# Armyworms Eating Everything



## Crabbychas (Apr 25, 2018)

Armyworms have trashed my yard. Since I've been working so much I haven't really had time to notice that my yard was going to hell in a handbasket right before my eyes (leaving around sunrise and getting home after sunset.) I discovered that the little caterpillars I had noticed a few weeks ago were now EVERYWHERE. Put 2 plus 2 together and got... Armyworms. Went from this 2 weeks ago

to this today

thanks to these little b*#&$(!%!

I immediately applied some Ortho Bug b Gone at the max rate the label calls for. I am going to be applying some grub ex in the next few days as well since literally as I was cleaning my sprayer a damn japanese beetle flew into the side of my head. Anyways, are there any other products out there that I should be looking at? I plan to get some Talstar P or other generic bifenthrin for future use, and as I understand the chlorantraniliprole in the grub ex is good for army worms as well.


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## Sbcgenii (May 13, 2018)

Had them last year. It took 2 applications to get rid of them completely. I still have some left over chemicals from last year in preparation for the potential battle this year. They turn into moths FYI so be looking out for them too.


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## Redtenchu (Jan 28, 2017)

Dang, sorry @Crabbychas


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## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

I remember one year suspecting them. Saw a strip just go to yellow and stressed.

Leaving for the mtns one Friday for a long weekend. I was in a rush to meet up with my family at the house and here I am 3 hours away. In the rain. Fresh from work- putting it stuff to kill em in the rain. I knew if I didn't 3 more days and they'd have my yard toast!

Pay attention to the moths. You'll also see plenty of little pods of eggs on solid surfaces too.


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## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

Oh man, I'm sorry to see that happen! But Bermuda is a tough grass, it'll spring back in no time. Good thing you were able to catch it faster than your neighbors will... I'm betting that they came from that new sod they had laid, what do you think? You'll be back to dominating in no time.


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## Bunnysarefat (May 4, 2017)

I had them last year. I usually step outside about 430am before I go to work when it's nice and quiet. I started noticing a few caterpillars at that time. I literally thought "oh cool butterflies LOL" then about 2 days later there were 200 on my back porch. 1 blanket spray of bifinthrin takes care of the worms. But then you have the next generation of eggs that will be hatching maybe a week or two later (I forget) so you might need to spray again, can't remember exactly (worst advice ever I know) but the instructions for the army worms were special on the product I used. It said let it sit in the grass for 12-24 hours or something like that before you water it in.

Yes these things will jack up your bermuda quick. What I really wanted to say is, you can see the signs you are having an outbreak if you see those stupid moths everywhere, I promise you will see them if you step outside in the evening. And if you look around you should find the eggs they lay that hatch into the worms. Once you see what they look like and get an understanding of where they like to lay the eggs (very particular places) you'll be able to catch this in the future sooner and know you can't mess around and wait!


Not exactly what they look like in my experience but close. I think I've seen YouTube vids with better examples but you should be able to find them.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Armyworm. 12 month out of the year problem in my state. My treatment of choice involves combining Dylox with Merit. Merit will not knockdown an existing invasion by Armyworm, but it will have a residual effect on future generations. Otherwise, it will take two application of Bifenthrin. No matter what is applied, the nozzles on my boom are switched to high pressure TXVS nozzles and the spray applied as a high pressure 2 gallon per 1000 sq spray.


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## Crabbychas (Apr 25, 2018)

@Greendoc How far apart should the bifenthrin applications be? I'm guessing I should wait around two weeks for the next generation of the bugs to come out, or should it be sooner? I had all sizes of the worms in my grass, from tiny little just hatched to full grown about to be moths. Id like to just use the bifenthrin since I have it and my girlfriend might murder me if I buy more "stuff" for the lawn.
@Bunnysarefat @Sbcgenii now that I know what they look like the damn moths are everywhere.


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## TigerinFL (Mar 29, 2018)

wow @Crabbychas ! sorry you got hammered like that but at least you were smart enough to see it and do something about it. please keep them over there and don't let them head for my yard.

and if you need a secret place to ship something so the girlfriend doesn't see the brown truck pulling up, let me know :lol:


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## Bronson2017 (Sep 13, 2020)

Needed to bump this thread. I have these damn moths all over my yard now. I noticed the army worms couple months ago crawling all over driveway and back porch and had a slew of birds diving in my yard eating them (not enough unfortunately). I cut grass yesterday and moths were all over me...

Is it too late to apply something for this? I know you guys stress not to put anything down other than pre emergent this late in the season as to not mess with nutrients for winter.

Also when do y'all apply it as a preventative? Would really appreciate help on this if you can. It is new sod that was laid in January and I don't want it to be completely ruined.

Thanks!


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## revitup (Sep 19, 2020)

Good luck with army worms. I had an entire newly sodded Bermuda lawn destroyed twice by army worms. The moths see that nice green bermuda and descend like kamakazis. Called in professionals and they tried everything they knew to kill them without success. I gave up and replaced the bermuda with centipede. Army worms hate centipede!


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