The search continues for signs of a potentially destructive insect in Iowa soybean fields — and officials say so far, so good. The soybean aphid is a native of China and has recently been spotted infesting fields in the Midwestern U-S, but has not yet been found in Iowa.John Haanstad is the Iowa Department of Agriculture’s state entomologist. He says the bug has already been confirmed to be living in southern and eastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois as well as parts of Michigan. Haanstad says the tiny creature is highly mobile.Haanstad says it’s not a matter of if the aphid arrives in Iowa, but when. He and his staff are scouring the northern and eastern parts of the Hawkeye State this week, searching for signs the insect has arrived.Iowa Ag Secretary Patty Judge issued a statement about the bug, saying “if the soy aphid insect has entered Iowa, we will find it. We will use every resource available to..contain and eliminate this pest.”
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