Neil Dunderdale holds a family of cutworms discovered on a Waikato farm.
Farmers have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars replanting after insects munched through Waikato crops.
A combination of high winds, rising temperatures and rain have seen cosmopolitan armyworm and cutworm populations thrive, and they have feasted on hundreds of hectares of chicory, maize and turnips.
PGG Wrightson technical field rep Neil Dunderdale is working 12-hour days walking Waipā and Ōtorohanga districts paddocks checking for pest damage.
“You’re unlucky (generally) to get one farm in your patch that needs replanting, and so far this year I have had five from Te Awamutu south,” said Dunderdale. “It’s the busiest two weeks I have had in a long time.”
His patch includes from Te Kawa Crossroads near Te Awamutu in the north to Hangatiki south of Ōtorohanga.
Dunderdale said about 300 hectares of maize had been replanting since the beginning of November, and another 100 hectares of chicory and turnips at an average cost of around $1000 a hectare.
Pioneer Brand Products regional manager Craig Maxwell said his team had covered a lot of hectares checking crops.
“So far we have not had to replant any in the King Country for cutworm damage,” he said. “There has, however, has been more crops sprayed than usual due to the increased pest pressure. We have seen more damage than we would usually see with this pest. The proactive crop checking and preventative spraying that has occurred in maize has significantly minimised the damage. “
Julie Clark, of John Clark Contacting in Ōtorohanga, emailed clients warning them to be vigilant just before The News spoke to her and she had heard back from three asking for help.
“It’s rampant,” she said. “We have done some cutworm spraying.”
Clark usually expected to spray in late November.
Te Awamutu agricultural contractor John Austin was also busy helping farmers tackle the insects.
“There’s a lot on at the moment, it’s more intense,” he said.
Foundation for Arable Research Arable Biosecurity and Industry Relationships Officer Ash Mills said it was a very bad situation for growers, but the contractors were being helpful and assisting growers and the agronomists as best they could.
“Cutworm can be a difficult pest to manage at the best of times, I believe that this situation is somewhat under control now and growers have been notified in the region to keep vigilant and check crops.”
Waikato Federated Farmers Arable chair Donald Stobie urged growers to check paddocks for bug and pest damage.
“Planting crops this spring has been a dream run, in regard to the weather and ground conditions,” he said in his latest report to the executive.
“We would not have had conditions this favourable in a number of years.
