Fall armyworms are on the march, damaging pastures and row crops, the worst outbreak in thirty years. They can be a big nuisance for homeowners who might find that their yards have “turned brown” overnight, but they are a economic disaster for farmers who are looking to harvest hay for the winter.
Entomologists from across the Midwest and the South say that it is getting harder to stop the invasive worms because they have become resistant to many of the common chemicals that have been used to treat fields in the past. Scientist say that armyworms have one of the fastest growing populations of any animal on Earth.
Not only do the worms eat grass, they also eat soybeans and corn. One worm can eat over sixty plants.
Young larvae are much easier to kill than adult armyworm larvae. Several insecticides are available to control armyworms and please consult your local county Extension agent for options. Please pay careful attention to grazing or pre-harvest intervals of the product used for armyworm control. According to Dr. Will Hudson, UGA Forage Entomologist, “The armyworm pressure has been high in some areas this year and many growers have been depending exclusively on pyrethroids for a good many years, so a switch to spinosad or a diamide (Prevathon or Besiege) would be a good choice.”
If you would like information on insect control in perennial forages please go HERE
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