Manitoba's sunflower crop has been soaking up the recent heat and moisture.

Daryl Rex, agronomist with the National Sunflower Association of Canada (NSAC), explains where the crop is at.

"There pretty much in the bud stage right now," he said. "Some of your earlier seeded sunflowers will probably be starting to flower now, if they haven't already."

Rex notes that thistle caterpillar has been noticeable in some fields.

"It's a defoliator and it's doing some damage. The sunflower plants, if they're actively growing can take up to being defoliated by 25 per cent before any yield losses."

He adds spraying has not become a concern at this point.