Fall armyworms are destructive moth larvae that are among the worst pests you can have living in your lawn. If allowed to infest your lawn, armyworms will rapidly eat their way through your grass, causing immense damage in just a few days. In Texas, fall armyworms are most active in late summer and fall. Keep an eye out for signs of armyworms so that you can deal with an infestation as soon as possible.
Common signs of fall armyworms in Texas lawns include:
- Brown patches suddenly appearing in your grass.
- Grass blades that have been chewed all the way down to the soil.
- Seeing the armyworms themselves wriggling through your lawn.
- Birds congregating in your lawn to feed on the fall armyworms.
Armyworms are so-named because they amass in huge numbers - veritable armies - and can cause irreparable damage to your lawn in a short span of time. To prevent armyworm infestations, try the following:
- Regularly inspect your lawn for early signs of armyworm activity, especially during late summer and early fall, when infestations generally begin.
- Carry out all routine lawn care tasks, such as mowing, watering and fertilization, on a regular basis. Armyworms are more likely to infest stressed lawns, so keeping up with your lawn maintenance is a good way to prevent them.
- Spray your lawn with neem oil on a regular basis. This natural pesticide will kill armyworms that ingest it by causing them to starve to death, preventing an armyworm infestation.
- If you discover a fall armyworm infestation, apply insecticides quickly to exterminate the lawn pests before they cause further damage. Use products containing spinosad, bifenthrin or carbaryl to efficiently remove armyworms from your lawn.
Reach out to Forterra today if you're in need of armyworm prevention and control services in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area!
