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There have been further reports of brown pasture loopers (Ciampa arietaria) causing damage to several crops across regions of Victoria and into South Australia. Agronomist, Craig Drum (Tatyoon Rural), has reported brown pasture loopers causing damage to a canola crop near Tatyoon, in the Western District of Victoria. The crop is at the 3-leaf stage and is the sixth consecutive year the paddock has been cropped. Craig says the feeding damage is patchy and that approximately 20-30 acres has been completely defoliated. The paddock has been sprayed with alpha-cypermethrin.
Brown pasture loopers have also been identified for agronomist, Simon Mock (Clovercrest Consulting). The caterpillars were found damaging dry-land lucerne at Kaniva, in the Wimmera district of Victoria. Simon says caterpillars were present in high numbers, with many caterpillars >20 mm in length. The paddock was sown to barley in 2007 and the damage is worse in areas where barley stubble is present. The paddock also has some capeweed, which may be the initial source of infestation. Again, alpha-cypermethrin was applied, and reported to provide good control. Simon has also observed brown pasture loopers in a wheat crop near Keith, in South Australia.
Lucerne and cereals are typically not known as hosts of brown pasture loopers. They usually attack canola and lupin crops, as well as pastures and broadleaved weeds. Brown pasture loopers are most damaging when large sized caterpillars (>20 mm) transfer from summer and autumn weeds onto newly emerged seedlings. Patches of weeds and the edges of crops should be monitored closely, and spot or perimeter spraying is often all that is required.
Larvae of the brown pasture looper are dark brown to grey in colour with a yellow line along the back either side of a conspicuous dark band. They move using a series of back arches, which results in a characteristic looping motion. Click here for images of the brown pasture looper and refer to PestFacts Issue No. 8 for more information.
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.
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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.
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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.
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