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Senior farm consultant, Tim Condon (Delta Agribusiness), has observed native budworm (Helicoverpa puntigera) in numerous canola and pulse crops around Harden, in the South West Slopes district of New South Wales. Tim says small caterpillars have caused damage to leaves, while larger caterpillars have started feeding on pods. Some paddocks have required chemical control. Agronomist, Alan Eddis (Landmark), has reported low numbers of native budworm in several lupin paddocks around Temora, also in the South West Slopes and Plains district of New South Wales. Some paddocks have recently been sprayed, however Alan says most crops will be monitored and chemical control is unlikely to be required.
Native budworm larvae grow up to 40 mm long and can vary substantially in colour. They usually have 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.
The larvae feed on the buds, flowers, fruiting parts and seeds of plants, 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. For further information on the lifecycle of native budworm, as well as information on monitoring and control thresholds, 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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