Habits - Can't fly when cold. Attracted to lights.
Caterpillar -
Colour - Pale to dark brown. Translucent.
Body - Cylindrical. 15mm long.
Mouthparts - Chewing.
Antennae - Short. 3 segments.
Legs - 5 segments. Single claw on end.
Head - Hard.
Thorax - 3 pairs of legs.
Abdomen - 10-11 segments. Spiracles on segments 1 to 8. Prolegs on segments 3, 6 and 10.
Habits - Herbivorous. Live in web lined tunnels. Only emerge from tunnels when cool and damp - usually at night.
Biology:
Life Cycle:
The moths lay eggs on grasses in the autumn. These hatch and the caterpillars burrow into the soil and make web lined tunnels. They feed through out winter then go into a resting stage in their tunnels for the spring and summer. They pupate in late summer and emerge in autumn often in very large numbers that swarm around lights.
Habitats:
Origin and History:
Distribution:
Significance:
Caterpillars cut cereal and grass plants at ground level and may pull the plant down into its hole or leave it scattered on the surface. They are a major pest of cereals and pastures.
Management and Control:
Insecticides are used for control in cereals and pastures.
Cultivation to form a 3 week fallow usually provides good control. Infestations are usually worse under minimum tillage, grassy and cool moist situations. They are usually not a problem in stubble paddocks.
Thresholds:
Cereals - Spray at the first sign of damage and within 3 weeks of emergence.
Inspect crops every 4 days after planting especially if conditions are dry.