REMSEN, IA -
As if the drought hasn't done enough to
Siouxland crops, a new threat may be putting soybeans in danger. Spider
mites, similar to regular mites, feed on soybean leaves, and they
thrive in the heat.
They are so tiny that you need a magnifying
glass to see them, and they can eat up an entire field if not taken care
of properly.
From far away, the soybeans may look healthy
and green, but get a little closer and you'll see they're being
devoured by spider mites.
"We've seen them in different areas of the countryside, where they're
beginning to be a real big problem, and some of them will take down
dramatic yields," said farmer Todd Ellensohn.
Leaves with a spider mite infestation will look brown and speckled.
You may also see spider mite webs out in the fields. These are just a
few of the visual cues.
"If you start looking at the top part of the leaf and see those
effects, you probably know a good hunch that you have a spider mite
issue," Ellensohn said.
The mite damage is measured with a scale: R1 through R5. R1 means there
are no spider mites. Right now, Ellensohn says his soybeans are in
the worst stage, R5.
The spider mites are living on the soybean leaves, feeding on the plant
tissue, and keeping these plants from producing more seeds. The seeds
that have grown can die quickly, along with the entire plant, if you
don't treat them.
Ellensohn says right now he's doing everything he can to save his beans.
"We are spraying through the air, with airplanes, some in helicopters,
and different areas are utilizing helicopters but those are two methods
through the air and also spraying with machines on the ground," he
said.
Because
if they can't save the soybeans, he says people at home will definitely
notice when they hit the grocery story in the near future.
The mites can reproduce extremely quickly,
and spread very fast, so Ellensohn suggests farmers check all of their
crops thoroughly to make sure they don't have any problems, because
spider mites can infest more than just soybeans.
