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Grower, David Cook, has reported finding armyworms in several wheat crops near Shepparton, in the Northern Country district of Victoria. Large caterpillars (> 30 mm) were present throughout the affected crops and had caused some damage, however David has decided not to spray at this stage. Instead, the affected paddocks will continue to be monitored in coming weeks to see whether numbers are reduced as the caterpillars undergo pupation.
Armyworms (Family: Noctuidae) attack cereal crops and grass pastures, and are usually most damaging toward the end of spring when crops are close to harvest. However, in some seasons an earlier (winter) generation occurs which can cause significant damage to young crops. Larvae climb up plant stems and extensively chew the leaves, with larger larvae able to completely defoliate plants or cut through stems. The later spring generation of armyworms can cause severe damage to ripening cereal crops, with barley crops most susceptible. The larvae chew through the last remaining green part of the plant stems (just below the head), causing the heads to drop off. Mature larvae can lop many heads within a short period.
Assessing armyworm numbers in a crop can be difficult as they sometimes shelter on the ground beneath dead leaf material, making detection difficult. At other times they will be on the stems or heads of plants and easily found. The first sign of armyworms is often the presence of frass (droppings) at the base of plants. Treatment (if required) should be carried out in the late afternoon or early evening, as they are nocturnal feeders.
Armyworms have three parallel white stripes running from the ‘collar’ behind the head, along the body to the tail end, making them easily distinguishable from cutworms and native budworm, with which they are sometimes confused. They also have large heads and smooth, fat bodies that are usually pinkish, green or brown in colour. They can grow up to 40 mm in length. Adult moths are grey-brown in colour and have a stout body with a wingspan of approximately 40 mm.
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.
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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.
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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