After another detection of fall armyworm moths, nearly 1,000 kilometres south of its original detection point, its eradication from Australia might prove impossible.
Previously the species had only been found in the Torres Strait region, on the islands of Erub and Saibai, followed by the northernmost mainland town of Bamaga. But now larvae of the insect have been confirmed in a trial maize crop near Georgetown, 300 kilometres west of Cairns, where a University of Queensland researcher raised the alarm.
Director of Biosecurity Queensland Malcolm Letts said the latest find was a blow to the agriculture sector. "This is very significant. Basically it means any chances we had to keep the pest out and to eradicate it in the Torres Strait are gone. This means the pest is basically established on the mainland of Australia."
Mr Letts said the next step for biosecurity agencies and farmers was to restrict the moth's range, by controlling it in affected crops. Those include economically valuable species such as cotton, wheat, rice, sorghum, sugar cane, and certain fruits and vegetables.
"Given the nature of the pest and the speed that it travels, we anticipate that it'll move fairly quickly to other parts of Queensland and maybe other parts of Australia," Mr Letts said.
Preparing for the worst
Biosecurity Queensland is setting up 100 surveillance traps across Queensland to track the bug's movements and identify new outbreaks. With a large number of potential hosts for the caterpillars, more information will soon be sent to farmers and agronomists.
Source: abc.net.au/
