Waging war on caterpillars

With the warm weather and the associated open glasshouse vents, we are finding that our crops are being 'hit' by several flights of moths and butterflies, which usually means that our plants get attacked by caterpillars.

So while we want to gain the upper hand on the caterpillars we don't want to destroy our predator population fior whitefly and other pests.

The solution? Spray with a chemical that's fatal to caterpillars and kind to the predators.

For our spraying exercise today we applied DiPel DF which is a fungus that destroys the caterpillars stomach lining (Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki, Strain HD-1) and gives us  control over Lepidopteran larvae (butterfly & caterpillars) only. It does not harm beneficial and mite predators, and leaves no harmful residues.

DiPel DF does not kill immediately. Once a caterpillar eats treated foliage, it stops feeding and this protects the crop from further damage.  So to gain control, DiPel DF must be ingested by the target insect.
 

Our problems don't vanish overnight as the treated caterpillars may hang from the leaves before rotting and dropping to the ground, which normally occurs within 3-4 days.

We applied  today's spray through our high pressure boom sprayer, which you can see in action in the video below.

 As part of the training programs that we run for industry, we do deliver the Agricultural Chemical User Permit (ACUP). In Victoria, an ACUP is required to use agricultural chemical products that:-

• are ‘restricted use’ chemicals (agricultural chemical products that are Schedule 7 Poisons (DANGEROUS POISONS) or contain atrazine, metham sodium or ester formulations of MCPA, 2,4-D, 2,4-DB or triclopyr)
• contain 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate)
• contain methyl bromide; or phosphine formulated as liquefied gas
• contain pindone concentrate (greater than 2.5%) for the preparation of poison baits.
• contain copper, chronium and arsenic (CCA) 

Individuals using any of the chemicals above must hold a valid ACUP or be under the direct supervision of an ACUP holder (i.e. within sight and sound).

For details on how we can assist you gaining an ACUP, call our office on:-

1300 CHISHOLM (1300 244 746) or e mail us on enquiries@chisholm.edu.au