PestFacts WA

Native budworm moth activity update

Moth trapping update

• Usual trapping locations

A pheromone native budworm trap in lupins. Photo courtesy of: Amber Balfour-Cunningham (DPIRD).

The succession of cold fronts that have rolled across the southwest of the state in recent weeks, along with their associated westerly or south westerly winds, have likely suppressed the western migration of native budworm moths to some degree.

Early in the year, some large moth flights were observed in the northern and eastern parts of the grainbelt, resulting in caterpillar numbers that required control measures. Although budworm moth captures have been relatively low in recent months, some areas have experienced large increases in moth captures in the last few weeks.

The higher captures reported over the past few weeks include Maya (361 moths), Bindi Bindi (330), Nangetty (136), Kellerberrin N (126), Carnamah (116), Varley (108), Doodlakine (107),  South Stirlings (60), York (53), Kellerberrin S (48), Alma (28), Nabawa (25), Dalwallinu (21), Dowerin (15), Bolgart (13), Grass Patch (13), Moonyoonooka (12), Cunderdin N (11), Northam (10) and Southern Cross (5).

A map showing the native budworm moth flights recorded so far this season is available at Cesar Australia’s MothTrapVisWA page. The blue bar at the bottom of the map can be adjusted to show moth flights from 1 June 2024 onwards.  

Caterpillar activity

• Nangetty
• Tenindewa
• York
• Dalwallinu
• Alma
• Moonyoonooka
• Bindi Bindi

A native budworm caterpillar chewing into a lupin pod. Photo courtesy of: Christiaan Valentine (DPIRD).

An average of 1 native budworm caterpillar per 10 sweeps has been reported in canola crops near Nangetty and Tenindewa. Less than 1 caterpillar per 10 sweeps was reported in a canola crop near York.

Less than 1 budworm caterpillar per 10 sweeps has been reported in a lupin crop near Dalwallinu and in canola crops at Alma, Moonyoonooka and Bindi Bindi.

Relevant information can be entered into Cesar Australia’s Databug2 Native budworm lifecycle simulator webpage to get an estimate of when different sized caterpillars may be present in a crop. This can then be compared to the crop growth stages expected to coincide with the presence of these caterpillars.

Management 

Pesticide options for the control of native budworm can be found in DPIRD’s 2024 Winter Spring Insecticide Guide.  

Further information  

Detailed information on this pest can be found at the department’s Management and economic thresholds for native budworm. 

To read about prior native budworm activity this season refer to the 2024 PestFacts WA articles in Issue 11 Native budworm caterpillars are active and in Issue 5 Native budworm moth flights have started. 

For more information contact Technical Officer Alan Lord in Perth on +61 (0)409 689 468. 

Article author: Alan Lord (DPIRD South Perth).