Alabama currently facing massive outbreak of fall armyworms
Alabama is currently facing a massive outbreak of fall armyworms. If the grass on your lawn is suddenly turning brown and dying, you may have some unwanted visitors – armyworms! Entomologists with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System say the recent high temperatures are part of the reason they’re everywhere right now. Normally, a new flight of fall armyworms emerges every 30 days. But the hot temperatures in the state are speeding up the development of each generation, so now they’re coming out every 25 days which leads to more armyworms overlapping and causing more issues.
Fall armyworms are plaguing pastures and hayfields in many areas of Alabama. It is important to identify armyworms in your yard as soon as possible, and it’s better to look for them in the cooler parts of the day. Early morning and late evening works best because that’s when the caterpillars are at the top of the blades of grass and you can see them better.
Mallory Kelley is a Regional Extension Agent at the Alabama Cooperative Extension. “We are seeing an uptick in the number due to the environmental conditions that we’re having in Central Alabama right now. Because of the warm temperatures that we’re having and then the amount of rainfall that we’re getting consecutively, it is encouragement for more application of the egg and the larvae to develop, so more army worms are on the march,” said Kelley.
These pests are called armyworms for a reason, They are really fast and efficient when consuming grass and hay. That’s why it’s important to kill the hungry creepy crawlers early on. You should apply pesticides late in the day, so that the armyworms will ingest the chemical while they eat overnight. For more information, you can contact the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.
