Fall Armyworms Found Feeding on Home Lawns

The next time you walk across the lawn to go to work or get the morning newspaper, take a moment to examine your yard for anything unusual out in the grass.  No, I am not referring to additional weeds but possibly several brown spots and lots of little green caterpillars.  Caterpillars in the lawn you say?   For the past two weeks, county Extension offices in our area have received numerous calls and reports of fall armyworms feeding on the blades of grasses in home lawns.   People are in a panic about what these critters are and what to do about them.  They are called fall armyworms and they are fairly easy to control. 

Fall armyworms are on the list as a home lawn pest but in most years, they typically aren’t that big of a deal.  They are more common in pastures and hayfields, especially in those that have lush, green, well-fertilized bermudagrass.  In the home lawn environment, fall armyworms really like and prefer bermudagrass lawns but have occasionally been found in centipedegrass and St. Augustinegrass lawns.  

The drought conditions this past summer has been very favorable for the fall armyworm and has likely contributed to the higher numbers this year. More importantly for homeowners to know, the drought has harmed many pastures and hayfields and, therefore, has reduced the normal food sources for armyworms.  Unfortunately, the well watered and maintained home lawns are a perfect environment and substitute for adult moths to laid eggs and armyworms (larva stage) to feed.   
 
Fall armyworm damage often seems to appear "overnight." Almost all the damage is caused by the older caterpillars, which eat more than all the other ages put together. Fall armyworm damage varies in appearance and severity according to the type of grass you have and management practices you have followed.  In bermudagrass lawns, the grass may seem to thin out and develop brown spots, which may look burned or browned out. This appearance is the result of grass plants rapidly dehydrating after fall armyworm larvae have chewed off the tender foliage. For this reason, fall armyworm damage often resembles drought damage.

Fall armyworms can be controlled in the home lawn if detected early. The presence of birds feeding in the lawn may be a sign that armyworms are present. The tiny, light-colored, black-headed larva stage and the light green to almost black mature larva stage can be controlled with the 50% Sevin. As a general rule, small fall armyworms are much easier to kill than larger ones. Other products labeled for controlling fall armyworms include acephate, cyfluthrin, permethrin, and lambda-cyhalothrin. More than one application of an insecticide may be necessary.  Always read the product label for special instructions and details.

Home Gardening 101

Coming this October, the Tallapoosa County Extension office will be hosting a night short course on the basics of home gardening. This class is for beginning gardeners looking for their green thumb, hobby gardeners wishing to refine their knowledge and skills, and experienced gardeners wanting to broaden their horticulture wisdom.  This course is also for anyone wishing to learn more about gardening but never had the time during the day to participate in any of our Extension related programs. Topics that will be covered are Soils and Plant Nutrition, Garden Bugs & Pests, Vegetable Gardening, Fruit Culture, Lawn Care, Bedding Plants, Plant Diseases & Disorders, and Care and Maintenance of Ornamental Plants.

The course will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning October 10, 2006, for 4 weeks from 6 until 8 p.m.  All classes will be held in the Extension Auditorium in the Tallapoosa County Courthouse in Dadeville. The course fee is $75.  The instructors are Shane Harris, Regional Extension Agent, and Tommy Futral, County Extension Coordinator, both of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.

For more information, contact the Tallapoosa County Extension Office at (256) 825-1050.