Wine Industry Newsletter

Stay up to date on locust activity

Locust

The Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) is advising landholders in the viticulture regions of the south west and south coast to be aware of Australian Plague Locust (APL) activity occurring during spring/early summer.

Locust activity is predicted across eastern and southern parts of the grainbelt during spring with the potential for loose swarms to form and later enter viticulture regions.

Environmental conditions, wind direction and summer rainfall will impact the movement of migrating bands of locusts.

High risk areas include high-value agricultural land adjacent to areas of high locust density such as the shires of Cranbrook, Plantagenet and Albany. The shires of West Arthur, Boyup Brook and Kojonup are likely to experience APL activity as migrating swarms are likely to form in the Katanning region.

Landholders are reminded to inspect their properties for locust activity and start preparing for control if necessary.

Control in vineyards should be initiated as soon as any locust damage becomes evident. Grapevines are mainly susceptible to adult locusts rather than hoppers and should be monitored for damage.

Landholders are responsible for control of locusts on their property and should assess spraying requirements early on. It is vital landholders control locusts by spraying at the right time to minimise damage to valuable assets.

Check the insecticide label before using chemicals to ensure the minimum withholding periods before harvest are observed. For more information, visit DAFWA's Australian plague locust control: horticultural crops webpage.

Landholders are encouraged to use the department’s free PestFax Reporter app to report any locust activity to assist with mapping locust movements or the department’s Pest and Disease Information Service (PaDIS) on 1800 084 881.

Further information on identification, monitoring and control for locusts is available from DAFWA's website agric.wa.gov.au/locusts or call PaDIS on the number above.