You Are Here: Management Updates 2007 Archive June 26, 2007

Date: June 26, 2007
Category: Insects
Subject: Armyworms

I was reading last week's Sports Illustrated last night and came upon a short note that described an invasion of seagulls into Comerica Park (the Detroit Tigers stadium). Apparently the seagulls were catching armyworm adults, who had emerged in large numbers.

I filed that information away as a curiosity and probably would have forgotten it, but this morning I received (by e-mail) a newsletter that Dave Shetlar (my counterpart in Ohio) puts out weekly during the summer. He also reported that there had been some areas of Ohio that experienced large flights of armyworm adults.

As Dave notes, it is often difficult to predict what armyworms are going to do until the caterpillars start to emerge. So watch the turf a little more vigilantly for the next couple weeks. Shetlar reports that caterpillar activity often starts under a street light or other light that is on overnight, or around trees because adults sometimes lay egg masses in tree canopies or stsructures that overhang the turf. Home lawns and golf courses are "suitable" sites.

Don't panic! Usually armyworm outbreaks are very sporadic in New England, and it is often several years between outbreaks. But the last outbreak in New England (2001) was quite memorable, and it turned out that there had been outbreaks further south and west of us earlier that year. So this is just a heads up - unlikely but possible!

Submitted by: Dr. Pat Vittum

DISCLAIMER - As always, it is the responsibility of the applicator to verify the registration status of any pesticide BEFORE applying it. Different states have different regulations as well. Trade names of materials are provided for informational purposes only and do not substitute for a thorough and careful reading of the label and application according to label instructions. The author and the University of Massachusetts are not liable for any consequences of any pesticide recommendations. Mention of any trade name is not to be considered endorsement of a product.

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