# Armyworms



## THENNE (May 3, 2012)

Well after a few weeks of high heat and no rain the fall army worms have appeared here in central Arkansas. Hope they hate getting wet as we just received 2 inches of rain with possibility of more in the next few days!


----------



## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

Rain will deal them fits. It creates a fungus they can not deal with. May not wipe them out but will set them back a good bit.

Everyone here has cut their Bermuda hay fields ahead of the eggs hatching.

I am spraying for Bermuda Stem Maggots this week. That should also kill any army worms in that field.


----------



## broadriverhay (Jun 13, 2014)

What did you spray for the stem maggots. My county agent said he saw some fields affected by them last year. But I have not heard of any this year.


----------



## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

broadriverhay said:


> What did you spray for the stem maggots. My county agent said he saw some fields affected by them last year. But I have not heard of any this year.


Pyrethroid. Not sure the brand name, just told the store I needed some pyrethroid.

I have the little devils in two Bermuda fields. One was just planted this spring.


----------



## broadriverhay (Jun 13, 2014)

How did you figure out that you had them. I heard they were hard to detect.


----------



## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

broadriverhay said:


> How did you figure out that you had them. I heard they were hard to detect.


The tops of the Bermuda look frost bitten. If you pull the withered top and it slides out, not attached, then it is the Maggot. Then look at the stem and you can usually see a black scar where the larva entered the stem.

The fly is small, not much bigger than a gnat.

I have some pictures of how the grass looks and what got me concerned. I sent them to the extension agent and he confirmed my diagnosis.


----------



## THENNE (May 3, 2012)

That's pretty interesting. Never heard of stem maggots. Also glad the wet weather will help with the worms!


----------



## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Stem maggots usually are found on finer bladed Bermuda grass.....they don't like Tift 85 at all, they like Tift 44, Alicia for sure.....


----------



## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

THENNE said:


> That's pretty interesting. Never heard of stem maggots. Also glad the wet weather will help with the worms!


They have only been reported in Alabama for two years. I have never heard of them until a pest seminar put on by Auburn University this past spring. Hitch hiked here from South East Asia.


----------



## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

somedevildawg said:


> Stem maggots usually are found on finer bladed Bermuda grass.....they don't like Tift 85 at all, they like Tift 44, Alicia for sure.....


Has your area had them long? I have them in T44 and the new Cheyenne 2 Bermuda I planted this spring. Both are finer stemmed grasses.


----------



## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

We first had them about 5 years ago, still a persistent problem. Only real control is pyrethroid application, DuPont chemical (can't remember name) is good but the jury still out in residual......at 17$ an acre, it needs to have some residual.......


----------



## broadriverhay (Jun 13, 2014)

I think I had a slight problem with them last year, but only looking at the leaf. I was not told about pulling the stem apart. I have not seen any signs of them this year.


----------



## bamfarmer (Oct 21, 2014)

Armyworms have arrived in South Alabama - going to try and beat them to the punch. Knocking it down today!


----------



## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

We have had them here for a month. most people cut their fields once the moths were seen. Kind of takes the wind out of their sails.

Then we had rain and more rain. That causes a fungus that the worms have trouble dealing with.


----------



## MtnCreek (Apr 10, 2014)

Additional info regarding stem maggots if anyone is interested:

http://www.caes.uga.edu/commodities/fieldcrops/forages/documents/BSMTimely.pdf


----------



## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

MtnCreek said:


> Additional info regarding stem maggots if anyone is interested:
> 
> http://www.caes.uga.edu/commodities/fieldcrops/forages/documents/BSMTimely.pdf


Thank you for the link. I am trying to learn as much as I can about these little critters.


----------

