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Native budworm (Helicoverpa puntigera) larvae are a major pest of a variety of crops during spring to early summer. They feed on buds, flowers, fruiting parts and seeds and will attack field peas, faba beans, lentils, chickpeas, lupins and canola crops, as well as pasture seed crops of lucerne, annual medic and clover. Infestations occur following migratory flights of adult moths into southern agricultural regions, usually from inland pastoral regions of QLD, NSW, SA and WA. When moths arrive and lay eggs onto crops the resulting caterpillars can cause serious damage if left uncontrolled.
Agronomist, Dale Grey (VIC DPI), says with the recent warm weather experienced across many regions, native budworm flight activity is likely to have increased. Growers and agronomists should now be on the lookout for signs of native budworm in crops. When larvae are detected, it is important to sample representative parts of the entire crop prior to making a control decision. For further information on the life-cycle of native budworm, as well as information on monitoring and control thresholds, click here.
Native budworm larvae can be up to 40 mm long with substantial colour variation (shades of brown, green and orange), usually with darkish strips along the body and bumpy skin with sparse stiff black hairs. Newly hatched larvae are light in colour with dark brown heads and spots, and as they develop they become darker in colour. Adult moths are approximately 30-35 mm long, light brown to red-brown, with numerous dark spots and blotches.
Click here for images of native budworm.
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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