Summertime Pest Treatment Series: Armyworms

What Are Armyworms?

Army worms are little caterpillars that love to feed on turf, especially young turf! The life cycle of an army worm starts when a moth lays eggs in a lawn or on solid surfaces in/around a lawn. When the eggs hatch, the caterpillars make their way to the closest source of turf to begin feeding until they are ready to burrow underneath the turf to begin their transformation into their final moth form. And from there the cycle continues. The more army worms that survive the caterpillar stage in your lawn, the more moths will be able to lay their eggs somewhere on your property. This is why quick and effective treatments are so important for an army worm infestation. 

Signs of Infestation

Signs of an army worm infestation include patches of brown or dead grass in your lawn. Acting quickly if you suspect an army worm infestation is critical for saving your lawn. Army worms do not typically eat through the crown of the turf unless the infestation has grown to a great number of army worms feeding on the same lawn. Once the crown of the turf is dead, the lawn will not be able to recover. This is why it is so important to treat army worms immediately to avoid the crown of the turf becoming too damaged to come back. 

To confirm that you have an army worm infestation, pour a bucket of soapy water on top of the damaged turf. This will make the army worms emerge from the surface of the turf, making them completely visible. A chemical called ‘Chloratraniliprole’ is the most important ingredient for army worm treatment products. An incredibly effective treatment for army worms with this ingredient included is called ‘Acelepryn’. This is an investment for your lawn that can be ordered online. Another treatment option with this ingredient is ‘Grub Ex: season long grub killer’. This can be ordered online or bought in stores like Lowes or Home Depot. Apply the treatment evenly over the whole lawn and watch your army worm infestation fade away!