A Cyclical Up Year for the Devastating Fall Armyworm

With your Southeast Regional Ag News, I am Haylie Shipp. This is the Ag Information Network.

Today we are talking about the fall armyworm which, according to University of Georgia Extension Forage Specialist Lisa Baxter, is by far the most important caterpillar pest in pastures and hayfields.

“The fall armyworm shows up every year in some degree. In most years it’s pretty sporadic but every five to six years or so, we have widespread damage like what we’re having this year.”

When I caught up with Baxter, she told me that these pests can quickly decimate a field of any forage crop, often selecting higher quality material first.

“They can completely decimate a field overnight if the population is high enough.”

While the fortunate part, she said, is that there are insecticides labeled for armyworm, there’s a but…

“Most producers don’t find the fall armyworm until it’s an inch-and-a-half-or-so big. And at that point, the insecticides are not effective. So we’re limited then to physical control which is typically thought of as mowing, hay harvest, bushhogging, or clipping a field to reset it and then but out a chemical product that has some residual activity.”

And if you’ve got more questions than I’ve been able to give you answers in this quick radio broadcast, Baxter encourages you to contact your local extension agent.