QDAF entomologists have recently inspected several infestations of fall armyworm (FAW) in forage oats on the Darling Downs. Oats are not a preferred host of FAW, but these infestations come at the end of the largest FAW season since the pest arrived in Australia. Oats are not usually inspected for pest insects, but agronomists are advised to check plants for… Read more »
As growers and agronomists are doing battle with fall armyworm (FAW; Spodoptera frugiperda) in maize and sorghum, another species of Spodoptera, the cluster caterpillar (Spodoptera litura; Figure 1) is causing substantial defoliation in summer pulses. We have received reports across Queensland of damaging infestations of cluster caterpillars from soybeans, mungbeans, and peanuts. A cluster caterpillar outbreak of this intensity has… Read more »
Every year the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries runs a Helicoverpa spp. pheromone trapping program for the Northern Grains Region to detect flights of Helicoverpa armigera and Helicoverpa punctigera in important cropping areas. The trap network provides growers and agronomists with a warning system for potential egg-lay in susceptible crops. Although very few crops were planted this season due… Read more »
The yearly Helicoverpa spp. pheromone trapping program for the Northern Grains Region, run by the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), has recently commenced. During the first few weeks of trap catches, trap operators have detected flights of both H. punctigera and H. armigera in pheromone traps across the Northern Region (Table 1). Table 1. Latest Helicoverpa spp. pheromone… Read more »
The 2018 spring Helicoverpa pheromone trapping program for the Northern Grains Region has recently concluded. The program, run by the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for the Northern Grain Growing region, forms part of the national Helicoverpa monitoring network jointly run by DAF, cesar, SARDI, and DAFWA. The primary purpose of the trapping network is to detect high moth… Read more »
As a part of a new insecticide resistance management strategy in grain crops, growers and agronomists are looking to rotate insecticides for Helicoverpa sp. control. Following enquiries from industry, DAF entomology have been conducting research on the range of newer insecticides available for controlling Helicoverpa larvae. In work previously published on the Beatsheet, we have demonstrated the efficacy of these… Read more »
The Helicoverpa pheromone trapping program has recently concluded for the 2017 Winter/Spring season. The program, run by the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for the Northern Grain Growing region, forms part of the national Helicoverpa monitoring network jointly run by cesar, SARDI, and DAFWA. The primary purpose of the trapping network is to detect high moth activity, for both… Read more »