State-of-the-Art for Predicting Damaging Infestations of Fall Armyworm

Information necessary for predicting infestations of the fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), is detailed. Distinction is made on the level of knowledge necessary for predictions of FAW infestations which are short-term, seasonal at 1 site, and seasonal over a wide area. Polyphagy and mobility are emphasized as processes in the dynamics of FAW which make prediction of infestation patterns difficult. Four hypotheses on FAW seasonal survival strategies are presented and evaluated relative to existing information on FAW abundance and distribution.