Author: Brian Maurer
What Are Armyworms and How to Get Rid of Them.
Did you notice new brown spots in your yard popping up within a matter of a few days or even hours? You could have an armyworm infestation.
What Are Armyworms?
The fall armyworm is the larval life stage of a fall armyworm moth. It is regarded as a pest and can damage and destroy a wide variety of crops, including lawns, and could cause large economic damage.
“You may be seeing some yards here in your area or at your house going from a lush green look to it to a completely dead brown color. It's been happening pretty quickly we're talking 24 to 36 hours.” Shaun Keefer, Director of Operations at Brian-Kyles Landscapes of Distinction said.
“There's an armyworm problem out there that's really causing havoc on the lawns. It's eating the blades of the turf so they’re not really getting too much into the roots which is good news. With the roots not being affected they should bounce back, takes a little bit of time so you're looking at a brown yard for like three to four weeks which is unfortunate, but again the good news is we don't have to reseed we don't have to come in and redo the yard it should bounce back on its own.” Keefer continued.
Shaun Keefer, Director of Operations at Brian-Kyles Landscapes of Distinction talks about armyworms invading Northeast Ohio in the summer of 2021.
Why Are Armyworms a Problem this Year?
Armyworms thrive in hot, humid weather. Sound familiar? The summer of 2021 in Northeast Ohio was just that. Perfect for armyworm outbreaks.
What Can You Do to Save Your Lawn?
Insecticide treatments are effective, as Shaun from Brian-Kyles said, armyworms feast on the blades of your grass and not the roots like grubs do, so permanent damage shouldn’t occur. You could have a patch or two in your lawn not rebound, but as a whole, your lawn should be able to survive the armyworm attack.
“Any current clients that have contracted Brian-Kyles for insecticide treatment, we're on our way. We've dispatched our technicians they’re out there getting an insecticide and an additional insecticide foot down so we can try to combat these and slow this down” Keefer said.
Photo of Northeast Ohio lawn damaged by armyworms.
Do You Have an Armyworm Infestation?
If you are noticing your lawn turning brown, you can tear up a little section of your yard and check to see if you have armyworms on your property. Keefer explained, “Sometimes you'll see a couple of grubs here and there which are the white grubs most people know what grubs look like if not they're more white in color. The armyworms are more of a dark brown to a black color and they have really black heads those are the ones that are causing the issues those are the ones that wreak havoc right now.”
Need help getting rid of armyworms? Please contact us and ask your Brian-Kyles dedicated landscape management team.
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