There is a possibility of "serious outbreaks" of grasshoppers this growing season in the Weyburn, but this will depend on the weather and growing conditions in the coming months, says the extension agrologist Elaine Moats.

Weather will also be a determining factor for other insect problems this year, such as flea beetles and wheat midge.

The large dump of moisture which fell in the form of wet snow in the past week, totalling close to 34 centimetres in the City of Weyburn area, may be a positive factor for farmers, added Moats, as it will help crops get off to a good start.

The moisture may also help the disease which appeared late last season to work on the new batch of grasshoppers this year, but producers will need to take precautions to be safe.

"By and large, producers will have to temper their seeding plans for the potential of fairly serious outbreaks. The crop they seed will have an impact. For example, lentils are extremely susceptible to grasshoppers compared to oats or peas," said Moats, adding these two crops can also be affected, given the right conditions.

One insect Moats expects to show up this year are flea beetles, as the amount of canola and mustard has greatly increased in the Weyburn district in the last few years.

Wheat midge is an insect producers will have to "wait and see" if they become a problem here.

Numbers of the Bertha armyworm seemed to build up last year, she said, but added that population may or may not develop into something serious. Not only are they weather-dependent, but their populations are cyclical in nature, and they may be on their way down.

An old insect problem made an appearance last year and may be a threat again this year, said Moats, namely the wheat stem sawfly. The sawfly works by laying larvae inside the wheat stem which they then eat and make weak, they are nearly impossible to spray for, explained the agrologist.

"Some producers will seed a solid-stem wheat variety. It helps a little, but some producers are reluctant to plant them because they are a little lower yielding," said Moats.