11.29.2023
Fall Armyworms
Category
Frequently Asked Questions
Virginia Green has seen a large population of fall armyworms (moth larvae) show up on a limited number of Virginia lawns over the last few days. Offshore winds from the south have blown adult moths into our area this summer. Those moths laid eggs which have now hatched into larvae that can cause significant damage to a lawn overnight. These little grubs get their name from the way they feed; they march in groups leaving brown turf in their wake, with damage often presenting itself as a pronounced line between affected and unaffected areas. Because of this, most often you will only notice armyworms once the damage is present.
What are armyworms?
Fall armyworms are approximately 1-1½ inches long, depending on their evolutionary stage, and can vary in color from a green to mottled brown, to almost black. They have a wide black strip running down each lateral side of their body. The front of their head capsule is marked with a pale colored upside-down “Y.”
What is the lifespan of an armyworm?
Armyworms have a fast lifecycle, typically lasting 23-27 days, and can quickly overwhelm your space. After having laid hundreds of clustered, fuzzy eggs on the under surface of leaves, armyworms mature and drop to the ground as larva where they continue to consume greenery. After they have eaten their fill, they begin to pupate by burrowing into the earth where they begin their final evolution. After reaching full maturity, they emerge from the Earth as an adult moth to begin the life cycle again. This stage allows for mature armyworms to migrate and spread their eggs throughout your ecosystem.
How to remove armyworms?
Having armyworms in your yard can be harmful as they can quickly devour a lawn, damaging the turf. Thankfully, Virginia Green can help control their impact by applying our armyworm treatment. Warm season lawns will usually bounce back from armyworm damage, but for fescue lawns, aeration and seeding is necessary for recovery. This will deliver an influx of weeds in these areas due to zero competition; to combat these weeds, a late fall weed control application will be needed.
Call Us Today and Defend Your Turf Against Fall Armyworms
Ditch the plant damage and get the solutions you need to defend your lawn against armyworms. Contact our team today and learn more about how our technicians can help your greenery thrive. If you see any evidence of Armyworms, please call our office at 804.285.6200 to schedule an application!