![]() Adults are reddish-brown in color and have a wingspan of 38 mm. True armyworm larvae are yellow or grey with black stripes, and sometimes the body can have a pink tint. There are several kinds of armyworms infesting turfgrass in the United States, but the most common species in Utah is the true armyworm, Pseudaletia unipuncta. Birds are attracted to armyworms and cutworms and often their presence indicates heavy infestations. Infested turfgrass will eventually look uneven and rough. ![]() Cutworms prefer golf course turfgrass and cause small pockets of damage that look like ball marks. Cutworms clip off leaf blades close to the crown, but initial damage is more dispersed than with armyworms. Large masses of caterpillars will cause widespread damage of irregular brown patches. Armyworms are gregarious and prefer cool-season turfgrasses, and will often feed and migrate in large groups. Young armyworms skeletonize turfgrass or chew leaf blade margins at night. The caterpillars burrow down into the thatch layer during the day for protection. SYMPTOMSĪdults do not cause plant damage, but the caterpillar stage can damage turfgrass by eating above ground plant tissue at night. Armyworm and cutworm caterpillars can be of significant economic concern to several cropping systems, including field and forage crops, vegetables, and ornamental plants. Most lawn grasses are acceptable host plants, but golf courses tend to be particularly favored by these caterpillars. Armyworms and cutworms can cause severe damage during outbreak periods, but are generally considered minor pests compared to other insects in turfgrass. Although not new pests to turfgrass, armyworms and cutworms are often ignored, and plant health decline is confused with drought stress, fungal disease, or other insects. These insects belong to a large group of night-flying moths in the family Noctuidae. Scouting for armyworms and cutworms with a soap flush can be effective.Īrmyworms and cutworms can be found all over the United States, with at least three species found in Utah. ![]() Right: Variegated cutworm larva and adult. Typical “ball mark” pocket damage caused by cutworms on a putting green. Be sure to apply a pre-emergent to prevent weeds from germinating.Typical cutworm damage on agricultural crops. Fall armyworms rarely kill grass but some lawns may be severely weakened. The good news is that armyworms will not hurt your lawn permanently. If a winter is severe, few armyworms will survive for next year. Winter cold has a great effect on armyworm populations. If possible, mow before you treat and then do not mow for 3 days after treatment. Treat in late afternoon, when the caterpillars are likely to begin feeding. Irrigate before treating, to move the caterpillars out of the thatch. Products containing Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) click for sources) are effective only on small (1/2 inch or less) worms. Wet the grass thoroughly and do not mow for three days after application. Liquid, not granular, insecticides are best to kill armyworms.Īny sprayable lawn insecticide (click for sources) e can be applied in a coarse spray over the grass. Their eggs develop into the black caterpillars you see in your lawn. Summer shipments of sod from infested fields can also bring them in. If more than five are found in the water, it’s time to treat.Įach spring, storms and windy days transport the moths northward from Florida. By plunging the can firmly into the turf and filling it with soapy water, caterpillars in hiding will quickly float to the surface. If you have had army worms before, there is an easy early detection system: a gallon can with both ends removed and a bucket of soapy water. There are usually two angled stripes on its head – joined to a longer stripe, the marking looks like a long “Y”. The caterpillar is approximately 1 1/2 inch long, with white stripes down its body. As their numbers grow, entire lawns and fields can be eaten to the ground. Although birds eat the caterpillars, they are no match for hundreds of them in one lawn. Your first sign of a fall armyworm infestation might be several birds clustered on a turf area. The caterpillars feed at night, so the damage is not explainable at first. The first signs are brown patches of bermuda which rapidly grow bigger. As eye-popping as their feeding habit, when thousands of worms try to cross a busy highway, the results on the asphalt are truly disgusting! When a homeowner discovers an army of caterpillars marching across his lawn, devouring the bermuda grass, this aphorism is proved true for the insect world as well! Armyworm caterpillars are incredibly voracious as they feed on bermudagrass pastures and lawns in August and September. “An army travels by its stomach” according to military lore.
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