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Agronomist, Sandy Biddulph (Biddulph Rural Consulting), has reported cowpea aphids (Aphis craccivora) in a newly sown canola crop near Young, in the South-West Slopes of NSW. Sandy says the aphids were mostly found on summer grasses and volunteer cereals, and could not be found on broad-leaved weeds present within the paddock. The aphids were not causing any visible damage, although Sandy reports the numbers were fairly high and would be monitored closely. Agronomist, Kate McCormick (John Stuchbery and Associates), has also observed cowpea aphids in dry-sown vetch paddocks in many parts of the Wimmera district in Victoria.
The cowpea aphid is easily distinguished from other crop aphids. To look at, adults are shiny black and nymphs are dull grey in colour. All stages have white and black coloured legs. Winged adults move into crops where they reproduce and colonise on the growing tips of host plants. Long autumn growing periods allow early build-up and spread of aphids. Mild (not cold) winters allow further development and spread, which can result in the establishment of many small aphid colonies throughout a crop.
Cowpea aphids favour legume hosts and are commonly found on faba bean, lentil, medic, lucerne, clover and lupins. They tolerate warm dry weather and can cause severe damage to water stressed plants. Aphid numbers fluctuate greatly with weather conditions and are difficult to predict. However, given the recent rainfall and cooler temperatures in many regions, aphid numbers may not warrant chemical control.
What is PestFacts?
PestFacts south-eastern keeps growers and advisers informed about invertebrate pests and beneficials in broadacre crops and pastures during the winter-cropping season in Victoria and southern New South Wales.
PestFacts south-eastern is run through IPMforGrains: Best Practice Insect Pest Management, a project delivered by the National Pest Information Network (cesar, DPIRD, QDAF, NSW DPI, and SARDI). This project aims to provide grain growers and advisors with information on invertebrate grain pest occurrence and equip industry with the knowledge needed to implement integrated pest management practices. This initiative is a GRDC investment and includes in-kind contributions from all project partner organisations.
We need your reports
PestFacts is produced on an ʻas-needsʼ basis and relies upon pest observations and field reports from our subscribers. If you have recently observed invertebrate pests (or beneficial species) in broadacre crops, please contact us to report your observations.
Agricultural invertebrate identification
If you are a grower or agronomist in Victoria or NSW working with broadacre crops or pastures, we can assist you with identifying invertebrates found on farms at no cost. Please contact us for identification help.
PestFacts map
PestFacts map is an interactive tool that allows users to search and view historical pest reports across Victoria and NSW. The map is updated with each issue of PestFacts to include new reports.
How to acknowledge PestFacts?
With appropriate acknowledgement, cesar grants permission to reproduce information taken directly from PestFacts. To cite PestFacts: “PestFacts south-eastern (<<enter date published>>). cesar pty ltd.”
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