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The Australian Plague Locust Commission (APLC) undertakes monitoring of locust populations in inland eastern Australia throughout the year. The current locust situation has recently been updated, and the APLC reports that a major nymph infestation is expected to develop in central New South Wales during spring. Hatching is due to commence now and is expected to continue throughout September and into early October. For further information on the current locust situation, including areas that are most likely to be affected, refer to the APLC and NSW DPI websites.
Australian plague locusts (Chortoicetes terminifera) can cause severe damage to pastures and a range of field crops if they are not controlled. To prevent the build up of large populations, locusts need to be controlled during their early stages as ‘hoppers’ when they are unable to fly. Once locusts reach the adult stage, controlling them becomes difficult and expensive. Adults can move long distances very quickly and have been recorded travelling hundreds of kilometres in one night driven by wind. Several chemicals are available for controlling Australian plague locusts.
Australian plague locusts are readily distinguished from other locust species by the large dark spot present on the tip of each hindwing and red coloured shanks on their hindlegs. Adults are up to 40 mm long with a variable body colour of grey, brown or green. They are the most important pest species of locust in Australia due to the area infested and frequency of plagues.
Click here for images of the Australian plague locust.
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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0484 310 697
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