Just a reminder, this is the time for fall armyworms caterpillars. I have already found worms less than a 1/4 inch in my jiggs and moths were flying yesterday all in the Kleingrass. Western Gonzales co.

Early treatment is paramount before they get big, so if you have a bermuda yard, check now. Takes a massive dose of liquid Sevin or malathion.

Know some folks spraying a bunch in south McLennan today.

https://cdn-ext.agnet.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/armyworm-pest-hay-pasture.pdf

Remember the threshold is actually pretty high. 2-3 per square foot so be sure to scout the entire field.

There are better chemistries than Sevin and Malathion for worms. Prevathon would be the first choice.

Sevin has a 14 day grazing and haying restriction.

The Bt organic products work nicely on them if used correctly.

With all this rain, would it dilute the spray rendering it not as effective or even useless

Many of the chemicals will be labeled to be applied though chemigation, so if it has that I don't worry too much. I've sprayed hay patches during light rain at the insistence of the customer with success.

montanagriz said:

---

With all this rain, would it dilute the spray rendering it not as effective or even useless

---

Regarding Bt, yes.

How do I check if I have them? I sodded celebration bermuda 3 weeks ago in my backyard. I saw one small worm in the grass the other day, don't think it was an armyworm though.

Nvm. I'll check with soapy water at lunch.

Anyone know what the appropriate treatment would be with such rainy forecasts in Houston? The past week or so has been overcast and rain .1-1.5" almost daily.

reddog90 said:

---

How do I check if I have them? I sodded celebration bermuda 3 weeks ago in my backyard. I saw one small worm in the grass the other day, don't think it was an armyworm though.

---

Look for areas browning out, birds in your grass, wasps hovering over the grass. With a new yard I can almost guarantee you have them.

Yeah thinking back, a few days ago there was a small group of birds feeding in the area that is now browned out. I'm almost certain I have them without even checking yet. I'm reading that they attach fresh sod like crazy, especially after heavy rain.

Any recommendations on treatment with rain in the forecast?

The best way I have found is to run your hand or foot over the grass and see what gets knocked off.

I'm not likely to treat mine, we have so much (mature) grass already and enough subsoil moisture to regrow if the worms get bad. But lawns and fertilized oat patches are prime targets. Hopefully wet weather will delay moths and allow substantial regrowth before worms get too bad.

Never tried prevathon, will be in the mix next time. Primarily used malathion in the past. Sevin didn't work very well, even at the high rate per acre. The worms are harder to kill than you would think a soft-skinned invertebrate would be.

How big of an area is your yard?

Troutslime said:

---

How big of an area is your yard?

---

About 3,100 sf of celebration bermuda. The brown spot is probably 300 sf right now.

Treat entire yard with this..

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Spectracide-Triazicide-32-fl-oz-Ready-to-Spray-Lawn-Insect-Killer-HG-95830-6/100137837

reddog90 said:

---

How do I check if I have them? I sodded celebration bermuda 3 weeks ago in my backyard. I saw one small worm in the grass the other day, don't think it was an armyworm though.

---

Get up early, before dawn, and walk through the grass wearing black rubber boots. It helps if there is a heavy dew or it rained very recently.

We sprayed our hay meadows several weeks ago after the rains started because we saw a few. Right now, no worms anywhere. SE McLennan County.

CATERPILLAR RAVE!!!!!!

I just walked around the yard at lunch in the light rain and found them almost everywhere I looked. Ordered Bifen I/T on Amazon. Label says to not water for 24 hours after application so I'll have to wait until Sunday to spray with this current forecast. Hopefully they don't do too much damage before then.

reddog90 said:

---

I just walked around the yard at lunch in the light rain and found them almost everywhere I looked. Ordered Bifen I/T on Amazon. Label says to not water for 24 hours after application so I'll have to wait until Sunday to spray with this current forecast. Hopefully they don't do too much damage before then.

---

t&p for your lawn

What's going to happen to his lawn?

Troutslime said:

---

What's going to happen to his lawn?

---

Those things eat a crap load of grass. However, since lawns are kept short I don't guess it's as big of a deal as if they are in a hay field.

Or he could go to any hardware or grocery store, buy a cheap pyrethroid hose end sprayer or two and spray it this evening and be done with it. Apply his Bifinthren next week.

Just my $0.02.

fightingfarmer09 said:

---

Or he could go to any hardware or grocery store, buy a cheap pyrethroid hose end sprayer or two and spray it this evening and be done with it. Apply his Bifinthren next week.

Just my $0.02.

---

Any product suggestions? I would love to do that as long as the constant drizzle over the next two days doesn't render the application useless. Looking online and haven't found a hose end that's pyrethrin yet. But I see ones that are bifinthren, Beta cyfluthrin, and zeta cypermethrin based (is this the right stuff?)

Pretty much anything that has like lambda-cy or any pyrethroid. Just to be clear Bifenthrin that you ordered is a pyrethroid, but there are tons of types out there.

It's all contact based so just so long as it's not raining 20 minutes after you should get some activity out of it.

Should be like $10-15/container.

Remember that 90% of all homeowner products are generics and you will just need to find something with an active ingredient from the resource I posted earlier.

And as cheap as the products are, I would take 75% effectiveness spraying today than 100% on Sunday.

Most "mosquito" sprays fit this category. Any respectable hardware store will likely have 2-3 options minimum.

List:
https://www.epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/pyrethrins-and-pyrethroids

Go to your local SiteOne Landscape Supply and ask for Crosscheck.

If you get an hour gap to spray, it will work. I suggested that product because it's easy and cheap, as a second application may be necessary even without rain.

I got a break in the rain yesterday. I sprayed the whole yard with this:

https://m.lowes.com/pd/Spectracide-Triazicide-32-fl-oz-Insect-Killer-for-Lawns-Landscapes/4736723

Active ingredient is Gamma-Cyhalothrin and label said it killed fall army worms. I threw some army worms in a solo cup with poisoned grass to monitor. Most are dead. A couple act sick af but are still kind of moving around today.

They did a number on our yard overnight. Had the lawn company come spray right away. Let the neighbors know and their lawns were crawling too. Hope there's enough time in the season for the grass to recover

My golf course has biblical amounts right now. I went in today thinking they would be a few areas I would need to treat. They've gone scorched earth on almost every hole.

Walked out this morning and they are covered up in my yard and driveway. ****.

Thank you for posting this.

I have not noticed any extra damage over the weekend, and the big chewed spot looks like it has a little new growth. But I still found a couple worms early this morning, some acting sick and some going to town on my grass. Any advice on when I should spray my new Bifen if I sprayed gamma-cy 3 days ago?

My uncle has had to spray twice up in Henderson county...says there must have been two hatchings of them. He's not had that happen before but he says this is the worst he's had them. Maybe you need to treat again but I am sure others know better than me