And then go plant that corn. If these weather conditions continue we can anticipate seed and seedling damage in soybeans and corn from soil insects such as seedcorn maggot and wireworm. Although Seedcorn maggot is an occasional pest of corn, soybeans and edible beans it can be one of the most destructive early season insect pests in Ontario. Seedcorn maggot is usually a problem during, cool wet springs such as the one we are presently experiencing. Of the three or four generations of this pest that occur every year in Ontario, the early generations are the most critical for corn, soybeans and edible beans since they are present in these fields early in the season.
Later generations develop on other crops.
This is where the larva pupates and emerges as an adult. The adult seedcorn maggot resembles a small house fly which is slender, light grey and approximately 5mm in length. These first generation adults will mate and the females will search for egg laying sites from late April til middle of June. They lay eggs on moist soil high in organic matter or near decaying vegetation. Late-planted corn and soybeans can be prone to seedcorn maggot damage.