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We have received further reports of armyworms affecting cereal crops in parts of western and northern Victoria. Agronomist, Adrian Tyler (Tyler’s Hardware & Rural Supplies), has reported high numbers of armyworms in several wheat crops around Horsham, in the Wimmera district. The affected crops are on varying soil types, however they were all sown into cereal stubbles. In one crop at the four-leaf stage, approximately 2-3 ha has been made completely bare. Alpha-cypermethrin was applied to the affected area and appears to have worked well.
Armyworms have also been sighted in crops near Yarrawonga and Swan Hill, in the Northern Country and Mallee districts of Victoria respectively, although numbers have generally not necessitated chemical control. It is important to be on the lookout for armyworms in the coming months however, as even relatively low numbers can cause significant losses in ripening crops. This is because they chew through the last remaining green part of the plant stem, and cause heads to fall to the ground.
Armyworms can be distinguished by the presence of three parallel white stripes running form the ‘collar’ behind the head, along the body to the tail end. They also have large heads and smooth, fat bodies that are usually pinkish, green or brown in colour. Caterpillars can be up to 40 mm long. Adult moths have a stout, grey-brown coloured body with a wingspan of approximately 40 mm. For further information and images of armyworms, click here.
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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