PLEASE NOTE: We are currently updating the archived database of bulletins and maps

 

Reports for February 2006 were received from:

Angola, Lesotho, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, AFS, and IRLCO-CSA.

 


No reports were received from Botswana, DRC, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, or Zambia.

 

SADC Collaborators are kindly requested to read the "General Notices" section

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General Summary [General Summary map.png]

Outbreaks of the African armyworm were reported in Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, and Tanzania. Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania experienced widespread outbreaks, and Tanzania recorded large numbers of moth catches.

Locusts. Red locust (Nomadacris septemfasciata) hopper bands were observed in Tanzania and Malawi. Brown locust (Locustana pardalina) hopper bands and swarms were controlled in the outbreak area of South Africa. No outbreaks of other locust species were reported from the region.

Quelea breeding colonies were controlled in South Africa. No reports were received from other SADC member countries.


Armyworm [Armyworm map.png]

Angola (S Matheus). Outbreaks occurred in Zaire, Namibe, and Kuanza Sul Provinces. Crop damage was insignificant and no control was undertaken.

Malawi (IRLCO-CSA). Armyworm outbreaks were reported in all the 8 agricultural Development Divisions (ADDs) with some 24,000 ha affected. The largest outbreaks occurred in Chikwawa (3209 ha), Kasungu (2453 ha), Dedza (2009 ha), Ntcheu (2402 ha), Karonga (2511 ha), Salima (4188 ha), and Nkhotakato (4011 ha). Mild to severe levels of damage reported to crops (maize, rice, millet, sorghum and pastures). The affected farmers carried out control with assistance from the Ministry of Agriculture. IRLCO-CSA assisted by providing pheromone traps and accessories.

Mozambique (A Ngazero). The provinces of Maputo, Sofala, Manica, Gaza, Inhambane, Tete. Niassa, and Cabo Delgado were hardest hit by outbreaks of larvae (instars 2 – 6). No further details are available.

South Africa (M Kieser). Farmers and the general public reported scattered outbreaks of armyworm larvae in pasture lands in three Provinces viz. Limpopo, North West, and Free State. No control was undertaken.

Tanzania (AFS). Widespread outbreaks of heavy infestations were reported in Lindi, Morogoro, Mtwara, Iringa, Dodoma, Manyara, and Ruvuma regions. Heavy crop lossess occurred in Masasi District (32,639 ha infested). During the week of 13-19th February 2007, larvae were observed pupating in Mtwara and Lindi regions. A total of some 64,000 ha of cereal crops and pasture lands were infested. Very high numbers of moth catches continued to be caught during the month at Kilosa, Mbeya, Mpwapwa, Ifakara, Tumbi, Tabora, Bihawana and Mbeya.

The remainder of the region remained FREE of armyworm infestations.


Locusts [Locust map.png]

Malawi (IRLCO-CSA). Five red locust hopper bands (2nd – 3rd instars) were located in the Lake Chilwa/Chiuta Plains.

South Africa (K Viljoen). A total of 398 brown locust bands and 337 swarms were controlled in the Northern Cape and North West Provinces. Band size varied from medium to large bands, while the majority of the swarms were classified as large. Control was undertaken by the National Department of Agriculture using Decis. No further details are available.

Tanzania (IRLCO-CSA). Twenty red locust hopper bands (3rd – 4th instars) were located in the Iku Plains, and ten in the Malagarasi Basin.

No reports of outbreaks of other locusts were received from the region.


Quelea [Quela.png]

South Africa (L Geertsema). Three (3) colonies were controlled in the Free State and Limpopo Provinces, with all the sites identified as traditional Quelea sites in savannah habitat. Minimal damage (0-2%) was reported in the millet, sorghum, and manna crops near these sites. The size of the colonies ranged from 1.5 to 4ha each. The total area treated was 8,5ha with an estimated number of 865,000 birds present. The largest concentration of birds (450,000) was at Tuinplaass. Chemical controls in environmentally safe areas were undertaken using Falcolan® (active ingredient cyanophos 520g/l) with an overall estimated 50-100% kill achieved. No non-target mortalities were recorded.

No further reports of Quelea birds in the SADC region were received.


Current map [Current map.png]


General Notices

  1. The reporting rate for February is 46%. Country collaborators are reminded that reports should reach the coordinator by the end of the 1st week of the following month so that they can be included in the Bulletin. Reports should be sent even if there were NO migrant pest outbreaks, or NO surveys were conducted.
  2. Please remember to inform the ICOSAMP Co-ordinator of any website addresses or forthcoming workshops that may be of relevance to our group.

 

Acknowledgements

Information is gratefully acknowledged from Ministerial collaborators in each SADC country, the International Red Locust Control Organisation for Central and Southern Africa (IRLCO-CSA) in Zambia, and the Armyworm Forecasting & Control Services (AFS) in Tanzania.


Notes to Collaborators

Collaborators are kindly reminded to make sure that the migrant pest monthly reporting forms are sent to the Co-Ordinator by the end of the first week of the following month, so that this information can be included in the Monthly Bulletins. Reports should be sent even if NO migrant pests were found, or NO surveys were conducted.


Reports can be faxed or emailed to:
M Kieser
Fax: +27 12 329 3278
Email: KieserM@arc.agric.za

Information may be used freely with acknowledgement to the source