Region 3 | August 5, 2026 | McLean

Darby Danzl
darby.danzl@ilsoy.org

Caption: Pollinator strip progress at the ISA Agronomy Farm in Heyworth, IL
Caption: Aphid pressure on R1 corn in Heyworth, IL
Caption: Lady beetle larvae and southern corn rootworm beetle in Heyworth, IL
SYNOPSIS

Reporting to you from the ISA Agronomy Farm in Heyworth, Illinois (40.284611, -88.983532)! Crops are getting well into the reproductive stages, and the farm just received a well-deserved 1.4″ within the past week after receiving no more than 0.6″ the entire month of July. Many surrounding areas received significant weather events during July, but our farm was not one of them.

The pollinator strip at the farm is in year two, otherwise known as the “creep” phase. After being established with the help of Pheasants Forever and going through the “sleep” phase last year, it is nice to now see the strip filling in and the biodiversity that it has brought along with it. You can see the butterflies flying around, hear the crickets chirping, and today I even saw a pheasant!

I partially attribute this pollinator strip to the notable presence of lady beetle larvae I saw in the corn today, which is now at the R3 Milk stage. Aphid pressure was notable on some of the later planted corn at the farm that is at the R1 stage. Therefore, it was nice to see reinforcements forming (lady beetle larvae) to help control the aphids. Additionally, I found southern corn rootworm beetles, as well as a western corn rootworm beetle in the corn crop.

Double crop beans are at V3/V4 and full-season beans are at V3/V4. Crops are overall looking promising!

WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING BEST DESCRIBES CURRENT CONDITIONS IN THIS COUNTY?
Mildly Dry (soil is drier than normal, plant growth may have slowed)
IF CONDITIONS ARE ON THE DRY END, WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING US DROUGHT MONITOR CATEGORIES BEST FIT CURRENT CONDITIONS
Near Normal (Dnada)
WEATHER

Weather at the ISA Agronomy Farm for the month of July:
Total Precipitation: 0.6″
Daytime Temps (Average from 5:30 am-8:30 pm): 79°F
Nighttime Temps (Average from 8:30 pm-5:30am): 69°F
Max Temp: 94°F
Average Humidity: 85%
Average Sunshine Duration: 10.6 hours/day

Track the weather here: https://www.ilsoy.org/isa-agronomy-farm/

PRECIPITATION

Just received a much needed 1.4″ from July 31 to August 2 after a very, dry July. Throughout the entire month of July, only 0.6″ of precipitation was recorded at the ISA Agronomy Farm in Heyworth, IL.

FIELD/SOIL CONDITIONS

Soils are slightly wet from the recent rainfall, but were very dry with large cracks the week prior to this report.

FIELD ACTIVITIES

Fungicide applications

SOYBEAN GROWTH STAGE

R2-R4

CORN GROWTH STAGE

R1-R3

WHEAT GROWTH STAGE

Double crop beans are V3/V4

INSECTS

Aphids, ladybeetle larvae, corn rootworm beetles

DISEASES

Physoderma brown spot on corn

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