The government of Uganda has warned that several parts of the country have been invaded by the African armyworm.
Agriculture Minister, Mr. Frank confirmed the outbreak and said that so far 14 districts have reported invasion of the pest, which entomologists said is a result of climate change. Noting that the pest can be controlled by an insecticide named Cypermethrin 5EC, Tumwebaze said the ministry is working with and supporting the effected districts with insecticides and water pumps.
“If the attack is on pasture, farmers are advised to withdraw from that paddock for seven days. Simply don’t graze on the pasture for seven days,” said the minister.
African armyworm
According to an article published on Nature in 2009, the African armyworm is the caterpillar of the night-flying moth Spodoptera exempta, and is a major crop pest usually found in eastern Africa. The caterpillars may munch through cocoa, bananas and maize, and defecate in water supplies.
Normally, only small numbers of this pest occur, usually on pastures. However, periodically the populations increase dramatically and mass migration of moths occur, covering many thousands of square kilometres and traversing international boundaries. They travel from field to field in great numbers, hence the name “armyworm”.
Outbreaks follow the onset of wet seasons when dry grasslands produce new growth and cereal crops are planted. The severity and extent of outbreaks are increased by extended drought followed by early season rainstorms, which concentrate egg-laying moths and provide flushes of new grass as food for newly hatched caterpillars, and dry and sunny periods during the caterpillar development, which promote survival and rapid development. Therefore, major upsurges occur in seasons of sporadic rainstorms and long sunny periods throughout the outbreak period.
