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Blue oat mites (Penthaleus spp.) are also active in many regions after hatching from over-summering eggs. Agronomist, Rachael Webb (Landmark), has found blue oat mites affecting many early tillering oat crops near Inverell, in the Northern Tablelands district of New South Wales. In some cases more than 10 mites/plant could be found when visually searching, and plants were showing obvious signs of feeding damage. Rachael says many crops are moisture stressed and the mites are further affecting plant development. Where chemical control has been warranted, crops have generally been sprayed with an organophosphate chemical.
Blue oat mites are often mistaken for redlegged earth mites due to their similar appearance and sympatric life-cycle. However, blue oat mites and the redlegged earth mite differ markedly in their biology and tolerance to pesticides, and require separate management strategies. Blue oat mites are the most abundant earth mites in many cropping and pastoral areas of Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales. Blue oat mites can be distinguished from other mites by their blue-black coloured body and characteristic red mark on their back. Click here for images of blue oat mites.
If chemical control is warranted, blue oat mites should be targeted within 2-3 weeks of emergence. This approach should protect newly germinated seedlings, which are most prone to mite attack. Be aware, continual monitoring of mite populations is needed and some damage to emerging pasture and crop plants may have already occurred by the time sprays are applied. As with redlegged earth mites, weed control can suppress the build-up of blue oat mites during the growing season.
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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