One of our most recent and enigmatic soybean pests, soybean gall midge, seems to keep expanding its range. Found in northeast Nebraska in 2011, it was thought to be a secondary issue associated with damage from hail or disease. In subsequent seasons, isolated gall midge infestations were noted in South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa. But it was still seemingly tied to damaged or diseased plants, without impacting yield directly.

Unfortunately, in 2018 gall midge changed the game. It was found in 65 counties in the north-central region, including 16 in Iowa, with significant yield loss reported in many of the midge-infested fields. Since then, soybean gall midge injury has been reported in five states and 114 counties.