A pest called the fall armyworm has spread across the globe, threatening food security in more than 80 countries. But now, new research has revealed Australian fungi that eat the worms from the inside out — and may be the key to stopping the pests’ destructive spread.
Fall armyworms (Spodoptera frugiperda) are a type of grey moth native to tropical areas of Central and South America, and in recent years, they have become one of the world’s most devastating corn crop pests. The adult moths can migrate long distances aided by global trade and by winds, and they are now present in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
