What do they look like?
These hairless, striped caterpillars give new significance to insect lawn invasion by moving in and assaulting turf in hordes. They attack from nearby crop areas and often appear in surprisingly large numbers overnight, hence the name armyworm. Their sporadic outbreaks are most evident in warm-season grasses.
How do we know we've got them?
The signs of the armyworm are unmistakable; the caterpillars are easy to spot in abundance. You will see dead stems, and you might watch the birds to see if they are swooping in to feed on the caterpillars. Disregard the moths, as it is the caterpillar that does the damage, not the adult moths.
How do they damage our lawns?
The armyworm will chew all green tissue out of your grass, leaving only brown stem. The damage occurs in a circular pattern, with most of it occurring overnight.
How do we get rid of them?
While some new grass strains are increasingly resistant, the Bermuda grass mite does not like extended wet periods, regardless of the lawn type. Fungicides can also be effective. As these mites can spread with grass clippings, mulching your grass is a good preventive practice.
Great for large jobs, frequent use. Combined with a maintenance-free axial cam pump, this Standard Series unit provides reliable cleaning power.
