My uncle in Bell Co just got hit and has been spraying the past few days.

These things still make the hair on the back of my neck stick up.

We haven't been hit in SE Milam County yet, but I'm wondering if it's just a matter of time. Reports from elsewhere in the state seem particularly bad.

Most of our place is pretty dense compared to most (mostly coastal, good density -- good height) -- we got just enough rain at just the right time and had few enough cattle that we came through the summer with good grass almost everywhere.

I wonder if there's something with how we're set that is keeping them away (i.e. we're not really in a vegatative state after dry spells and then rain), or if it's just a matter of time.

They showed up in our yard in south Fort Worth a day or two ago and today I noticed significant grass damage. Looks like I'm going to be spraying.

This year is the worst that I have seen them in over 30 years. We have been getting them in all of the new sod our landscape company has laid, around 20 homes. Had to spray some, and did granular on the newer ones. They are wreaking havoc on hay and fall crops right now, too. It's kind of a perfect storm for them, weather wise.

I hit my yard with a combo of Demon (cypermethrin) and bifenthrin. Nothing gonna survive.

Cromagnum said:

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I hit my yard with a combo of Demon (cypermethrin) and bifenthrin. Nothing gonna survive.

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What was the order in which you applied? Any delay between applications?

Saw this on Facebook the other day. Don't know the guy and wasn't familiar with armyworms till seeing this.

https://www.facebook.com/weldon.massey/videos/10216946694370378/

I've sprayed 500 ac of hay for armyworms this week, a couple others I've talked to have done more. Worst they've been in recent memory.

We thought our 65 acre Coastal patch (west Brazos county) avoided the infestation, but today that was proven wrong. 6-8 per/sqft in some areas, 1-2 in other spots. The rain chance this weekend will likely delay a decision to spray or cut. Have heard a heavy rain can kill some of the worms?

They got into my yard while I was out of town and have destroyed it. 10 per square foot in some places. Van Zandt County

reddog90 said:

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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.

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I sprayed with Gamma Cy on the 15th. I don't see any caterpillars in the yard right now, and no new damage. But I see a few armyworm and webworm moths flying low over the turf at night. Should I go ahead and spray with Bifen, or wait until I see caterpillars and/or new damage? The label on the Triazicide bottle said I could spray lawns up to 15 times a year, it didn't mention waiting X number of days after application to treat with something else.

We have about 75 acres of coastal Bermuda that is ready to cut but rain is in the forecast for the next week or so. Not in a hurry to cut it as it isn't getting stemmy so those damn worms better not show up!!!!

My yard in north Georgetown (Williamson county) is covered up in the buggars. Was gone for a week and they pretty much ate my backyard. Been putting out bifenthrin, but they have already done a lot of damage.

Na Zdrav 87 said:

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We have about 75 acres of coastal Bermuda that is ready to cut but rain is in the forecast for the next week or so. Not in a hurry to cut it as it isn't getting stemmy so those damn worms better not show up!!!!

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In some areas, they were present without seeing damage across the tops of our Coastal. One small area of stripped foliage clued us to look harder....and it was disappointing. The heavy rains seemed to reduce the numbers since last Wednesday, but they are not gone. Damage has been tolerable...IF they don't explode in numbers. And like you, cutting is delayed due to the weather forecast.

In Brazos County, the adults are emerging. Don't know if they will mate then leave for greener pastures or stay and reek havoc again. Most grass has regrown and is tender. We usually don't see them hit the same place 2x in a row but it does happen occasionally.
Today while putting out lime, we all were running them out of the grass ahead of the tractors.
The Kid and I caught some 5th instars about 9 or 10 days ago and put them in jars. The first one emerged from pupation today. He was pretty tickled.

The wife and I went to Mexico ladybug thurs-sun. Came home to a yard that was completely ravaged by them. My whole damn yard (1 acre) is ****ed.

Found army worms in my bermuda again. Not nearly the concentration or damage as 3 weeks ago though. Sprayed with Bifen I/T at 1oz/1k sf. Hope that kills them for good this year.

Sprayed here in N. Grimes County 3 weeks ago.
Getting set up to spray again.
Really bad year. Don't ever recall spraying twice.

On the south side of CS, another hatch happened within the last couple of days in bermudagrass. Several places we shook a handful of 6" tall grass and got 15-20 second instar worms.

Just found my yard in cedar park, southern williamson county, is getting infested. Only saw a few caterpillars of all stages but had hundreds of the moths flying as i was mowing.

Anyone in the Bexar / Comal / Guadalupe / Hays county area seen any of these?

I walked some fields this evening and saw no sign of them.

Is there a good granule to use? I just sprayed out some the gamma cy with a garden hose sprayer, but there are a ****e ton of worms in the yard and nervous I didn't spray it on thick enough. Thinking of maybe putting out some granules as well with the rain coming...? Thoughts?

Wait an hour and if they aren't dead, spray it again.

Anybody know how cold it needs to get to kill off these pests?

Troutslime said:

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Wait an hour and if they aren't dead, spray it again.

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About 3 hours later they were all mostly dead.. phew!

Little *******s already nuked about 1/2 my yard though...

swampdog01 said:

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Anybody know how cold it needs to get to kill off these pests?

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It won't get cold enough to kill them anytime soon in Texas but the cooler weather we are about to experience will slow down larval development somewhat, extending the time one needs to monitor numbers. This second egg lay was more staggered due to erratic emergence of moths from the 1st generation, resulting in quite a bit of difference in larval size now.
I replanted some food plots for a couple of ladies who got their clocks cleaned the first time around and am nervous about this one also.

I've been in Colorado hunting for the past week. I got back to see that all that remains of my pasture burmuda is stems. They don't seem to go after the bahia, though. The cooler and wet weather doesn't seem to have phased them.

Agreed, they are still emerging and eating, including the rye grass that was doing well.

So much for the heavy rains doing them in....

flashplayer said:

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Anyone in the Bexar / Comal / Guadalupe / Hays county area seen any of these?

I walked some fields this evening and saw no sign of them.

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In the week & 1/2 since I posted this they've obliterated my yard and now have put a pretty good dent in a couple of our pastures. Guess I'm going to have to spray the SOBs.

Once they get to about 4th instar, you better hit them hard for a rescue treatment as they are difficult to kill at that size. Weigh the cost/benefit. Yards will come back if they are established and have good root systems. Do you need the late fall grazing on your pastures? Letting them have some leaf may give you a better chance of getting a cool season cover crop established. Some thoughts.

They are in Bexar County. Saw several thousand around the Espada Mission areas two days ago.

I'm seeing all different sizes and it may be a month before we get a frost to take them out.

If I don't spray they'll have our pasture leveled by the end of the first week in November. Really want to avoid feeding hay by then.

So far they haven't found our coastal Bermuda hay patches. When this rain is gone, looks like we will have a window of opportunity to cut them. Hope they stay away so we can get it cut.
I'm getting worried though as they have shown up in some pastures not far away.