More weevil and mite activity
Desiantha weevil
- Belka Valley
David Stead (Anasazi Agronomy) reports that desiantha weevil (or spotted vegetable weevil) are active in early germinating to four leaf canola crops in Belka Valley. As they are causing considerable damage the grower will spray them.
Desiantha weevil larvae attack cereals at the seedling and tillering stages. They feed underground on germinating seeds, and bore into the stems of seedlings and tillers, often killing plants or resulting in abnormal and stunted growth. In contrast, canola is mostly damaged by adults. They chew cotyledons, leaves and stems of canola plants and may eat small plants down to ground level.
Desiantha weevil adults are mottled grey-black in colour with grey flecks on the abdomen and have the typical elongated weevil snout. They grow up to 7mm long and are flightless. Larvae are white, legless grubs with orange-brown heads and grow to 8mm in length.
For more information on desiantha weevils see DAFWA’s Diagnosing weevils in canola or Cesar’s Spotted vegetable weevil PestNote.
Mite activity
- Kellerberrin
- Narrogin
Dan Taylor (DKT Rural Agencies) reports that he hasn’t seen any redlegged earth mites yet, indicating that the cold temperature requirement for eggs to hatch has not been met yet in some areas. He noted that low numbers of bryobia mite had been seen amongst seedling canola crops north west of Kellerberrin.
Hilary Wittwer (Planfarm) reports finding balaustium mite in a Bonito canola crop near Narrogin. The crop was at the cotyledon growth stage and mite numbers were not at damaging levels. The crop will be monitored and Hilary is hoping that after receiving more rain the canola will grow away from them.
To view previous mite reports received this season see DAFWA’s PestFax map.
More information on mites can be found at DAFWA’s;
For more information contact Dustin Severtson, Development Officer, South Perth on +61 (0)8 9368 3249.