Armyworms are a species of caterpillars that get their name because they travel in armies and destroy almost everything in their path. The caterpillar is a nocturnal creature that will take shelter under plants and garden debris during the day.
During its larva stage, an armyworm will attack garden vegetables, lush lawns, and landscapes, often moving in large armies to new areas destroying everything in its path as it does so. They are most noted during the spring when temperatures are still cool.
Identifying a newly hatched armyworm is not always easy due to their markings, while older larvae generally have stripes that can be seen along the entire length of the body. Colors can be green with light stripes or brown with yellow stripes, depending on the species.
Their adult counterparts grow into gray moths that can have a wingspan of up to 1 ½ inches in length. Their wings have a distinguishing mark of a tiny white dot in the middle of each foreign with dark shading along the edge of the hind wings.
Army worms lay their eggs in clusters on seedlings and the leaves of mature plants. In about 1-2 weeks the young hatch and feed for weeks until they pupate and grow into an adult moth.
These pests populate in mass quantities in just one season, and if environments are suitable enough, all year round. During the spring months, their larvae feed on yards, landscapes, and gardens where plants are low-growing. As the season grows warmer, the larva will start to climb to feed on plant leaves and other valuable crops such as corn, tomatoes, cabbage, and lettuce. The worms are especially bothersome for farmers who grow corn since the crop is a favorite of the pests. These harmful crawlers, favor new corn growth the most, often destroying a farmer's entire crop.
Armyworms have natural predators like beneficial bugs, birds, and other larvae predators. If there is a heavy infestation of armyworm and you have used pesticides, most likely the natural predators of the pest have died out due to chemicals from the solution. Without natural predators, army worms can invade your territory in mass infestations, destroying everything in its path.
To control army worms, consider avoiding chemical sprays and instead release trichogramma wasps a natural enemy to these pests. Once the tiny parasites are released they will destroy any newly laid eggs of the armyworm by inserting their own eggs inside the pest's eggs, killing them as they do.
Other natural predators that are beneficial to your yard and garden are ladybugs and minute pirate bugs which feed on both the armyworm's eggs and young larvae.
Birds are also a natural enemy to army worms. They will feed on both the moths and larvae of the pest. If you have a garden that has been fully harvested, it can be beneficial to turn the soil, allowing any birds a chance to clean up the larvae and exposed pupae before winter.
If you have already had a heavy armyworm infestation, release beneficial nematodes into the soil. Nematodes are tiny soil predators that feed on the eggs, pupae, and larvae of armyworms and other harmful pests.
Some essential oils can be beneficial in killing armyworms and their larvae without harm to the plants or nearby pets. Be sure to cover the affected plants in the oil completely and repeat when the weather is an interfering factor.
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