Armyworms are a pest for any homeowner. This aggressive parasite can often appear in plague-like proportions and wreak havoc over your healthy, fresh lawn every summer. These worm infestations can threaten any yard if left untreated, so it’s best to understand how to treat them and how to maintain a healthy lawn all year round. This blog will explain all about the threat of armyworms and what you can do as a homeowner to protect your property and curb value.
What Are Armyworms?
Armyworms are actually not a worm at all. They are a caterpillar that is the most prevalent on grass and turf in the summer months. They prefer only to eat healthy grass, so if your lawn is healthy and well-maintained, it’s best to look out for these worms in the summer. They are prone to repeat infestations, so any form of pest maintenance will be ongoing.
What Damage do They Cause?
They can cause a lot of damage to healthy turf. They work in very large numbers to eat away at the green leaf in yards and gardens. Large numbers exist because moth parents lay up to 500 eggs in one sitting – multiply that by seven nights a week, and you’ll have an infestation of 7,500 worms in no time at all.
How To Tell If You Have Armyworms
While armyworms are very difficult to find, it is quickly apparent if they have infested your lawn. Suppose you can see that your property is damaged across large, spread-out areas. In that case, armyworms likely caused this damage.
How To Check for Armyworms
This method works at nighttime. Once the sun is down, go out into your lawn with a good flashlight. Laying low into the ground, carefully run your flashlight over any damaged area of grass and look for caterpillars feeding or moving. The best place to start is at the damaged lawn area, but you can spread your search outward.
How to Get Rid of Armyworms
You will need to use a lawn insecticide to treat an armyworm infestation. You can purchase a lawn insecticide at a garden store or nursery. Simply treat your lawn in the few hours leading up to nightfall: once it’s dark, the caterpillars will ingest the insecticide. You should repeat the treatment as necessary.
How to Repair Your Yard
An armyworm infestation is annoying, but it is by no means irreversible. If you purchase a good quality fertilizer and apply it to the damaged lawn, you should begin to see improvement. Make sure your grass is appropriately cared for and watered, and the lawn will repair itself.
Armyworms are most prevalent in healthy, lush grass – so if you take pride in your lawn, make sure to keep an eye out for these infestations. And remember, if you need any help with an armyworm infestation, 410 Lawn Guy can help you with your landscaping and lawn needs.
