two-spotted spider mites are on the rise in some fields, especially along grassy field edges. Threshold = 4+ mites/leaflet. Chemical control options: bit.ly/41jwlXV

Soybean leaves littered with white aphid exoskeletons but few live aphids? Could mean past aphids that moved lower in the canopy, been eaten by beneficials, or crashed. So far, little sign of aphid-specific diseases to bring down the population.