David Williams, our honorary visiting research scientist and IPDM expert, provides a link to an article on earwigs, millipedes, and slaters from the GRDC PestFacts newsletter. David says earwigs are useful predators in pome fruit orchards, and early season in stone fruit (but not in varieties prone to split later in the season). Dave says the crop susceptibility chart might be useful for growers looking for suitable ground covers in their orchards.
Earwigs, slaters and millipedes in south-eastern grain crops
- Earwigs, slaters and millipedes are topical when it comes to establishment of broadacre crops in the south-east, particularly in canola.
- Often recognised as stubble pests with similar management options, it’s tempting to refer to them collectively.
- But ambiguities in pest status and damage potential means this pest trio warrants a more nuanced discussion. Here are four points worth considering when trying to work out if these pest groups will cause damage on farms.
Source: Cesar Australia (PestFacts south-eastern), Julia Severi
