Mythimna Separata

Mythimna Separata

News: Continuous warm temperatures for prolonged periods may have led to the serious Mythimna separata pest infestation in Assam that damaged paddy crops in at least 15 districts.

About:
• Mythimna separata, also known as the northern armyworm, oriental armyworm, or rice ear-cutting caterpillar, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India, eastern Australia, New Zealand, and some Pacific islands. It is one of the major pests of maize in Asia.
• The wingspan of Mythimna separata is 35–50 mm. The larvae usually have six instars, rarely seven, reaching 40 mm in length at its last instar. The larvae feed on a range of agricultural plants like Zea mays, Sorghum bicolor, and Oryza sativa, and are thus considered a pest.
• The term “armyworm” is used because of their habit to spread out in a line across a lawn or pasture, and slowly “march” forward, consuming the foliage they encounter. Infestations can be controlled by hand picking the larvae, attracting adults using pheromones, regulating water level in the fields, and removing alternate hosts from the field.