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Issue Number: 06Date: 20/06/2014
PestFaxPestFax is a weekly informative and interactive reporting service, providing risk alerts, current information and advice on pests and diseases threatening crops and pastures throughout the grain belt of Western Australia (WA).
PestFax is supported by the National Invertebrate Pest Initiative (NIPI) a Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) project that promotes national pest management information and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principals.
Newsletter of the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia
ContentsMites and Lucerne fleaCaterpillarsHard to find pests
To view a map of pest and disease reports, see PestFax Map and PestFax newsletters for back copies of PestFax. If you have recently observed or heard news of insect or disease pests in crops and pastures contact: [email protected] or use the online “make an on-line report” link.
Mites and lucerne fleaLuke Marquis (SE Agronomy Services) reports that a seedling wheat crop west of Ravensthorpe has been damaged by lucerne flea, at least 15 to 20% of the of the leaf surface area is coved in the typical lucerne flea ‘windowing’ damage (transparent film in leaf surface left after lower tissue is chewed through by the lucerne flea).
Luke also reports seeing a seedling canola crop near Hopetoun being damaged by lucerne flea, the level of damage has made it necessary to apply a pesticide spray to control the lucerne flea population.
Peter Eliott-Lockhart (Planfarm) reports that lucerne flea are still causing problems in some crops on heavier soils in the Three Springs and Mingenew areas.
Svet Micic - Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) commented that once canola has emerged and reached the first true-leaf growth stage it is usually able to then out-grow damage from mites, when the canola has reached six or more true leaves and cool conditions prevail ie mean temperatures below 18 degreesC, establishment pests are usually no longer a problem.
Once cereals have at least 4 leaves they can out grow most damage from pests. Once crops have reached these growth stages they can be monitored less often.
CaterpillarsCara Allan - Western Australian No-Tillage Farmers Association (WANTFA)/University of Western Australia (UWA) reports seeing high numbers of pasture day moth caterpillars feeding on capeweed in pasture plots at the (WANTFA) trial site near Cunderdin.
Peter Eliott-Lockhart (Planfarm) reports pasture day moth caterpillars feeding on a wheat crop east of Mingenew. Pasture day moth caterpillars usually prefer to feed on capeweed and other broadleaved plants, however, they are known to feed on wheat crops when these preferred plants are removed by herbicides.
Peter Eliott-Lockhart (Planfarm) also reports finding dark coloured furry caterpillars ranging in size from around 5 millimetres (mm) through to 25 mm long grazing the edge of a crop near Tenindewa. Localised patches of crop (about 0.5 hectares) are being damaged by the pests. The larger caterpillars are feeding on plant leaves leaving only a skeleton of main leaf veins, whilst the smaller caterpillars are feeding on upper leaf surfaces leaving white opaque windows in the leaf surface.
These ‘woolly’ looking caterpillars are commonly known as woolly bears. They are an infrequent pest which mainly feed on weeds, but will also attack pastures, tagasaste and crops (including wheat and lupins) in some years.
The woolly bear caterpillar refers to a specific species of the Tiger moth family (Arctiidae), but is also more widely used to describe the group of very hairy caterpillars, covered with tight uniform masses of dark brown coloured bristles which give a woolly or fury appearance. The species that is around now grows to about 40mm long and has a dark coloured body with brown/black bristles. When disturbed, they usually roll into a tight spiral ball with their head in the centre.
They feed during the day, mainly on weeds, and are found over widespread areas. When in high numbers they cause severe defoliation and skeletonisation of a wide range of host plants and weeds. They have frequently been found in home gardens.
The adults are known as Tiger Moths because they mostly have bright warning colour patterns, which are striped and spotted in red, orange, black or white. They are mostly small to medium in size, with a stout abdomen usually striped with black and yellow-red colour. Some are either distasteful to predators or mimic distasteful species and may produce a foul chemical.
Hard to find pestsEntomogist Svet Micic (DAFWA) says that a few farmers in southern areas are finding some chewing damage to seedling crops although most insects have been controlled and plants are at an advanced growth stage where they are outgrowing any remaining pests.
On one property in the South Stirlings chewing damage to plants was found to be caused by emus and kangaroos rather than insects.
Figure 1 Woolly bear caterpillars
Bill Crabtree (Crabtree Agricultural Consulting) reports that a four to six leaf canola crop north of Needilup has some areas that are bared and thinned, with crescent shaped chewing damage to leaves that maybe caused by either by weevils, european earwigs or other pests.
Svet Micic (DAFWA) suggests that if you are seeing damage to crops and cannot find the pest, then placing pitfall traps (see figure 2) near the damaged area or going out at night to inspect with a torch will help to identify the likely pest(s). Pitfall traps have been especially useful in detecting the presence of weevils, slaters and european earwigs that can be difficult to detect during the day. European earwigs are one of the few pests that if numbers are high, can damage well established crops especially if they chew through the stem.
Pitfall traps are open mouth containers (such as a plastic cup) which are dug into the soil with the top of the container flush with the soil surface. The bottom of the trap usually has a small amount of water/detergent. Traps should be left out for at least one night and inspected to find likely pests that are causing plant damage.
Also available:List of registered insecticides
A list of registered insecticides to control autumn/winter pests on canola, lupins and cereals is available on the PestFax webpage: Autumn Winter Insecticide Guide 2014
Crop insects: the ute guide This book covers crop pests, beneficial insects, biological control, grain storage pests and biosecurity pest threats specific to WA. Copies are available from some Departmental Offices for a cost of $10.00 or by mail order by phoning the DAFWA South Perth office on +61 (0)8 9368 3710.
Free insect identification Having troubles identifying mites or other pests? Send in your digital pictures (in focus) or send live specimens in a non-crushable plastic jar for free identification. Mail to Peter Mangano or Svetlana Micic at the postal details below.
Svet Micic, DAFWA Albany
444 Albany Highway
The picture shows a plastic cup (pitfall trap) buried with its top flush with the soil surface to trap pests which crawl over the soil surface.
Figure 2 Pitfall trap
Albany WA 6330
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +61 (0)8 98928591 or +61 (0) 427 772 051
Peter Mangano, DAFWA South Perth
3 Baron-Hay CourtSouth Perth WA 6151Email: [email protected]
Phone: +61 (0)8 9368 9753 or +61 (0) 404 819 534
Intergrated Pest Management Guidelines for grains
AgTactic and AgMemo
Other regional DAFWA news updates are available on DAFWA’s website.
Growing Season Outlook Seasonal climate outlooks are available on DAFWA’s website.
AGWEST Plant Labs
Plant disease diagnostic service located at the DAFWA South Perth office. For information on sending samples and charges contact +61 (0)8 9368 3721 or Fax +61 (0)8 9474 2658 or visit our website or the AgWest plant laboratories webpage.
Copyright © Western Australian Agriculture Authority, 2014
The Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Agriculture and Food and the State of Western Australia accept no liabilitywhatsoever by reason of negligence or otherwise arising from the use or release of this information or any part of it.
Next issue of PestFax – 27 June 2014