A Guide for Fall Army Worm

Identification and Management

N P P C

National Plant Protection Centre

Department of Agriculture
Ministry of Agriculture and Forests
2020
Prepared by

Kiran Mahat
Tshelthrim Zangpo
Entomology Unit
National Plant Protection Centre
Semtokha, Thimphu

© Copyright National Plant Protection Centre

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Pest Organism...................................................... 3

Life cycle and identification of FAW.......................... 4
Damage symptoms ..................................................... 8
Management and Monitoring of FAW ..................... 10
Fall armyworm reporting format.............................. 13
References and photo sources................................... 15

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THE PEST ORGANISM

Common name: Fall Army Worm (FAW)

Scientific name: Spodoptera frugiperda (J E Smith)
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Noctuidae

Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda

(J E Smith) is a very important invasive pest species
native to tropical and subtropical America which
been spreading rapidly through Africa since 2016, in
Asian countries (India, China, Sri Lanka, Thailand,
Myanmar) since 2018, and in 2020 arrived in Australia
via Papua New Guinea.
In Bhutan, FAW was first detected and identified
through morphological and molecular analysis from
maize fields in Punakha in September, 2019. Since
then NPPC has also confirmed its presence in maize
in Chukha dzongkhag and reports of its infestations in
Sarpang dzongkhag has also been documented. As per
their feeding habits, the FAW is categorized under the
two strains of “corn” and “rice”. Molecular analyses
of specimens from Bhutan indicate it to be the “corn”
strain that primarily prefers to feed on maize.
FAW is a serious pest due to its polyphagous habit
of feeding on over 80 different crop species. While

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FAW has a preference for maize, it can damage other
crops such as sorghum, rice, sugarcane, cabbage, beet,
groundnut, soybean, onion, cotton, pasture grasses,
millets, tomato, potato and cotton. FAW can spread
quickly across large geographic areas as the moths
have been reported to migrate over 500 km and with
favorable wind patterns, moths have been recorded to
undertake flights of 1,600 km from the southern United
States to southern Canada in 30 hours.
FAW is a pest of tropical origin, unable to undergo
diapause or survive cold conditions. Therefore, in
Bhutan, it may not be able to survive the cold winters
or overwinter in the temperate regions. However, FAW
might establish as permanent, multigenerational pest
in the southern region of the country from which it can
possibly migrate to the interior parts of the country
with the availability of suitable host plants and onset
of favorable climatic conditions.

LIFE CYCLE AND IDENTIFICATION OF

FAW

The FAW life cycle is completed in about 30 days

during the warm summer months but may extend to
60-90 days in cooler temperatures.

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EGGS
Eggs are found in masses on the lower parts of
the plant. It is mostly laid on the undersides of the
leaves and occasionally also on the upper side of the
leaves and stems. The eggs are laid in masses of up
to several hundreds. Eggs are pale green or white at
the beginning and turn brownish before hatching. The
female also deposits a layer of grayish scales giving
a furry appearance. The eggs hatch into larvae in 2-3
days. Neonates (small larvae) after hatching cling on
the leaf with silken thread and with the help of wind it
can swing and attach to spread to other nearby plants.

Eggs of FAW with fluffy hair

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 Neonates (young larvae) Newly hatched larva with a
hatching from an egg mass LARVAE
black
Half- to fully grown larvae are easy to identify
generally show 3 yellow stripes on the back, fo
LARVAE
black, then a yellow stripe on the side. It has a bla
a characteristic upside-down Y-shaped pale ma
Half-front.to fully
Four raisedgrown larvae
spots shaped like a trapezium o
are segment.
easy to
On theidentify. Thesegment, the
second to last
characteristic pattern of four dark spots forming a
larvae
spot hasgenerally show
a short bristle (hair). 3 usually six
There are
stages which can complete development in 2-3 w
yellow
pupa. stripes on the back,
followed by a black, then a
yellow stripe on the side. It has a black head with
a characteristic upside-down Y-shaped pale marking
on the front. There are PUPA
four raised spots shaped like
Pupa are pale green and soft when newly formed, but its c
a trapezium on each body segment.
gradually changes to a On the second
deep red-brown as it hardens. It is fo
2-8 centimeters below the soil surface.
to last segment, the larva has a characteristic pattern
of four dark spots forming a square. Each spot has a
short bristle (hair). There are usually six larval instars
stages which can complete development in 2-3 weeks
to form pupa.
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 PUPA
Pupa are pale green and soft
when newly formed, but its
color gradually changes to a
deep red-brown as it hardens.
It is found 2-8 centimeters
below the soil surface.

Male fall armyworm Female fall armyworm

ADULT MOTH
Forewings are brown or grey. Male fall armyworm
moths have more patterns with a characteristic distinct
white spot on the tip and center of each forewing.
Males have a disk shaped spot on the center of the
fore wing with three quarters of it being straw colored
and one quarter being dark brown. The female moths
have a greyish-brown forewing that is uniform in color.
Both sexes have hind wings that are silver-white with
a narrow dark border. Moths can live for an average
period of one to three weeks and lay between 1000-
2000 eggs.
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Damage symptoms
After hatching, young larvae feed superficially, usually
on the undersides of leaves and scrape the surface of
the leaf, leaving visible thin semitransparent patches
on the leaves called windows. As the larva grows in
size, their feeding can result in small holes (pin hole
damage) and bigger feeding holes (shot hole damage).
Moist sawdust like frass (caterpillar poo) near the
whorl and upper leaves of the plant are observed.
When this dries it resembles sawdust. Deep feeding
in the whorl may destroy developing tassels. Larvae
can also enter through the side of the ear and feed on
developing kernels.

*Some maize plants can still recover from certain leaf

damage without losing much yield as they have a good
capacity to compensate for foliar damage.

Early instar damage by FAW: Pin hole damage

Windowing

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Shot hole damage on leaves Frass on leaves

Maize whorl damaged by FAW damaging cob

FAW

FAW damaging tassel

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MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING OF
FAW

Planting dates
1. Avoid late planting and planting at different
dates in the same area (staggered planting). This
will provide an ideal situation for the moths to
lay eggs and infest a field containing both young
and old plants (as young plants are preferred by
the larvae to feed on).

Plant diversity
1. Maintaining plant diversity and intercropping
will help prevent FAW infestations as it can
deter moths from laying eggs in fields that
contains plants which the moths do not prefer.
2. The “Push-pull climate smart technology”
is recommended in Africa where plants that
attract (pull) the FAW moths are planted in
the border area (e.g. Napier/Brachiaria grass)
and plants that repel (push) (e.g. Desmodium
sp) are intercropped with maize. The push-
pull technology has been shown to be very
effective in managing FAW damage/infestations
compared to monocrop maize plots.
3. In North America intercropping maize with
beans and squash has been reported to have low
FAW attack.

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Mechanical and biological control
1. Frequent field monitoring and manual
destruction of egg masses and larval stage is
practical for a small holder farmer and will ensure
that the natural control mechanism provided by
predators, parasitoids and entomopathogens are
not disrupted.

Regular field scouting and pheromone trapping

It is very important to initiate early measures in order
to manage FAW effectively. Farmers often observe
FAW infestations late, when large holes and frass are
present by which major damage would have already
occurred.
1. Pheromone traps: Helps determine the
presence and buildup of FAW populations.
• Suspend the trap 1.5 meters above the
ground.
• Monitor every week, identify to separate
from other species of trapped moths, count
and record the number of FAW trapped.
• Change lures every four weeks.
2. Field scouting: Has to be carried out regularly
to detect egg masses and early larval stages
which are easier to control.
• In the field, walk to make a letter “W” pattern
avoiding the edges of the field.

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 • Stop at 5 points and inspect 10-15 plants on
each stop. Look carefully on each plant for
signs of recent FAW feeding damage.

Scouting pattern to monitor

FAW in the field

Table 1: Action thresholds and insecticide

recommendations. (Action thresholds is expressed as
percentages of plants that show typical FAW damage)
Maize Action
SN Spray Sequence
crop stage threshold
1 Early • First Spray one of the pesticides listed.
whorl catch of Do not spray the same pesticide
stage. 3 moths/ twice.
(Seedling trap. 1. Cypermethrin
to 2 weeks • 10%-20 2. Chlorpyrifos
old) % infested 3. Malathion
plants 4. Neem oil
2 Late whorl • 30-50% Spray one of the pesticides listed.
stage. infested Do not spray the same pesticide
(2 weeks plants twice.
-6 weeks) 1. Cypermethrin
2. Chlorpyrifos
3. Malathion
4. Neem oil
3 Tassel and • 10-30% Hand picking and destruction of
silk stage. infested larvae and conservation biological
(7 weeks plants control is recommended. Spray
till bio pesticides such as Neem oil if
maturity) available.

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Fall armyworm reporting format
A. GENERAL INFORMATION
Dzongkhag
Gewog
Village
Name of the farmer
Name of the data collector
B. Crop Information
Main Crop
Main Crop Variety
Crop stage ̵̵ Seedling
̵̵ Vegetative
̵̵ Reproductive
̵̵ Maturity
General health of crop ̵̵ Poor
̵̵ Medium
̵̵ Good
Field size (acre)
GPS coordinates and elevation
C. SCOUTING
Check at least 10 plants in a row at 5 different places in the
field (50 plants total). Count the number of plants that have
the presence of FAW and their damage.
Plants inspected Total no of FAW Present
1st row: 10 plants
2nd row: 10 plants

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3rd row: 10 plants
4th row: 10 plants
5th row: 10 plants
D. DAMAGE
Crop damage ̵̵ None
̵̵ Low
̵̵ Moderate
̵̵ High
Damage in whorl and leaves ̵̵ None
̵̵ Low
̵̵ Moderate
̵̵ High
Natural enemies present ̵̵ None
̵̵ Parasitoides
̵̵ Pathogens
̵̵ Predators
Dead larvae present ̵̵ No
̵̵ Yes

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REFERENCES AND PHOTO SOURCES

1. University of Florida: http://entnemdept.ulf.edu/

creatures/field/fall_armyworm.htm
2. Fall armyworm: http://sanbi.com/
3. 3CABI Plant wise: How to identify FAW.
4. FAO, 2018: FAW Guidance Note 1.
5. USAID and CIMMYT, 2018: Fall Army worm in
Africa: A Guide for Integrated Pest Management
6. FAO, 2018: Integrated management of the Fall
Armyworm on maize: A guide for Farmer Field
Schools in Africa.
7. FAO: FAW Impact Assessment.

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