Diamondback Moth

The pest species is best known for hosting on canola, but it is also able to host on other Brassicaceae species including mustard, broccoli, cabbage, and kale. The caterpillar stage of the moth’s lifecycle is where the majority of crop damage is done. The caterpillars feed on the leaves, buds, flowers, and seed pods of their host crops. This moth is able to overwinter in the prairies, but problem infestations are blown in on wind currents from Mexico and south-west United States. The global economic impact that this pest species has is estimated to be over 1 billion dollars (USD) annually.

When scouting for diamondback moth there are a couple of things to consider. The greatest amount of damage done by this pest occurs between mid-June and the end of August, and although you may see the moths fluttering around when the crop canopy is disturbed, it is the larval stage that is the most damaging. Organizations like the Government of Alberta and Prairie Pest Monitoring Network have live trapping maps and pest risk maps to provide early warning about pest outbreaks. Parkland County helps these organizations by participating in the diamondback monitoring program with the Government of Alberta. Every year we set up pheromone traps to attract the moths and the data that we gather is sent for forecasting on pest infestation severity.

For more information about the diamondback moth, please visit the Canola Council of Canada website or the Government of Alberta website, as listed below.

Sources: 

Alberta Canola 

Alberta Canola Producers Commission 

Canola Council of Canada