Press Archive
February 2018
May 2017
- Armyworms: the hungry caterpillar threatening global food crisis
- New crop pest takes Africa at lightning speed
March 2017
February 2017
- Fall armyworm crisis in Africa - why it is such a big deal
- Radio interview: Africa Today - fall armyworms in Africa
December 2016
- The fight against Zambia's armyworm outbreak, Q&A with expert Ken Wilson
- President Lungu acts to curb army worms
- Army worms invade Copperbelt
October 2016
December 2015
October 2015
September 2015
May 2015
January 2015
December 2014
October 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
- SOUTH AFRICA: Armyworm outbreak alert
- Southern Africa: Crop-eating pests plague southern African farmers
January 2014
- Zimbabwe: Armyworm outbreak hits Manicaland
- Zimbabwe: Rains Control Armyworm Outbreak
- AUSTRALIA: Tasmanian farmers warned of (southern) armyworm threat - UPDATE
December 2013
October 2013
July 2013
June 2013
April 2013
- South Africa: Army worm outbreak worries farmers
- South Africa: Swift Actions Taken to Rectify the Army Worm Outbreak
- Southern Africa: SADC Food Security Early Warning System
- Zambia: Hunger Looms in Nangwenya Ward in Chongwe District
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
- Zimbabwe: Armyworms Wreak Havoc
- Southern Africa: Armyworms Threaten Food Security in SADC
- Zimbabwe: EU Avails $ 75,000 for Armyworm Fight
- SOUTHERN AFRICA: Current Situation and Update: Armyworm Outbreak in Southern Africa
- NAMIBIA: North Battles Invasion By Army Worms
- BOTSWANA: African Armyworm outbreak reaches Botswana
- ZIMBABWE: Armyworm Outbreak Hits Nation
December 2012
- MALAWI: Army Worms Warning Issued to Malawi Farmers in Mchinji
- TANZANIA: Armyworms Destroy 280ha of Maize Farms in Sumbawanga
- ZAMBIA: Zambia Describes Army Worm Invasion A Disaster
June 2012
Latest Press
A sunscreen for biopesticides
Insect pests consume around a third of all the crops we grow, sometimes threatening food security. The main way of controlling these pests is by spraying chemical pesticides but these can be damaging to the environment and so safer alternatives are urgently required including more effective biological pesticides.
Professor Kenneth Wilson of the Lancaster Environment Centre at Lancaster University and Principal Scientist David Grzywacz of the Natural Resources Institute at the University of Greenwich, both experts in the field of insect viruses, have been working with the lean formulations company, Exosect Ltd, on a two-year biopesticide formulation programme.
Their novel solution could protect biopesticide from the damaging ultraviolet radiation in sunlight, extending the crop persistence dramatically.
Mon 26 February 2018
Armyworms: the hungry caterpillar threatening global food crisis
A plague of armyworms is marching across Africa, devastating crops, and claiming new territory at an alarming rate. Includes interview with Prof Ken Wilson
by Richard Poplak in Johannesburg:
Tue 16 May 2017
New crop pest takes Africa at lightning speed
The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is marching across Africa and destroying maize fields with an astonishing speed, after arriving from the Western Hemisphere at least 16 months ago. The damage to maize could total $3 billion in the next 12 months. Eventually, damage could be limited with a range of pest-management techniques, including plant extracts such as neem oil or biopesticides based on viruses that infect armyworms. Parasitoid wasps could serve as biological control. Planting insect-repellant legumes alongside the maize seems to help deter the fall armyworm as well. The pest appears likely to spread beyond Africa. Migration or trade could bring the pest to Europe or Asia. Includes interview with Prof Ken Wilson.
by Erik Stokstad
Fri 05 May 2017
