Since there were several reports of fall armyworms across Tennessee, an entomologist with the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture encourages residents to monitor their land for this migratory pest.
An armyworm is the caterpillar of the fall armyworm moth that feeds primarily on grass, fresh sod, hay fields and on rare occasion, summer and fall crops. An armyworm’s life span is reportedly about 30 days, with late-stage caterpillars consuming the most amount of food.
“Fall armyworms travel north from Texas, passing right through Tennessee and neighboring states every year,” says Midhula Gireesh, assistant professor and UT Extension entomologist. “With the number of reports we are seeing, landowners should regularly ‘scout’ their property for signs of an infestation.”
According to Gireesh, one of the first indications is grass with a frosted appearance that results from newly hatched armyworms eating the underside of the plant leaf. Other signs include dead plants, brown patches in lawns and even large congregations of birds gathering to eat the worms.
“While warm-season grasses like bermudagrass can be susceptible to significant injury by fall armyworms, feeding will generally not result in the death of established lawns.”
Chemical treatment options are available at farm supply and lawn and garden stores. According to a press release from UTIA, the solutions are not preventative measures and should only be applied if worms are already present. Many insecticides could also pose a risk to beneficial insects and other organisms. It’s recommended that you scout every few days.
Contact your local UT Extension office prior to application if you have any questions or to learn more about armyworms: https://utextension.tennessee.edu/office-locations-departments-centers/.
