The Armyworms Go Marching

With fall just around the corner, the armyworm invasion is imminent. Each year as summer wanes, these turfgrass pests go on the march, destroying lawns with their voracious appetites. Armyworms cause significant damage to newly planted sod and sprigged grass. While the damage caused to establish turf is mostly aesthetic, it can destroy a summer of careful landscaping. Are you prepared for the armyworm invasion?

Everything You Need to Know about Armyworms

• Adult armyworm moths are most active at night. Female armyworms lay a minimum of 50 eggs and can lay as many as a few hundred. Within several days these eggs hatch and the larvae feed on the best leaves available: your lawn.
• Larvae feed for 2 to three weeks before pupating, during which time they consume huge swatches of grass.
• Heat drives off armyworms. They’re most active in late summer and early fall, resting during the day and becoming active in early mornings and evenings. Cooler weather causes armyworms to become more active during the day.
• According to some UGA Cooperative Extension agents, this summer may bring the worst armyworm infestation in 25 years.
• The best way to spot armyworm damage is to pay close attention to the lawn. Young armyworms often eat leaves in areas that aren’t immediately apparent, causing significant lawn damage before they’re found. It’s especially easy to overlook armyworms in thick, healthy grass.

Stop the armyworm invasion in its tracks. Alternative Environments offers a fast-acting, effective armyworm treatment that kills both active armyworms and grubs that aren’t yet active. Call our offices for the best armyworm prevention in Villa Rica.