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Kurtis Elsner Alliston Herald

Alliston-area farmer Joseph Winter points out one of the countless army worms that ravaged his rye field last week.

Army worms destroying local crops

BY Kurtis Elsner June 24, 2008 19:06

A common crop pest is making its way through some South Simcoe farmers’ fields and leaving damage in its wake.

Caterpillars known as army worms have chewed their way through a noticeable chunk of some fields, including a portion of a rye field south of Alliston.

Joseph Winter first noticed the army worms June 15. Within four days they had completely decimated a small, recently planted rye patch. Winter rents the majority of his fields to C and V Farms, who are also growing rye on the land. C and V’s crop was planted last fall, but Winter only planted his a few weeks ago. He was hoping to reclaim some land that hadn’t been farmed before, and at the same time make some money.

Instead he provided an easy feast for the army worm. Because Winter’s rye was still small, and low to the ground, it was easier and more tender for the army worm to consume. In a matter of days, Winter’s field went from green, grass-like rye, to soil pocked with the chewed-down stubble of what use to be the plants.

“They’ll eat the younger more tender plant, and then when they’re done that they’ll eat just about anything,” said Winter. “By the time that you realize that you’ve got a problem, most of the damage has been done.”

The pests have also made their way into the C and V fields on Winter’s land, but farm manager Bill Vasily doesn’t know how big of an impact the caterpillars will have on the yield. For now, he isn’t going to spray the crops because he doesn’t feel the cost of spraying will be made up in saved crop.

“The cost of applying insecticide to the whole thing (field) doesn’t add up in rye at this point,” he said.

Simcoe County Federation of Agriculture president Dave Ridell said that few farmers in the area have reported problems with army worm, and that they seem to be striking earlier this year.

Part of the what is adding to the boom in the population could be the weather, said Eugenia Banks, a potato specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Banks was at Winter’s field to inspect the damage, and the extent of the infestation.

“It’s an army worm year. It’s in the southwestern area of the province,” she said. “I’ve seen it before, but not as bad as this year.”

While infestations are generally cyclical, this year’s cold weather probably aided the army worms’ progress she said. The worms quickly dry out and shrivel as the hot sun beats down on the soil. Without that heat, it’s likely the pesky pests will keep chomping away until they eat their fill.

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