Four years after an unusual outbreak of true armyworm on Vancouver Island and in the Fraser Valley, BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries staff continue to monitor for the pest and other threats to the region’s forage crops.
Provincial entomologist Tracy Hueppelsheuser noted that trapping caught just 10 true armyworm moths on Vancouver Island and six in the Fraser Valley over several weeks this spring.
The pest can rapidly devour healthy grass and corn crops, making it a significant threat.
“So far it is good news,” says Hueppelsheuser in a report to the BC Dairy Association. “True armyworm moth catches are very low for 2021 in all regions and there have been no reports of forage-feeding caterpillars.”
True armyworm is not known to overwinter in Canada. However, it can migrate to BC from southern climes. The infestation that hit the Alberni and Fraser valleys in 2017 was attributed to moths swept northwards on wind currents from the southern US. The numbers were large enough to create a significant problem for local growers.
The moths laid eggs and the larvae devastated healthy grass and corn crops while experts scrambled to figure out what was going on.
This year’s discovery of so few moths is a relief to forage producers.
Corn earworm, fall armyworm, western yellowstriped armyworm and western bean cutworm are also on scientists’ radars but individuals have not yet to be caught on Vancouver Island or in the Lower Mainland.
Trapping will continue until at least August 31.
With files from Ronda Payne