After a hot dry year last year and the potential for similar conditions this year, there could be heavy flea beetle pressure in canola.

There are two main flea beetles to watch out for the Crucifer and Striped flea beetles. The striped tend to be found more in the northern areas but are moving south.

Dr. James Tansey is the Provincial Insect/Vertebrate Pest Management Specialist.

He says producers should start scouting for damage around the cotyledon or early true leaf stage.

"The striped flea beetle, everything with them is temperature dependent," he said. "The striped flea beetles tend to come up a little bit earlier than the cruiser flea beetle. With the soil warming the way it is, activity could be beginning right away."

Tansey says another insect to watch out for in canola this year will be the Cabbage Seedpod Weevil.

The southwest seems to have had the biggest problem with them but the insect continues to move east across the Southern part of the province.

"The class three insecticide continue to work well for these," he said.

He notes producers will want to start checking around early flowering for the weevils.

Producers are encouraged to report any insect problems to Tansey or the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network Blog.