The first positive identifications of fall armyworm for the 2022/23 season have been confirmed in Auckland and Northland.
Biosecurity New Zealand and primary sector partners have continued response efforts against the invasive pest, fall armyworm (FAW).
We have now had our first positive identifications of fall armyworm (FAW) for this season in Kaitaia and in Auckland. In Kaitaia, larvae feeding on covered sweet corn in cloches was found by a grower in late October. The property has now had surveillance traps set up as part of the FAW 2022 surveillance program.
It is important that growers keep a look out for this pest, particularly on maize and corn plants. Information about this pest and what to look for can be found here.
Fall armyworm can easily be mistaken for other species so if you suspect fall armyworm, take a photo (caterpillars at least 2cm long) and call Biosecurity New Zealand’s Pest and Disease Hotline (0800 80 99 66) or report online at report.mpi.govt.nz/pest. Alternatively, you can report via https://www.findapest.nz/ (download the app).
Once you have reported your suspected find to Biosecurity New Zealand, please contact your crop manager or industry body for specific advice on the best management options for your crops. Home gardeners can use suitable pesticides for use on caterpillars.
Biosecurity New Zealand’s focus is on continuing to find out where in New Zealand this pest is. There is no direction for growers to destroy any crops.
A grower’s guide is available on our website here, and has been shared with industry organisations.
Surveillance
As part of the ongoing work against FAW, we have partnered with Better Border Biosecurity (B3) to undertake research to better understand the survival, distribution, and potential impacts of this moth pest in NZ. Over 200 fall armyworm pheromone traps have been distributed around the country to support the B3 research work.
Growers play a key role in this research by keeping a look out for FAW in your properties, particularly through the summer months. This includes growers who have deployed their own FAW pheromone traps, are undertaking crop scouting, or just conducting regular checks of their crops.
If you did not detect FAW in your property, we would also like to know about it to help build that picture of distribution. Please report this to MPI at the end of each month by filling out the following form here and sending it through to faw@mpi.govt.nz. If you are unable to fill out this form directly, you can email the information outlined in the form attached. This information will then be shared with B3 to support their research work.