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Armyworms have been identified for agronomist, Kerry Bormann (John Stuchbery & Associates), from a wheat crop at Longerenong, in the Wimmera district of Victoria. The crop is at the 2-leaf stage and damage, consisting of pieces missing from the sides and tops of leaves, is evident across the paddock. Despite the high level of damage Kerry says insects were difficult to find. This may be because armyworms sometimes shelter on the ground beneath dead leaf material, which makes detection difficult. At other times they will be on the stems or heads of plants and easily found. Prior to this year the paddock has been in pasture for several years and no insecticides have been applied this season.
Armyworms belong to the Noctuidae family and typically attack cereals and grass seed crops. They are most damaging when crops are close to harvest when, in ripening cereal crops, they chew through the last remaining green part of the plant stem, causing heads to fall to the ground. When crops are at this stage even relatively low numbers of caterpillars can cause significant losses.
All three of the main armyworm species that occur in Australia 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.
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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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