Tune into/catch up with the next Gippsland Ag Chat session on Wednesday 2 December at 1.15 pm to hear more about how you can be prepared for potential future Australian plague locust incursions into East Gippsland.
The online webinar will be presented by Agriculture Victoria entomologist and Victorian Plague Locust Commissioner Dr Kyla Finlay, with support from Plant Pests and Disease Manager Dr Chris Pittock.
Australian plague locusts (Chortoicetes terminifera) are a feature of the Australian landscape, however, can breed rapidly under favourable weather conditions, such as heavy spring rainfall.
Dr Finlay said so far this season there has been very little locust activity reported in East Gippsland, but there has been a higher than average number of sightings in western and north-western Victoria.
'There is no locust plague in Victoria at present nor is one predicted; however, the La Nina weather phenomenon has brought higher than average rainfall to eastern Australia, providing plenty of green feed which is ideal for locusts to breed,' she said.
Dr Finlay said it's possible we may see hatchings in the summer and a build-up of numbers under the right conditions.
The following topics will be covered in the hour-long webinar:
- potential for Australian plague locust incursion into East Gippsland this season
- current Australian plague locust surveillance results
- identifying potential locust beds and monitoring hatchings
- life cycle and control of Australian plague locust.
Maffra District Veterinary Officer Michael Roberts will also be online to discuss seasonal animal health issues such as facial eczema.
Join the Gippsland Ag Chat online on Wednesday 2 December at 1.15 pm via Zoom
