Next invasion of Taiwan from China could be fall armyworm
2019.06.10
In addition to fears of the spread of African swine fever, a new scourge from China could soon be threatening the livelihood of Taiwanese farmers, the fall armyworm.
The fall armyworm (FAW), which looks similar to the tobacco cutworm, but is a more serious threat, has recently caused large-scale damage in China, Africa, and South Asia. According to the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine (BAPHIQ), a single FAW can produce 1,500-2,000 eggs in a lifetime, and the adults are very good at flying, up to 100 kilometers in a night.
The distance between China and Taiwan is very short in certain areas, such as Kinmen, which is only a few kilometers away from Xiamen in Fujian Province. Officials worry that large swaths of sorghum crops could first bear the brunt of the assault from the voracious caterpillars.
In addition to fears of the spread of African swine fever, a new scourge from China could soon be threatening the livelihood of Taiwanese farmers, the fall armyworm.
The fall armyworm (FAW), which looks similar to the tobacco cutworm, but is a more serious threat, has recently caused large-scale damage in China, Africa, and South Asia. According to the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine (BAPHIQ), a single FAW can produce 1,500-2,000 eggs in a lifetime, and the adults are very good at flying, up to 100 kilometers in a night.
The distance between China and Taiwan is very short in certain areas, such as Kinmen, which is only a few kilometers away from Xiamen in Fujian Province. Officials worry that large swaths of sorghum crops could first bear the brunt of the assault from the voracious caterpillars.
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