Help! How do you cope with the massive invasion of army worms at the moment? I DON'T want to harm the beneficial insects like ichnumen wasps etc. My 30 beetroot plants were doing well - I have 4 mangled ones left. Silverbeet and spinach gone. Apparently they don't like the lettuce thank goodness but everything else has been devoured. I am not sure what to do in order to actually still have veges left for the table...Thanks.

Hi Nicky, the tropical army worm is a pest in lawns, and other crops such as barley, maize, and corn. When numbers explode, they find other sources of food. Numbers have multiplied probably due to the long hot summer and warm, humid weather, it is only just starting to cool down now. There are several methods of control, ask your local garden centre for a natural biological control product such as Bacillus thuringiensis, it won't harm beneficial insects. Pyrethrum based sprays are also effective, spray early in the morning when bees and butterflies are not foraging, another method of control is going out at night with a torch and collecting them all up, feeding them to the chooks or disposing of them in some other way. Treat your lawn using a soil insect control product as they overwinter in the soil, autumn is a good time to do this or in spring. Lianne.