Halting the march of the African armyworm: a natural cure offers hope to farmers

The Guardian · 🇬🇧 public United Kingdom · Aug 12, 2026 · 515 words · By Kaamil Ahmed

Agricultural Innovation Biological Pest Control Food Security in Africa

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What to know about Agricultural Innovation

Hearing about fields full of dead caterpillars enveloped in a mysterious white substance intrigued the South African scientist Letodi Luki Mathulwe.

Claims checked 12

Techniques found 1

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Right coverage

Left17%

Center83%

Right0%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Hearing about fields full of dead caterpillars enveloped in a mysterious white substance intrigued the South African scientist Letodi Luki Mathulwe.

Why it matters

Something was killing off the African armyworm – one of the most devastating pests for farmers in east and southern Africa.

Common ground

The white substance was a naturally occurring fungus and it was wiping out the caterpillar, which gained its name from its march-like advance through fields of crops.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Agricultural Innovation story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Her team’s results, now presented in a peer-reviewed research paper, showed she was right in her hunch that the fungus could be used in the fight against the armyworms?
How does this story connect Agricultural Innovation with Biological Pest Control over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/aug/12/african-armyworm-crop…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 70% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 12 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 5

info Single Source 4

schedule Pending 2

verified Verified By Reference 1

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Claim 1: “Her team’s results, now presented in a peer-reviewed research paper, showed she was right in her hunch that the fungus could be used in the fight against the armyworms.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources, including The Guardian and other news reports, confirm that research (presented as a breakthrough/paper) shows a soil fungus can be used to fight the African armyworm.

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web search NEUTRAL — The African armyworm (Spodoptera exempta), also called okalombo, kommandowurm, or nutgrass armyworm, is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae. The larvae often exhibit marching behavior when trave…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_armyworm

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web search NEUTRAL — South African scientist’s breakthrough research shows soil fungus could be used in fight against devastating crop pest.
https://www.aol.co.uk/articles/halting-march-armyworm-fungus…

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web search NEUTRAL — African armyworm killer fungus discovered in South Africa.This fungus lives in soil and is one of many entomopathogens that infect and kill various insect pests. They are often used in agriculture to …
https://phys.org/news/2026-07-newly-soil-fungus-devastating-…

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Claim 2: “while there are chemical treatments for dealing with the caterpillars in the early stages of life, nothing has proven effective against mature populations.”

CORROBORATED

The Guardian and another news source both state that while chemical treatments work for early stages, nothing has proven effective against mature populations of the armyworm.

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web search NEUTRAL — It was a major breakthrough, said Mathulwe, because while there are chemical treatments for dealing with the caterpillars in the early stages of life, nothing has proven effective against mature popul…
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/aug/12/a…

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web search NEUTRAL — The African armyworm (Spodoptera exempta) is one of the most destructive pests for farmers in eastern and southern Africa.While chemical treatments exist for the early life stages of the caterpillar, …
https://imago.com.ar/en/internacionales/35682/

schedule

Claim 3: “Malawi, where it reached 35% in 2024.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 4: “The African armyworm causes the most damage in its caterpillar stage but is also hard to control when it develops into a moth, allowing populations to migrate.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 5: “Mathulwe... gathered samples of the dead armyworms and the fungus to test at her laboratory in Pietermaritzburg.”

SINGLE SOURCE

While ORCID and university profiles confirm Letodi Luki Mathulwe is a researcher in entomology, the provided evidence does not confirm she has a laboratory in Pietermaritzburg.

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web search NEUTRAL — ORCID record for Letodi Luki Mathulwe. ORCID provides an identifier for individuals to use with their name as they engage in research, scholarship, and innovation activities.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5118-3578

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Letodi Luki Mathulwe. Eriosoma lanigerum (Hausmann) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), woolly apple aphid (WAA) is an important pest on apples globally and a key pest of apple production in South Africa. The aph…
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Letodi-Mathulwe

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web search NEUTRAL — Letodi Luki Mathulwe’s profile on The Conversation.I have three degrees from Stellenbosch University: BSc in conservation ecology (2016), MSc in entomology (2019) and PhD in entomology (2021).
https://theconversation.com/profiles/letodi-luki-mathulwe-16…

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Claim 6: “Something was killing off the African armyworm – one of the most devastating pests for farmers in east and southern Africa.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources, including The Guardian and a specialized news report, confirm that the African armyworm is one of the most devastating pests for farmers in east and southern Africa.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The fall armyworm was identified in Africa in 2016. In early 2017, armyworms infested large swathes of corn crops across southern Africa, devastating the livelihoods of many farmers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_armyworm

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Something was killing off the African armyworm – one of the most devastating pests for farmers in east and southern Africa. The white substance was a naturally occurring fungus and it was wiping out t…
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/aug/12/a…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The African armyworm (Spodoptera exempta) is one of the most destructive pests for farmers in eastern and southern Africa. It gets its name from its behavior: the caterpillars 'march' in large numbers…
https://imago.com.ar/en/internacionales/35682/

info

Claim 7: “An outbreak of African armyworm (Spodoptera exempta) in 2025 had started in northern South Africa and by April had reached the eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal”

SINGLE SOURCE

The specific timeline of an outbreak starting in northern South Africa in 2025 and reaching KwaZulu-Natal by April is only mentioned in The Guardian. Other sources mention general outbreaks but not this specific 2025 timeline.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Trapa natans, the water caltrop, is a widespread species of flowering plant in the genus Trapa, family Lythraceae, grown as a food crop. Other vernacular names include buffalo nut, bat nut, devil pod,…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_caltrop

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is a species in the order Lepidoptera and one of the species of the fall armyworm moths distinguished by their larval life stage. The term "armyworm" can refe…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_armyworm

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Finger millet (Eleusine coracana) is an annual herbaceous plant. It is a tetraploid and self-pollinating species probably evolved from its wild relative Eleusine africana. Finger millet is native to t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finger_millet

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 8: “The white substance was a naturally occurring fungus and it was wiping out the caterpillar”

CORROBORATED

Both The Guardian and allAfrica.com report that a naturally occurring soil fungus was discovered in South Africa that is capable of killing the African armyworm caterpillars.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — African armyworm killer fungus discovered in South Africa. Outbreaks of the African armyworm are mainly characterised by high densities of the larval instars of the insect: they form dense armies that…
https://allafrica.com/stories/202607280069.html

info

Claim 9: “Mathulwe was working for the agriculture department [in KwaZulu-Natal].”

SINGLE SOURCE

The claim that Letodi Luki Mathulwe worked for the agriculture department in KwaZulu-Natal is mentioned in The Guardian. Other search results confirm her identity and academic credentials but do not explicitly state this specific employment role in KZN.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The African armyworm (Spodoptera exempta), also called okalombo, kommandowurm, or nutgrass armyworm, is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae. The larvae often exhibit marching behavior when trave…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_armyworm

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web search NEUTRAL — Jul 9, 2026 · Watch match highlights from the 4th Vitality IT20 between England and India at Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fajVPftHI2M

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web search NEUTRAL — The live scorecard for the 2nd ODI between England and India, being played at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, is available here. England beat India by 4 wickets. At the moment, England are at 235/6 after 44.…
https://www.indiatoday.in/live-score/cricket/england-india-l…

+ 1 more evidence source

info

Claim 10: “One outbreak in 2017 was estimated to have destroyed up to 40% of Zambia’s maize production.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The specific statistic that a 2017 outbreak destroyed 40% of Zambia's maize production is mentioned in the 'Natural Fungus Offers Hope' article. Wikipedia results for Zambia and 2017 events do not mention this specific agricultural statistic.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2017 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, officially known as the Total U-20 Africa Cup Of Nations, Zambia 2017, was the 14th edition of the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations (21st edition if tournaments without …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_U-20_Africa_Cup_of_Nation…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is bordered to the north by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania to the northeast, Malawi to the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zambia

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Zambia national football team represents Zambia in men's association football and is governed by the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ). During the 1980s, they were known as the KK 11, after fou…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zambia_national_football_team

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Claim 11: “The African armyworm not only eats staple crops such as maize and sorghum but also releases a chemical compound in grass that can make cattle sick.”

CORROBORATED

The Guardian and another independent source both confirm that the African armyworm eats maize and sorghum and releases a chemical compound in grass that sickens cattle/livestock.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The African armyworm, also called okalombo, kommandowurm, or nutgrass armyworm, is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae.The African armyworm is commonly found in the grasslands of Africa and Asia…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_armyworm

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web search NEUTRAL — The African armyworm not only eats staple crops such as maize and sorghum but also releases a chemical compound in grass that can make cattle sick. The impact can be brutal for farmers.
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/aug/12/a…

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web search NEUTRAL — This insect not only eats staple crops like maize and sorghum but also releases a chemical compound into the grass that can sicken livestock. Its impact is brutal: an outbreak in 2017 destroyed up to …
https://imago.com.ar/en/internacionales/35682/

verified

Claim 12: “Zimbabwe, where inflation had hit 736% in 2024”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia confirms Zimbabwe has had hyperinflation and introduced a new currency (ZiG) in April 2024, but the specific figure of 736% inflation for 2024 is not present in the provided evidence.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The economy of Zimbabwe has been undergoing hyperinflation since February 2007, according to Cagan's definition of hyperinflation. During the height of inflation from 2008 to 2009, it was difficult to…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperinflation_in_Zimbabwe

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG; code: ZWG) is the official currency of Zimbabwe since 8 April 2024, backed by US$1.6 billion worth of hard assets: foreign currencies, gold, and other precious metals. It repla…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimbabwe_Gold

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Zimbabwean dollar (sign: Z$; code: ZWL), also known as the Zimdollar or Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) dollar, was the currency of Zimbabwe from February 2019 to April 2024. It was the only leg…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimbabwean_dollar_(2019–2024)

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.