How can I identify the fall armyworm?
Learning Objective:
Participants should be able to identify the fall armyworm.
Identifying FAW is important, but it is not always easy!
It is important to look for damage to leaves in the early stage of an infestation as the FAW can be very small in the early stages. When the FAW is bigger, it can hide in the whorl of the maize plant.
When the caterpillar is bigger, however, there are some characteristics to look out for, like the inverted Y pattern on the head and the 4 dots in a square formation on the second to last segment of the body.
On other back segments, there are four dots arranged in a trapezium shape. Follow the resources below to find out more information on how to spot FAW in maize and then complete the quiz to see how much you can remember.
Watch
Watch this video for simple advice on identifying FAW in the field is excellent.
Another good resource to watch is the video, Identifying the Stages of Fall Armyworm by the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE).
Read
Read this online resource (Queensland Government of Australia) which provides some handy tips for identifying armyworm larvae.
You should also download the FAO-CABI FAW Field Handbook. This handbook will be very useful for mastering the basics of FAW identification and management.