Alfalfa Weevil Hatch is Upon Us

The map below indicates the accumulated degree days for each of the nine Iowa crop reporting districts. Degree-day information indicates that alfalfa weevil larvae should be hatching this week in southern Iowa. In central Iowa counties, weevils should be hatching by the third week of April; and in northern Iowa, weevils should hatch the last full week of April. That means that fields in southern Iowa should be scouted now

Watch alfalfa for blister beetles

Blister beetles are occasional late-summer problems in Iowa alfalfa fields. The beetles feed on alfalfa and soybean foliage, but leaf loss is not of economic importance. The real problem with blister beetles lies in their toxicity to livestock, especially horses, when accidentally consumed in feed. The beetles produce cantharidin, an irritant that causes painful blistering when the insects are handled. The cantharidin remains in the beetle\u27s body even after it dies. That becomes a problem when alfalfa is swathed, during which dead blister beetles can be incorporated into the hay as it is made

Be aware of corn leaf aphids

Field specialists and crop advisors in southern and western Iowa report the development of potentially serious corn leaf aphid infestations. Insecticide treatment is ineffective while the tassels are still in the whorl, but fields with in-whorl aphid populations need to be watched

Drift issues, late application considerations, and soybean fungicides

Offsite movement of pesticides by drift is an important consideration when making any pesticide application but can be an even greater concern when products are applied later in the growing season. There are several reasons for increased concern with later applications. One is that off-target movement of products from mid-season pesticide applications can affect non-target plants and other organisms more because they are actively growing. A common scenario illustrating this point is a postemergence-applied corn herbicide that drifts onto an emerged soybean crop versus a product that was soil-applied before soybeans were planted

Cultural expectations of muscularity in men: The evolution of playgirl centerfolds

Abstract: Objective: We sought to assess whether cultural ideals of the male body, as illustrated by magazine models, have changed over the past 25 years. Method: We examined 115 male centerfold models in Playgirl magazine from 1973 to 1997. Using the models’ heights and weights quoted by the magazine, together with visual estimates of body fat, we calculated the body mass index (BMI) and fat-free mass index (FFMI) of each model. Results: The Playgirl centerfold models became increasingly “dense ” and more muscular over time, as indicated by the significant correlations between BMI, FFMI, and year of publication. Discussion: These observations, in combination with previous studies, suggest that cultural norms of the ideal male body are growing increasingly muscular. © 2000 by John Wiley &amp